Checking in at the Crowbar Hotel

Checking in at the Crowbar Hotel lets you check in without being arrested! The Crowbar Hotel, popular slang for juvenile jail, the slammer, is a cultural phenomenon characterized by the resourcefulness, language, and rituals of its members. Kids at the Crowbar create, invent, endure, and survive. Some to these better than others. Just like each of us. Join the journey and experience life through the eyes of a Crowbar kid.

Gary Delanoeye is a career educator. His first teaching job was at a private elementary school where he appeared for work the first day with two broken arms. But this job was not a good fit for Gary, nor Gary for it. Gary relocated to accept a job at a residential treatment facility that included a school program for high school-age kids with academic and emotional challenges. And this was a better fit and also a well-timed one; Special education legislation had just been passed. Gary went back to school to earn special education and administrative credentials.And yes... Gary has had a lot of experience with "at risk" adolescents and has learned so much from them and from his colleagues who have stepped up to the plate to teach them too. During these experiences, Gary has delivered many conference presentations on at-risk students, special education topics, cooperative learning and the things educators can do to help such students succeed. He has also been faculty in Graduate Credential, Special Education and Master's Degree programs. Gary completed his Ed.D. degree in 2006. Currently, he supervises student teachers and teaches educational research courses in a Master of Arts Degree program. Gary is a volunteer naturalist and enjoys leading interpretive hikes on the Channel Islands. He also does photo identification of whales as a volunteer on local whale watching boats. Gary has enjoyed living on the California Coast with his dear wife and their occasional collection of cats, bunnies and... an iguana! Gary says, " 'Checking in at the Crowbar Hotel' turned out to be a very reflective piece of fiction. The perspective of time and experience has enabled me to look at challenging students differently, perhaps more holistically."