Mayor Eldridge Hawkins selects two members of Orange Board of Education. Nominees chosen after community-wide search.

On Friday, April 15th, Mayor Eldridge Hawkins today swore in two members of the Orange Board of Education under the city’s “Call to Service” initiative. Under Call to Service, Orange residents were informed through flyers, newspaper articles, emails, and website postings of the opportunity to serve. After candidates submitted applications and were interviewed by a selection committee, the two members were chosen. The two members of the Board of Education are present Board member Art Griffa and school administrator Daniela Smnall-Bailey

Statement by Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr.
I want to congratulate the appointees and give a special thank you to the ,embers of the selection committee who interviewed and evaluated the candidates. The selcrtipn committee members are Stephanie Gidigbi, my Chief of Staff,  Linda Jones Bell, Councilwoman and employee of the Orange School District, and Chris Sabin, an Orange parent with child in our Orange schools.”

Arthur J. Griffa
Arthur Griffa, a seasoned Orange school leader has been reappointed to the Board of Education. He was appointed by Mayor Hawkins in 2008 after previously serving on the Board of Education for nine years from 1998 to 2007. He held the positions of President for four years, Vice President for four years, Chair of the Facilities Committee and Member of the Human Resources and Budget Committees.

An Orange resident, Arthur Griffa is a retired YMCA executive, having served as President and CEO of the YMCA of Jersey City, Associate General Executive of the YMCA of Buffalo, NY and numerous other YMCA leadership positions. Mr. Griffa is a community activist in Orange, having served on the Master Plan Committee and as President of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Council.

On his swearing in, Mr. Griffa said, “I am happy to continue to serve as a board member to help our schools advance in hiring experienced personnel and to bring new and better facilities to our community. During my service on the Board of Education, we have built 
3 new schools and acquired a superintendent with strong experience in financial operations.”
 
Daniela Small-Bailey
Daniela Small-Bailey is a long time educator who has experience as both a teacher and administrator. She is presently the Assistant Principal of the Dr. John Grieco Elementary School in Englewood, N.J. In the Englewood Schools, she had previously served as Assistant Principal of both the Janis E. Dismus Middle School and the Liberty Alternative School. Prior to becoming an administrator, Ms. Small-Bailey taught mathematics at the Hubbard Middle School in Plainfield and at the Sojourner Middle School in East Orange.

An Orange resident, Daniela Small-Bailey was chosen to participate in Global Connections Seminars held in Guatemala in 2005 and in Jordan in 2010. In 2005 she was also awrded a Dodge Fellowship to participate in a Leadership Institute at Princeton University.

On her swearing in, Ms. Small-Bailey said, “I would like to thank Mayor Hawkins and his committee for their vote of confidence in appointing me to the Orange Board of Education. I look forward to working collaboratively with all to ensure academic excellence! As an educator, I believe in striving for high honors, or straight A's-Academic Achievement, Accessibility and Accountability!!! I am looking forward to serving a community on the rise!”