The Amherst Central School District named Smallwood Drive Elementary School assistant principal Richard Crozier to the position of principal at the school, succeeding Daniel Lewis who retires June 30. His appointment was approved by the Amherst CSD Board of Education on May 5, 2020.
Crozier has built his entire career at Amherst Central School District. He began in 1998 in a part-time special education position at the middle school and over the past 22 years has expanded not only his educational credentials, but his teaching and leadership skills at both the high school and elementary levels.
Since 2015, Crozier has served as the assistant principal at Smallwood Drive where he has led the Smallwood Behavior Committee and the development of the P.A.W.S. Behavior Code, co-created the highly successful Smallwood Mindfulness Initiative of social-emotional programming, served as district liaison on the Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) instructional framework and launched the ongoing Employee Recognition Program, including the Hard Hat and Rock Star of the Month Awards.
A strong communicator, he helps keep the lines of contact open with Smallwood parents as co-author of the Paws Press parent newsletter, content provider for the twitter account and acts as the official building photographer.
Crozier served as high school assistant principal from 2011 to 2015 overseeing AP, Regents and local exams, leading the Instructional Support Team, initiating the Summer Credit Recovery program, modernizing grade reporting and enhancing the freshman orientation program.
From 2000-2011 he was a high school special education teacher working as a consultant teacher in global history, resource room teacher and pre-algebra math lab teacher.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with a double minor in education and peer education and human relations in 1998 from Hobart College. At Canisius College, he earned a master’s degree in special education (2002) as well as a master’s in administration and supervision (2012). He earned New York State School Building Leader Certification (SBL) in June 2011.
He and his wife, Rebecca, have three children who attend Smallwood Drive Elementary and Amherst Middle School.
