School Director Crystal Lane joined Brooklyn Ascend Middle School as a humanities teacher before becoming associate dean of instruction for humanities. Most recently, Lane served as resident director and dean of instruction at Brooklyn Ascend Middle. Lane began her career as a Teach For America corps member at the Urban Assembly for Applied Math and Sciences in the Bronx. While teaching at Urban Assembly, Lane collaborated with other teachers to develop a strategic and effective implementation of a Common Core aligned and culturally responsive curriculum for sixth grade ELA and seventh grade history. A graduate of Villanova University, she holds two master’s degrees, one in education policy and social analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University, and one in teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education.