Mr. Peter S. Crosta is the K-12 Assistant Director of Special Projects overseeing Visual & Performing Arts, Instructional Technology and Library Media Specialists for the Orange Public School District. His office is located in the Curriculum Office at the Administrative Building. Mr. Crosta is a native of New Jersey, growing up in neighboring East Orange and graduated Clifford J. Scott High School under the the late C.Scripps Beebee for vocal education and the late Vernon R. Miller for instrumental education. Following high school, Mr. Crosta went to Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and certification in K-12 Music Education. Mr. Crosta was a double major in both trumpet (brass) and voice (baritone). He studied with the late Dr. Gordon Myers extensively. Mr. Crosta taught in the Dover Public Schools for two years prior to reaching Orange High School in September 1979. Mr. Crosta was both band director and choral director in his tenure at Orange High School, teaching elementary instrumental and middle school instrumental music during the fifteen years of classroom teaching. Mr. Crosta received his Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration from Montclair State University in 1989 and became certified as Principal, Supervisor and Pupil Personnel Services (Guidance). In 1993 Mr. Crosta was approached by then Superintendent of Schools, the late Bernice J. Davis, to head the Visual & Performing Arts Department. He served as Supervisor of the Visual & Performing Arts, K-12 for sixteen consecutive years until his appointment in July, 2009 as current Assistant Director.

During his tenure as supervisor, Mr. Crosta was a pioneer in arts education with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, NJ. During the construction and opening of the NJPAC facility, he was instrumental in hosting many NJPAC Arts Education events in Orange Middle School in which thousands of school children from all over New Jersey visited quality artists for concerts and recitals sponsored by NJPAC. The Orange Public School and the NJPAC Arts Education have an historic bond. Orange was the first district in the State of New Jersey to hold Professional Development Workshops for the entire school district at their new facilities in 1996. In addition, every child in Orange was bused down to The Prudential Hall or The Victoria Theatre for live concerts three times a year for the first three years of NJPAC's existence! To compliment Professional Development of staff and the introduction of live performances for students, Mr. Crosta spearheaded 10-week Artist In-Residencies in every Orange school facility annually. Mr. Crosta teamed with NJPAC in creating an historic partnership with The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. in the late 90s.

In 1994 the Orange Middle School Auditorium underwent a complete restoration and renaissance with Mr. Crosta at the helm. Under his leadership the annual All-City Arts Festival was created in 1996. In 2000 he helped to bring dance into the Performing Arts Department (formerly under Physical Education & Health). Working collaboratively with his visual arts staff, he has maintained district art exhibits and formal art receptions monthly since 2003. Many strides in Orange arts education have been attributed to the dedicated service Mr. Crosta provides to staff and students.

The Visual & Performing Arts Department maintains this website dedicated to student works in Dance, Music, Theater, and Visual Arts. Created in 2006, it was the brain-child of Mr. Crosta and serves to help parents and community members see the multi-talented students that his creative and productive staff serve. Please visit this site regularly for calendar updates, news, and, of course, work by students.

Mr. Crosta also oversees the Instructional Technology and Library Media component of the Orange Public Schools. Under his supervision are the Technology Coordinators who deliver instructional technology to our K-12 students, as well as the Librarians as they maintain their libraries and provide guidance all students.