Starpoint Superintendent Sean Croft has stepped down, the district announced, in a sudden departure just weeks before the end of the school year.
In a letter sent to students and staff, school board President Kelley Swann said Croft and the district “have mutually agreed that this is an appropriate time” for Croft to step away and pursue other opportunities.
The departure caps a turbulent year and a half for the superintendent, who was arrested following a one-car crash about 3:40 p.m. Aug. 31, 2024, at Nina Terrace near East and West Road in West Seneca. Police said Croft was operating a vehicle while impaired when he unsafely moved from the lane, drove off the roadway and hit a tree.
This past June, Croft was found guilty on two counts stemming from the DWI arrest during a non-jury trial in West Seneca Town Court. Croft, 52, of Cheektowaga, was found guilty of driving while ability impaired and unsafely moving from a lane by West Seneca Town Court Justice Jon F. Minear following the one-hour trial, according to a release from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
Crash investigators said Croft was suspected of driving his vehicle at “a speed in excess of the legal limit” when he drove off the roadway and hit a tree mid-afternoon in the residential neighborhood.
Croft was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge plus fines and surcharges. His New York State driver’s license was revoked for 90 days. In addition to leading a law-abiding life, Croft was ordered to attend a victim impact panel.
After the crash, Croft was placed on leave from his post as the Starpoint superintendent. However, in November 2024, the members of the Starpoint Central School District Board of Education “agreed unanimously” to return Croft to his job with the district. “The board came to this decision following careful consideration and reflection, balancing the seriousness of the incident with Dr. Croft’s long-standing dedication and positive contributions to this school community,” read a statement the night he was reinstated.
In the letter sent to the district on Friday, board members thanked Croft for his 26 years of service to the district.
Croft reportedly expressed his appreciation to the Starpoint faculty and staff for their continued dedication to students and their commitment to the school community, the letter stated. His last day with the district was Friday.
Maureen Braunscheidel will serve as interim superintendent. The Board of Education will share additional information regarding the search for a permanent superintendent in the coming weeks.