West Orange Teacher Earns Top Honor From NJ Dept. Of Education

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A West Orange public school teacher who jumpstarted her educational career through the state’s alternate route program recently earned a top honor from the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE).

Keri Orange-Jones, a teacher at Kelly Elementary School, was recognized in this year’s Exemplary Educator Recognition Program.

The honor is bestowed on educators who “exhibit strong knowledge and skills, an inspiring presence, and a positive impact on students, colleagues and the school community.” The nominee must also have a rating of “effective” or “highly effective” on his or her most recent final summative evaluation.

There’s an element of surprise to the award; the entire process is carried on without the knowledge of the nominee.

West Orange district administrators shared the following background about Orange-Jones:

“Dr. Orange-Jones was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University … After working in the Jersey City and Newark Public Schools, Dr. Orange-Jones came to West Orange, where she is heading into her twenty-fourth year of teaching. She obtained her Masters of Education from St. Peter’s College as well as her supervisor and school administration certifications. She completed her doctoral degree at Rutgers University in 2018.”

Orange-Jones said that she was inspired to enter the education field while working at a corporate gig at Dow-Jones, when her friend and mentor, the late Detective Calvin Hart, suggested she would be a good teacher.

“I disagreed but I am glad I listened to him!” Orange-Jones recalled.

The talented educator began her transition into teaching via the alternate route program, a non-traditional preparation program designed for those who haven’t finished a formal teacher prep program at an accredited college or university.

Now, more than two decades later, she’s still powering forward full steam.

One of her goals has been to integrate multiculturalism into the fifth-grade curriculum. According to Orange-Jones:

“We have been working to revise the curriculum by focusing on the view of “Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and co-moderated an in-district book club featuring “Stamped” and independent clubs that have also included “White Fragility” and “We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom.”

In the future, Orange-Jones to get involved in consulting work and presentations focused on equity, alternatives to assessment and “how to view giftedness in a non-traditional way.”

She also hopes to segue into higher education and research, as well as continue to author articles, book chapters, and “perhaps even my own publication one day.”

“In my wildest dreams, I will also own a jazz and cigar club where I am also the chef – I love to cook!” she concluded.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch West Orange Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.