Longtime Lynn school principal Crane retiring

LYNN – Ford School Principal Dr. Claire Crane has announced she will retire in August and bring the curtain down on 52 years in the Lynn public schools – but not on her career as an educator.Her official retirement date is Aug. 31, but Crane, 74, said she will take on new responsibilities and challenges helping to expand Salem State University?s community school center.?I?m happy and I?m sad about it,” Crane said after announcing her retirement on Monday.Crane?s ties to Salem State are strong: She earned a bachelor?s and a master?s degree from the school, and Salem State honored Crane in 1997 as an outstanding educator and again in 2009, when the school conferred an honorary degree on her.?Claire is one of our most valued and honored alumni,” said University spokeswoman Karen Cady.Crane earned a doctorate in education from Nova University in Florida.School Superintendent Catherine Latham in a statement Monday said Crane?s retirement “signals the end of an era.” Latham listed school jobs held by Crane throughout her career, including guidance counselor, interim special education administrator and teacher.?She will be sorely missed by the Ford School community and the entire Lynn School Department,” Latham said.Crane will be involved in the Salem State center as a volunteer, said Cady. The center provides services to city of Salem public elementary school students and Cady said Crane will focus on expanding the center?s community involvement.?She is going to bring her enthusiasm and energy here,” she said.Crane said her involvement will allow her to expand the center into the night school and after school programs she introduced at Ford School.?Eventually, they would like me to work with middle schoolers,” she said.Crane has been Ford?s principal since 1989 and her tenure saw the school forge a relationship with NASA and communicate with space shuttle astronauts. In 1996, she hosted a visit by former First Lady Hillary Clinton to the school.?It was all Pat McManus? doing,” she said, referring to the city?s former mayor.Crane traces her interest in education back to West Lynn.?I took care of all the neighborhood kids. They used to march around behind me,” she recalled.Her first teaching job was in the Callahan School in 1960. As Ford principal, she was on hand for renovations to the schools, oversaw the opening of the school?s former Bennett Street annex building, and involved parents and Highlands neighborhood residents in the Ford garden?s creation.?My family is the Highlands and the Ford School,” she said.Cady praised Crane in a statement for helping to transform Ford during her principal?s tenure into “one of the city?s highest performing elementary schools” by boosting attendance, test scores and parental involvement.Cady noted Crane contributed to an education textbook outlining the “Village School” model for generating greater community involvement in curriculum construction.Crane?s retirement is the second principal exodus this year: Veteran Callahan Principal Edward Turmenne retired in June. Cobbet School Principal Brian Fay is slated to transfer to Callahan as principal and candidates for the Cobbet principalship should be available later this month.Ford said she looks forward to visiting often with Highlands and Ford friends even while she helps Salem State expand its program.?When you love what you do, it?s not really retirement,” she said.Thor Jourgensen can be reached at [email protected].