Crane Country Day School

Karen Ohrn

Biography

I am thrilled to be in Santa Barbara at Crane School. It truly feels like a family here at Crane.

I was raised in Chicago, Illinois where I attended both undergraduate and graduate school and where I received my BA in psychology and my Masters in early childhood education. I have Illinois and California multi-subject teaching credentials.

I spent six years teaching kindergarten and second grade in Chicago before my husband and I moved to Monterrey, Mexico. I taught second grade at the American School Foundation of Monterrey for two years. We worked with an incredible teaching staff and fabulous student body, 90% of whom were local Mexican students. During our time there we traveled, studied Spanish, and enjoyed the wonderful people, great food, and culture of Mexico. After leaving Monterrey, we moved to Santa Barbara to be near my family. I taught kindergarten at Franklin School for two years before the birth of my daughter, Katie.

Ellen Bonning

Ellen, the Second Grade teaching assistant, has been at Crane School for the past 22 years. She has worked with second graders for the past nine years.. She also runs the after school day care program and is the editor of the school yearbook. Ellen brings to our class her knowledge and experience as well as her enthusiasm for learning. During the summers, she spends time hiking, quilting, reading and relaxing with her husband in their home in Northern California.

We are looking forward to another great year and are both so excited to work with the new Second Graders and their families. Please stop by the Second Grade classroom and say hello!