Dr. Dana McCauley has served as the teaching principal of Crellin Elementary School in Oakland, Maryland for the past 20 years. Under her direction, Crellin Elementary School participated in a reclamation project that led to the creation of their Environmental Education Laboratory, consisting of a 5.5 acres outdoor classroom, on school property.

In addition, the schoolyard is the home of Sunshine Farm, which houses sheep, goats, chickens, multiple gardens, and a greenhouse.

These unique school features serve as resources for instruction, place-based projects, and student research. McCauley holds a B.S. and M.Ed. from Frostburg State University in Maryland and an Ed.D. from West Virginia University.