The West Orange Board of Education prohibits acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying of a student. A safe and civil environment in school is necessary for students to learn and achieve high academic standards. Harassment, intimidation, or bullying, like other disruptive or violent behaviors, is conduct that disrupts both a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate its students in a safe and disciplined environment. Harassment, intimidation, or bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that may involve a real or perceived power imbalance. Since students learn by example, school administrators, faculty, staff and volunteers should be commended for demonstrating appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and refusing to tolerate harassment, intimidation, or bullying.

Board Policy 5512 Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying

“Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means any gesture, any written, verbal or physical act, or any electronic communication, as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-14, whether it be a single incident or a series of incidents that: is reasonably perceived as being motivated by either any actual or perceived characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or a mental, physical or sensory disability, or by any other distinguishing characteristic; takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, on a school bus, or off school grounds, as provided for in N.J.S.A. 18A:37-15.3; and substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of the school or the rights of other students; and that: a reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, that the act(s) will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to his/her person or damage to his/her property; or has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students; or creates a hostile educational environment for the student by interfering with a student’s education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.

District Anti-Bullying Coordinator

Ms. Cheryl Butler
Director of School Counseling K- 12/Student Services 
West Orange Public Schools
973-669-5400 x. 31611 / cbutler@westorangeschools.org

Anti-Bullying Specialists

Gregory Elementary School
Mrs. Makeida Hewitt, Principal 
973-669-5397 x. 21510 / mhewitt@westorangeschools.org

Tara Donatiello, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5397 x. 21601 / tdonatiello@westorangeschools.org

Hazel Elementary School
Mr. Joel Castillo, Principal
973-669-5448 x. 22510 / jcastillo@westorangeschools.org 

Delisa Jackson, Anti-Bullying Specialist 
973-669-5448 x. 22601 / djackson@westorangeschools.org

Kelly Elementary School
Mr. David Marion, Principal
973-66-5452 x. 24510 / dmarion@westorangeschools.org

Florence Chirichiello, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5452 x. 24601 / fchirichiello@westorangeschools.org 

Mt. Pleasant Elementary School
Mrs. Julie DiGiacomo, Principal
973-669-5480 x. 23510 / jdigiacomo@westorangeschools.org

Lisa Struncis, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5480 x. 23600 / lstruncis@westorangeschools.org

Redwood Elementary School
Kimya Jackson, Principal
973-669-5457 x. 25510 / kjackson@westorangeschools.org

Rebecca Buetel, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5457 x. 25601 / rbuetel@westorangeschools.org

St. Cloud Elementary School
Mr. Eric Price, Principal
973-669-5393 x. 26510 / eprice@westorangeschools.org

Sarah McIntosh, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5393 x. 26601 / smcintosh@westorangeschools.org

Washington Elementary School
Ms. Marie DeMaio, Principal
973-669-5385 x. 27510 / mdemaio@westorangeschools.org

Rene Wells, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5385 x. 27601 / rwells@westorangeschools.org

Edison Middle School
Mr. Xavier Fitzgerald, Principal
973-669-5360 x. 28510 / xfitzgerald@westorangeschools.org 

Jeff LaFoon, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5360 x. 28602 / jlafoon@westorangeschools.org

Pamela Halstead, Anit-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5360 x. 28603 / phalstead@westorangeschools.org

Liberty Middle School
Mr. Xavier Fitzgerald, Acting Principal
973-243-2007 x. 29510 / xfitzgerald@westorangeschools.org 

Lauren Volpe, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-243-2007 x. 29603 / lvolpe@westorangeschools.or

Stephanie Nesbitt, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-243-2007 x. 29601 / snesbitt@westorangeschools.org

Roosevelt Middle School
Mr. Lionel Hush, Principal
973-669-5373 x. 30510 / lhush@westorangeschools.org

Karen Peyragrosse, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5373 x. 30604 / kpeyragrosse@westorangeschools.org

Taylor Welsh, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669- 5373 x. 30602 / twelsh@westorangeschools.org

West Orange High School
Mr. Lou Della Pia, Assistant Principal
973-669-5301 x. 31515 / ldellapia@westorangeschools.org

Dr. Lesley Chung, Assistant Principal
973-669-5301 x. 31516 / lchung@westorangeschools.org

Amedeo Chirichiello, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5301 x. 31552 / achirichiello@westorangeschools.org

Jaclyn Headlam, Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5301 x. 31557 / jheadlam@westorangeschools.org

Betty Maddalena Early Learning Center
Ms. Constance Salimbeno, Principal/Anti-Bullying Specialist
973-669-5400 x. 34510 / csalimbeno@westorangeschools.org