If there's one universal truth, it's that all of our bodies begin changing at some point. That's especially true for women who are over the age of 50. One day it seems like we're rolling out of bed with a pep in our step. The next, our emotions are out of control, our weight won't go down, and we constantly have hot flashes. If that sounds like you, don't worry â millions of other women worldwide are going through the same difficulties.
The fact of the matter is these symptoms are part of a natural process women go through. This change, called menopause, marks the end of a woman's ability to reproduce and menstruate. The average age for this to occur is 51, though it officially begins a year after a woman's final period. During this transition to menopause, estrogen and other hormones in a woman's body start to deplete When those hormones deplete, frequent and sometimes severe symptoms can manifest:
The symptoms of hormone deficiency can be scary for both women and their partners. That makes dealing with a hormone deficiency tricky because many symptoms are tied to nutrition, stress, lack of exercise, and toxins in your body.
However, if you're getting older and dealing with some of the symptoms listed above, have hope. A solution to your hormone problems may be closer than you think. Hormone replacement therapy for women may help correct imbalances caused by menopause. These effective, safe treatments help many women throughout the menopause process and may even help them reclaim their youth.
To live a healthy life, hormone stability is very important for women. That's where the beauty of HRT treatments for women begins to shine because it balances hormones that would otherwise be altered due to menopause.
HRT treatments for women represent a revolutionary step toward living life without the pitfalls of old age. However, at Juventee, we understand that no two women, and by proxy, patients, are the same. That's why our team of doctors and specialists provide personalized treatment options for women, combining holistic treatment, nutrition, fitness plans, and more to supplement our HRT treatments.
Is HRT the answer if you feel exhausted, overweight, and moody? That's the million-dollar question that we're asked almost every day. And to be honest, it's hard to say without a comprehensive exam by an HRT expert at Juventee. What we can say is that when a woman's hormones are better balanced during menopause, she has a much better chance of enjoying life without the crippling symptoms that other women feel.
At Juventee, helping women reclaim their vitality and love of life is our top priority. While some HRT clinics see patients as nothing more than a means to make money, our team is cut from a different cloth.
The key to balancing your hormones and improving your well-being is a process that we have refined over time. The Juventee HRT process consists of a comprehensive review of your health and hormonal status. Our team then customizes your plan and prescribes treatments, procedures, and supplements under the guidance of our local HRT experts.
At Juventee, we want to revitalize your health by promoting balance, energy, intimacy, and beauty. We start by assessing your baseline biomarkers and implementing a personalized plan to help you feel like your younger self. Our in-depth process covers many factors, almost like a web. Each component of that web works in conjunction with others to make up how you feel. If one area is out of sync, women can experience unwanted fluctuations in their weight, energy, emotions, libido, and more. Juventee is committed to evaluating our patient's overall health so that we may bring vitality and happiness to as many aspects of their lives as possible.
We've mentioned all the greatness that can come with an HRT regimen from Juventee, but what exactly are the benefits of HRT for women? Let's take a look.
We Work With
Unlike some HRT clinics, Juventee's HRT programs are carefully crafted and personalized for each patient. There are no cookie-cutter solutions at our office. Instead, we assess each individual's needs and customize treatments to help their bodies as they age. We replace hormones that are deficient and restore them to their physiological state using HRT pellets.
These hormone pellets are prescription hormones inserted under the skin through a simple in-office procedure. Each pellet is about as large as a big grain of rice. Once inserted, our HRT pellets get to work quickly. With this treatment, patients don't have to worry about applying greasy creams or swallowing pills. Instead, our pellets are metabolized by the body. That way, patients don't stress over taking too much or too little.
Remember, at Juventee, our goal isn't just to balance your hormones â it's to completely optimize your health and well-being. You won't ever have to worry about our doctors writing you a prescription and sending you on your way without any additional communication. Instead, we aim to be part of our patient's journey back to health and work with all of our HRT patients to do so.
Hormone imbalance causes a litany of issues. But with hormone replacement therapy, females can better process calcium, keep their cholesterol levels safe, and maintain a healthy vagina. By replenishing the body's estrogen levels, HRT may relieve symptoms of menopause and even optimize bone health.
But that's just the start. At Juventee, our patients report many benefits of taking HRT for women:
If you're ready to feel better and enjoy the vitality of your youth, Juventee is here to help you every step of the way. It all starts with an in-person evaluation, where our team will determine if HRT is right for you.
For many women, menopause is a difficult time filled with ups, downs, and hormonal hurdles to overcome. While menopausal issues are well-known by some, other women only know that menopause can affect their hormones. The reality is that going through menopause can mean more than moodiness and hot flashes.
At Juventee, we're big believers that a little knowledge can go a long way. With that in mind, if you're going through menopause or are approaching "that" age, consider these common issues. First, let's examine some alternative causes of menopause beyond age:
The most common reason for menopause is diminished, unbalanced hormones. However, menopause can also result from:
Now that we've examined some of the ways that menopause manifests, let's look at some common problems that females regularly endure:
If you're going through menopause and feel like life is a tiresome burden, you're not alone. Studies show that 15% of women go through depression to some degree during menopause. What many women don't learn is that depression may start much earlier, during perimenopause or even earlier.
Depression can be hard to diagnose, even without perimenopause and menopause as a factor. With that said, keep the following signs in mind. If you notice any, it might be time to speak with a physician:
If you notice any of the signs above, it's important that you understand that you're not weak or broken. You're going through a very normal emotional experience, which may be caused by hormone deficiency. However, with proper treatment from your doctor, depression doesn't have to rule your life.
You don't have to have hormonal imbalances to have mood swings. Indeed, everyone gets moody from time to time. For women going through menopause, however, mood swings can be extreme and happen often. Hormone imbalances and mood swings go together, resulting in unusual emotional changes and even issues like insomnia.
Estrogen production, a hormone that fluctuates during menopause, affects serotonin production, which regulates mood. When both hormones are deficient, mood swings can become quite prevalent.
Fortunately, HRT treatments in Secaucus, NJ, work wonders for women because they work to regulate hormones like estrogen. With HRT from Juventee, women don't have to settle for the negative consequences that drastic mood swings can cause.
Hot flashes: whether you're a man or a woman, you've probably heard of them. Hot flashes are very common issues associated with menopause and manifest as intense, sudden feelings of heat across the upper body. Some last a few seconds while others last many minutes, making them uncomfortable and inconvenient at all times. A few common symptoms of hot flashes include:
Usually, a lack of estrogen causes hot flashes in menopausal women. Low levels of estrogen negatively affect a woman's hypothalamus, or the part of the brain that regulates appetite and body temperature. Low estrogen levels cause the hypothalamus to assume incorrectly that the body is too hot. When it does, it dilates a woman's blood vessels to boost blood flow.
Fortunately, most women don't have to settle for the intense, unwanted feelings they endure with hot flashes. HRT pellet treatment from Juventee helps to stabilize hormones which may lessen the effects that hot flashes cause.
Staying healthy and fit is a challenge for anybody living in modern America. For women with hormonal imbalances, however, it's even harder. Weight gain is a concerning issue during menopause, but it can be manageable with a physician-led diet, exercise, and HRT treatments from Juventee.
HRT patients at Juventee benefit from health plans that keep hormones in check, making weight loss a real possibility. But which hormones need to be regulated to help avoid weight gain?
Millions of adults around the U.S. suffer from low sex drive, but that doesn't make it any more embarrassing to talk about. For many women going through pre-menopause and menopause, it's an unfortunate side effect of unbalanced hormones. Thankfully, HRT may help women maintain a healthy libido, even after 50. But what causes lowered sexual desire in women as they age?
The hormones responsible for low libido in females are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
Progesterone production decreases during perimenopause, resulting in lowered libido in some women. Lower progesterone production can also cause weight gain, exhaustion, and other symptoms common during menopause. Reduced estrogen levels during menopause may lead to vaginal dryness and even loss of muscle tension.
Testosterone is referred to as a male hormone, but it contributes to important health functionality in women as well. Female testosterone heightens sexual responses and intensifies orgasms. When the ovaries can't produce sufficient levels of testosterone, low sex drive can happen.
The inside of a woman's bones is broken down and rebuilt by bone cells in an ongoing process called remodeling. This process is crucial for maintaining bone strength and health.
However, due to the loss of estrogen during menopause, this important process becomes unbalanced. Less bone is formed, and more bone is broken down. This advanced state of bone loss can be worrying for women, especially if they had an early menopause. With time, women may develop osteoporosis and a greater chance of breaking bones as they age.
Fortunately, HRT for women can actually mimic estrogen and progesterone, which may help prevent bone loss and lower chances of osteoporosis in women. That's huge news for women around the U.S., many of whom are battling early bone loss due to a lack calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients crucial to bone health.
If you are considering HRT treatments for women in Secaucus, NJ, you need a team of hormone replacement experts by your side. At Juventee, our knowledgeable HRT doctors are ready to help. Our team will answer your initial questions, conduct necessary testing, and craft a customized program designed to alleviate the challenges you're facing as a woman going through menopause.
With a healthy diet, exercise, positive life choices, and hormone replacement therapy, unveiling the new "you" is easier than you might think. Contact our office today to get started on your journey to optimal health and well-being.
In a shocking move for the local and state cannabis industry, New Jersey officials revoked the Harmony Foundation’s licenses for cultivating and manufacturing adult-use marijuana over unpaid fees, while also approving a number of Jersey City and Hoboken applicants.The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to revoke three of the four licenses ...
In a shocking move for the local and state cannabis industry, New Jersey officials revoked the Harmony Foundation’s licenses for cultivating and manufacturing adult-use marijuana over unpaid fees, while also approving a number of Jersey City and Hoboken applicants.
The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to revoke three of the four licenses it awarded to Harmony back in December — a cultivator license at its Secaucus location, and cultivator and manufacturing licenses at its Lafayette, Sussex County, location.
Commission officials said that Harmony did not pay the $700,000 that was due for those licenses, prompting them to vacate it. However, Harmony will still be able to continue its retail operation in Secaucus since the fee for that license — $100,000 — was paid in February.
The move is one of the few times state officials had, even if it was momentarily, disciplined a cannabis business.
While Harmony’s Secaucus store, which is the only recreational dispensary open in Hudson County, will still be allowed to operate, it will eventually not have its in-house products to sell after its cultivating and manufacturing licenses were revoked.
Officials said that Harmony may submit new applications if they wish to continue those types of operations.
In a statement issued after the vote, Harmony’s CEO Shaya Brodchandel said that he was “baffled” by the decision.
“The rash decision that was taken is an alarming wake up call to the New Jersey entrepreneurs that are seeking to work within the confines established by state regulators to further grow the cannabis industry,” he said.
Harmony officials confirmed that they did not pay the $700,000 that was owed but claimed that they had reached an agreement with the commission in terms of paying their licensing fees and launching their Secaucus store.
They did not comment further on what the agreement was or if they’ll appeal the decision.
“I think their failure to pay speaks for itself,” Dianna Houenou, the CRC’s chair, said Thursday. “Non-payment is inherently noncompliance. If you have not paid for the license you don’t get the license.”
The latest blow isn’t the first time that Harmony ran into trouble. There had been some scrutiny against the company back when it was trying to open as a medical marijuana dispensary, as well as multiple lawsuits by former staffers and executives.
In the most recent lawsuit, investors claimed that Brodchandel and another operator put the company $30 million in debt and diverted funds to an Israeli cannabis business run by Brodchandel’s brother.
A judge said in that case that while Harmony had demonstrated “atrocious” record-keeping practices, it did not need an outside consultant to control the company, which the investors sought.
In the meantime, the commission on Thursday unanimously approved four Jersey City cannabis applicants, as well as one Hoboken applicant, with licenses to sell recreational cannabis.
The four Jersey City applicants approved were Decades Dispensary in the Heights’ Central Avenue, Jersey Leaf on West Side Avenue, Garden Greenz in Downtown’s Newark Avenue, and Strictly CBD in Communipaw.
While the state licenses are essentially the last major step to opening a store, the Jersey City applicants will not open immediately pending final checks by local and state officials.
The Garden Greenz is planning to open this summer, owner Brian Markey said; Strictly CBD is hoping to begin sales by July, said co-owner Jeffrey Devine, and Jersey Leaf is expected to open this September, according to co-owner George Margetis.
An opening date for Decades Dispensary could not be determined.
The four applicants join three other city applicants who have all gained state approval. Any of them could become the first recreational store to open in Jersey City, where none have yet to open.
Also approved was The Jersey Joint in Hoboken, who are planning to open in the city’s north end. Its expected opening date is the fourth quarter of this year, pending the construction of a new building for the store.
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New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) is advancing plans to implement environmentally friendly transit access between its Secaucus Junction Station and the Meadowlands Sports and Entertainment Complex. The Secaucus to Meadowlands Transitway will utilize mostly existing infrastructure and roadways to provide additional capacity and ensure the area has the necessary public transportation system in place to attract and maintain some of the world’s largest entertainment and sporting events, boosting economic prosperity in the region and througho...
New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) is advancing plans to implement environmentally friendly transit access between its Secaucus Junction Station and the Meadowlands Sports and Entertainment Complex. The Secaucus to Meadowlands Transitway will utilize mostly existing infrastructure and roadways to provide additional capacity and ensure the area has the necessary public transportation system in place to attract and maintain some of the world’s largest entertainment and sporting events, boosting economic prosperity in the region and throughout all of New Jersey. The project also includes construction of a new ground level terminal at the Meadowlands and modifications to the existing bus circulation configuration and terminal at Secaucus Junction, to seamlessly and continuously move a stadium’s worth of people between Secaucus Junction and the Meadowlands Sports and Entertainment Complex, anchored by MetLife Stadium, seven miles away.
“NJ Transit is taking another exciting step towards advancing an innovative and environmentally friendly solution to move additional customers between Secaucus Junction and the Meadowlands Complex,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “This critical initiative will support economic growth in the state while effectively meeting the anticipated travel demands to New Jersey’s premier sports, retail and entertainment destinations.”
At the August 2021 NJ Transit Board of Directors meeting, staff was authorized to enter NJ Transit Contract No. 21-017 with HNTB Corporation of New York, N.Y., for Concept Development and Preliminary Engineering, Final Design Engineering and Construction Assistance for the Secaucus-Meadowlands Transitway. At that time, funding was authorized to complete Phase 1 Conceptual Development and Preliminary Design services in the amount not to exceed $3.5 million. On July 19, the board authorized HNTB Corporation to enter Phase 2 for an amount not to exceed $34.9 million, plus five percent for contingencies, subject to the availability of funds.
NJ Transit sought proposals from planning, architecture and engineering design professionals with the intention of leveraging existing rights-of-way and partnering with adjacent transportation infrastructure owners (such as NJDOT and New Jersey Turnpike Authority) to quickly and cost-effectively implement environmentally friendly transit access between NJ Transit’s Secaucus Junction Station and the Meadowlands Sports and Entertainment Complex.
As part of the overall project, transit modes studied and advanced as a part of this work shall be configured such that they are capable of either being implemented with zero-emission vehicles or be readily transitioned to zero-emission vehicles in the future, with the capability of being scalable to fully autonomous vehicle operation as demonstrated advances in the industry allow.
“By once again advancing this innovative project, NJ Transit shows we are more than ready to tackle the world’s largest events,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “With this project advancing, NJ Transit is poised to provide an exceptional service experience to the Meadowlands Sports and Entertainment Complex, bolstering New Jersey’s prominence on the global stage."
Redistricting pushed back to 2025, and also the district is looking into building an addition at Clarendon for an influx of PreK students:Patch Staff|Updated Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 2:12 pm ETSECAUCUS, NJ — There were many revelations at the Secaucus Board of Education meeting Thursday night:1. Redistricting pushed back to Sept. 2025: First, school superintendent Erick Alfonso formally announced the district is delaying to Sept. 2025 plans to redistrict its two elementary schools. (This was a...
Patch Staff
|Updated Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 2:12 pm ET
SECAUCUS, NJ — There were many revelations at the Secaucus Board of Education meeting Thursday night:
1. Redistricting pushed back to Sept. 2025: First, school superintendent Erick Alfonso formally announced the district is delaying to Sept. 2025 plans to redistrict its two elementary schools. (This was already announced earlier this week in this letter Alfonso sent home to all parents.)
"We really listened to parents who told us their many concerns with this, and that they felt it was rushed," Board president Kelli D'Addetta told Patch after the meeting. "We received so many emails, so many calls, having parents stop me on the street, outside CVS. We said what is the rush to do this? There is no rush."
Alfonso said many parents presented "legitimate concerns" and he wants to respect them.
"We listened to all of you; thank you for your concerns and support," he said publicly Thursday night. "We are definitely taking it into consideration."
This is the proposed plan to house PreK-2nd grades at Clarendon Elementary, and 3rd-5th at Huber Street.
Millridge School, currently for PreK, may not house students at all and instead become BOE offices, said Alfonso. Alfonso said he still very much wants redistricting to happen; it remains a key goal of his, for all these reasons he cited at the Jan. 29 special meeting on this topic.
2. Here is probably the biggest news of the night: Alfonso and the BOE are considering building an expansion wing, most likely at Clarendon Elementary.
After the meeting, both Alfonso and D'Addetta explained why they think Secaucus will have to expand at the elementary level: First, Gov. Phil Murphy declared all towns in the state must start offering full-day PreK by the 2027/2028 school year. Secondly, in addition to RVR — the luxury apartment building nearly finished by XChange — two more final apartment buildings are coming to XChange. They will be built in the next few years, and will house approximately 500 apartments total.
These two things will result in approximately 300+ 3- and 4-year-olds entering the Secaucus school district in 2027/28. This is according to student population predictions the district has already done, said Alfonso and D'Addetta. That's why Secaucus submitted an application to the state DOE to start offering full-day PreK, which will be available to families via a lottery system.
"We cannot just wait until '27 and then scramble to find a place to house them," said D'Addetta after the meeting. "We have to start preparing now."
The school district would first have to do an expansion plan and see where expansion makes the most sense (it is likely Clarendon, said D'Addetta, as there is much more space there than at Huber Street). Then the district would have to get voters' approval to issue a bond (in the millions) to fund the construction, said Alfonso.
This means every resident of Secaucus would be asked in a public referendum (vote) whether they approve issuing a bond to expand Clarendon School. Should a majority of Secaucus residents vote to expand Clarendon, property taxes will almost certainly go up for all homeowners in town, although it is far too early to say by how much.
3. Mayor Mike concerned about a property tax increase: This is what prompted Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli to speak at the meeting.
"In Hudson County, mayors don't find out about things last minute," he said. "Last minute is not good for me to find out about stuff that's going on, when it affects the town as a whole."
Gonnelli said after the meeting he was referring to the possible expansion at Clarendon. Should a referendum happen, and the school district has to borrow money:
"This now affects all Secaucus residents, all taxpayers, not just school parents," said Gonnelli.
He pleaded for the Board to "work together," meaning work with the town.
"A referendum to increase your budget is something that people really can't deal with: Senior citizens, people who don't have kids in school," said Gonnelli. "If we work together we can address that, as long as we work together. We have to be a team ... Taxes are my number-one issue, I try my best to keep taxes stable."
Gonnelli also continues to play it coy as to whether he supports redistricting or not.
"They have a year to figure this out," was all he would say Thursday night.
4. Finally, a stakeholder committee will be formed to discuss how exactly redistricting will be carried out in the next year, should it get Board approval. That committee will be composed of two district administrators, two teachers, two mental health professionals, two parents and two Board members.
Gonnelli asked that two Council members also sit on that committee:
"I want to have two members of my governing body on that board, alright?" said Gonnelli. "I am asking you if you'd do that."
Alfonso agreed to the mayor's request.
"We will be adding two council members to the committee," the superintendent told Patch Friday.
A Google form will be sent to families with children in elementary school who are interested in joining this group.
Again, redistricting cannot happen without a majority vote from the elected members of the Secaucus school board. Some Board members, such as Enrico Bolognino and Melissa Howard already said publicly they support the idea. Other members of the nine-member board have been mum. No matter how much Alfonso wants this to happen, he needs a majority vote from the board.
"Board members and I have been in discussions with the Mayor and Town Council members to consider expansion options for our elementary schools. We are looking over details and aim to present a plan at the upcoming meeting next month," wrote Alfonso in this letter home to parents Wednesday.
Secaucus Superintendent Pushes Redistricting; Many Parents Displeased (Jan. 30)
Secaucus Making A Dramatic Change At Its 2 Elementary Schools (Jan. 19)
Watch the Feb. 15 school board meeting here. Alfonso starts speaking about all this at minute 30:54.
Mayor Gonnelli does not speak until the public comment portion, minute 47.
Four people are running for three seats on the Secaucus school board. Vote Tuesday:SECAUCUS, NJ — The general election for Secaucus school board is Nov. 7, but early in-person voting begins this Saturday, Oct. 28.Current Secaucus BOE members Joe Lewis, Lance Bartletta and Enrico Bolognino are running for re-election. They are challenged by Secaucus resident Melissa Howard, who is also the Bergen County treasurer.Voters are asked to choose three.There are no Secaucus Council seats up for election in 2023 or...
SECAUCUS, NJ — The general election for Secaucus school board is Nov. 7, but early in-person voting begins this Saturday, Oct. 28.
Current Secaucus BOE members Joe Lewis, Lance Bartletta and Enrico Bolognino are running for re-election. They are challenged by Secaucus resident Melissa Howard, who is also the Bergen County treasurer.
Voters are asked to choose three.
There are no Secaucus Council seats up for election in 2023 or 2024.
You can vote early from Oct. 28 - Nov. 5:
You can now vote early in person at any the following locations in Hudson County. Unfortunately, there is NO early voting location in Secaucus. You do not have to live in those towns; any Hudson County resident can vote there. The early voting locations are open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Bayonne Bayonne City Hall Council Chambers 630 Avenue C Bayonne, NJ 07002
Guttenberg Galaxy Tower Hall 7000 Boulevard East Guttenberg, NJ 07093
Hoboken Hoboken City Hall 1st Floor Conference Room (Newark Street Entrance) 94 Washington Street Hoboken, NJ 07030
Jersey City Jersey City Hall Ground Floor Caucus Room 280 Grove Street Jersey City, NJ 07302
Pershing Field Community Center 816 Summit Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07307
Hank Gallo Community Center 175 Lincoln Park Jersey City, NJ 07304
Jersey City Moose Lodge
60 West Side Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07305
Kearny Kearny Town Hall 1st Floor Records Room 402 Kearny Avenue Kearny, NJ 07032
Union City Mobile Trailer 610 New York Avenue
Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile Trailer 800 Kennedy Blvd (8th Street Entrance)
Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile Trailer 1601 New York Avenue
Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile Trailer 28th Street and New York Avenue
Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile Trailer 43rd and Bergenline Avenue
Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile Trailer 47th Street and Palisade Avenue
Union City, NJ 07087 Mobile Trailer 4912 Bergenline Avenue Union City, NJ 07087
West New York
Otis Senior Building 5800 Jefferson Street West New York, NJ 07093
West New York Kennedy Towers 430 62nd Street West New York, NJ 07093
Trailer 52nd Street Between Park & Broadway West New York, NJ 07093
Secure Ballot Drop Box: Place your ballot in one of Hudson County’s secure ballot drop boxes on Nov. 7 by 8 p.m.
Vote by mail: Your ballot must be postmarked on or before the election day and be received by the county’s Board of Elections on or before election day or six days after election day. Visit USPS Informed Delivery Service to track your ballot.
You can track the progress of your ballot. Here’s how: Start by signing into your personal New Jersey Voter Registration System account information here. If you have trouble creating a profile please call 1-877-NJ-VOTER (1-877-658-6837).
Drop your ballot off in person to the Board of Elections Office at 257 Cornelison Ave. Jersey City by 8:00 p.m. on Nov. 7. A secure ballot drop box is located outside of the building.
Vote in person on Election Day, Nov. 7: Polls are open from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Not sure where to vote? Enter your address here: https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/poll...
SECAUCUS, NJ — Update, Feb. 15: The Secaucus school district now announced they pushed redistricting, should it happen, to September 2025.Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli will announce his thoughts on proposed redistricting at the Thursday night (Feb. 15) Board of Education meeting.The public portion of the meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Secaucus middle/high school PAC.Gonnelli said he will stand up and reveal whether he supports redistricting or not.This is the extremely controversial proposal...
SECAUCUS, NJ — Update, Feb. 15: The Secaucus school district now announced they pushed redistricting, should it happen, to September 2025.
Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli will announce his thoughts on proposed redistricting at the Thursday night (Feb. 15) Board of Education meeting.
The public portion of the meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Secaucus middle/high school PAC.
Gonnelli said he will stand up and reveal whether he supports redistricting or not.
This is the extremely controversial proposal to house K - 2nd at Clarendon Elementary, and 3rd - 5th at Huber Street. School superintendent Erick Alfonso wants this to be in place on the first day of school in September 2024. (Read: Secaucus Making A Dramatic Change At Its 2 Elementary Schools)
In the past two weeks, Gonnelli said he's received "hundreds" of text messages, emails and phone calls from town residents. Some support redistricting. But many are against it.
What is important for the public to know is that redistricting can happen with or without the support of Mayor Gonnelli. Alfonso wants redistricting to occur, but he needs a majority vote of the school board to make it happen. That vote would be taken some time this spring.
Although Gonnelli is a powerful figure in Secaucus, neither he nor the town Council have any legal say over decisions made by the school board — or how its members vote. Gonnelli acknowledged this much to Patch Thursday.
"They are going to vote how they're going to vote," he said. "But I will be making my thoughts known because this is something that affects all residents of town, whether you have kids in the schools or not, are a senior citizen, etc. There is going to be a lot more traffic from this."
The town of Secaucus does not control any of the school district budget. However, in the past the town has collaborated with the district on providing things such as school buses. That may happen again if redistricting goes through, as more school buses will be needed.
Again, redistricting can go through even if Gonnelli announces he is against it. However, he is influential in Secaucus, so what he says next Thursday night could sway some Board members who are still undecided.
What we know so far:
Redistricting is not a new idea. It was first brought up about 10 years ago, and various elected Boards of Education have batted it about ever since. However, the idea was not publicly discussed much, especially during the years of the pandemic.
This is why many Secaucus parents feel redistricting was sprung on them, and they said as much at public meetings.
At the massive Jan. 29 meeting, attended by dozens of parents, BOE president Kelli D'Addetta said she supports redistricting. In fact, one of the reasons the current BOE hired Alfonso was to make redistricting happen.
"Where the board stands ... is that we are in favor of Dr. Alfonso's proposal," she told Patch this Thursday.
"This current Board included this as priority in hiring Dr. Alfonso, and expressed to him the importance of this initiative," D'Addetta said Jan. 29. "We have full confidence that Dr. Alfonso will successfully move this initiative forward for the benefit of our students and families."
Alfonso said the No. 1 reason why he wants redistricting to happen is because it will improve the quality of education in Secaucus.
Redistricting will allow for "equitable distribution of resources and opportunities," he said. "This will ensure that all students have access to education and support, regardless of where they live in town."
All grade-levels will have the same teachers, in the same classrooms, he said. This will allow the curriculum to become more focused and more targeted per grade level. Special-education teachers and aides will be concentrated in the grades and classes that need them. If a student needs additional support, all the grade-appropriate aides and supplemental help will be concentrated in one place, in one building.
Next meeting: BOE meeting 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Secaucus High School - Performing Arts Center
Secaucus Superintendent Pushes Redistricting; Many Parents Displeased (Jan. 30)