Crane Country Day School named its most inspirational teacher of the year at an all-school assembly Monday. Peter Glynn, Lower School math specialist, accepted the honor and an orchid presented by Headmaster Joel Weiss. Formally called the Lejeune Teaching Fellowship, the honor also came with a check for $1,000.
Glynn was selected based on short essay nominations by his teaching colleagues. Faculty members nominate the individual they consider the highest quality educator at the school, 1795 San Leandro Lane in Montecito; the winner is selected by the headmaster.
“This award is given to the most inspirational teacher,” Weiss said at the assembly. “In selecting this teacher, I look for someone who is 100% committed to their students and who is responsive to the overall needs of the rest of the school.”
Weiss added that, this year, picking the winner was “easy,” since Glynn’s contributions to the Crane community dominated the collection of nominations.
Glynn, a Crane teacher for the past three years, was formerly a software systems engineer and even dabbled in aeronautics. But his master’s degree in mathematics was a sign of his love for math, which, combined with his passion for teaching and mentoring, led him to a career change four years ago. Glynn jumped into teaching, going instantly from the business world to the education world. Now, as Crane’s Lower School math specialist as well as the co-chairman of its math department, he provides teaching to students and consultative services to teachers.
Weiss read Glynn’s praises to the collected 300 students, faculty and staff filling Cate Hall on Monday morning.
“You are a remarkable classroom teacher … You run a thriving early morning math lab in the Library … Along with Mr. (Pat) Bixler, you run a summer math and science camp. And this year, you were elected by your colleagues as the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees,” read Weiss, who added that Glynn has also chaperoned trips and led the school’s Math Superbowl team.
Glynn recently wrote an article for the school’s newsletter, about helping students find a love of math.
“Your influence is large, since above all, you are a teacher of teachers,” finished Weiss, before presenting Glynn with the teaching award and the check for $1,000.
Crane Country Day School celebrates one teacher each year with the Lejeune Teaching Fellowship. This award remembers Arnold Lejeune, Crane’s founding headmaster, who led the school from its opening day in 1928 until 1944.
“Arnold Lejeune was a great teacher,” Weiss said. “He realized as head of school that the most important single element of his job was to seek out other great teachers.”
“In a time of pink slips and crowded classrooms in many other schools, I think it is even more important to honor all teachers for the important work they do,” said Anne Dascomb, a staffer at the school. “Crane is lucky enough to benefit from donors who have endowed several grants for teachers; but appreciating a great teacher can also be as simple as a small bouquet of flowers or a handwritten note.”
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— Anne (Davis) Dascomb is the assistant to the headmaster at Crane Country Day School.