It can be hard to hear for some, but getting older is just part of life. For many men, hitting a certain age signifies the beginning of a new chapter - where bucket list items are crossed off, and goals are accomplished. For others, however, aging is a scary prospect, filled with nagging injuries, embarrassing weight gain, and inability to perform intimately. Few things feel worse than realizing that you simply can't perform as you used to, whether on the basketball court or in the bedroom.
The reality is, as men get older and approach middle age, their testosterone levels drop. When a male's testosterone levels get lower, it can cause a slew of unwanted symptoms like:
If you have noticed any of the above symptoms and feel like you're just dragging yourself through life, don't lose hope. Many men around the country are experiencing the same feelings as you. Thankfully, you don't have to settle for the side effects of low testosterone. There are proven, easy steps that you can take to reverse the negative signs of aging. If you're ready to reclaim your youth and feel like you did in your 20s and 30s, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may be the perfect solution.
TRT bridges the gap between your old life and the happier, more vibrant version of you. That's where Juventee comes in - to facilitate your transition to a more youthful, fulfilling life and a brighter future. After all, aren't YOU supposed to be in charge of your wellness and health? With the Juventee team by your side, you'll have the tools to do so - backed by a personalized plan crafted by experts with more than 20 years of experience.
At Juventee, we propose a preventive and proactive medical approach to preserve optimal body function, with the best hormonal functioning to prolong vitality and youthfulness. Our specialty is Age Management, which is based on the belief that balance is the key to wellness. We employ the most innovative science, offering treatments like TRT in Leonia, NJ, and other clinical products with proven efficacy.
Living a younger, healthier, and longer life is a frequent commitment for Juventee's team of specialists. We are experts at designing customized programs that work synergistically with your body and brain. We love incorporating smart nutrition, hormonal balance, exercise, stress management, cognitive health, and lifestyle changes into our treatment programs. We also implement sciences such as testosterone replacement therapy to achieve verifiable, legitimate results.
Our doctors take differing approaches to care but share the single goal of prolonging your youth and vitality. With that goal in mind, Juventee was born from the hands of its partners, who want you to feel full strength, energy, joy, confidence, and wellbeing.
testosterone levels. Unfortunately, when a man loses too much testosterone, it results in a condition called hypogonadism. Also called "Low T," testosterone loss due to hypogonadism must be replenished, or the male suffers from difficult, even debilitating symptoms.
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What pops up in your head when you think about testosterone? Many people associate testosterone with being overly aggressive, macho, and violent. However, the truth is that testosterone is a critical hormone for men and affects the male lifespan from puberty through old age. As a sex hormone, male testosterone is produced through the testicles. It becomes most prevalent during puberty.
Testosterone production is controlled by the pituitary gland at the base of a man's brain. This gland sends signals to the testes, which in turn produce testosterone. A feedback loop helps regulate the amount of testosterone in the blood. When levels are too high, the brain orders the pituitary gland to restrict production.
Cholesterol synthesizes the testosterone in your body. However, having high cholesterol doesn't mean you have high testosterone levels, too. T levels are too carefully controlled by your pituitary gland for cholesterol to raise testosterone levels.
During puberty, testosterone helps males develop:
Testosterone replacement is exactly what its name implies. It's a therapy for men that replaces diminished testosterone levels, which helps balance your hormones and ultimately improves your life. Also called androgen replacement therapy, TRT alleviates many of the side effects that men suffer from as a result of low testosterone.
Testosterone was originally synthesized in a lab in 1935. Its popularity has grown since, and today, it is among the most promising doctor-prescribed treatments for men in the United States.
So, how does testosterone replacement therapy work? TRT essentially gives you the testosterone needed to be healthy and have a properly functioning body. As the primary androgen for males, testosterone has a role in the natural processes your body needs for overall health. This extra hormonal intake positively affects patients and their general health, preventing diseases such as osteoporosis, cardiac diseases, and more.
Though there is an abundance of testosterone in your system throughout puberty and into your 20s, it gradually depletes with age. Sometimes, serious injuries and long-term conditions like diabetes affect testosterone levels. Unfortunately, when a man loses too much testosterone, it results in a condition called hypogonadism. Also called "Low T," testosterone loss due to hypogonadism must be replenished, or the male suffers from difficult, even debilitating symptoms.
Though some symptoms of low T are abundantly evident, not all men can immediately tell they may need TRT. If you're unsure, ask yourself these questions:
If you answered yes to any of those questions, it could be time to contact Juventee about a personalized TRT plan. Still unsure if you're experiencing symptoms of low T? We have compiled a more extensive list of signs below:
Low energy used to be considered a normal part of aging. Today, most doctors know better. Modern advances in medicine show that lack of energy and low T often go hand-in-hand.
If it's a huge struggle to keep up with your kids on the soccer field, or you just don't have the energy to be active, you may have low testosterone. Getting tired is normal, but if it's an ongoing problem affecting you and your family, it's time to consult a doctor.
Whether you're having a tough time getting through your day or can't finish normal activities, TRT in Leonia, NJ could be the solution.
You would think that lowered libido would be easy to pick up on, but when it happens gradually, it can be more difficult to diagnose. With that said, many men use TRT because they've lost that "spark" in the bedroom. It's not easy for a man to hear that they're not pleasing their partner because intimacy is an important part of a relationship.
The good news? Having a low libido doesn't have to be permanent. TRT treatments can help revert hormone levels to their normal range, making for a more enjoyable sex life.
If you're like millions of other men, hair loss is an unfortunate reality you don't want to think about. Closely related to hormone imbalances and testosterone decline, hair loss is about as distressing as it gets. This common symptom is often related to DHT - a derivative of testosterone that can cause hair follicles to die.
Thankfully, a carefully monitored TRT regimen can help restore hair, especially when combined with methods like plasma-rich therapy. While it's true that you can't change your genes, you can change the effects of low testosterone in your body, so hair loss isn't your only reality.
Weak erections - it's an uncomfortable subject for men to talk about. It's even worse to experience the symptom in the heat of the moment. Despite being very common, men shame themselves when they can't achieve an erection. And while there are many reasons for this malady, low testosterone is often a contributing factor.
Fortunately, you don't have to live with weak erections forever when you balance your hormones with a personalized TRT treatment plan from Juventee.
You're feeling down about everything and can't figure out why you feel crummy about life. You're successful at work but feel unaccomplished. If you're experiencing symptoms like these, you may be depressed - and it could be stemming from low testosterone.
Studies show that men with depression and high cortisol levels also commonly have low testosterone. Because higher cortisol levels can lead to low T, the chances of severe depression increase.
Depression is a very real disorder and should always be diagnosed and treated by your doctor. One treatment option, when used in conjunction with therapy, is TRT. When TRT is used to replenish hormone levels, men enjoy a lighter, more optimistic mood. That's great news for depressed men who have had little-to-no success with powerful anti-depression meds.
Experts have found that men who lose a week's worth of sleep may experience a drop in testosterone by as much as 15%. These findings are alarming and may suggest that sleep loss lowers T levels and affects wellbeing.
If you find yourself exhausted at the end of the day but toss and turn all night long, it could be time to have your testosterone levels checked. TRT may restore your testosterone levels which can help you sleep better with proper exercise and diet.
Are you struggling to lift weights in the gym or find that you can't pick up items that used to be easy to lift? Studies show that inactive men can lose .5% of muscle strength each year after the age of 25. When you hit 60, muscle loss doubles every ten years. While muscle loss is common with age, it can also be linked to low T.
Testosterone is a crucial piece needed for building and retaining muscle mass. That's why many doctors are prescribing TRT for males experiencing sharp declines in strength and muscle mass. Whether your workouts are losing steam or you're having problems lifting items that aren't very heavy, don't blame it all on age. You could be suffering from hypogonadism.
Nobody likes to gain weight, even though our society is more accepting of overweight people than ever before. Despite diets and carb cutting, many men aren't able to get rid of excess belly and body fat, increasing the chances of heart disease and cancer.
Sometimes, male weight gain isn't caused by sweets and carbs but by hormone imbalances that slow the metabolism. This phase of life is called andropause and occurs when testosterone levels are low. Combining a low metabolism with other symptoms like high cortisol levels can be a recipe for a double-chinned disaster. Fortunately, TRT treatments and physician-led weight loss programs can correct hormone imbalances and lead to healthy weight loss for men.
The enlargement of male breast tissue, also called "man boobs," is a fairly common condition that many men have. Though it is closely associated with diet and other life choices, increased fatty tissue is often caused by hormonal imbalances.
If you're approaching middle age and you're embarrassed by having large breasts, don't lose hope. TRT is a safe, effective way to eliminate the underlying cause of gynecomastia without invasive surgery. With a custom HRT and fitness program, you can bring your testosterone and estrogen levels back to normal before you know it.
The human body is amazing in so many ways. Still, we have to optimize it every now and then using science, medicine, and hard work. After 40, you may notice that your body is changing, but symptoms like low libido and lack of motivation don't have to be permanent. Juventee has the team, tools, and experience to help recapture your youth and feel better than ever before.
If you're getting older and you're worried about low testosterone, give our office a call today. It would be our pleasure to care for you using the highest quality products, backed by research and applied by professionals with your best interests in mind.
Whether you need a boost to help you get through your busy work week or a natural solution to an embarrassing problem like ED, we're here for you. Our doctors will explain your treatment options in-depth and take as much time as you need to feel comfortable and confident about TRT. Remember, when you treat your body with love and care, it will reciprocate generously. Let our team teach you the techniques to prolong your sense of youth and provide you with the treatment to solidify your wellbeing as you age with grace. Contact Juventee today. By tomorrow, you'll be one step closer to meeting the best version of yourself.
LEONIA — A state appellate court has ruled that the borough cannot ban non-residents from using its local streets to commute during rush hour, the latest ruling in a four-year legal battle over cut-through streets.At issue are three borough ordinances that prohibited non-residents from using local streets during morning and evening rush hours as a way to escape crushing highway traffic around the George Washington Bridge.Leonia drew national attention when it adopted the ordinances in early 2018 to prevent ...
LEONIA — A state appellate court has ruled that the borough cannot ban non-residents from using its local streets to commute during rush hour, the latest ruling in a four-year legal battle over cut-through streets.
At issue are three borough ordinances that prohibited non-residents from using local streets during morning and evening rush hours as a way to escape crushing highway traffic around the George Washington Bridge.
Leonia drew national attention when it adopted the ordinances in early 2018 to prevent shortcuts on all or part of 40 local roads in the 1.6-square-mile municipality that were being used to avoid snarls on Routes 4, 46 and 95. The ordinances restricted out-of-town drivers on 60 streets. Residents and people with a "documented" need to be on the prohibited streets were exempt.
The commissioner of the Department of Transportation disapproved of the ordinances because they were "not in the interest of safety and the expedition of traffic on the public highways," and in 2020, a state Superior Court judge in Hudson County effectively struck down the measures.
The commissioner noted that New Jersey has a "longstanding prohibition on no through street ordinances" and said the proposed restrictions would create more traffic problems and hazards. "While Leonia experiences complicated traffic patterns during the peak traffic hours, the [DOT] counts revealed that these patterns are not attributable to cut-through traffic exiting the highways and using … Leonia's local streets" to get to the bridge, the department said.
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In its appeal, Leonia argued that the decision by the DOT commissioner violated legislative policy that allows a local government to adopt traffic regulations that promote the health, safety and welfare of the community and that the commissioner's decisions were unreasonable considering a report, testimony and three years worth of traffic counts.
The borough also argued that the commissioner considered facts beyond what was submitted by Leonia without justification.
The appellate judges in a ruling issued Friday stated that Leonia's contentions "lack sufficient merit to warrant much discussion in a written opinion."
It's unclear whether Leonia may appeal the ruling. Messages left for Leonia Mayor Judah Zeigler, Borough Attorney Brian Chewcaskie and the Attorney General's Office, which represented the Transportation Department, were not returned.
Kristie Cattafi is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: [email protected]
LEONIA — The state Superior Court in Hudson County has effectively struck down three borough ordinances prohibiting non-residents from using its streets during morning and evening rush hours.The ordinances were adopted in early 2018 to discourage commuter shortcuts on all or part of 40 local roads in the 1.6-square-mile municipality that were being used to avoid traffic snarls on nearby Routes 4, 46 and 95 to or from the George Washington Bridge.The ordinances banned non-local-destination traffic on those roads from 6 to ...
LEONIA — The state Superior Court in Hudson County has effectively struck down three borough ordinances prohibiting non-residents from using its streets during morning and evening rush hours.
The ordinances were adopted in early 2018 to discourage commuter shortcuts on all or part of 40 local roads in the 1.6-square-mile municipality that were being used to avoid traffic snarls on nearby Routes 4, 46 and 95 to or from the George Washington Bridge.
The ordinances banned non-local-destination traffic on those roads from 6 to 10 a.m. and from 4 to 9 p.m. daily.
At the time, the ordinances stirred up criticism from shop owners and neighboring towns.
Edgewater attorney Jacqueline Rosa sued Leonia over the ordinances in February 2018, claiming the closures were illegal. The state Attorney General's Office joined the suit that June, followed that October by the neighboring city of Englewood, which claimed the overflow traffic would be pushed to its local roads.
Leonia appeared to receive a temporary reprieve this March when the Appellate Division of state Superior Court ordered the Department of Transportation to review the ordinances in detail, rather than deem them invalid "on their face."
However, after a case management conference on Nov. 5, Superior Court Judge Peter Bariso said Rosa's claims were "voluntarily dismissed" and those of the DOT and Englewood dismissed "without prejudice."
"In the unlikely event that the borough of Leonia seeks to enforce Ordinances 2018-14, 2018-15 and/or 2018-17, the NJDOT and Englewood shall have the right to immediately apply before this court for emergency relief to enjoin and restrain Leonia from further enforcement thereof," Bariso ruled.
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The case was moved to Hudson County because Rosa's father, Joseph Rosa, is a sitting judge in Bergen County, she said Monday.
"I dropped my independent claims because I am satisfied that the Attorney General's Office has investigated that Leonia's ordinance was improper and should not stand," Rosa said.
Leonia Mayor Judah Zeigler and Borough Attorney Brian Chewcaskie could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for the Department of Transportation made no comment on the ruling.
Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes was not in office when the ordinances were enacted, but he said Monday that the ruling comes "at a wonderful time" to encourage cooperation between the municipalities and that he looks forward to working with Leonia on a "regional solution" to the area's traffic problems.
"I look forward to having coffee with the mayor of Leonia without getting stopped on the way there," Wildes said.
Marsha Stoltz is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: [email protected]
LEONIA − Imagine a world where dinosaurs are friendly, loving creatures that live in harmony with mankind. A world where you can actively learn about these prehistoric creatures and how they were discovered all while watching them perform for you.Field Station: Dinosaurs lets you travel 90 million years back in time and experience life in the wild with these unique creatures. Located in Leonia, the dinosaur adventure park features over 30 animatronic dinosaurs and approximately four dinosaur puppets each year....
LEONIA − Imagine a world where dinosaurs are friendly, loving creatures that live in harmony with mankind. A world where you can actively learn about these prehistoric creatures and how they were discovered all while watching them perform for you.
Field Station: Dinosaurs lets you travel 90 million years back in time and experience life in the wild with these unique creatures. Located in Leonia, the dinosaur adventure park features over 30 animatronic dinosaurs and approximately four dinosaur puppets each year.
Guy Gsell founded Field Station: Dinosaurs 10 years ago after working at Discovery Time Square in New York. Gsell spent his career working in theater and shortly after working at the museum, he formulated the idea of creating a dinosaur exhibit.
Gsell said ever since he was a child, he was always interested in dinosaurs. He thought that his excitement about dinosaurs paired with his interest in education, and experience working in children’s theaters would create the perfect learning adventure for kids between the ages of 3 and 11.
“It ended up being perfect because I can use everything that I’ve done in my career from writing songs and acting for kids, running a theater company, and doing exhibits. I put it all together and made one big crazy thing,” Gsell said.
When the park first opened in May 2012, it spent its first four years in Secaucus before relocating to Overpeck Park in Leonia.
The dinosaur adventure park is nothing like what you see in movies like "Jurassic World." It doesn’t get bloody, and no one is set on stealing the friendly creatures. The animatronic dinosaurs are made with steel frames and carved paddings to imitate the real thing and children adore them.
Their stomachs move when they breathe, their eyes pierce at you and blink, they move their tails and they cooed. The only thing they don’t do is walk.
The park is rooted in teaching children about science and paleontology. They have signs that identify each dinosaur, how to pronounce their names, where they were discovered, their diet, and a sketch of their skeleton.
“Parents like to come here because it helps fight brain drain a little bit. The kids are doing something educational in the summer and the kids have no idea that it's educational. They are having a blast,” Gsell said.
Along with learning about dinosaurs like the Apatosaurus, the Hadrosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus rex, visitors learn about life on earth before dinosaurs. A species Gsell said is more closely related to mammals than dinosaurs is the Dimetrodon.
According to Gsell, all of the park's paleontology is done through the Bighorn Basin Paleontological Institute to ensure that the information visitors are getting is accurate.
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When families visit the park they get a map and a schedule of all the shows that day. The park features about 30 shows throughout the day and children can go to learn more about the featured dinosaurs, see them live in action and interact with them.
“Kids love dinosaurs. Kids don’t mind doing the same thing over and over again and we also change things up. We have guest stars, we have different shows, this year for instance we are introducing a new Toddlersaurus rex, a cute little baby dinosaur,” Gsell said.
The shows are hosted by actors who are dinosaur rangers and dinosaur puppets, actors who dress up like dinosaurs. Field Station: Dinosaurs is an education partner with Bergen County. This year they hired students from the Bergen Community College theater program to work as actors and stage managers.
After seeing Field Station Dinosaurs on the internet, Cristina Snyder decided to make a day trip from Port Jefferson, New York to Leonia to see some dinosaurs.
Snyder and her daughters were amazed by how realistic the dinosaurs are and how they can move their bodies. They enjoyed live shows and participated in a scavenger hunt.
According to Snyder, it was a fun experience, and they learned a lot of information that they didn’t know before their visit.
“I didn’t really know what to expect but it was great,” Snyder said.
Along with walking the trails, live performances and the scavenger hunt, visitors were amazed by a fossil dig site, Jurassic jump, dinosaur eggs and bones, and a maze.
Upon entry to the park every child that visits gets a credential card and every time they see a show, play a game, or do an activity, they get a stamp. At the end of the expedition, if they get six stamps, they get named super paleontologist and official member of the Field Station: Dinosaur team.
Andrew Small, the park’s dinosaur encyclopedia, has been working at Field Station: Dinosaurs for five years and describes it as an educational experience.
He helps visitors learn about dinosaurs and experience what it is like to dig for fossils in the field. He oversees the fossil dig site and when a new fossil is discovered he educates the children on what type of fossil it is and where it originated.
“They can go home feeling happy about learning about pre-historic life every time they leave the park,” Small said.
Michele Vucetic, a Madison resident, visited the park with her son who was thrilled to see all the dinosaurs and the live shows. She said the park exceeded her expectations and her son was ecstatic about digging for fossils.
Throughout the day, the children are taught that they are already scientists if they are curious and asking questions.
Gsell said he teaches the children, “being wrong is another step to get it right.” His goal is to make kids feel like they are already scientists and they are ready to explore the world.
He said his favorite story to tell is about the state dinosaur of New Jersey, the Hadrosaurus. It was named the state dinosaur because of a group of children that visited the park on a school trip.
“This dinosaur was discovered here in New Jersey, it is the first dinosaur that was ever put on display in a museum,” Gsell said. “The kids thought that that was so important that they wrote to the governor and to the legislature as part of their assignment in school and asked that it be named the official state dinosaur and they voted on it and because of a group of kids it’s our official state dinosaur.”
Esai Siddeeq of Newark has been a Dinosaur Wrangler at the park since June 2021. He said working there releases his inner child and that there is something for everyone at Field Station: Dinosaur because of the experience they facilitate.
“I learn so much about science every day and I also get to teach science to kids,” Saddeeq said. “It’s also really cool to be a puppeteer and see kids with their initial fear and then to facilitate an interaction where they get over their fear and they get really excited.”
Phil Marrone, a Hoboken resident, had a father-daughter date at the dinosaur adventure park where she had a lot of “dino fun”.
“They mix in the entertainment as well as education in their programs, I think it makes it a good experience not just for the kids but the adults too,” Marrone said.
The park is open in the spring for school groups and after Memorial Day for the general public. They stay open until the NJ teacher’s convention and are closed for the winter season.
“It is catered to kids, but it is a family affair,” Siddeeq said. “I think it’s a very unique park. There’s nothing like it in New Jersey.”
Davaughnia Wilson is an intern reporter for Northjersey.com. Contact Davaughnia at [email protected].
LEONIA — Residents and property owners were out in full force Wednesday evening to express their dissatisfaction with the borough's plan to conduct a redevelopment study.Property owners received a letter from the borough on Jan. 15 that there would be an attempt to study the area and "If the study area, or any portion of the study area, qualifies as an area in need of redevelopment, the borough will be able to exercise the power of eminent domain or involuntary takings."Those 30 property owners ha...
LEONIA — Residents and property owners were out in full force Wednesday evening to express their dissatisfaction with the borough's plan to conduct a redevelopment study.
Property owners received a letter from the borough on Jan. 15 that there would be an attempt to study the area and "If the study area, or any portion of the study area, qualifies as an area in need of redevelopment, the borough will be able to exercise the power of eminent domain or involuntary takings."
Those 30 property owners have homes and businesses within the study area along Fort Lee Road, Grand Avenue and Schor Avenue. They went to a rally at the borough’s American Legion before making their way to the Planning Board meeting.
Leah Roland, a 50-year Leonia resident, said the borough as a whole can profit from redevelopment, but not through eminent domain.
“There is another path,” Roland said. “There is a path that does not literally rob well-meaning, hard-working people of their homes and businesses.”
Resident Darryl Whitter served on the council for six years and said many residents have no problem with the study but they are concerned about the verbiage and would like the Planning Board to ask the council to reconsider.
The residents who received the letters formed a coalition called Leonia United Against Eminent Domain Abuse to persuade officials to abandon the study, and enlisted the help of the Institute for Justice, a national civil liberties law firm dedicated to stopping the abuse of eminent domain across the country. The organization helped Garfield residents last summer fight a similar study.
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“We want the Planning Board as well as the council and mayor to abandon the study and not move forward,” said Andrew Meleta, the organization’s coordinator. “The ultimate goal is to have these leaders to disavow the use of eminent domain. We want them to publicly say they are not going to take these properties.”
The study was not on the agenda, but Meleta expects it will be in March. From the Planning Board, the study, if adopted, would be presented to the council, which could vote on whether or not to authorize condemnation.
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Milad Emam from the institute asked the Planning Board to wait until the resolution that sanctioned the blight study was revoked.
"Blight studies are always done in bad faith," Emam said. "One was done just down the road in Garfield, and officials even noted that more than half of the properties weren't blighted."
Borough officials have denied that the neighborhood is in danger of condemnation, though. Mayor Judah Zeigler said there's no intention to take away anyone's home or business, and that the letter was a legal requirement for conducting the study.
Zeigler said he plans to introduce an ordinance at the March 4 meeting that would exclude residential properties from being taken for development through condemnation.
Leonia officials have been discussing the development of the area for years. In 2015, borough officials said that if the borough redevelops the area surrounding Fort Lee Road and Grand Avenue, none of the property owners would be forced to give up land.
Councilman Greg Makroulakis was at Wednesday's meeting and noted the borough adopted a resolution in 2015 that did not include condemnation.
The study area along Fort Lee Road is within a few hundred feet of the proposed Leonia station of the long-awaited Bergen-Hudson Light Rail extension. The extension, if it comes to fruition, would run from Englewood to North Bergen, and there it would join a line already operating through Union City, Weehawken, Hoboken, Jersey City and Bayonne. NJ Transit has said that it does not need to acquire private land for the Leonia station.
LEONIA — Public schools were set to reopen to students Thursday, just one day late, after last week's deluge caused damage to over 90% of the first floor of the high school.The school district was significantly damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, especially the high school, where flooring will have to be replaced after water rushed down from Grand Avenue and into the building.With the first floor unusable, classes will be shifted to any available open space.Despite the damage, the first day of ...
LEONIA — Public schools were set to reopen to students Thursday, just one day late, after last week's deluge caused damage to over 90% of the first floor of the high school.
The school district was significantly damaged by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, especially the high school, where flooring will have to be replaced after water rushed down from Grand Avenue and into the building.
With the first floor unusable, classes will be shifted to any available open space.
Despite the damage, the first day of school was only postponed by a day. On Wednesday, teachers reported to school for their second professional day, and students in the ninth and 10th grade were to have their orientation.
Thursday will be their first in-person full day of school in over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic made classes go virtual.
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But Superintendent of Schools Ed Bertolini has concerns beyond this year. Leonia high school has been located on Christie Heights Street, near Overpeck Creek, since 1977, but it wasn't until 2018 when it was first flooded, Bertolini said.
Even after an addition was built in 2002 to accommodate an influx of students from Edgewater, there was never major flooding. (Edgewater accounts for 35% of the student population, sending students to Leonia from seventh to 12th grade.)
"Some work was done we believe on Grand Avenue," Bertolini said. "Before that, we never flooded. We are now concerned for the future and need to look at what changes took place before the first flood."
The middle school received significant water damage in the cafeteria and in one classroom.
A plan has been developed to have students eat lunch in their classrooms and have recess outside, weather permitting.
At the high school, in addition to the damage to the first-floor classrooms, the gym floor needs to be replaced and the turf field has been damaged, Bertolini said. The district is waiting for an analysis by turf specialists to learn how long the field will be out of commission.
The field is used for physical education classes, athletic teams and the youth sports programs in town.
Anna C. Scott Elementary School had no damage and there are no adjustments in its schedule or room assignments.
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"These times are even more challenging as a result of Ida," Bertolini said. "I am asking for the cooperation of everyone. The school community of Leonia and Edgewater has excelled due to the main focus of each one of us, our students."
Kristie Cattafi is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: [email protected]