New Principal Selected For Chatham Middle School

CHATHAM, NJ — Next year, Chatham Middle School will have new leadership after current principal Jill Gihorski announced her resignation from the district.

At the Monday, June 5 Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Michael LaSusa gave a personnel update, discussing the upcoming changes to the middle school.

Gihorski resigned from her position earlier this year and will finish out the school year, officially leaving the district in July.

"She is moving onto greener pastures," LaSusa said.

The school district has been on the hunt for an official replacement for several months, interviewing an initial 50 applicants vying for the role.

Tony Orsini, the current principal at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, in the Ridgewood Public Schools District, was appointed on Monday night to become the new principal. Orsini has been the principal of Benjamin Franklin Middle School for the past 18 years, having previously served as the assistant principal for two or three years.

"He's got over 20 years of administrative experience at the middle school level, most of which has been as a principal. Prior to that, he taught English at middle school and high school levels," LaSusa said.

Following the board meeting, LaSusa said that the official transition process was set to begin.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know all of the students, faculty, staff and community members of Chatham Middle School. I want to congratulate Ms. Gihorski on her retirement and wish her well," Orsini said.

Gihorski worked as the principal of Chatham Middle School for the past 10 years, since being hired in June 2012. Gihorski previously served as the supervisor for World Languages in the district, a role she had to resign before she began as the middle school principal on Jan. 1, 2013.

Orsini will take over as the official principal at Chatham Middle School starting in the 2023-24 school year.