Crane Country Day School Established 1928

Crane School Blog: Focus on Learning

Featuring articles written by Crane Staffulty

For more information about Crane Country Day School, please contact admission@craneschool.org or call 805-969-7732 x127.

Crane 90 Coyote on wood
Patti Smart

Recently, while reading through student responses to literature, one paper particularly caught my attention. What was this? Before me were well-structured, specifically detailed responses with proper capitalization and punctuation. Vocabulary choices included “stretch words,” and the student had gone beyond rote answers and incorporated evidence of deeper understanding...

Recently, while reading through student responses to literature, one paper particularly caught my attention. What was this? Before me were well-structured, specifically detailed responses with proper capitalization and punctuation. Vocabulary choices included “stretch words,” and the student had gone beyond rote answers and incorporated evidence of deeper understanding and connection with characters and story content. I hadn’t seen this level of work from this individual before, but I knew it was possible. Delighted, I shared my observations with the writer.  The explanation offered was one not expected by one so young: “Yeah, I didn’t care much about writing in the beginning of the year, but you care about it so much that I guess I started to think that I should too.” 
 
These words stuck with me as I continued on through the week and as preparations for Crane’s 90th year celebrations began outside our classroom windows. Auction committee volunteers and Staffulty were taking great care to set the scene for two magical and memorable evenings. 
 
Attending the two Crane Coming Home events this past weekend, one can undeniably surmise that Crane School abounds with people who care deeply about it. It was truly heartwarming to witness the coming together of so many past and present students, parents, grandparents, administrators, teachers, all who have given generously of themselves, their time, and their talents over the past ninety years. Through their care and commitment to the vitality and growth of the school, Crane has thrived. I am guessing that everyone present at these events had many times been inspired by the care and commitment of another attendee, and that they themselves had in turn, been the ones to inspire. It’s contagious. 
 
Today, while the tables and chairs are lifted onto trucks and the cream and green-hued ribbons still float gently outside my classroom windows, I pause. I reflect and appreciate the significance of the collective spirit of caring that permeates and sustains this community. 
 
Here’s to the next 90!
 
Patti Smart
Third Grade Teacher

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This image is prominently displayed on our seventh grade dean’s website. It’s a bit of comic relief to combat the bad rap that the middle school years get. And it is a perfect example of one of the goals of the new Grade Level Dean program in the Upper School (sixth-eighth grades) at Crane School - to add an element of fun to the social lives of middle school students.

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However, as Crane School students in all nine grades now have the option to learn on campus, the majority of parents are once again receiving less information about the day-to-day activities both in the classroom and on the playground.

We have all asked the question and gotten the dreaded answer. You know the one. Parents enthusiastically ask, “How was your day!?!” The response is an annoyed or indifferent, “Fine,” “Okay,” or possibly just an undecipherable grunt...