Crane Country Day School
Encyclopedia
Crane Country Day School, established in 1928 by William D. Crane, is a highly-regarded kindergarten through eighth grade, coeducational private school
in Santa Barbara, California
, United States
.
William D. Crane shared a remarkable vision with founding headmaster F. Arnold Lejeune. Crane has remained true to their vision for the past eight decades, offering rigorous academic programs with hands-on experiences that challenge both the intellect and the imagination.
Crane teaches the whole child. They provide children with opportunities in academics, arts, sports, and community service. Involvement in these activities helps each child discover talents and strengths, which build every child's joy and confidence.
Part of Crane's philosophy is a focus on hard work and personal responsibility. Crane's rigorous academic standards in combination with effective, individualized teaching methods allow them to challenge their students to move to the next level.
Crane seeks to inspire students to develop a deeper understanding of subject matter both in and beyond the classroom. This approach helps ignite children's natural curiosity.
Crane strives to be an inclusive school with economic and racial diversity, where everyone is treated with respect and kindness. Friendships between students at different grade levels, relationships between students and teachers, and a partnership between teachers and parents make Crane a cohesive community. Service learning creates additional ties between their students and the larger community.
characterized by a thoughtful balance of academic challenge and creative expression.
We thrive as a community that builds character and confidence, while celebrating the joy in learning."
In 2007, the original classrooms, built in 1928, were demolished, and larger classrooms were built to replace them.
Daily Assembly: Each day, the school comes together in daily assembly to hear guest speakers, celebrate student accomplishments or to hear an eighth grade student deliver a current event.
Families: Families were created to bring students together from all grades to form a tighter community. As "parents", eighth grade students are given leadership opportunities as the head of their family.
Lower School – one class per grade level with approximately 20 students in Kindergarten through Fourth Grades. Kindergarten and First Grade classes are taught by two co-teachers; Second through Fourth Grade classes have full-time teachers and half-day assistants; Fifth Grade has two
sections with approximately 15 students per section.
Upper School – 123 students in grades Six, Seven and Eight, departmentalized with 11 to 18 students per section.
, volleyball
, surfing
, and track and field
. Boys and girls compete separately. Crane is a member of the Christian Athletic League which has a number of nonsectarian
member schools.
34°25′28.88"N 119°37′11.36"W
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
William D. Crane shared a remarkable vision with founding headmaster F. Arnold Lejeune. Crane has remained true to their vision for the past eight decades, offering rigorous academic programs with hands-on experiences that challenge both the intellect and the imagination.
Crane teaches the whole child. They provide children with opportunities in academics, arts, sports, and community service. Involvement in these activities helps each child discover talents and strengths, which build every child's joy and confidence.
Part of Crane's philosophy is a focus on hard work and personal responsibility. Crane's rigorous academic standards in combination with effective, individualized teaching methods allow them to challenge their students to move to the next level.
Crane seeks to inspire students to develop a deeper understanding of subject matter both in and beyond the classroom. This approach helps ignite children's natural curiosity.
Crane strives to be an inclusive school with economic and racial diversity, where everyone is treated with respect and kindness. Friendships between students at different grade levels, relationships between students and teachers, and a partnership between teachers and parents make Crane a cohesive community. Service learning creates additional ties between their students and the larger community.
Mission statement
"Crane Country Day School is dedicated to providing an experiential educationExperiential education
Experiential education is a philosophy of education that describes the process that occurs between a teacher and student that infuses direct experience with the learning environment and content. The term is mistakenly used interchangeably with experiential learning...
characterized by a thoughtful balance of academic challenge and creative expression.
We thrive as a community that builds character and confidence, while celebrating the joy in learning."
Campus
11 acres (44,515.5 m²); 13 Classrooms, Science Laboratories, Computer Laboratory, Music and Art Buildings, Library, Performing Arts Auditorium, Sports courts, and sports fields.In 2007, the original classrooms, built in 1928, were demolished, and larger classrooms were built to replace them.
Unique programs
Crane has a number of unique programs which include daily assembly and "families".Daily Assembly: Each day, the school comes together in daily assembly to hear guest speakers, celebrate student accomplishments or to hear an eighth grade student deliver a current event.
Families: Families were created to bring students together from all grades to form a tighter community. As "parents", eighth grade students are given leadership opportunities as the head of their family.
Enrollment
255 in Grades K-8;Lower School – one class per grade level with approximately 20 students in Kindergarten through Fourth Grades. Kindergarten and First Grade classes are taught by two co-teachers; Second through Fourth Grade classes have full-time teachers and half-day assistants; Fifth Grade has two
sections with approximately 15 students per section.
Upper School – 123 students in grades Six, Seven and Eight, departmentalized with 11 to 18 students per section.
Sports
Crane Upper School participates in a number of competitive sports which include: soccer, basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. Boys and girls compete separately. Crane is a member of the Christian Athletic League which has a number of nonsectarian
Nonsectarian
Nonsectarian, in its most literal sense, refers to a lack of sectarianism. The term is also more narrowly used to describe secular private educational institutions or other organizations either not affiliated with or not restricted to a particular religious denomination though the organization...
member schools.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and CollegesWestern Association of Schools and CollegesThe Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
- California Association of Independent Schools
- National Association of Independent SchoolsNational Association of Independent SchoolsThe National Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1963, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, boarding, and day/boarding schools; elementary and secondary...
Famous alumni
Notable people who have attended Crane School include:- David CrosbyDavid CrosbyDavid Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
, musician (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young) - Josh BrolinJosh BrolinJosh James Brolin is an American actor. He has acted in theater, film and television roles since 1985, and won acting awards for his roles in the films W., No Country for Old Men, Milk and True Grit.-Early life:...
, actor (No Country for Old MenNo Country for Old Men (film)No Country for Old Men is a 2007 American crime thriller directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. The film was adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name...
and MilkMilk (film)Milk is a 2008 American biographical film on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
) - Adam Duvendeck, two-time Olympic cyclist
External links
34°25′28.88"N 119°37′11.36"W