LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) – Starpoint Central School District Superintendent Sean Croft returned in front of his peers and parents for the first time on Monday night since he was arrested in August for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
His appearance at the school board meeting is the first since he was reinstated with full support from the board earlier this month.
Croft pleaded not guilty in September to the DWI charge after the crash, where officials said he struck a tree on Nina Terrace in West Seneca and allegedly showed several signs of intoxication and failed field sobriety tests.
“You’re going to face challenges in life, whether self-imposed or opposed on you, and it’s all about how you face and respond to the challenges,” he said.
Croft was placed on leave by Starpoint Schools after the crash, which WIVB News 4 asked him about.
“I would rather leave that because there is pending litigation going on, so there will be a time and a place to talk about that, but I appreciate the question — just focused on getting back into the Starpoint community and leading this district,” he said.
In the school board’s unanimous decision to reinstate Croft, they said in a statement that they “balanced the seriousness of the incident with Croft’s long standing dedication and contribution.”
“It was amazing to see staff and community members reach out to me in different formats,” he said. “Sometimes when something‘s taken away from you, you don’t necessarily think about that on a day-to-day basis, but when it is taken away from you, those are all the things that come to the forefront of what you miss about the job.”
Croft’s reinstatement and ninth year as superintendent comes with a new contract that shortens his employment by a year, with no raises.
He must also submit drug and alcohol tests if suspected of being under the influence and will be fired if there are any more arrests.
“The terms were acceptable to me. I signed it right away. I would be lying if I say there wasn’t a period of anxiousness during this, but I utilized the time the best I could,” he said. “Healthy mind, healthy body.”
The board added that Croft has taken responsibility and demonstrated a commitment to personal growth, a sentiment Croft wants to prove to parents.
“That trust might’ve been tarnished a little bit, but I just ask them to judge me on my behavior and my character moving forward,” he said.
Croft’s new contract runs through June 2027. He is due back in court next Tuesday.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
