HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy in Cresskill, NJ

The first few days after the remnants of Hurricane Ida hit New Jersey, John Massaro said he found himself waking up in the morning and asking, “Did I have a nightmare, or are we really living through this?”

It was hard for Massaro, the principal at Cresskill Middle/High School in Bergen County, to process just how quickly the circumstances had changed for his building’s students and staff.

“We were anticipating opening for the school year, moving forward with less COVID restrictions while still managing the COVID concerns, but excited to have all students coming back into the building finally, and returning to some sense of more normalcy, and that was taken away just days before,” Massaro told NJ Advance Media.

On the evening of Sept. 1, as he was planning for the first faculty development day of the school year, Tropical Storm Ida dumped nearly 10 inches of rain on the region and caused widespread flooding. When he arrived at Cresskill Middle/High School the next morning and set eyes on the damage, he said it felt like the wind was knocked right out of him.

At least 1 to 3 feet of water covered every area of the building, along with a thin film of dirt and untold debris. Massaro said he “knew right away” that it was much worse than anything they had ever experienced or anticipated.

The day after the storm, Cresskill Public Schools announced that its middle/high school, which houses nearly a thousand 6th to 12th graders, would be closed indefinitely due to the severe damage incurred. Mitigation efforts are underway but school officials say it’s still too early to determine whether the building will be able to reopen this calendar year.

In the meantime, the district is providing displaced students with virtual instruction and actively seeking alternative locations for in-person learning. Promising developments have already been made, with the Board of Education formalizing an agreement to lease a former parochial school in the area. Community members have also shown support for the district, donating a total of $27,000 during a recent fundraiser for the Cresskill Middle/High School.

“That’s one sense that we have every day — that we’re not in it alone. We’re all working together, and we’re putting together our resources and our brains to come up with solutions to a puzzle that we never expected,” Massaro said.

Even so, he can’t help but still feel gutted thinking about what could have been if Tropical Storm Ida hadn’t derailed the district’s plans.

“It just felt like we were being kicked when we were down and just starting to get up, and we were kicked down again,” he said.

Walking the grounds of the middle and high school recently, Massaro pointed out the striking piles of garbage that grow larger by the day. Most of the contents of the building are being discarded, including student desks and chairs from classrooms, teacher desks, bookshelves, and cabinetry. The district’s auditorium, which incurred significant water damage, is nearly unrecognizable as it undergoes complete restoration.

All told, the estimated expense for mitigation is approximately $1.2 million, according to district communications. Superintendent Michael Burke confirmed earlier this month the district does have flood insurance, as well as liability insurance, and it was in the process of working with adjusters.

The district also plans to apply for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and organize various fundraisers to assist with additional costs. Cresskill Cougars United, a local soccer program, recently organized a fundraiser for the Cresskill Middle/High School that raised $27,100 toward restoration and rebuilding efforts.

“It is amazing how everyone is just really feeling the sense of community and pitching in. It’s heartwarming,” said Denise Villani, President of Cresskill Board of Education.

Villani said that generosity extends to the town officials including Mayor Benedict Romeo and the local Office of Emergency Management, who have been helping the district to find suitable off-site locations for students to move into.

Last week, Villani and her Board of Education colleagues finalized a 10-month rental agreement with St. Therese Church to use 10 available classrooms and a gymnasium in the building as a temporary instructional space for the 2021-22 school year.

School officials are also reviewing available office and warehouse space within the town for daily in-person instruction. In light of these developments, it appears “very possible” Cresskill Public Schools will be able to provide some version of in-person learning for all of its displaced middle and high school students, according to a recent district update.

“We know we have a huge test ahead of us, but we’re up for the challenge. We’re ready to go,” Villani said.

It still remains to be seen whether the middle and high school building itself will be “ready to go” before the end of 2021. Both Massaro and Villani said there was additional testing that needed to be complete before they could provide an exact timeline. Nonetheless, they were optimistic about the future of Cresskill Middle/High School.

“We know that we will be back. It’s not a question of if, it’s just a question of when. We have our spirit of community — that has not been damaged, if anything it’s even stronger. And we will rise from this.” Massaro said.

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Jackie Roman may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @jacqueroman.

CRESSKILL, New Jersey (WABC) -- A school in New Jersey that suffered incredible damage by the remnants of Hurricane Ida is faced with the possibility of another year of remote learning, leaving parents in the district pleading for help.

Superintendent Mr. Michael Burke detailed the millions of dollars in repairs needed at Cresskill High School and Cresskill Middle School, which had areas the campus underwater for over 30 hours.

He said all boilers, univents, and water pumps need to be repaired or replaced.

The four boilers, which provide heat to the entire building, were extensively damaged, and Burke said any attempt to turn them on just to see if they work would pose a serious risk of triggering an explosion.

Approximately half of the univents need to have the controller replaced, and those that work need to have the parts extensively cleaned or replaced due to corrosion caused by water damage and toxins now embedded in the mechanical parts of each of the univents.

The water pumps were completely submerged in water for over 30 hours, and though they can be rebuilt rather than be replaced, they are unusable in their current state.

The cost of new boilers and univents is estimated to be between $5-6 million, and officials are exploring all possible options to acquire the financing.

Complete installation is possible by January, though obstacles and roadblocks remain.

As a possible backup option, the district is working to bring the St. Therese school building, which closed two years ago, up to code and furnished with desks and internet.

If approved for use, officials are exploring a rotating half-day schedule for as many grades as possible in St. Therese.

They are also looking at modular classrooms for high school students to be placed in the parking lot at Cresskill MS/HS.

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CRESSKILL — Hope is emerging through the muck and floodwaters that students could return to the high school as soon as next month, after officials originally feared the building might be shut until next year.

Flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida severely damaged the middle and high school, but after a week of cleaning, things have improved, Superintendent Michael Burke said.

"We are finally feeling some optimism," Burke said. "You can see the floors and we are starting to see some positive signs."

Students' first day of school will be virtual on Thursday. The school district has been scouting locations for in-person education, such as non-public schools and local businesses, but the hope is that those alternative sites won't be needed.

The combined middle and high school building was built in a flood zone 60 years ago, but this was the first instance of major flooding, Burke said.

"We made it through Floyd and Sandy, but we never saw anything like this," he said. "Maybe the parking lot would get flooded and some clear water would be by the front door."

Ida changed everything. The school took on several feet of water, which rose above the auditorium stage, destroying it and the gymnasium, media center, desks and chairs.

The price tag for mitigation work is estimated at $1.2 million, Burke said, but the district does have flood insurance and is working with adjusters.

The next hurdle is checking for mold and, after cleaning is finished, testing to see if the boilers work. Burke thinks that they will be able to run some tests on boilers, pumps and vents in about two weeks.

"If even one or two of the four boilers work, we can get the kids back sooner," Burke said. "If the boilers work we could be can be looking good by the end of September."

Burke has been searching for one or two locations to house students as a backup plan, but he said it's not that simple.

The school building is 140,000 square feet and houses 1,000 sixth to 12th graders. Since it's a small school district, many teachers teach multiple grade levels, Burke said.

If it comes down to it, they would need at least two locations, one for their 450 middle school students and one for the 550 high school students. Burke said he's had good leads and generous offers, and might have one building secured by next week.

If the alternative sites are farther away, the district will also need to plan for transportation, which could mean finding a fleet of 30 to 40 buses and drivers.

"We really are hoping in a couple of weeks the boilers and pumps fire back up," Burke said. "Then we can get back in even on a rotation base; it's a much better option."

The district this week received virtual learning approval from the New Jersey Department of Education for middle and high school students. It's a short-term solution, Burke said, to start school.

Despite the interior damage, the good newsw is that the athletic grounds, including the soccer field and tennis courts, weren't damaged. School officials are looking at power washing the grass to get the athletics program up and running soon.

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.

Cresskill, NJ – July 14, 2022 – Olibra, parent company of the award-winning Bond Bridge RF-to-WiFi home control solutions, today announced compatibility with Nice interior window shade motors.

The Bond Bridge Pro ($379) simplifies and unifies control of window shades, awnings, and ceiling fans by replicating their RF remote control’s commands. The Bond Home Smartphone / Tablet App brings new capabilities too. This includes scheduling / programming, plus voice-control through Josh.ai, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and SmartThings Apps. Bond Bridge Pro controls up to fifty devices in a 3,500 square foot home and for larger installations multiples can be used.

In North America, Nice does not offer a native app solution like Bond Bridge. In the past installers have had to piece together third-party accessories which are not as robust. Bond Bridge Pro is the only way to wirelessly control Nice powered window shades natively in North America. It can also now serve as a single unifying operating system when Niceand other shade motors are used in an installation. This streamlines the effort, reduces accessories costs and eliminates the need for additional training.

Bond Bridge Pro operates shades by Somfy, Rollease Acmeda, Bofu, A-OK, Dooya, J. Geiger and Nice and integrates with ELAN, Savant, Control4, Crestron, URC, RTI, Homebridge and Hubitat home automation systems. In 2021 CE Pro Magazine recognized Bond Bridge Pro with their IoT/Connected Product award (Control Interface category) which honored residential and commercial market IoT-related products.

Bond Bridge Pro’s functionality plays to the very heart of what consumers seek in smart shade control. This is validated in Bond Bridge’s extensive survey of 100,000 active users of the Bond Bridge platform. Easy-to-read and informative, the survey identifies that convenience, voice control, integration, security and Smarthome are all key drivers. Access the survey here:https://bit.ly/3BspihN

Nice S.p.A. is an Italian multinational company that designs, manufactures, and markets home automation products in over one hundred countries around the world. Solutions include residential and commercial interior blinds, exterior shades, awnings and shutters, automated gates and door operations, security solutions and accessories. Nice is the parent of Nortek Control and ELAN control systems, of which the Bond platform is compatible.

CRESSKILL — The weeks since the big storm haven't been easy ones for parents and students at Cresskill High School.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida ripped through the Lincoln Drive building that houses 1,000 middle and high school students last month, causing $15 million in damage — half of the school district's annual operating budget.

Those students are now facing the prospect of a second year of remote learning, after last year's struggles with the pandemic.

The district has hit roadblocks since the floods, including delays in approving alternative classroom spaces and fighting for "emergency" status from the state to bypass a bidding process.

Good news finally came on Thursday, when the district received word that it could use an emergency purchase status to replace the boilers instead of going out to bid, a slower process.

Burke said they found out late Thursday from their auditors and the New Jersey Department of Education of the emergency status, which he believes will speed up the timetable by at least five weeks. The district had to appeal an earlier rejection to win the status.

The goal is now to have students back into their own classrooms by the end of 2021.

Parents upset

That's not soon enough for parents and students, who are asking the government to end delays and red tape.

David Spelbrink said another disjointed year of learning is not what’s best for his seventh-grader and other students.

First lady Tammy Murphy visited the damage two weeks ago and was met by more than 50 parents asking for help.

"Right now we do not need photo-ops, we need action,” Spelbrink said. “The governor must cut the red tape. We have to get St. Thérèse authorized, we have to make Crestron an option,” he said, referring to a Catholic school and an office building proposed as alternative learning sites.

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Nancy Chin has three boys in ninth, 11th and 12th grades and fears they won’t be able to catch up after missing out on two years of in-person learning.

“There’s no social aspect, no gathering of kids or sharing ideas or laughter,” Chin said. There’s no face time with counselors. This is a critical time for seniors. It’s just horrible.”

Chin said parents have been writing to Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr.’s office daily for help in getting the students back to in-person learning and with the cost of repairs.

'It isn't enough'

For Sarah Barrs, having her sixth-grader home instead of starting middle school has left them both feeling helpless.

“I think it’s clear the whole community, our teachers, staff, administration and town are doing everything they can, but our hands are being tied behind our backs with the bureaucracy,” Barrs said. “We aren’t getting the attention we deserve.”

Her daughter wrote a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy’s office to show how it is affecting her.

“This year was going to be a new beginning, we were going to have lunch and full days. It would be my first year with lockers and switching classes,” Hannah Barrs wrote.

Hannah hoped this year would be a chance to make up for lost time with friends after last year's shutdown, meet new ones and see her teachers in person.

“Cresskill is a small town. The community is coming together to save our school but it isn’t enough. We don’t have the funds and resources to fix this problem on our own,” Hannah Barrs wrote to the governor. “I understand that you are very busy but we need help now.”

Murphy’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

What's was damaged

The combined middle and high school building was built in a flood zone 60 years ago, but the Sept. 1 storm was the first instance of major flooding, Burke said.

The school took on several feet of water, which rose above the auditorium stage, destroying it and the gymnasium, media center, desks and chairs.

All four boilers, univents and water pumps need to be repaired or replaced. The four boilers, which will cost $5 million to $6 million to repair, carry the biggest price tag.

"Since water flowed deep into the combustion chamber, there is a serious risk of arc flash if they were turned on and tested," Burke said. "The result of the arc flash is a potential explosion in the building."

The district is out to bid for lenders while flood insurance and FEMA claims are being processed.

All 52 univents must be extensively cleaned or replaced. The water damage left toxins and corrosion behind.

The water pumps in the building were completely submerged for over 30 hours. Burke said they were advised they can be rebuilt rather than replaced, leading to a quicker turnaround, but in their current state are "completely unusable."

"Over this last week we had solid progress and we are starting be optimistic to get students back in the building this year," Burke said.

A FEMA representative has been assigned and is now working on the reimbursement process. Burke said that under FEMA the district can qualify for 85% of the $15 million in damage, but it is pushing for 100%.

"Tammy Murphy, our freeholders, Assembly representatives and Pascrell are all working on that to get us full financing from FEMA," Burke said.

What's to come

The bidding process for financing will be completed by the end of this week. Once that's approved they can hire a firm to replace the boilers.

Three companies were asked to submit pricing by Monday. "The most important part is to get the boilers ordered and built," Burke said.

A company hired to clean the vents radiators and will also begin work this week.

In the meantime, the district has secured 10 classrooms and a gymnasium at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church school in Cresskill for 10 months. The Department of Education will not give approval for students to enter the building until codes and regulations are met.

In the next three weeks, there will be internet installation, fire and lead code approvals and furniture acquired.

"I anticipate having students in this building on a daily basis within the next three weeks," Burke said.

The plan is to have a half-day rotating schedule for the middle school students and possibly 9th graders at St. Thérèse.

Roadblocks

A second building was secured, the Crestron on Broadway, with the hopes of temporarily housing high school students, but the Department of Education said it was not a viable option.

"Unfortunately, since this is not an educational-rated structure, there would need to be extensive upgrades completed" Burke said.

Modular classrooms are now being considered at the high school, with a goal of having them available this month.

"While the cost of these units is quite expensive, it allows us to get students back in quicker for live instruction rather than waiting," Burke said.

The modular classrooms will allow for daily instruction without rotating schedules or cohorts.

Parents not waiting

Some parents have taken matters into their own hands and created learning pods.

Stephanie David said her eighth-grade daughter was struggling, missing the social aspects of school.

She reached out to her five best friends' parents and they agreed to do pod learning. They bought back-to-school clothes and tried to simulate a normal environment. They rotate houses.

“The girls have really done well. We’ll have to wait and see how it’s worked academically, but the pure social aspect has been really great for them,” David said.

But like so many parents in the district, David is frustrated.

“I thought the goal was to get kids in schools and in front of teachers, but there are a lot of roadblocks and red tape,” she said.

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.