WINGATE — James E. Orichosky, director of elementary education for Bald Eagle Area School District and principal of Wingate and Mountaintop elementary schools, was announced as the 2024-2026 president of the Pennsylvania Principals Association on Thursday, Aug. 8, in a statement by PPA.
Orichosky began his term on Tuesday, Aug. 6, for PPA, an organization dedicated to supporting school administrators, after being named to the position at the annual PA Summit24 for Educational Leaders.
Orichosky has worked in the Bald Eagle Area School District since 1993, teaching elementary school from 1993 to 2003, working as the principal of Wingate Elementary School from 2003 to 2023 and then taking on the position of principal at Mountaintop Elementary in 2023. He has also worked as the Bald Eagle Area School District’s director of elementary education since 2013 and as a student teaching supervisor at Walden University since 2019.
“Mr. Orichosky’s positive relationships with students, parents and faculty members have been an asset to the school district in his service as a teacher and principal. It comes as no surprise that his peers across the state have elected him to serve as President of the PA Principals Association,” Christopher R. Santini, superintendent of schools for the Bald Eagle Area School District, said in a statement.
“This honor is a testament to the leadership qualities that Mr. Orichosky demonstrates on a daily basis. We are proud to have Mr. Orichosky represent the Bald Eagle Area School District in his new role as president of the PA Principals Association.”
Orichosky holds a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Saint Francis
University, his principal certification from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and his superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility from California University of Pennsylvania.
He served on the PPA board of directors as the Central I elementary state director
from 2012 to 2023. He has also worked as the federal relations coordinator on the PPA board of directors from 2020 to 2022, co-chairperson for the 2016 and 2017 state conferences, member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals Resolutions Committee from 2018-2021, vice president of the NAESP Nominating Committee in 2021, Central Intermediate Unit 10 conference speaker, PA delegate who met with state legislators in 2023 and PA delegate who met with federal legislators in 2024 as part of the National Leaders’ Conference hosted by NAESP and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, according to the release.
“The principal is the glue that holds our schools together, so it is a distinct honor to serve as the president of the Pennsylvania Principals Association,” Orichosky said. “Our association has become the premier organization for principal professional development for our great commonwealth. … I am excited for this new opportunity and look forward to serving in this role for the next two years.”
