Professional Development

The Opening Retreat is a three-day workshop for all Staffulty that includes a variety of training sessions that include CPR/first-aid, additional safety trainings, and educator-in-residence workshops. The retreat is an opportunity for colleagues to gear up for the school year and welcome new employees.

In 2000, Head of School Joel Weiss initiated the Educator-in-Residence Program, which invites a distinguished teacher or researcher to Crane for a few days to lecture, discuss, and observe at the school. Topics have included diversity & inclusion, creativity, and Responsive Classroom. Speakers have included: Bob McCannon, Wendy Mogel, Chick Mormon, Michael Thompson, Sheridan Blau, Rosetta Lee, and Tanynya Hekymara.

Traditionally, representatives of Crane attend the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) conference each year. When the conference is hosted in our region, the school tries to fund all teachers to attend. In 2015 (San Francisco) and 2019 (Los Angeles) the entire Staffulty was provided funding to attend the conference.

The school has made its diversity & inclusion efforts a top priority. Constituents from the board, administration, and faculty are provided funding each year to attend the People of Color Conference. A subsequent Staffulty meeting is set aside for the group to present their experiences and to promote continued growth for all employees.

The sabbatical leave program for teaching faculty is designed to enhance personal and professional growth through specific activities of professional study, travel, research, or other independent projects. Eligible faculty must have worked seven consecutive years at Crane to be eligible. One-semester sabbatical recipients will receive full pay, and two-semester recipients will receive half pay. Recipients of the award agree to return to Crane the following year.

The Duca family founded the Eldon Boyd Fellowship Grant to honor Eldon Boyd, teacher and principal, who for 41 years inspired teachers, students, and parents by his humor, leadership, and commitment to providing outstanding educational experiences for young people.

The purpose of the fellowship is to provide Crane faculty the opportunity for further professional and/or personal enrichment. There are no further guidelines on the use of the grant. Grant funds may be used for (but are not limited to):

·       Enhancing areas of expertise
·       Exploring new areas of interest
·       Pursuing activities which may re-energize the recipient
·       Acquiring items of interest or need
·       Financing travel and exploration

The Brittingham Family Foundation established the Dorothy C. Waugh Summer Education Award to promote and sustain the highest quality teaching at Crane School. The purpose of the award is to provide selected faculty members with an even greater opportunity for high quality summer professional development. These funds are not intended to support the exploration of new areas, but rather to deepen a teacher’s expertise in their primary field. Funds directed to the recipient of this award may be used for:

·       Traditional course work
·       Conferences and workshops
·       Travel that is closely tied to Crane’s curriculum
·       Working with a mentor or master teacher

Any full-time faculty member who has completed at least one year of teaching at Crane is eligible for this award. Recipients of the award agree to return to Crane the following year.

All Staffulty may submit professional development requests throughout the year. Funds are dependent on budget flexibility and can be used to cover costs for travel, conferences, school visits, and other professional-development related events.