Chris Bober and Dewayne Crawford
Safety/Security Monitors at North Colonie CSD
As Safety/Security Monitors in the North Colonie Central School District, Chris Bober and Dewayne Crawford have quickly become familiar names and faces throughout the district. Mr. Bober, who is stationed primarily at Shaker Middle School, has worked for North Colonie since December 2024. Mr. Crawford, who is stationed at Shaker High School, was hired this past summer. During their tenure with the district so far, the duo has enjoyed becoming familiar with their schools, students, and community. Though they are stationed at different schools, they are in constant communication with each other. They are also in agreement on one very important thing - they love the work and supporting the district in any way they can.
“At the end of the day, we're a resource for the district,” added Mr. Bober. “If anybody ever has any question or anything … reach out to us. We’re here to help everybody, not just at the high school and middle school.”
Chris Bober
For Mr. Bober, working at North Colonie is like coming home. Bober was born in the Albany area, but moved to Pittsburgh as a child after his father was transferred for work. Life eventually brought him down to Florida, where he worked for Walt Disney World as a valet manager and met numerous celebrities like Peyton and Eli Manning, the Queen of Morocco, Paris Hilton, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Ray Romano, and many, many more. Despite the sunny weather, Bober found he missed his family – all of whom are still located in the Capital Region – and decided to move back to New York. Since his return, he has enjoyed being able to spend more time with his family, especially his niece. In his free time, Mr. Bober enjoys sports, especially golf, which he taught for Marriott while in Florida.
He says his role as Safety Monitor doesn’t even feel like he’s coming to work.
“I always joke here, it’s not like I'm coming to work,” said Mr. Bober. “I love it here. Everyone is here to help everyone. It’s a community and a family.”
Most Rewarding Part of Your Job: “Bringing a smile to a kid's face is the most rewarding thing anyone can do. In a school educational environment, it is the best. If you can make someone's day, it goes a long way. Being a safety monitor, I take pride in keeping everyone safe. These kids are my kids too, I just love it.”
Dewayne Crawford
For Mr. Crawford, working at North Colonie was the ultimate goal. Mr. Crawford was familiar with North Colonie, from having children in the district and coaching basketball in the area. He heard of the Safety/Security Monitor opening from a friend and was quick to apply.
“Everyone is trying to come here,” he said. “You just get so much support.”
Originally from Chicago, Mr. Crawford has lived in the area since 2007. During that time, basketball has been a large focus for him. He has spent many years coaching basketball – both boys and girls – at various levels. For him, “it's all about basketball.”
When he’s not doing all things basketball, you can find Mr. Crawford fishing on Sacandaga Lake or Lake George. He is also an avid sneaker collector and is known to match his shoes to his outfits. With 64 pairs and counting, the options are endless.
Like Mr. Bober, Mr. Crawford sees his role as one of support, and that support is not just limited to the high school.
“We’re not here to make life hard for these kids, we’re here to help them the best way we can,” said Mr. Crawford. “I want these kids to be kids as long as they can. We’re here to teach them the norms, but also to have fun because this doesn’t last forever.”
Most Rewarding Part of Your Job: “Helping the kids, teaching the kids. Talking to the kids - it’s just fun and all about being a people person. It’s a very rewarding job, because it benefits the kids.”