Bergen Magazine August 2020

AUGUST 2020 | $3.95 | BERGENMAG.COM | VOLUME 20 ISSUE 8

VOLUME 20 ISSUE 8 | AUGUST 2020

HEALTH & LIFE | FOOD & FASHION | HOME & HAPPENINGS

THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL ISSUE

BACK TO SCHOOL?

OUR ZOOM PANEL SHARES THE PROS & CONS OF LEARNING DURING COVID

Primary Care Safe Visit Ad C3 - Bergen Gatefold.qxp 6/3/20 10:38 AM Page 1

Don’t delay your care. Call 1-800-VALLEY 1 (1-800-825-5391) to schedule an appointment today.

Care Like No Other

™

ValleyHealth.com/SafeVisit

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Introducing Safe Visit

by Valley Medical Group Over the past few months, you may have missed a medical appointment or put off seeking care from your primary care doctor or specialist.

Now is the time to reschedule.

We have taken the following steps to ensure you have a Safe Visit: n

All offices have been reconfigured to meet social distancing guidelines and ensure patients can remain at least six feet from each other.

n

Scheduled appointments will be staggered to limit patient arrivals and departures.

n

All patients must wear a mask or cloth face covering.

n

All patients are pre-screened for virus symptoms and have their temperature checked upon arrival.

n

We will ask our patients to come to their appointments unaccompanied whenever possible.

n

Patients will be offered an online check-in process with the ability to communicate by text to ensure they have no wait time before being escorted into exam rooms.

M AKE YOUR WELLNESS A PRIORIT Y. SCHEDULE A SAFE VISIT TO DAY.

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Introducing Safe Visit

by Valley Medical Group It’s Time to Make Your Wellness a Priority

OPEN TO LEARN MORE

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EX C E PTIONAL POOLS 484 N. State Rt. 17 | Paramus, NJ 07652 | 201-265-9555 sjpoolsandlandscaping.com |

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CONTENTS

{ AUGUST 2020 }

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Features 4 Summer Dangers Every Parent Needs to Know | 32

Game On | 40

With the fall high school sports season in question, student-athletes must find new ways to show colleges they’re prepared to play.

With school out and most camps closed, unstructured time brings risks. Here’s a local pediatrician’s advice on keeping kids of all ages safe.

Back To School? | 34

When the governor left school reopenings up to individual districts, BERGEN checked in with the ultimate authority: mothers.

Learning On Instagram | 36

High Schoolers Have Their Say | 42

In-person classes were cancelled, but BERGEN’s fourth annual High School Forum wasn’t. Here’s what 11 teens, convened on Zoom, reported about their school lives in the time of coronavirus.

Six Bergen teachers tell where to go on the popular photo-and-video app to help your kids find knowledge laced with fun.

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 Editor’s Note 31 Health News 64 Where to Eat

ON THE COVER:

Rising seniors (and one recent graduate) from Bergen County high schools chat via Zoom—a first!—for BERGEN’s fourth annual High School Forum.

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AUGUST 2020

OPEN HOUSE

VISIT BERGENCATHOLIC.ORG FOR UPCOMING OPEN HOUSE INFORMATION OR TO BE A CRUSADER FOR A DAY.

GET READY TO LEAD, GENTLEMEN.

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IN THE CLASSROOM, ON THE FIELD AND IN SERVICE TO OTHERS Bergen Catholic is a college preparatory school where young boys become Christian gentlemen and leaders who discover a devotion for helping others. The curriculum is rigorous. Students enjoy rewarding clubs, enriching programs in art, music, theater, championship athletics, and an unmatched brotherhood, where Brothers-Help-Brothers. The Crusader College Counseling Experience begins freshman year providing support and results as evidenced by the fact that the Class of 2020 achieved multiple acceptances to top tier schools including Princeton, Cornell, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Boston College, and NYU. Enrollment is selective.

For more information, call the Admissions Department at (201) 634-2205.

CATHOLIC. GENTLEMEN. LEADERS.

#1 Ranked All-Boys Catholic High School in Bergen County.

Founded and staffed by the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Bergen Catholic High School 1040 Oradell Avenue Oradell, NJ 07649 | P: 201.261.1844 F: 201.599.9507 | www.bergencatholic.org

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CONTENTS

Departments Bergen Buzz | 15 Our guide to new ideas, tips, trends and things we love in the county.

For Men Only | 24

You’ll want to wear white even after Labor Day with these white-hot trunks, perfect for swimming or poolside drinks.

Jewelry Box | 26

Shine brighter than the summer sun with these dazzling baubles.

Toy Box | 29

No camp? No problem. These backyard toys will keep little (and big) kids entertained all month long.

Tastes | 56

They’re excellent with eggs and superb in salads, but avocados have a sweet side too. The heart-healthy fruit can make the perfect dessert, as these three recipes show.

Power Food | 62

Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying healthy? Get the best of both worlds with the goji, a low-calorie superfruit.

32 56

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Spirits | 63

For the margarita version of watermelon, the tangiest fruit of summer, just add tequila, blend and enjoy.

Gatherings | 66

Bergenites always show up to support their friends and neighbors—especially during a pandemic.

A Bergen Moment | 72

A volunteer photographer snaps a graduation photo of Hackensack High School football players, which symbolizes their new roads ahead.

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Left to Right: EVAN BAIRD, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center; RAFAEL LEVIN, M.D., M.S.C., Chief of Spine, HackensackUMC at Pascack Valley; JONATHAN LESTER, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; NOMAAN ASHRAF, M.D., M.B.A., Assistant Clinical Professor, Mount Sinai Medical Center

WHERE OUR TEAM BELIEVES IN CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT FIRST. BOARD CERTIFIED SPINE SURGEONS AND PHYSIATRY SERVICES

WESTWOOD | CLIFTON | BRIDGEWATER EAST BRUNSWICK 201.634.1811 | COMPSPINECARE.COM

NJ TOP DOCS 2014-2020

Ginger STORES Women, Children & Home

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Pass or fail? As we look to a new school year with much that is still unknown, we need to consider how this crash course in online learning worked. From our very unscientific poll of students, teachers, parents, coaches and administrators, it appears the answers aren’t black and white but varying shades of gray, depending on your district, your circumstances, the ages of your kids and so much more.

When districts closed in March in response to COVID-19, there was little time to ponder and plan to teach online our 135,000 public school students plus thousands more who attend private schools.

BERGEN has chatted with parents and teachers along the way, and for this Back-to-School Issue we spoke to even more of them as the thought of returning to class claimed center stage in the national discussion. In “Back to School? Here’s What Moms Say,” our conversations with local mothers reveal a split jury: Because of coronavirus concerns, some hope online classes continue, while others want their children learning and socializing in the physical classroom. Flip to page 34 to find out what they’re thinking.

Like medical professionals and first responders, teachers have been lauded COVID heroes. We spoke with six teachers who, despite being on summer break, inspire learning by sharing their favorite “educational” Instagram handles. Whether the accounts offer inspirational quotes or stunning photography with enlightening captions, our educators recommend students and fellow teachers give them a follow for light and fun lessons. Check out our teachers’ suggestions in “Learning on Instagram” on page 36.

Of course, we wouldn’t have a Back-to-School Issue without hearing what students have to say. In three previous years, we assembled a diverse group of teens—mostly rising seniors—to talk about academics and athletics, extracurriculars and exams, studying and socializing. But 2020 is different: Some topics changed, as did our format. Our fourth annual student forum took place via Zoom and broached additional topics such as virtual learning, coronavirus concerns and social injustices. It didn’t surprise the BERGEN staff that each member of this year’s panel was as levelheaded as any person could be while in the midst of a pandemic. Read what was on the minds of these 11 students in “High Schoolers Have Their Say” on page 42.

While this issue has other education-related articles, including one on the pandemic’s impact on student athletics and another explaining how Bergen’s colleges and universities are handling the fall semester, it also has a bevy of other items we know you’ll find useful and interesting. On a lighter note, for instance, we report on the county’s booming craft brewery business and spotlight the best local places to take the family to celebrate National Picnic Month.

After all, safely enjoying the company of friends and loved ones does us good in ways that can’t be graded. We need each other. In a time of unknowns, that’s one thing we know for sure.

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Also available at GingerNCream.com

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APPAREL  ACCESSORIES  SHOES  GIFTS  HOME @GingerNCream, @GingerNCreamKids

350-368 Center Avenue, Westwood NJ 201.664.2440

Rita Guarna Editor in Chief editor@wainscotmedia.com

The Matarlo-Smith Family

Welcome your baby into the world with us.

SPECIALISTS ON HAND 24/7 HIGH-RISK PREGNANCY CARE

Our BirthPlace is open, clean, and ready to welcome your little one into the world. As always, we have skilled and experienced doctors, free parent education and birthing classes*, personalized and thoughtful care, and labor and delivery nurses who stick with you every step of the way.

We believe in treating your family like our family. That’s why we’ve worked hard to ensure that your birthing experience at Holy Name continues to exceed your expectations.

P R I VAT E S U I T E S C U LT U R A L LY S E N S I T I V E RESPECTFUL O F YO U R B I R TH I N G PREFERENCES

*Currently being conducted virtually.

Schedule an appointment today with one of our obstetrician/gynecologists at HolyName.org/MedicalPartners

Holy Name Medical Center 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666 Copyright © 2020 Holy Name Medical Center, All rights reserved.

THIS PLACE IS DIFFERENT

Editor in Chief RITA GUARNA Creative Director STEPHEN M. VITARBO Senior Associate Editor DARIUS AMOS Lifestyle Editor HALEY LONGMAN Editorial Intern KATHRYNE MCCANN ART

Art Director MICHAEL FORTE PRODUCTION

Production Director SUSAN WINDRUM Graphic Designer, Advertising Services VIOLETA MULAJ Production Art Associate CHRIS FERRANTE CIRCULATION

Circulation Manager KATHY WENZLER

yourSTYLE GPS something for everyone.

1.800.CALL GPS | shopgps.com Bayonne | Bergenfield | Eatontown | Edison | Flemington Green Brook | Hawthorne | Lakewood | Matawan Morris Plains | Orange | Paramus For additional locations please visit our website.

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BERGEN assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or art materials.

BERGEN is published 12 times a year

by Wainscot Media, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. This is Volume 20, Issue 8. © 2020 by Wainscot Media LLC. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in U.S. outside of Bergen County: $14 for one year.

Single copies: $3.95. Material contained herein is intended for informational purposes only. If you have medical concerns, seek the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Assisted Living I Home Care I Memory Care I Alzheimer’s Day Care

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1. A group of people who genuinely love, trust, care about, and look out for each other.

We never hesitate to care for our loved ones. Whatever it takes. But caregiving is a sacrifice. The hours are long, and the challenges are real. Remember, you’re not alone as a caregiver. We Didn’t Choose It, But We Will Overcome It! Let’s start with the most important conversation of all…the first.

Our campus has so much to offer. Inspiring education. Award-winning care.

People who are here to help your family make aging your ally.

The only real burden is the one we don’t share.

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SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To inquire about a subscription, to change an address or to purchase a back issue or a reprint of an article, please write to BERGEN, Circulation Department, 1 Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656; telephone 201.573.5541; email kathy.wenzler@wainscotmedia.com.

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Beautiful greenery, white linen-service and romantic lighting help to create a charming ambiance.

WHAT YOU CAN FIND ON BERGENMAG.COM RIGHT NOW

One of the finest outdoor dining experiences in Bergen County!

Our kitchen specializes in hand-cut, in-house, 21+ day, dry-aged steaks, fresh-market seafood and eclectic Italian cuisine.

WINNER WINNER Do you want to make a great grilled chicken dinner for your next cookout? Chef Kevin Kohler of Café Panache in Ramsey shares his recipe for a proteinpacked poultry dish to serve you and your socially distanced friends this summer. Find it and more stories at bergenmag.com.

Open Tuesday - Saturday 4 P.M. - 10 P.M. For reservations, call 201.391.2220 or visit online at www.103PRIME.com.

Gift cards available | Casual attire encouraged Social distancing strictly enforced | Extra sanitary measures taken 103 Spring Valley Rd. | Park Ridge, NJ | 201.391.2220 | www.103PRIME.com

COVER UP! Forget hats and sunglasses because face coverings are the new “it” accessory for summer. These masks will keep you safe and stylish as you run errands and remain socially distant with friends. Visit bergenmag.com to find out where in Bergen County you can find cool coverings.

AN OM -AZING READ These days, mindfulness is essential for keeping yourself healthy and happy.

In yoga instructor Ali Roff Farrar’s book The Wellfulness Project, you’ll find all of the inspiration you need to incorporate consciousness in your choices and wellness in your daily routine. For a chance to win a copy of the book, visit bergenmag.com/wellfulness.

(This contest has been extended through August.)

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WE’VE TAKEN STEPS SO YOU CAN TAKE STEPS (WITHOUT PAIN) Providing exceptional orthopedic care has always been a top priority.

Our orthopedic specialists in foot and ankle, total joint replacement, sports, pediatrics, scoliosis, hand, shoulder, spine, trauma, and orthopedic-oncology have the expertise and experience to get you back to enjoying life.

Morristown Medical Center

Don’t delay care. We are here with safety measures in place.

For referral to an orthopedic specialist call 800-247-9580 or visit atlantichealth.org/njorthopedics

{ BERGEN BUZZ } OUR GUIDE TO NEW IDEAS, TIPS, TRENDS AND THINGS WE LOVE IN OUR COUNTY.

COLLEGE, 2020 STYLE THIS YEAR, WHEN LOCAL CAMPUSES ROLL OUT THE WELCOME MAT, IT WILL BE “SAFETY FIRST.”

A collegian’s move-in day—parents helping sons and daughters tote suitcases, futons and mini fridges into stuffy dormitories—has long been a rite of passage. But this year, because of the continuing danger of COVID-19, the semester will begin a bit differently for many. Here’s what local campuses have planned: —Bergen Community College: After launching a revamped website in July and enhancing its social media presence, New Jersey’s largest community college is prepared for a mostly virtual fall when classes begin Sept. 2. In-person instruction will be limited to the paramedic science program and practice-based classes, held at BCC’s Lyndhurst campus; all other subjects will be taught online.

For those meeting in person, safety guidelines will be followed: reduced classroom density, distanced seating and proper sanitization. BCC employees who report to the Lyndhurst, Paramus or Hackensack campus should arrange with their supervisors and public safety officials to ensure proper entry. At press time, the Paramus facility remains a drive-through COVID-19 testing site.

—Fairleigh Dickinson University: Of the nearly 4,200 undergraduates at the Metropolitan campus in Hackensack and Teaneck, about 1,000 live in the residence halls. Move-ins will be conducted in phases to allow proper social distancing, beginning Aug. 17, the first day of the fall semester. Virtual classes will also begin that day and continue for three weeks, while in-classroom instruction resumes Sept. 8. At that point, teachers and students will follow a hybrid schedule that combines online and in-person learning. All students, staff and faculty will be required to complete and report a self-screening every day of the semester. Students exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms should contact Student Health Services, and staff should notify Human Resources. University officials will follow protocols for isolation, testing and quarantine. Hand sanitizers and Plexiglass shields are installed throughout campus, and density in living spaces has been reduced. Common areas in the residence halls and laundry facilities will specify maximum capacities.

—Felician University: Officials at this private Catholic college expect the fall semester to begin as planned Aug. 26, using a “hybrid flexible” approach of online and in-person learning. The model will be used through Thanksgiving break, and classes will resume Nov. 30 through finals in a virtual format only. Extra sections and course offerings in evenings and on Saturdays have been added to ease classroom density worries. Felician—with an enrollment of roughly 1,600 undergrads in its Lodi and Rutherford campuses—will reduce the population density in its residence halls and, as the school has done in the past, arrange accommodations at area hotels with campus shuttle service if needed. According to Acting President Sylvia McGeary, everyone returning to campus (employees begin their phased return Aug. 3) will wear face masks and adhere to safety guidelines.

—Ramapo College of New Jersey: All fall semester classes at the public college in Mahwah will begin virtually on Sept. 2 and continue until Nov. 24. A limited number of in-person classes, such as labs and clinical rotations, will be permitted under proper safety guidelines. Online classes resume after Thanksgiving and continue through the end of the semester.

For the 2,600 students living on campus, move-in will be held in stages to minimize occupancy, and 10 percent of the housing is reserved for quarantine purposes. Common areas like gyms, theaters and computer labs will be closed.

DID YOU KNOW? The Fairleigh Dickinson University women’s bowling team is one of the elite programs in the country. The twotime Division I national champion (they last won in 2010) finished last season ranked No. 14 nationally with a 66-38 record.

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KUDOS

In-person Hollywood award ceremonies are on hold due to the pandemic, but the show must go on. In June the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) live-streamed its 2020 Screen Music Awards, at which Bergen native won the Top Network Series award for his work on the drama This Is Us. The Indian-American composer was a college roommate (at the University of Pennsylvania) of the show’s creator, Dan Fogelman (a Pascack Valley High School alum), and has been penning poignant original songs and scores for the award-winning NBC series since its first season. But he was singing long before that; he partly credits his musical background in Bergen County for his success on the West Coast.

“Every Sunday, while growing up, I’d sing at our local Hindu temple in Bergen County; it’s how I learned to sing in front of a crowd,” Khosla told cast member Chris Sullivan, aka Toby, in a video interview. “I was in jazz rock at Dwight-Englewood and had bands in high school. Music was a big part of my childhood.”

DON’T BLAME SPEED Griping about traffic, it seems, is part of being a New Jerseyan.

But in one set of stats our state actually does well: the percentage of traffic deaths that involve speeding. (Maybe that’s heavy traffic slowing us down!) Among the states, New Jersey has the ninth lowest percentage of traffic deaths that involve speeding, according to researchers at CoPilot, an app that guides users through the car-buying process. In the Garden State, 20.6 percent of total traffic deaths in 2014–18 involved speeding, compared with 27 percent nationally.

PUPPY LOVE

Dogs: 6-year-old Pixie and 2-year-old Pudge, both golden retrievers Owner: M. Mosca, Ridgewood From their first time playing, M. knew Pixie was the perfect dog for her. When it came to choosing a pooch to take home from the breeder, Pixie kept staring at her. “I couldn’t resist her looking at me,” Mosca says, “as if she was telling me to pick her.” Mosca eventually wanted Pixie to have a male companion, so she went to a different breeder a few years later and it seemed like fate that Pudge was the only male in his litter. “He was perfect and adorable,” she says, “so he was automatically meant for me.”

These furry friends love splashing around in their dog-friendly pool (though Pudge prefers to soak on the steps), and both enjoy indulging in Puppuccinos from Starbucks. They also spend a lot of time with their canine friends at Kathy Santo Dog Training in Waldwick, where they take obedience and agility classes. Pixie and Pudge are talented pups who can do many tricks, but their favorite is spinning around in the same direction in sync and on command.

“They are both the sweetest dogs and are best friends,” their proud owner says.

BE WISE WITH YOUNG EYES Taking your kids for annual before-school physicals? Don’t forget their eyes. August is National Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month, and the start of a school year is a great time to make a comprehensive eye appointment. A trained ophthalmologist can tell you if your youngster needs glasses or has astigmatism or a “lazy eye,” and most conditions can be treated or corrected.

Arlene Rosenberg Henick, M.D., a pediatric ophthalmologist in Fort Lee, says kids should have their eyes examined starting as early as 12–18 months old, but certainly by the time they’re entering preschool or kindergarten. “The earlier screenings help with preventing and BERGENMAG.COM

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treating amblyopia, or lazy eye,” she says.

Dr. Rosenberg Henick says more children are wearing glasses now than 10 years ago— perhaps a result of an increase in screen time and a decrease in time spent outdoors.

“There is an ‘epidemic’ of myopia, or nearsightedness,” she says. Parents should limit their children’s screen time and increase outdoor time—especially during the warmer months—and make sure kids wear sunglasses while outside as often as possible.

“It is also essential that children who need spectacle correction wear sports glasses when they are playing sports to prevent traumatic ocular injuries,” the doc advises.

THE CRAFT GOES ON

BOYS OF (LATE) SUMMER ARE BACK Raise your hand if you thought baseball wouldn’t happen this summer. Now put a mitt on that hand and get ready, because the majors’ season is finally underway. At press time, Opening Day 2020 was set to take place in late July—four months after its original date—much to the delight of sports-starved fans and those who craved some sense of summer normality during quarantine. And regardless of which home team you root for, we can all cheer on the guys with Bergen County roots:

• Former St. Joseph Regional High School star pitcher and first-round draft pick Rob Kaminsky remains in the St. Louis Cardinals organization after a 2019 minor league season in which he compiled a 3–1 record with two saves and eight holds out of the bullpen. Last we heard, the Englewood Cliffs native was vying for a spot on the Cards’ roster.

• Pat Kivlehan was a standout at St. Joseph and Rutgers University before he was drafted by Seattle in 2012. He played

in 13 spring training games this season with the Toronto Blue Jays, hitting two home runs in 19 plate appearances. An outfielder, Nyack, N.Y., native Kivlehan starts this season in the Jays’ farm system.

• Closter’s Tommy La Stella was born in Westwood and starred with St. Joseph. After an All-Star season in which he batted .295 with 16 homers in 80 games for the Los Angeles Angels, La Stella returned as the team’s projected starting second baseman.

COUNT ON GLEN ROCK Did you complete and mail in the 2020 census form? If you’re a Glen Rock resident, odds are you did. The borough has the state’s best response rate for filling out this year’s all-important paperwork. Some 87.6 percent of households submitted their census info—82.5 percent of that was done online—giving the town the 58th highest completion rate in the nation out of 34,676 countable towns, according to Glen Rock councilmember Teresa Gilbreath. The strong showing is due in part to the efforts of Gilbreath and CRAN, the Community Relations Advocacy Network, who have been working since January to encourage residents to fill out their forms and be counted.

“We were originally planning on many in-person activities, but then COVID hit and our plans had to change immediately,” the councilwoman tells BERGEN. Still, word was spread via information sessions, council meeting announcements, social media posts, the borough’s newsletter and even good ol’ word of mouth. “We believe our creativity and regular communication with Glen Rockers have contributed to the high response rate,” says Gilbreath. “While we’re proud of our numbers, we are not finished. We continue to consider how to reach those who have not yet responded.”

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Pubs were closed St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. Memorial Day and July 4th were different this year as well. While the pandemic forced many of us into alternate modes of reveling during celebrations, some turned to Bergen’s booming craft beer business to keep the party going.

Our county is home to four craft breweries—Hackensack Brewing Company and The Alementary Brewing Company in Hackensack, Brix City Brewing in Little Ferry and the newest, Bolero Snort Brewery in Carlstadt (it opened earlier this year, pictured)—and all remained open through the COVID crisis. Of course, they’ve followed orders and kept their indoor taprooms closed, but they’ve been there for customers with walk-in sales. This summer each is operating an outdoor beer garden as well.

“The beer tents are a great idea,” says River Edge resident Renato Villegas, a regular at Hackensack Brewing Company. “All of these breweries do great seasonal beers, so it would be a shame if customers couldn’t stop by and try them.”

For those who wish to remain at home or can’t travel to a brewery, Bergen’s four also make house calls and will deliver cold brews (with restrictions). Cheers!

{ BERGEN BUZZ }

PEDESTRIAN PARADISE? Cars are critical in our suburban towns, but this summer—on certain streets at certain times—they’ve given way to what’s even more important: people.

In Rutherford, for example, governing officials and the Chamber of Commerce agreed to close a section of busy Park Avenue to vehicular traffic Wednesday evenings, allowing pedestrians to walk freely and socially distance on the street. The move also lets restaurants expand their space for outdoor dining, the only in-person dining option now permitted under state COVID-19 regulations.

“It’s been great,” says CiCi Nunez, owner of Mambo Empanadas on Union Avenue. “We’ve been doing takeout throughout the pandemic, and the town has allowed us to have extra seating for our outdoor cafe.”

So far, so good in Ridgewood as well, where stretches of East Ridgewood Avenue and four side streets are closed off to cars every Saturday and Sunday this summer. “This will allow the businesses to gain much-needed space by taking advantage of the width of our streets,” Mayor Ramon Hache says.

“It’s a great initiative during these tough times,” remarks Kaarthy Madhan, owner of Green Fusion on Oak Street. “It helps us cater to customers who are coming in from far away—they can now sit down and enjoy our fresh food.”

Over at Delhi Accent on Chestnut Street, owner Shay Jhanjee says it’s been “good to see familiar faces again” but understands that it may take more time for others to return. “We do everything to make sure people remain safe, but some are still not ready to go out,” he says.

When post-pandemic days finally arrive, Scott Lief, president of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, can imagine pedestrian plazas becoming the norm in some towns. “Many people have commented that a pedestrian mall in Ridgewood is something they’ve wanted for years,” he says. “That could be a silver lining to the pandemic. Time will tell.”

PICK YOUR PICNIC! The ongoing coronavirus pandemic— maybe you’ve heard of it?—has put a damper on some summer plans, with many recreational pools, playgrounds and businesses still closed. But what we can still do is picnic in the park—and when better than in August, National Picnic Month? After all, outdoor activities and gatherings are mostly allowable (even encouraged). In general, permits are required for groups of 10 or more in the county’s picnic areas and pavilions, but here are the highlights of four favorite picnic spots—depending on what kind of picnicker you are: —If you love a view: Palisades Interstate Park (pictured). Depending on which entrance you take, there are a handful of picnic spots available here: one in Englewood, one in Alpine, the Ross Dock Picnic Center in Fort Lee and Undercliff Picnic Area in Englewood Cliffs. Each offers walking trails, boat basins and breathtaking views of the Hudson River and NYC. But before you head out, bear in mind that the park allows just 25 or fewer people at a picnic table, and it’s first-come, first served—the park is not issuing permits at this time. Visitors are urged to keep a social distance from other groups.

• Palisades Interstate Park, 1 Alpine Approach Rd., Alpine, 201.768.1360; njpalisades.org

—If you want to entertain the kids: Van Saun County Park. Though the zoo, the carousel and a few other family-friendly

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attractions at the popular Paramus park remain closed due to COVID, picnic areas are up and running. And picnic tables and pavilions are located in a shady, cool spot in the park, with grills available for use. But make sure you call ahead and reserve a table in advance, as permits are required.

• Van Saun County Park, 216 Forest Ave., Paramus, 201.336.7275; co.bergen.nj.us

—If you crave adventure: Saddle River County Park. A 6-mile bike and walking path connects four parks that sprawl throughout Glen Rock, Ridgewood, Saddle Brook and Fair Lawn. Along the trail there are natural bodies of water to dip your feet in, benches with pretty views and tons of grassy respite spots. Picnic benches scattered near the parking lots in each of the entrances are first-come, first-served.

• Saddle River County Park, 760 Saddle River Rd., Saddle Brook, 201.336.7275; co.bergen.nj.us

—If you want a little bit of everything: Darlington County Park. It’s BYOG— bring your own grill—to the picnic areas at this sprawling park in northern Bergen at the foot of the Ramapo Mountains. Unfortunately, this season the lakes and sandy beaches are closed for swimming and sunbathing, but you can still get a day’s worth of activities in here between picnicking, fishing and the basketball, tennis and handball courts.

• Darlington County Park, 600 Darlington Ave., Mahwah, 201.327.3500; co.bergen.nj.us

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BLUE LIGHT FROM SCREENS CAUSES CONCERN FOR CHILDREN’S EYES - CHANA STIEFEL Now that physicians’ offices are reopening, parents are playing catch up with appointments for their children before the school year begins. One important appointment to schedule is your child’s annual eye exam. Beyond routine eye care, such as checking for the need for glasses, ophthalmologists recommend eye exams beginning at age four for a number of reasons. These include diagnosis of amblyopia (or lazy eye) and glaucoma (a treatable condition that can cause blindness). More recently, however, eye doctors are also checking for possible near-sightedness and eye strain caused by blue light, the light emitted from the display screens of computers, electronic notebooks, smartphones and other digital devices.

“The blue light from the sun and from the computer are both damaging to the eye,” says Adria Burrows, M.D. Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Surgeon “More and more children are becoming near-sighted due to technology.”

One solution is to limit screen time to no more than two hours per day. Yet given the difficulty of limiting screen time when required classes are online, Dr. Burrows shared a few other recommendations. “There is a new coating called Blu-tech that can be put on children’s eyeglasses that blocks the blue light and thus helps to prevent the progression of myopia or near-sightedness,” she says.

Reprinted with permission from Our Children/Jewish Standard.

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KEEP UP THE BEAT

Motivational music—tunes that are more than 120 beats per minute (bpm)—can increase your heart rate and encourage you to exercise harder while also boosting your enjoyment.

32

ALZHEIMER’S CLUE?

Researchers posit that a person’s pupils may provide a clue to a future Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Pupils dilate when performing a difficult mental task, and greater pupil dilation during cognitive tests has been linked to a higher genetic risk of the disease.

—Neurobiology of Aging

The percentage of female marathon runners who reported discomfort due to wearing the wrong bra size.

—British Medical Journal of Sports Medicine

ON BENDED KNEE

Sure, exercise is great for heart health, but a recent study also found that movement throughout the day tempers the inflammatory response in knees.

—Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

—Psychology of Sport and Exercise

1 IN 5

The number of kids in the U.S. ages 10 to 17 who are obese. No state in the nation has yet to make a dent in the problem affecting 4.8 million young people.

—Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

VIRUS VIEWS

Adults 70 years of age and older rate the threat of COVID-19 as more serious than younger people.

—Annals of Internal Medicine

POSTING MOVES Seeing friends post workout news on social media encourages folks to run farther and for longer.

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KIDS AND SEX

Research shows that being involved in your kids’ sex education before the age of 14 has been linked to safer sex practices.

An added bonus: Your teens will be more open with you about their experiences.

—JAMA Pediatrics

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—Compiled by Paul Rance Jr.

4 SUMMER { HEALTH }

DANGERS EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW

With school out and most camps closed, unstructured time brings risks. Here’s a local pediatrician’s advice on keeping kids of all ages safe.

More dangers to worry about? That’s the last thing you need in this pandemic summer of 2020. But pediatricians know that every year brings preventable tragedies, and you don’t want your family—distracted, perhaps, by virus fears or a wounded economy—to be touched by one. Bad things can happen suddenly.

So BERGEN asked Montvale pediatrician Michelle Mayer, M.D., of Chestnut Ridge Pediatrics about four nightmare scenarios and how to avoid them. The idea isn’t to dampen spirits, but to share information that can help ensure a safe summer for your kids.

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BABIES LEFT IN HOT CARS Parents think they’d never forgetfully leave an infant or baby in an automobile in the summer heat. But statistics show that this potentially fatal situation happens to families from all walks of life. “During the summer, cars can reach temperatures deadly for a baby within minutes,” says Dr. Mayer. But there are precautions to ensure that you don’t accidentally leave your little one in the car. “It’s important for parents to try and follow the same routines daily,” says the doctor. “If a different parent than usual drives to day care, then you need to think extra hard about measures you can take to make sure you remember the baby.” These can include setting reminders on your phone or placing something in the back seat such as your wallet or phone that you have to take out, she says. And remember: No errand, no matter how quick you think it’s going to be, justifies leaving your baby alone in your vehicle.

YOUNG CHILDREN AND BICYCLE ACCIDENTS You need to train your kids and remind them regularly: To keep safe while riding bicycles, they must pay attention to their surroundings. Also, if they’re riding at night, they need to wear bright or reflective clothing and make sure their bike has a working headlight. But Dr. Mayer says the No. 1 most important tip for cycling safety is wearing a helmet. “We see a lot of injuries from bikes,” she says, and although most are not lifethreatening, “a bad head injury could be lifelong and detrimental.” The absolute rule: no helmet, no ride.

TEENS TEXTING AND DRIVING Cell phones are a huge distraction for teenage drivers, so start telling your children about the dangers of texting and driving before they first get behind the wheel. “Parents have to teach kids from day one that the phone goes somewhere where they can’t get to it, whether that’s the middle console or the back seat,” Dr. Mayer advises.

“Just as they learn to put their seat belt on, young drivers have to learn to put their phone somewhere where it’s not accessible.” To take it a step further, there are also downloadable “safe driving” apps such as DriveMode that prohibit texts and calls from going through while one is driving. Again, no matter how fully in control a young driver may feel or how urgent it may seem to quickly scan that latest text, a no-exceptions policy is imperative. In traffic or on the highway, disaster can result from a moment’s inattention.

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KIDS OF ALL AGES DROWNING It makes sense that water accidents peak in the summertime. “In the world we’re living in, with parents working from home and being distracted, we fear that drownings will go up this summer,” says Dr. Mayer, who insists that kids of all ages require supervision while swimming. For babies, “parents have to be within arm’s length in the pool,” and never use flotation devices as an even momentary substitute for parental control. Parents must keep an eye on toddlers and small children at all times lest they fall into a pool or the water at the beach. “Pools in backyards should have a child safety fence,” the pediatrician adds. “Pool alarms and safety covers do not work.” Teens need a parent or a lifeguard to be present, because “even the best of swimmers can bump their head or have a fainting spell,” Dr. Mayer warns. “But if someone is nearby, they can be pulled out of the water.”

{ COVID CLASSES }

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BACK TO SCHOOL? HERE’S WHAT MOMS SAY When the governor left school reopenings up to school districts, BERGEN checked in with the ultimate authority: mothers. By Haley Longman

In other years, the approach of September has given parents no bigger worry than buying school supplies and new school clothes. This year it brings tougher questions: “Is it safe to send my children back to a school building?” and “On the other hand, how can I go on reducing their educational world to a screen?” and “How can I homeschool when I have to work all day?”

According to a HealthDay News survey, two out of three parents nationally will be sending at least one child back to school this fall should their districts allow it; 75 percent surveyed also support COVID-19 testing and social distancing policies for their kids while they’re there. No such survey exists exclusively for New Jersey (at least not yet), and Governor Phil Murphy is leaving it to school districts’ discretion to figure out what works for them, as long as social distancing regulations are enforced should class resume in physical buildings.

But from BERGEN’s conversations with a handful of local moms, the jury is split; some hope to continue online learning and won’t send their kids back to school until it’s “normal” again, while others choose for their children to have the socialization and inperson education that only going to a school building can provide. But there are more than two opinions, and moms in one camp share the concerns—and feel the pain—of those who advocate an “opposite” priority.

The only universal verdict? This ain’t easy.

(Excuse us—isn’t! You see, we’re getting rusty already.)

“To me, there’s no point in sending my kids back if there will be social distancing, because part of the point in going to school is to socialize,” says Nina Daugherty, a mom of a rising first grader and fifth grader in Northvale. “If my kids are going to be yelled at because they are too close to someone or because their mask is off, then I’m not interested in sending them back.” Daugherty

plans to homeschool if her children’s school isn’t 100 percent remote this fall. But households with single working parents or two working parents don’t have that option.

Moreover, virtual learning isn’t a one-sizefits-all situation. It has worked well for some students—the high schoolers we hear from on page 42 agree that their grades held up or even improved with virtual learning. And Jarily Mata of Garfield, mother of a rising kindergartener and third grader, says her daughter’s school offered “weekly videos with helpful coping exercises from the school psychologist” in addition to wellexecuted online classes. But many students, especially younger ones, have struggled without the face-to-face interaction with teachers and peers.

“My daughter did not do well learning via Google Docs with a bunch of links,” says Michele Gehbauer in Fair Lawn. “It was unrealistic to expect a first grader to navigate that on their own, and it was extremely difficult for my husband and me to help her constantly while working.”

Special needs children or at-risk youth are at a disadvantage with online learning too, because educators often are unable to fully provide the support and interventions they need to learn and thrive.

Beyond education itself, some parents say there are psychological detriments to virtual learning as well. “The mental and emotional strain isolation has on children is very real and something I feel isn’t talked about enough,” says Stacey Kaley of Emerson, a mother of two and former teacher herself.“My third-grade daughter has been showing signs of anxiety and depression, as have her friends.”

Mata concurs. “Having the kids in an environment so incredibly different from their norm is bound to cause anxiety, stress and fear. It is a huge change for young minds to comprehend, many that don’t even have BERGENMAG.COM

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the cognitive ability to do so. Returning to a setting that screams ‘corona’ will have negative results.”

And sure, parents aren’t ultimately the ones making the school’s decisions. But their opinions matter—administrators throughout Bergen County have been sending out surveys to their communities about their hopes for their districts as we embark upon this uncertain academic year.

Mata wants her district to continue online instruction, because she believes it’ll be impossible for a school with 25 kids per class to maintain social distancing—and also difficult for educators to juggle virtual with in-person learning. Gehbauer of Fair Lawn wants to see live classes in addition to pre-recorded ones for more interactive learning. If schools return to traditional inperson instruction, Kaley doesn’t want her kids wearing masks all day for fear of what they could do to the children’s physical health. But others, like Bergenfield’s Tara Montalbano, mother of two toddlers and two elementary school-aged daughters, trust that whatever the districts decide will be in the best interests of the students and staff.

“I would love for students to go back full time with face masks and social distancing,” says Montalbano, who’s also a teacher.

“I know schools will take all the proper precautions to keep my third and fifth grade girls safe, and I feel they need to be back in a school environment in order to reach their potential as students.”

In the end, of course, all parents want their children to both learn effectively and stay safe. Unfortunately, no crystal ball reveals just what arrangement optimally meets those goals. “It’s an almost impossible feat to decide what is best for our children while still considering the state’s guidelines,” says Kaley. “I do not envy those in the districts making the decisions.”

{ SUMMER SCROLLING }

LEARNING ON INSTAGRAM

Six Bergen teachers tell where to go on the popular photo-and-video app to help your kids find knowledge laced with fun.

By Darius Amos

If you think about it, learning never did stop at the classroom door. There have always been field trips, museums, sightseeing tours, historical reenactments and educational toys and games that served up entertainment with bits of the curriculum peppered in. Today, with physical school openings a question mark and computers in nearly every home, there’s even less reason to think of instruction as something that happens only on the blackboard. Fortunately, there’s also a teaching tool called Instagram.

Yes, that’s the photo- and videosharing social network service, now owned by Facebook, that shows you funny poses struck by your cousin’s cat in Kalamazoo—or a yummy-looking casserole cooked

by Grandma in Chattanooga. But Instagram is much more. It offers an array of images and messages that can bring the world before your child’s eyes in a way undreamed of by past generations. While no one suggests the app as a substitute for formal schoolwork, it can be a great summertime supplement.

BERGEN asked a half-dozen educators each to suggest two reputable Instagram accounts well worth learning from. Here are their suggestions—in their own words.

HABLA ESPANOL? Elena Spathis, Pascack Valley High School, Hillsdale, Spanish @spain, 601K followers

Official Instagram account of tourism in Spain “I follow accounts of specific countries managed by their departments of tourism. This is a great way to learn more about the culture and customs of a specific destination. I encourage my students to follow many countries’ accounts as well, to further expose them to authentic culture. Each of these accounts posts pictures and captions about famous historical sites, traditions, events/festivals, dishes and music associated with each country.”

@spanishphraseoftheday, 36.1K followers

Live, face-to-face & 100 percent online Spanish classes “Many of the phrases posted here are idiomatic expressions, which are hard to grasp as a language learner. Each daily phrase is posted with an example in context. I like that my students can easily pick up on new phrases outside of the classroom. This exposes them to authentic language in a real-life context.”

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BOOKWORMS AND NATURE LOVERS Krista Rasmussen, Holdrum Middle School, River Vale, language arts and social studies @getunderlined, 48.6K followers

Professional book nerds covering all things reading, writing and YA “I actually just started following this YA book recommendation account after reading (and loving) a book. I had to look up the author on Instagram, and she had mentioned this account. They have ‘Author Feature Friday,’ and it’s great to hear questions answered about your favorite books!”

@paulrosolie, 140K followers

Protecting 30,000+ acres of Amazonian habitat—and the beauties therein “Host Paul Rosolie is a friend of mine.

He’s a conservationist and author. There are beautiful pictures of the Amazon as well as a sprinkle of life in New York and India. His captions are beautifully written and informative.”

SAINTS AND SCHOLARS Jackie Kruk, Immaculate Heart Academy, Washington Township, religious studies @churchPOP, 80.7K followers

Christian culture source that seeks to be inspirational, informative and fun “ChurchPOP is great because it shares some very educational articles about scripture, church teachings, social justice issues and more. Its posts are a mixture of inspirational quotes (usually from saints, and including short biographies), infographics about frequently asked questions and some funny memes. The content is concise, well-written and beautifully designed, and sometimes I will repost it, or use it in class as an example of a quote or article.”

@coffeewithsaints, 96.2K followers

A daily motivational email worth reflecting upon “Coffee with Saints showcases a range of quotes, from motivational messages to positive thoughts that will make you think. Many of the quotes focus on being the best person you can be. If I find a quote I particularly like, it makes me want to read more of that person’s work. The captions also tell a little more about the speaker’s life, the background behind the quote and sometimes a short lesson. It’s good for quick glances as you scroll through your feed, and it also makes you want to read and reflect more.”

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SCIENCE AND SCRAPBOOKING Laura Herzog, Lindbergh Elementary School, Palisades Park, special education @nickuhas, 208K followers

Videos that memorably bring science to life “For science content, I recently started following the host of Blown Away, a glass-blowing competition on Netflix. The account produces awesome and interesting science videos that kids, especially older ones, will love. There’s a great video featuring an enormous elephant toothpaste experiment that everyone will enjoy!

As a teacher, though, I would advise people always to doublecheck the information they find, especially if it’s not from a known reputable source.”

@savefamilyphotos, 89.1K followers

Saving and sharing family stories, one photo at a time “I think older kids and those who like to write will appreciate this account.

It’s all about sharing and preserving family memories and histories. Users submit their old photos—typically of a beloved parent, grandparent or other family member—and provide their own captions, which are wonderfully written details that preserve the memory of the person, place and time pictured.”

COOL CLASSROOMS AND MATH MASTERS Tiffany Mulholland, Dorchester Elementary School, Woodcliff Lake @teachersfollowteachers, 166K followers

Secrets for the age-old class struggle—the one in schoolrooms, that is “This is a fun account that allows teachers to share ideas for classroom organization and their new items for the website teacherspayteachers.com.”

@tang_math, 1,420 followers

An educator who’s determined to prove that math can be mastered—and enjoyed “I love following different teacher influencers on Instagram who give different perspectives on learning as well as companies that give creative ideas for teachers and students. Greg Tang is an amazing math guru. He posts photos and videos of higher-level math and makes it fun with puzzles and outside-the-box thinking.”

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{ SUMMER SCROLLING }

LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT Felicia Lott, Roosevelt School, Lyndhurst, math @prodigy_math_ game, 9,075 followers

A free, curriculum-aligned math game for grades 1 through 8 “This free, game-based math program provides students with questions aligned to the common core mathematics curriculum standards. My students look forward to playing Prodigy and learning math through this application. The account posts updates and changes made to enhance the game-based math program.”

@edpuzzle, 2,887 followers

A video-based tool to make education more interactive “This account not only posts updates about this incredible application but also provides teachers with ideas on how to engage students using Edpuzzle.

When looking for new ideas to enhance my online lessons, I looked at this account to see how other teachers incorporated Edpuzzle into lessons.”

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{ FROM THE SIDELINES }

GAME ON

With the fall high school sports season in question, student-athletes must find new ways to show colleges they’re prepared to play. By Darius Amos Nakia Griffin-Stewart was in his Tenafly home when he got the call in April: The Minnesota Vikings were on the line, inviting the former University of Pittsburgh graduate transfer to join the NFL team for training camp at the end of summer. “It was a childhood dream of mine,” he told BERGEN this spring.

But dreams don’t just happen. When GriffinStewart was playing at Tenafly High School, many of his friends and the school’s support staff initially believed the football and basketball star wasn’t getting enough attention from major colleges and universities. Following his heart as well as the advice of family, coaches and staff, he worked hard in his junior and senior seasons to secure a scholarship from Rutgers University. Then he played football there before moving to Pittsburgh for the 2019 season. (A graduate transfer is a student who’s degreed but playing out his final year of eligibility at another institution.)

Of course, even those who are gridiron stars in high school and college don’t all go on to the NFL. But there’s a new wrinkle to the pigskin this year. If football is your ticket to college, it has become harder to get that ticket punched. The coronavirus, you know.

By their junior year, most four- and five-star recruits (the nation’s top 300 players) have made enough of an impression to earn scholarship offers. But of course they play on anyway, sometimes in hopes of making a final appeal to recruiters. This year, however, with countless summer travel teams and workouts on hold and the restart of fall sports in question because of the ongoing pandemic, there are a lot of college hopefuls still in limbo. In the age of the coronavirus, many of today’s high school athletes will need more than a solid effort on the field to take the next step.

COACHES COME THROUGH The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the organization that governs collegiate sports, has announced that it will enforce a recruiting “dead” period through August, meaning that all athlete evaluations, campus visits and face-to-face contact are prohibited. This

phase also bans college coaches from watching students compete or from visiting high schools.

Without those crucial tools—and without games and events to showcase their talents—studentathletes turn to highlight videos and recommendations to speak for them. This puts an extra onus on high school coaches.

“Coaches and athletes have had to rely on highlights from previous years,” says Scott Langan, director of athletics at Paramus Catholic High School. “Our coaches are very passionate about their players, so I am confident that if there is no season or a shortened season, they will work twice as hard to find a fit for the kids who want to play in college.”

Pulling together film and highlight reels isn’t new for Brian Dunn, longtime head coach of the football team at the Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, but he admits the pandemic has thrown a wrench into typical recruiting efforts. “Recruiting is very different in the current environment,” he says. “My role is to try and put college coaches and our studentathletes in contact with each other. Everything is done through social media, text and emails.”

At Bogota High School, varsity football head coach Brian Appleton is assisting his studentathletes in a similar fashion. Social media has all but replaced in-person visits and has helped maintain constant communication, particularly with one of his top players, Ashanti Caviness.

According to Appleton, the 6-foot-6 Caviness received multiple offers prior to the start of the pandemic, but he was still uncommitted at press time.

“There have been a lot of phone calls and texts with colleges to discuss him,” Appleton says.

“Twitter has become more relevant than ever in the communication process between coaches and coaches, as well as between coaches and prospects.” He adds that some schools have legally skirted the NCAA rules by conducting virtual visits via FaceTime and offering real-time drone footage of their campuses. The NCAA also permits emails, direct messaging, Skype and Zoom meetings. “Recruiting has been very interesting since the start of COVID,” Appleton says.

Unlike Caviness, Emily Surdacki wasn’t

recruited before the coronavirus. She is a rising senior on the Paramus Catholic girls’ soccer team, and the pandemic either postponed or canceled all of her college visits. But university officials have been sympathetic. “In terms of recruitment, I was still able to keep in touch with potential colleges and their coaches, setting up Zoom calls and meetings and exchanging emails,” she says. “Everyone has been very understanding about the situation at hand and very accommodating in making sure everything necessary gets done.”

STAYING IN SHAPE While coaches and administrators discover new ways to help college-bound student-athletes, the kids still have to put in the work. That means, despite social distancing orders and other safety precautions in place, they have to stay in shape and, when possible, compete throughout the summer and fall. Surdacki says she was “devastated” when the pandemic canceled her spring travel soccer team’s season as well as the school’s formal summer workouts. But that hasn’t stopped her and her teammates from staying sharp.

“Due to COVID-19, we have been practicing virtually through Google Meet to ensure that everyone is on track for when our season does start up again,” Surdacki says. “Virtual practices are held twice a week, and we focus on conditioning and ball control, essentially trying to keep everything as normal as if we were practicing together in person.” In-person practices, she adds, were set to resume in July.

At Old Tappan, where the football team went 8–4 last season, Coach Dunn has been trying to keep his players on schedule too. “We have been staying in contact virtually with video conferencing just as everyone else has,” he says. “We have met on a number of issues over the past four months including academics, social issues and wellness. It can be a struggle to keep in contact and track kids down when you don’t see them face to face as we are so used to in coaching. However, we are trying to evolve and do our best in the current climate to help our kids in their overall development.”

Opposite page, clockwise from top: Paramus Catholic cheerleaders, Bogota football, Old Tappan football, Tenafly football, Old Tappan girls basketball.

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{ SCHOOL DAZE }

HIGH SCHOOLERS HAVE THEIR SAY

In-person classes were cancelled, but BERGEN’s fourth annual High School Forum wasn’t. Here’s what 11 teens, convened on Zoom, reported about their school lives in the time of coronavirus. By Rita Guarna OUR FORUM MEMBERS: Eamon Bednarcik, Bergen Catholic, Class of ’21 Bryan Chan, Ridgewood High School, Class of ’21 Natalia Chinchilla, Pascack Valley High School, Class of ’21 Hayden D’Elena, Mahwah High School, Class of ’20

For the past three years, the members of our High School Forum have talked candidly about the problems, pressures and joys of their lives at school. This year the idea was the same, but the situation was different in one big way: Thanks to the quarantine, “going to school” for the year’s past three months meant sitting at home in front of a screen. Still, no contagion can stop the intellectual, social and physical energy of teenagers, and if you can get them to level with you they’re always worth hearing from—even if it takes a special lingo, with terms like APUSH, Canvas and proximity cards. Led by Editor in Chief Rita Guarna, we began by tackling the elephant in the Zoom room.

Isabella Estevez, Immaculate Heart Academy, Class of ’21 Julia Fernandez, Academy of the Holy Angels, Class of ’21 Katelyn Kucharski, River Dell High School, Class of ’21 Aurora Madera, Bergenfield High School, Class of ’21 Lily Renga, Glen Rock High School, Class of ’21 Maeve Rossig, Pascack Hills High School, Class of ’21 Mariel Wellinghorst, Ridgewood High School, Class of ’21

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Top row, from left, Maeve Rossig, Aurora Madera, Eamon Bednarcik; Julie Fernandez, BERGEN’s Rita Guarna, Isabella Estevez; Hayden D’Elena, BERGEN’s Darius Amos, Lily Renga; Katelyn Kucharski, Bryan Chan, Mariel Wellinghorst, Natalia Chinchilla.

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{ SCHOOL DAZE } Rita: How concerned are you about getting COVID-19 or possibly giving it to someone—and are you nervous about going back to school?

Katelyn: I’m definitely concerned about giving it to people, like elderly family who I know are more at risk. So I’ve been very cautious about that—wearing a mask, not really seeing people and staying at home.

Rita: Have you heard from your high schools yet about what they will be doing?

Aurora: I haven’t heard anything from my principal or my superintendent, but I have heard from my volleyball coach. So far they don’t know what the plans are or if we can all be in the gym at the same time. Temperature

school. You can be at risk when you go back to school.

Rita: You guys have been doing online learning. Can you tell us the pros and cons?

Lily: I found online schools to be less stressful, and my grades did improve from it. I know some schools went pass/fail, but my school kept letter grades; that helped motivate me. At the beginning we had full days of online school, and that was very difficult.

Eventually they went to half days; that improved the situation.

Rita: Do you think the teachers were a little less tough because of what was going on?

“One thing I liked was that I was able to record the classes. If I had trouble in math or physics, I would look back on that class and see what I was having trouble with.”

—Eamon Bednarcik checks and stuff like that will be a big part of it.

Isabella: I don’t really see us going back to school in September, and to be honest I don’t think it would really be safe if we did.

Maeve: While we as students want to know if we’re going to be able to go back to school, I also can understand how that decision is going to take time. We’re going to have to see where we are in August.

Natalia: For me, it really does provoke some fear. I know a couple friends and their family members who did have COVID-19, and a friend lost her grandparents to it.

Aurora: If we do end up going back to school in September, it would be a good idea to do the antibody tests.

Isabella: Something really concerning to me is the lack of fear as quarantine moves on.

People have stopped wearing masks, decided they don’t have to stay in their homes anymore. But the virus is still out there. I lost my grandfather to coronavirus. He was in the Dominican Republic. It hurt our family. We’re staying very careful, very vigilant, but a lot of people aren’t doing that. That’s what’s so scary. If you’re not careful you could hurt yourself and hurt somebody else.

Julia: It’s kind of scary—people are getting this false sense of security because things are starting to open up. But I think that’s for economic purposes rather than safety. We can’t keep the country closed forever, but it’s not safe if you’re not still being cautious.

Katelyn: No matter what precautions the school puts up during the school day, you don’t know what’s happening outside of

Lily: I do think the majority of my teachers were easier, although it depended on the teacher. My math teacher increased the amount of work we had. But also my AP [advanced placement] classes—since we finished our AP tests, that lowered my workload as well. But at the beginning, when we had the full day of school, I would get headaches at the end of the day.

Natalia: Online learning helped a lot of students. The only thing it really didn’t help at all would be my AP classes. Our teachers didn’t know what was really happening with the testing. That, I think, was the hardest part, maneuvering around the change in the system.

Mariel: I was really surprised how easily I adapted to online learning. My teachers did a great job with always having Zoom available.

Even after class they would help me out with assignments, which helped my grades a lot.

Bryan: Like Mariel said, Ridgewood did a really good job of transitioning to online school. Having each student with their own Chromebook [a laptop that runs on a Google operating system] really helped. A con is that teachers try so hard to have students collaborate on group projects and try Zoom breakout rooms, or just get phone numbers and FaceTime each other, and that just didn’t work.

(Laughs.) At the end of the year I told them we shouldn’t do this if [online learning] were to continue.

Maeve: For the average hard-working, highachieving student, it wasn’t that hard to adapt. But there were definitely days when it was completely, 100 percent self-motivation.

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Sometimes it was really hard to just sit down and do your work with no one telling you to do it. That led to people not submitting their work.

Eamon: One thing I liked was that I was able to record the classes. If I had trouble in math or physics, I would look back on that class and see what I was having trouble with. I could even email the teacher saying, “I had trouble with this problem in class, can you help me out with it?” Same thing with homework. But it was definitely hard, and I did sleep through some of the classes. (Everyone laughs.) I did it in my room because my parents are working from home too, and my sister had school too, so I was in my room for the most part and on my bed lying down.

Aurora: Personally, I wasn’t the biggest fan of online schooling. But one of the pros was that my teachers could spend more time with us on a topic. My “APUSH” [Advanced Placement United States History] teacher, leading up to the AP [test], would spend hours making sure we knew the information we needed to know. However, it’s harder some days than others to get yourself to class at 8 a.m., especially if you’re not going to a building. I don’t like being at home. It makes it harder to reach out to your teachers. For instance, my AP Spanish teacher, he’s pretty old, so he doesn’t know how to use—I don’t mean it in a bad way; he’s just not adept to using computers and emails. And some people had trouble uploading.

Hayden: My sleep schedule was a lot better with online than it was in regular school. It helped that we all had laptops and could drop them off at the school if we needed to for repairs. As time went on and the coronavirus picked up, teachers had very fluid timetables for when things were due.

Katelyn: At River Dell, each of us has our own laptop that we take home at the end of the school day. Before we left school they were prepping us for the online classes: We went through how to use [Microsoft] Teams, how to use video chat, how to sign in. They were very clear with expectations.

Maeve: A lot of students, if they have learning disabilities, or struggles with self-motivation, it was difficult. I did see students struggling in that area. Even myself—most of us can probably say we had days where it was just really hard to do work. And part of that was also the struggle to separate school and home life. For my school district, you could submit your work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. I would be doing work up until 7 p.m. because I just didn’t have the motivation to get it all done in the morning.

Bryan: Going off Katelyn and Maeve’s point about the teachers, my teachers were really understanding about going on Zoom and Google Meet. Just as we were learning, they were learning as well. They were understanding if you couldn’t make a Meet or a Zoom. My WiFi in the beginning was

very shaky and lagging, so a lot of the times I would turn my camera off because I didn’t want the entire class to lag.

Rita: What kind of support did schools provide to help with mental health issues?

Aurora: At Bergenfield, you could reach out to your counselors at any time. I reached out to my counselor. But even with that, one of the biggest things with online schooling, it takes a person wanting to reach out if they are feeling that way. Especially when you’re home and you’re isolated, a lot of people lose that motivation, if they get to that dark place, to reach out to someone from school to say, “This has been going on, and I don’t feel well,” or “Someone passed away, and I don’t know how to handle it.” But when you’re in school it’s easier to reach out to someone.

Someone might see you and say, “Hey, are you OK?”

Mariel: I got an email every day from my guidance counselor about her day in quarantine. She would even send us recipes.

Bryan: Our superintendent would send us a note every week in an email. Toward the bottom of the letter there was a hotline number if you ever needed to talk to someone, and I thought that was nice for him to add that.

Natalia: A couple of my friends struggle with mental health issues. They reached out to me personally, like on social media, rather than reaching out to the school. Our teachers would send us little messages through Canvas and say, “If you need to talk I’m on Google Meet right now; these are my hours.”

I have been constantly seeing news concerning COVID-19, and that had a toll on me. But going to classes and hearing my teacher talk in more of a light tone definitely brought up the mood within our classes and brought this sense of unity.

Isabella: My school and my teachers were really great with that. For example, my guidance counselor, every week we’d get an email saying, “Here’s what’s going on with me, hope everything’s well with you, my inbox is always open.”

Julia: If I have a personal issue I’m more likely to reach out to a teacher than to a guidance counselor, but that’s just me. The teachers are very open, and they’re definitely trying hard during class, and I feel like I can be vulnerable with them and talk to them. In one of my history classes we would open each class with a general discussion of what was going on in the world. My English teacher would open every class with a song; she’d lip-sync to the song, and that was a fun way to set the tone and put everyone at ease.

Hayden: I had a webinar, and at the end my head guidance counselor was like, “Remember, if you need anything whatsoever, I’m

Top row, from left, Hayden D’Elena, BERGEN’s Rita Guarna, Aurora Madera, Natalia Chinchilla; Isabella Estevez, Katelyn Kucharski, Eamon Bednarcik, Maeve Rossig; Bryan Chan, Mariel Wellinghorst, Lily Renga, BERGEN’s Haley Longman, BERGEN’s Kathryne McCann; BERGEN’s Darius Amos, BERGEN’s Stephen Vitarbo, Julie Fernandez.

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always just an email away.” And the teachers—during their class times they would always have Zoom hours [and say,] “If you need to talk about anything that we went over yesterday, or you’re feeling like your workload is too large right now for what’s going on in your life, we can 100 percent go over that.”

Eamon: We got an email from the principal every day saying what type of schedule it was that day, announcements, and he’d normally have a little message at the end of that too. And then, Bergen Catholic being a religious school, we had a couple of virtual Masses and prayer services.

Katelyn: I heard a lot more from the sports coaches and administrators where they’d try to keep the students engaged.

Aurora: What my teachers said with all the AP classes was, “OK, if you guys study and everyone passes the test, when we come back next year, if we hopefully do, we’ll do a big pizza party.”

Rita: Can we all come?

Aurora: I can ask! And my math teacher would stay on an extra 30 minutes after class and say, “If anyone wants to talk privately, you know I’m always here.”

Rita: Have there been changes in your school regarding racism and diversity in light of what’s been going on?

Lily: My school did a very good job of discussing current events, especially with the Black Lives Matter movement. The classes that talked about it most were APUSH and AP Lit. In APUSH we talked about the history of systemic racism. We formed a Black Student Union club and 60 members attended each meeting, and we had the attorney general come on the Zoom. That was really cool.

Natalia: Recently there was the change in mascots at Pascack Valley and Hills. The Board of Education decided on removing the mascots—at Valley we were the “Indians” and Hills were the “Cowboys,” but now those are removed. There was a Board of Education meeting with them listening to what the students had to say, and the first time it was students speaking against the mascot. I actually gave a speech.

Isabella: My English teacher had us all write five- to eight-line poems, and we went on a Zoom for discussion and then we held up the poems, printed them out and she took a picture that was posted on Instagram. The point was to have us think in a global perspective, outside of our own quarantine boxes, about what’s going on in the world. And my history teacher had us talk about Black Lives Matter. Before the Zoom meeting she sent us an email with Trevor Noah talking about George Floyd’s death. I was just horrified that these things could happen. I didn’t know about any of this, and then I realized our school curriculum doesn’t teach us how to be global

citizens. The only class that does that is Global Issues, taught by my history teacher, Dr. Kenney, and she does an amazing job. But that’s only a half-year course. I was thinking that our education system needs to change.

Bryan: My history teacher did a really good job of making her students aware of the issues going on in the country. It was scary, because we were learning about the 1960s in U.S. History and seeing the parallels back then and today. It was kind of upsetting for me personally because I thought that our country evolved tremendously, but clearly we have not. The honors and AP history students were invited to a symposium where we shared our thoughts on the country and how we can improve as a high school and a community.

Hayden: My Government and Politics teacher held several Zooms about the events, and it was great because not everyone in my class leans one way. She started out every one saying, “This is civil, we’re not arguing; this is just simply to cultivate conversation.” It was great seeing people that didn’t line up on every idea being able to see the other side.

Julia: I joined our school’s Diversity Council because I figured that was the best way to get involved. I never really thought [before] about how we mostly learn about white authors and mathematicians and scientists. And I think that’s part of my privilege.

“I’m in a lot of clubs, captain of my team. Now colleges can’t focus on my test score.

It’s about ‘Is she dedicated, wanting to work hard in this school as a student and as a person?’”

—Aurora Madera Katelyn: I talked about current events mostly in my APUSH class. Our teacher tried to keep it simple, but I definitely saw some tension between students with different political opinions.

Aurora: It’s important for us as the future of this country and the world to become globally educated. You can’t 100 percent trust what you see on social media. It’s important BERGENMAG.COM

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to learn what’s going on in other countries so we don’t make the same mistakes other countries made.

Rita: Do you feel your peers are accepting of people with different backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, religious preferences?

Natalia: As a school we try to listen to everyone and be open-minded, but we have had issues of white supremacy. A couple years ago we had swastikas drawn on our walls. We’ve had students scream in the halls “White power!” with their fists up in the air.

There are students with very strong beliefs, whether conservative, liberal or independent.

At Pascack Valley in general, certain students are unwilling to listen to other people. But I think our teachers do a really good job on trying to listen to both sides. We’ve had parents talk about how teachers push an agenda on us. But I know from our own experience, at PV you take two years of APUSH and my two APUSH teachers have always given the class documents of history that aren’t whitewashed and show all sides.

Isabella: Some students at my school are very accepting of whatever race, religion, sexual orientation you are, and some just aren’t, unfortunately. Some make a lot of jokes or have laptop stickers that aren’t accepting of certain groups of people. It really takes me by surprise. This is the 21st century!

Katelyn: I think students are mostly accepting at River Dell but it’s very cliquey. They’ll say, “Yes, we’ll accept who you are, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I will go out of my way to be friends; I’m still going to stay with my group of friends.”

Maeve: I recently joined the school’s Equity Team, and next year I’m going to be president of the student body. We’ve had similar issues with writing in the bathroom and changing the mascot. While we like to say we’re all very accepting, it’s difficult in Bergen County, with predominantly white students, to have a good global view.

Eamon: One thing I’ve seen is that my friends who go to different schools think if you go to Bergen Catholic, you have to be Catholic or religious to go there—you really don’t. There are people of all different religions. You have a religion class all four years, but they don’t force it on you.

Lily: The majority of my peers are very aware of social issues and care a lot about them. I’ve seen the way my peers have taken to social media and with Black Lives Matter. We had a lot of clubs like the GayStraight Alliance, Black Student Union and a social justice club as well. Our administration doesn’t tolerate any homophobia, transphobia, racism. I won’t speak for every student in my school, but we’re always striving to be better.

{ SCHOOL DAZE }

WHAT KIDS ARE THINKING We posed two questions to the 11 members of our High School Forum, and while this wasn’t a scientific survey, it produced some interesting zeroes. None of our kids, for example, cited either school safety or parental or peer pressure as their biggest concern these days. And as for the number who felt that online learning should become the norm even when the coronavirus is over, that too was a goose egg. Here’s how the responses stacked up:

BIGGEST CONCERN? BALANCING ACADEMICS WITH SOCIAL LIFE

THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS

DOING WELL ON ACT AND SAT TESTS

VIEW OF ONLINE LEARNING NOW? BEST ONLY FOR PANDEMICS, WEATHER EMERGENCIES, ETC.

MIX OF ONLINE AND IN-PERSON CLASSES IS IDEAL

CLASSES SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN-PERSON

Rita: How safe do you feel at your schools? Do you worry about gun violence?

Mariel: I definitely feel safe. We have fire drills once a month and lockdown drills; we take it very seriously.

Bryan: At Ridgewood, we have an open campus policy, so if you have a free period you can leave campus and go to town and get a quick bite. I’ve never felt in danger in Ridgewood leaving school. Another level of security is all the doors are locked throughout the day and the only way you can get in is by using your proximity card. Ridgewood does a really good job keeping its students safe.

Aurora: One of the things I love about Bergenfield is the security guards. We know them by first name. You can walk out of class and there’s a security guard right there and tell them “Hey, I don’t feel safe,” and they’ll go into immediate action.

Hayden: I feel incredibly safe at Mahwah,

mainly because we took a lot of measures after the Parkland shooting that really ensured safety. Now we have double sets of doors that students and teachers with IDs can go through. We go through drills at least once a month. We know what to do if a scenario were to happen. We have a security resource officer, Officer Jack, and he’s one of the most friendly people in the school. He’s not sitting in an office all day; he genuinely feels like a human being, walking around, high-fiving kids.

Natalia: At Pascack Valley I always feel safe. We also have security at the front desk and they always make rounds on each level.

There’s a breezeway where the school disconnects and we have to walk outside to get to some classes. Originally it was open so anyone could get out, but they closed it off, and now there are huge metal doors so no one can get in from the outside. All the security officers are super nice.

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from the school, and that’s where we have our gym classes. Since it’s a public field, you’ll have people from the community walking on the track during gym class. That was a concern for a time. The loudspeakers that give announcements if there’s a lockdown aren’t loud, and it’s hard to hear by the football field, and I was once on the tennis courts by the football field for gym, and when our class was going back and getting changed, everyone was talking about the lockdown, and we didn’t hear anything about it because we were outside the whole time. They resolved that issue with the speakers, but the outside has been a concern.

Maeve: Following the Parkland shooting— one of the victims was a former resident of Woodcliff Lake. A lot of Hills students were affected by that, and it was a difficult day.

They spoke to us about it, saying if we ever feel unsafe we should go to our guidance counselors.

Rita: What are your concerns about college—getting in, the cost, competition?

Mariel: I was supposed to take my ACT in June and I haven’t yet—a lot of people haven’t. If people are planning “early action” [college applications] you have to take your ACT and submit it.

Julia: I’m worried about everything, to be honest. As someone who doesn’t know where they even want to go, it’s hard especially now that [colleges] are shut down and you can’t visit them in person. I know there are virtual visits, but you can’t set foot on campus and get a feel for it.

Aurora: At my school, we normally have a day in August when we go in and your guidance counselor guides you through the application process. Knowing that we might not have that because of the current situation is worrying. A lot of the colleges are going test-optional next year and they’re not emphasizing SATs and ACTs because they understand so many tests were cancelled.

Rita: Does anybody worry that this will lead to more competition because there is one fewer criterion that colleges will be able to apply?

Lily: That was a concern of mine. A lot of people say they’ll just take a gap year because they don’t want to do online learning.

A lot of colleges are keeping similar tuition prices so I can understand, if you’re not someone who benefits much from online learning, why you would take a gap year.

Katelyn: I was definitely concerned about competition before a lot of schools went test-optional. So many students are aiming for the top schools—you might think you’re doing well, then you’ll see someone else you think is doing better. I’m applying to service academies, so you need to get nominations as well as get into the school. Those nominations are limited by senators and repre-

{ SCHOOL DAZE } sentatives, so there are two levels of competition to get into the school.

Natalia: The applications are nerve-racking for me because I am first-generation and my parents don’t know the American college system. I’m relying on my guidance counselor. I do have an older sister and she got into NYU, but that’s because our school was helping her so much. She’s going off to her campus so I’m going to be left alone, and I don’t know what Pascack Valley is doing for back-to-school.

Talking to my guidance counselor has been a little tricky. Colleges are going to be relying on our transcripts and our essays. That’s

Rita: What stresses you the most?

Hayden: Trying to get back to normal life in the most healthy and appropriate way. (To the others:) This is your senior year. But I’m going to be a [college] freshman. Will I be able to return to a traditional class setting, and learn as fluently as I did before, and at the same time maintain a normal and healthy life? I’m just taking it one day at a time. I try to be there for other people as well, and I recognize there’s very little we can do in this scenario other than stay healthy ourselves and not put others at risk.

Aurora: So much is changing. That on its own

“In the beginning we were told ‘two weeks,’ and obviously it’s four months later. States are reopening and numbers are spiking, so is it really safe to reopen?”

—Bryan Chan putting a lot of pressure on me because I feel I have to be an amazing writer.

Isabella: I think it’s great that schools are becoming test-optional. I was supposed to take the ACT and it was cancelled, so I scheduled for July and then I found out that I can’t test in July. So now I have to rejoin The Hunger Games—that’s what it feels like. A college counselor told me that if I’m applying to a college and my twin is applying to the same college, and if I don’t have a test score and my twin does, then they’re going to take the twin.

Aurora: My parents didn’t go to college here, so they can’t tell me, “This is how you do it.”

I like test-optional because some people are good at standardized testing but don’t have the motivation to withstand their grades throughout the school year. While you could have a twin who has a test score and you don’t, schools also look at extracurriculars.

Did you do something through high school, were you always an A student? I’m in a lot of clubs, captain of my team. Now they can’t focus on my test score. It’s about “Is she dedicated, wanting to work hard in this school as a student and as a person?”

Katelyn: Even if you’re trying to sign up for a test now, it’s so difficult to get a seat at a school that’s close to you. A lot of students might not feel comfortable going to a private testing room. Last time I took the SAT, you’re in a testing room packed in close. There’s that safety issue with the pandemic.

Julia: As schools started going test-optional, I felt good about that. But there’s still a thought if schools will truly stick to that, that it’s truly optional and they’re not going to pay much attention to it—or are they going to prioritize students who took it and were able to get the score that they wanted?

is stressful for me. Personally, I’m not used to being home so much. I’m used to coming home to eat dinner with my family after practice or a game. I want to be part of the world, not just see the four corners of my room. It’s the internal argument of “I want that back—I want my senior year! But at the same time I don’t want to risk myself getting sick or bringing it home or making someone else sick.”

Rita: And how are you dealing with the stresses?

Aurora: I write a lot. A friend and I are on the volleyball team, so we’ll meet up and play volleyball and get our aggression out.

Natalia: I’m in a lot of extracurriculars. We have World Cultures Club and I’m the president. The club has always felt like a family, so I take a lot of responsibility for the members of the club. I always worry about them and reach out to them. And then I stress about my GPA and if it’s good enough for college.

Maeve: I’ve been dealing with things in my personal life and things going on in the world, and it’s difficult to say if I should focus on my academics or the extracurriculars. I’m also trying to plan a way to bring unity to the school next year. I just got a job too.

Eamon: The most stressful thing is the uncertainty, not knowing when things will open up, SATs, school and trying to work around all the troubles everyone is having.

The college process is very tiring. My parents are constantly trying to get me to get things done in time.

Rita: So what are you doing to manage the stress?

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around town. That clears my mind, and I find it very soothing.

Katelyn: You’re in competition with your friends who are always trying to see who had the highest grades. It’s more than doing your best, you’re trying to do the best in your class as well.

Rita: How are you balancing all of that?

Katelyn: I enjoy reading because it allows me to clear my mind.

Isabella: Colleges want someone who’s in a lot of clubs, has internships, does volunteering, and the thing is, we can’t do that anymore ever since March. Time is passing, but our lives are on pause. To de-stress, I’ve been looking for ways around that. For example, I’m trying to write a children’s book. I wrote a poem about bullying, and I’m trying to look for an illustrator to have it published. I’d like to donate the funds to COVID-19 relief as well. Another thing I’m doing is maintaining my website, trying to make it look cooler and get more traffic.

Mariel: For me, it’s the college process and the uncertainty of going back in September.

If we don’t, it’s going to be even more stressful because I won’t be allowed to walk into a classroom and talk to my teachers about recommendations. It’s going to be a lot of juggling doing it online.

Bryan: The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus. In the beginning we were told “two weeks,” and obviously it’s four months later.

States are reopening and numbers are spiking, so is it really safe to reopen? I’m a big soccer player, and our program is trying to restart, but how am I supposed to be socially distant from another kid who is going for the same ball? I’ve been running a lot—that has helped.

Lily: My biggest stressor is the unknown of everything. I am the oldest kid, so the [college] application process is new to my family.

This is a little issue, but I love going out to restaurants, and I haven’t been able to do that in a while. To deal with stress, I’ve been going on a lot more runs. And I’ve been reading more too.

Julia: My biggest stress is balancing what’s going on in the world and what you have to do for school and the college process. At the end of the school year, everything started with George Floyd—that’s all I could focus on. We would have Google Meets and I was just thinking about how I could be a part of that change. Being on the Diversity Council has helped a lot. It makes me feel I’m putting time into something that’s going to do good in our community. I also do a lot of art.

The other day I did a finger painting. I’m usually a perfectionist and I do a lot of photo realism, but I just put on gloves and went for it.

Editor’s note: Special thanks to Darius Amos, Haley Longman, Kathryne McCann and Stephen Vitarbo.

INTRODUCING…

A new weekly e-newsletter from the editors of BERGEN magazine!

An exclusive weekly peek into the people who are helping to shape the county, the places that are generating the most excitement (including restaurants, shops and hangouts) and the things that people from Allendale to Alpine are talking about.

BUZZ

Our guide to new ideas and people, tips, trends and things we love in the county.

DON’T MISS IT! Omm for the Holidays Looking to unwind this holiday season? Check out a sound healing and mediation session at the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine at Englewood Health.

Learn more about the event here.

5 WAYS TO...

Dress your Family for Holiday Photos Plaid shirts and red cable knit V-neck sweaters not exactly your family’s style? Ours either. But we still want an adorable photo for a holiday card that rivals the year’s best Instagram post. Read on for five creative ways to dress your brood for this year’s holiday pictures.

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THE SECOND STREET PAVILION Hackensack University Medical Center is creating a state-of-the-art new facility on Second Street which will transform the way we provide patient care. The nine-story building will bring together the latest medical technology with the best in patient comfort, including private patient rooms.

By Hackensack University Medical Center

SEEN & HEARD All Revved Up in Woodcliff Lake Find out where this outrageous orange race car was headed. For more of what’s been Seen & Heard around the county, click here.

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LOOKING FOR LOVE Adoptable Pups in Our Area Meet Emma, a 9-week old, blue-eyed beauty who loves to nap and snuggle.

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CRAFT BEER TASTING: BROWN ALES Thursday, Nov. 14 from 4-8pm I Wayne, Closter & Bernardsville Join us as we showcase some of our best 21st Century brown ales from the US and Europe.

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Education Planner SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ACADEMY OF THE HOLY ANGELS Discover AHA’s Growth Mindset approach to learning Explore your own unique talents and interests Enjoy our brand new art studios and STREAM labs Experience intellectual, spiritual, and social growth

OPEN HOUSE Sun, October 4th All-girls High School

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education planner ACADEMY OF THE HOLY ANGELS

Since 1879, thousands of women have passed through the portals of Holy Angels, the oldest private girls’ school in Bergen County. Many go on to study at some of the nation’s best universities, earning high-ranking positions in medicine, government, law, education, public service, business, arts, and athletics. AHA students experience a first-rate education in a nurturing environment where equal importance is placed on academic excellence, character development, moral integrity, and giving service to others.

315 HILLSIDE AVE., DEMAREST, NJ 07627 201.768.7161 | HOLYANGELS.ORG

BERGEN CATHOLIC

Bergen Catholic is a private fouryear (9-12) college preparatory school founded by the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers in 1955 where young boys become Christian gentlemen and leaders who discover a devotion to helping the poor and marginalized. Bergen Catholic provides rigorous academics, rewarding clubs, enriching programs in art, music, theater, championship athletics, and an

unmatched brotherhood where students partner with alumni strengthening their network of support. The Crusader College Counseling Experience guides students through the college application process providing support and results that students and families can celebrate. Enrollment is selective. For more information, call the Admissions Department at (201) 634-2205.

1040 ORADELL AVE., ORADELL, NJ 07649 201.261.1844 | BERGENCATHOLIC.ORG

DON BOSCO PREP

Established in 1915, Don Bosco Prep is a Catholic secondary school administered by the Salesians of St. John Bosco. Don Bosco boasts a rigorous academic curriculum and renowned athletic program. We offer several academic pathways, including Entrepreneurship, Engineering, and the Arts, as well as 19 Varsity sports, and numerous extracurricular clubs, programs, and mission opportunities. The active Salesian presence and committed and caring faculty provide a strong influence on the daily lives of the students.

492 N. FRANKLIN TPKE., RAMSEY, NJ 07446 201.327.8003 | DONBOSCOPREP.ORG

IHA Spring Open House Discover how IHA empowers girls through excellence in academics, including a robust STEM curriculum, athletics, the arts, Christian Service, and much more. Do you belong @theheart?

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 • 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Find out more at ihanj.com or 201.445.6800 500 Van Emburgh Avenue • Township of Washington, NJ 07676 @theIHANJ

@attheheart

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education planner

DWIGHT-ENGLEWOOD

As we spring into summer, DwightEnglewood School is putting the final touches on its latest addition to our over 45-acre campus. The new Middle School, designed by Gensler, will open in September with a beautifully landscaped open-air courtyard and over 30,000 spacious sq. ft dedicated to bringing exceptional and innovative learning opportunities to support our Grades 6-8.

315 EAST PALISADES AVE. ENGLEWOOD NJ 07631 201.227.3102 | D-E.ORG/ADMISSIONS

THE ELISABETH MORROW SCHOOL (EMS)

Located on 14 spacious acres, EMS is a child-centered environment with three divisions for students to learn and grow. Plans are underway to reopen in September with re-entry scenarios in place that support the needs of every child and meet or exceed CDC guidelines. Our faculty is dedicated to the academic growth of every student and their social and emotional health and

well-being, whether it be on campus or with remote learning. Call today for a virtual tour!

435 LYDECKER ST., ENGLEWOOD, NJ 07631 201.568.5566, EXT. 7212 | ELISABETHMORROW.ORG

IMMACULATE HEART ACADEMY

Immaculate Heart Academy, founded in 1960 as the first regional high school for girls in the Archdiocese of Newark, has as its mission to provide quality Catholic education to young women. As a college preparatory school, a strong theme throughout the curriculum and extra-curricular activities is the development of the special gifts that our young women have to offer. As virtual learning became an unexpected necessity this past year, IHA faculty and students rose above the challenge and thrived in the online teaching and learning setting. IHA enjoys a reputation as an academic, artistic, and athletic powerhouse with one outstanding characteristic: the loving and supportive atmosphere that cultivates students’ growth.

500 VAN EMBURGH AVE., TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, NJ 07676 201.445.6800 | IHANJ.COM

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK BergenMag FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BergenMag SEE OUR PHOTOS ON INSTAGRAM @BergenMagNJ

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SRDS students are ready for whatever comes next.

Because today at SRDS, we are...

Building imagination and creativity.

Pitching business ideas to investors.

Nailing the solo.

Learning together – even when we’re apart.

Innovators. Thinkers. Leaders.

Pre-K to Grade 12 • Saddle River, NJ • 201-327-4050

THIS FALL, SEE WHAT SRDS STUDENTS ACHIEVE EVERY DAY:

SaddleRiverDay.org/Today

education planner PARAMUS CATHOLIC

Make the Move to Excellence The Elisabeth Morrow School, located on 14 sprawling wooded acres in Englewood, N.J., offers programs for students from age 2 through eighth grade. This premier independent day school ensures a robust academic ageappropriate curriculum that is balanced with character development in a diverse all-inclusive child-centered community. Plans are underway to reopen this fall to a campus that features indoor/outdoor pedagogy, spacious classrooms, multiple technology and science labs, playgrounds, learning patios adjacent to classrooms, libraries, athletic facilities, nature trails, and working gardens. We meet or exceed CDC guidelines to ensure students’ safety and health needs. Our excellent faculty have developed remote blended learning programs that provide students with seamless, high-level learning through live synchronous instruction and asynchronous teacher-directed lessons that support the success of every child. Our graduates are sought after by the most prestigious Sign up for a virtual tour at secondary day elisabethmorrow.org/virtual-tour and boarding or call 201.568.5566 ext. 7212 schools.

An exceptional education focused on developing intellect and character

As parents navigating through this ever-changing, uncertain world, you search for a stable, forward-thinking haven where you can be secure in knowing that your children are being prepared for their future. The global village we live in today is their future.

Paramus Catholic’s Christ-centered education will enable your child to meet the future with strength and values. Search no more, Paramus Catholic is the place for your child. Your child’s future depends on you and you can depend on Paramus Catholic to continue what you have begun in your home. Paramus Catholic, where the journey continues…

425 PARAMUS RD., PARAMUS, NJ 07652 201.445.4466 | PARAMUSCATHOLIC.COM

SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL

Saddle River Day School is a coed, college prep day school enrolling approximately 320 students in grades PreK-12. Students experience integrated and applied learning in a hands-on rigorous academic setting with a low student-teacher ratio. The NJAIS accredited school boasts pristine facilities such as a fully equipped Makerspace and graphic design center. Graduates are prepared for entry to some of the nation’s most selective colleges such as Columbia, Emory, NYU, Stanford and Tufts.

147 CHESTNUT RIDGE RD., SADDLE RIVER, NJ 07458 201-327-4050, EXT. 1108 | SADDLERIVERDAY.ORG

SAINT JOSEPH REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Since 1962, it’s been the people who have made SJR synonymous with excellence in Catholic college preparatory education - from our talented students setting records and garnering accolades each year in academics, athletics and the performing arts, to our faculty, whose dedication and concern for each student is unmatched. Visit our beautiful 33-acre suburban campus with state-of-the-art facilities (New Labs, Media Center, Theater, Turf Athletic Field and renovated Gymnasium) and meet the special SJR Community!

The Elisabeth Morrow School 4 3 5 LY D EC K ER ST R EE T EN G L E WO O D, N J

40 CHESTNUT RIDGE RD., MONTVALE, NJ 07645 201.391.3300 | SJRNJ.ORG

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Class of 2020 FOR SPACE RESERVATIONS, CONTACT PUBLISHER TOM FLANNERY AT 201.571.2252 OR THOMAS.FLANNERY@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM. AD DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 4.

• College Destinations include: Brown, Bucknell, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Lehigh, Lafayette, Notre Dame, UPenn, Princeton, Renssalaer, Vassar • $21.86M in scholarship offers ($168,063 average) • 25% earned service awards, avg. 72 volunteer hours • Montclair State Theater (Winner, Best Lead Actor) • NJ.com/Star Ledger State Ranking (#5 Football, #9 Wrestling, #10 Hockey, #15 Basketball)

NOT JUST FOR GUAC

They’re excellent with eggs and superb in salads, but avocados have a sweet side too.

The heart-healthy fruit can make the perfect dessert, as these three recipes show.

Instagram has fallen in love with the avocado, the fruit (a berry, technically) that tops the many artisan toasts and overflowing burrito bowls on users’ feeds. But there’s more to it than a pretty picture. Avos are loaded with heart-friendly monosaturated fatty acids and can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Why, then, would we save it for spreads and sides? Creamy and full of flavor, avocados are an ideal ingredient for desserts. A healthy, guilt-free sweet treat? Sign us up!

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{ TASTES }

HOMEMADE AVOCADO ICE CREAM Yields 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

n 1½ cups low-fat milk* n 2 ripe, fresh avocados, halved, pitted and peeled n ½ cup sugar n 1 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice n 1 cup low-fat coconut milk* n mint sprig, chopped (optional) n vanilla bean, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Purée milk, avocados, sugar and juice in a blender.

Blend in the remaining liquid of your choice, along with additional flavorings such as mint or vanilla.

Follow the instructions on your ice cream maker to freeze and finish.

*—soy milk may be substituted

“The high level of monounsaturated fats—which lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides—in avocado make this dessert more heart-healthy.

Avocado adds natural creaminess without all of the traditional fat, calories and cholesterol, so don’t be afraid to skip higher fat milk— swap the regular milk for oat or almond milk. The fat in the avocado will be enough to sustain the recipe.”

—Julene Stassou, registered dietitian, Fort Lee

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{ TASTES }

FROZEN CHOCOLATE CINNAMON POPS Yields 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

n 1 can (12 fl. oz.) fat-free evaporated milk n 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate morsels n ¾ cup water n ½ tsp. ground cinnamon n 1 ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced n 8 5-oz. paper cups n 8 wooden craft sticks

DIRECTIONS:

Heat evaporated milk, chocolate morsels, water and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Stir until smooth, then cool for 10 minutes.

Place avocado and chocolate mixture into a blender.

Blend on high until very smooth.

Divide into eight 5-oz. paper cups. Cover each cup with aluminum foil and insert one stick through the center of each foil cup.

Freeze for four hours until firm.

Tip: Frozen treat molds may be used. Yield may vary.

Avocados work to lower cholesterol, blood sugar and help prevent inflammation in the body.

To make this recipe anti-inflammatory and even higher in ‘goodfor-you-fats,’ opt for an unsweetened nutbased milk like almond or cashew instead of cow’s milk, which can be correlated with inflammation and can cause stomach upset due to hard-to-digest lactose.”

—Robin DeCicco, holistic nutritionist, Power of Food Education, Ramsey

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{ TASTES }

RICH AND CREAMY AVOCADO FLAN Yields 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

n 1½ cups sugar, divided n ¼ cup water n 2 cups whole milk n 1 ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted and peeled n 4 large eggs n 1 tsp. vanilla extract n ½ tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 cup sugar and water in small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high.

Wipe the inside of the pan with a wet cloth to remove sugar crystals. Cook, without stirring, about 10 minutes until golden brown. Divide caramel between eight custard cups and swirl to coat bottoms.

Place cups in 9x13-inch baking pan.

In blender, combine milk, avocado, eggs, vanilla and salt and purée until smooth. Divide mixture between custard cups.

Carefully fill baking pan with enough hot water to 1-inch depth.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until just set in center.

Remove to wire rack to cool slightly. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

To serve, run small knife around edge of the baking dish. Turn over and shake gently to release.

Make this creamy dessert even healthier with a few swaps: Instead of whole milk, use a full-fat coconut milk (the kind in a can used for baking/cooking) or coconut cream. The consistency will be just as creamy, but will lessen the likelihood of gastric upset because coconut is easier to digest than cow’s milk. Plus, it would make the entire recipe dairyfree. And instead of using regular sugar, swap for coconut-palm sugar, which is a lower glycemic sugar that impacts blood sugar at a slower rate.”

—Robin DeCicco, holistic nutritionist, Power of Food Education, Ramsey

All recipes and photos are reprinted with permission from Fresh Avocados—Love One Today.

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{ POWER FOOD }

Berry Beneficial

Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying healthy? Get the best of both worlds with the goji, a low-calorie superfruit.

Slowly but surely, goji berries have been popping up in your smoothies, trail mixes, yogurts and even acai bowls. These small red berries—also known as wolfberries and scientifically as Lycium barbarum— closely resemble raisins when dried and are similarly munchable. They’re usually cooked before being eaten, and they’re often used in Chinese soups and herbal teas. While most commonly found in Asia, these bright berries have in recent years been making their way into Western countries, where they’re marketed as a “superfruit.”

Newfangled? Nope. Goji berries have been used for at least 1,800 years as a medicinal herb and food supplement in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, and an ancient Chinese legend from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 A.D.) told of their remarkable youth-preserving properties.

Goji’s newly on the go in the U.S., though. Actress and Tenafly native Lea Michele, best known for her role on the hit TV show Glee, touts dried goji berries as her grab-and-go snack. “Goji berries may not sound like the most delicious thing, but I found myself becoming addicted to them,” Michele told US Weekly in 2018. With their rich, sweet taste and a long list of purported health benefits, it is no wonder they have worked their way onto supermarket shelves and into the diets of many.

POWER UP Berries in general are known to be rich in antioxidants. Enthusiasts of the goji berry claim that it has anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-inflammation properties, and that it helps stabilize blood sugar, fight depression, boost the immune system, protect vision, prevent liver damage, enhance sleep and promote liveliness in the bedroom. A website of the U.S. National Library of Medicine is more restrained, noting that the fruit has long been used to treat diabetes, promote weight loss and enhance quality of life, but, despite some promising early studies, these uses have yet to be definitively supported by Western medical research. Still, there seems little dispute that, at a slender 100 calories per ounce, this antioxidant powerhouse is a good source of essential amino acids, dietary fiber and vitamin A. Beyond strictly physical health, some research suggests that goji berries can help with overall wellbeing. One study compared people who drank goji berry juice for 14 days with a group that didn’t, and the juice-drinkers reported increases in energy levels, quality of sleep, calmness, athletic performance and feelings of happiness.

Goji berries have also been lauded for their ability to help lower blood sugar, alleviate

insulin resistance and improve and recover cells that produce insulin. If you take medication to help with your blood sugar or blood pressure, however, speak with your doctor before incorporating them into your diet.

BUY/SERVE/STORE Most supermarkets and health stores sell these berries dried, both prepackaged and in the bulk section. (Fresh goji berries are harder to come by in the U.S.) When purchasing dried goji berries, check the label and avoid any added sugars or preservatives such as sulfur dioxide, sometimes used to help fruit maintain its color. If dried berries aren’t your thing, goji berry powder is also popular and can be the basis of smoothies, juice or tea.

Storing dried goji berries is as simple as keeping them in your pantry. Most will stay good for about a year, though brands with extra preservatives may have a longer shelf life. Experts suggest keeping the berries away from any moisture to avoid clumping.

Goji berries can be eaten in varied ways. Throwing them into salads, cereals and yogurts is a great way to liven up a familiar dish. If you want to take your goji berry game to the next level, some connoisseurs recommend cooking pork or turkey using goji berries to add extra flavor. However you choose to eat them, these beneficial berries bring a lot to the table.

—Kathryne McCann

DID YOU KNOW? Legend contends that a Chinese herbalist named Li Ching-Yuen ate goji berries daily and supposedly lived to be 256 years old. (Of course, he exercised too.)

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{ SPIRITS }

Watermelon Sugar Harry Styles was onto something when he sang about the tangiest fruit of summer. For the margarita version, just add tequila, blend and enjoy.

WATERMELON MARGARITA Serves 1

INGREDIENTS ■ sea salt, for rimming glasses ■ ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus lime wedges for rimming glasses and garnish ■ 1½ cups cubed watermelon, chilled ■ 1/3 cup silver (white) tequila ■ ¼ cup triple sec (or Cointreau) ■ 1 cup ice

If you’d like to spice up this drink, infuse the tequila by cutting some chiles serranos or jalapeños in half and letting them sit for at least 2 days with the tequila so it soaks up all that delicious, spicy flavor. Then, add it to the drink and pair with grilled shrimp tacos and fresh guacamole.”

DIRECTIONS ■ Place sea salt on a small plate. Run lime wedge around the rims of glass and then place glass upside down on plate to coat rim in salt. Place glass in the freezer to chill.

■ Add watermelon, lime juice, tequila and triple sec to blender and blend to combine. Add ice and blend for about a minute, until smooth.

■ Pour margaritas into glass and garnish with lime wedge.

—Mike CanalesMontalvan, general manager, Pancho’s Burritos, New Milford

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{ ON THE TOWN }

Where To Eat

Tired of home cooking? Bergen County boasts a selection of eateries with outdoor seating diverse enough to satisfy all of your cravings.

A TABLE ALFRESCO CRESSKILL JACK’S LOBSTER SHACK 38 Union Ave. 201.266.2675 jacklobstershack.com

CARLSTADT

DUMONT

SEGOVIA MESON 645 Washington Ave. 201.896.3260 segoviameson.com

BUONGIORNO’S RISTORANTE 86 Washington Ave. 201.501.8000 facebook.com/buongiornos. ristorante

CLOSTER BRASSERIE MEMERE 107 Vervalen St. 201.660.8822 brasserie-memere.com LOCALE RESTAURANT & BAR 208 Piermont Rd. 201.750.3233 locale208closter.com SEAR HOUSE 411 Piermont Rd. 201.292.4612 searhouse.com STERN AND BOW 71 Schraalenburgh Rd. 201.750.3350 sternandbowrestaurant.com

GREEK TAVERNA 55 The Promenade 201.945.8998 greektavernausa.com

EDGEWATER

HAVEN RIVERFRONT RESTAURANT & BAR 45 River Rd. 201.943.1900 havenedgewater.com PIER 115 BAR & GRILL 115 River Rd. 201.313.2155 pier115barandgrill.com

BAUMGART’S CAFÉ 59 The Promenade 201.313.3889 baumgartsedgewater.com

REBECCA’S 236 Old River Rd. 201.943.8808 rebeccasedgewater.com

DE NOVO EUROPEAN PUB 1257 River Rd. 201.496.6161

SEAK 725 River Rd., #30 201.402.3400 seaknj.com

FLEMING’S STEAKHOUSE 90 The Promenade 201.313.9463 flemingssteakhouse.com

EMERSON EMERSON HOTEL 31 Emerson Plaza E. 201.262.7557 emersonhotelrestaurant.com

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ENGLEWOOD

FORT LEE

BLUE MOON MEXICAN CAFÉ 23 E. Palisade Ave. 201.541.0600 bluemoonmexicancafe.com

VENTANAS 200 Park Ave. 201.583.4777 ventanasatthemodern.com

CASSIE’S PIZZERIA 18 S. Dean St. 201.541.6760 cassiespizzeria.com SOFIA 36 Engle St. 201.541.8530 sofiaenglewood.com

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS CAFÉ ITALIANO 14 Sylvan Ave. 201.461.5041 cafeitaliano.net LEFKES 495 Sylvan Ave. 201.408.4444 lefkesnj.com

FAIR LAWN OCEANOS OYSTER BAR & SEA GRILL 2-27 Saddle River Rd. 201.796.0546 oceanosrestaurant.com

AUGUST 2020

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS IVY INN 268 Terrace Ave. 201.393.7699 ivyinn.com SOFIA’S 220 Boulevard 201.462.0123 sofiasmediterraneangrill.com

HAWORTH ANDIAMO 23 Hardenburgh Ave. 201.384.1551 andiamorestaurant.net

HILLSDALE THE CORNERSTONE 84 Broadway 201.666.8688 thecornerstonenj.com ROCKIN’ ROOTS 434 Hillsdale Ave. 201.497.6137 rockinrootsjuice.com

Photos courtesy of Pier 115 Bar & Grill; Bellissimo

ALLENDALE ALLENDALE BAR AND GRILL 67 W. Allendale Ave. 201.327.3197 allendalebarandgrill.com

Pier 115 Bar & Grill in Edgewater

{ ON THE TOWN } HO-HO-KUS ALBERT’S CAFE AMICI 4 Sycamore Ave. 201.389.6377 albertscafeamici.com ALT EATS CAFÉ 622 N. Maple Ave. 201.444.1300 alteatscafe.com

EAST COAST BURGER COMPANY 75 Franklin Ave. 201.857.0277 eastcoastburger.com

SANZARI’S NEW BRIDGE INN 105 Old New Bridge Rd. 201.692.7700 sanzaris.com

FINCA 20 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.444.1199 fincanj.com

OAKLAND TROVATO’S DUE 4 Barbara Ln. 201.337.0813 trovatosduenj.com

LA LANTERNA CAFE & GRILL 29 W. Ridgewood Ave. 201.444.5520 lalanternaofridgewood.com

ST. EVE’S 611 N. Maple Ave. 201.857.4717 stevesnj.com

W’S GRILL 20 Elm St. 201.651.0005 wsgrilloakland.com

LATOUR 6 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.445.5056 latourridgewood.com

THE SICILIAN SUN 604 N. Maple Ave. 201.444.3494 siciliansun.com

PARAMUS

PARDIS 47 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.652.8000 pardipersiangrill.com

MAHWAH BAR AND GRILL 2 Island Rd. 201.529.8056 allendalebarandgrill.com/themahwah-bar-grill ROXANNE’S RESTAURANT 150 Franklin Tpke.

201.529.0007 roxannesrestaurant.com

MAYWOOD ANGELO’S GREEK TAVERNA 245 Maywood Ave. 201.845.4278 angelosgreektavernanj .com

MIDLAND PARK

BIAGIO’S 299 Paramus Rd. 201.652.0201 biagios.com

PARK RIDGE 103 PRIME AT VALENTINO’S 103 Spring Valley Rd. 201.391.2220 103prime.com THE PARK STEAKHOUSE 151 Kinderkamack Rd. 201.930.1300 theparksteakhouse.com PEPPERCORNS 176 Colony Ave. 201.391.2818 peppercornsparkridge.com

RAMSEY

FIONA’S RISTORANTE 118 Godwin Ave. 201.857.5800 fionasristorante.com

BRADY’S AT THE STATION 5-7 W. Main St. 201.327.9748 bradysatthestation.net

MONTVALE

LAKESIDE GRILLE & BAR 105 Lakeside Dr. 201.327.0009 ramseycountryclub.com

BELLISSIMO 12 S. Kinderkamack Rd. 201.746.6669 bellissimonj.com HEARTH & TAP CO. 125 N. Kinderkamack Rd. 201.307.6300 hearthandtap.com

NEW MILFORD BARREL & BREW BAR 872 River Rd. 201.261.4400 barrelandbrews.com

VARKA ESTIATORIO 30 N. Spruce St. 201.995.9333 varkarestaurant.com

RIDGEWOOD CRAVINGS TAPAS 8 Wilsey Sq. 201.857.8533 cravingstapas.com

THE PLANK PIZZA PARLOR 383 Market St. 201.843.2426 ppcbp.com

AXIA TAVERNA 18 Piermont Rd. 201.569.5999 axiataverna.com SAYOLA RESTAURANT 50 Prospect Ter. 201.871.2182 sayolarestaurantnj.com

WESTWOOD BIBI’Z 284 Center Ave. 201.722.8600 bibizlounge.com

PARK WEST TAVERN 30 Oak St. 201.445.5400 parkwesttavern.com

MANTRA 275 Rte. 4 W. 201.342.8868 mantranj.com

SADDLE BROOK

TENAFLY

HO-HO-KUS INN & TAVERN 1 E. Franklin Tpke.

201.445.4115 hohokusinn.com

MAHWAH

Photos courtesy of Pier 115 Bar & Grill; Bellissimo

PANCHO’S BURRITOS 214 Main St. 201.225.2554 panchosburritostogo.com

PEARL 17 S. Broad St. 201.857.5100 pearlridgewood.com RAYMOND’S 101 E. Ridgewood Ave. 201.445.5125

CAFFÉ ANELLO 11 Madison Ave. 201.786.8137 caffeanello.com DOWNTOWN DHABA 266 Center Ave. 201.664.0123 dhabadowntown.com FARMHOUSE CAFE & EATERY 301 Center Ave. 201.664.8424 farmhousecafenj.com

STEEL WHEEL TAVERN 51 N. Broad St. 201.882.1800 steelwheeltavern.com

HANAMI 301 Center Ave. 201.666.8508 hanamirestaurant.com THE IRON HORSE 20 Washington Ave. 201.666.9682 theironhorse.com OSTERIA CRESCENDO 36 Jefferson Ave. 201.722.1900 osteriacrescendo.com P.J. FINNEGAN’S 274 Fairview Ave. 201.664.7575 pjfinnegans.com POMPILIO’S 223 Westwood Ave. 201.220.0386 pompiliospizzeriarestaurant. com

WOOD-RIDGE MARTINI GRILL 187 Hackensack St. 201.728.4800 martininj.com

WYCKOFF BLUE MOON MEXICAN CAFÉ 327 Franklin Ave. 201.891.1331 bluemoonmexicancafe.com

*Editor’s note—Patrons are encouraged to confirm individual restaurant policies regarding seating capacity and social distancing.

RIVER VALE AMMATA THAI KITCHEN 184 Rivervale Rd. 201.664.2299 ammata.com CHERRY BROOK RESTAURANT & BAR 660 Rivervale Rd. 201.391.2300 rivervalecc.com CRECCO’S CAFÉ 649 Westwood Ave. 201.664.7200 creccoscafe.com

RUTHERFORD CAFÉ MATISSE 167 Park Ave. 201.935.2995 cafematisse.com

Bellissimo in Montvale

PAISANO’S 132 Park Ave. 201.935.5755 paisanos.com BERGENMAG.COM

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AUGUST 2020

{ ON THE TOWN } 4

Gatherings

Bergenites always show up to support their friends and neighbors—especially during a pandemic.

FAMILY PROMISE OF BERGEN COUNTY As part of its COVID-19 relief effort and continued collaboration with international nonprofit World Central Kitchen, Englewood-based Family Promise of Bergen County has provided more than 10,000 meals to the community since May 11. In addition to supplying meals to individuals and families in need, the program has also offered an income to small businesses impacted

by New Jersey’s mandatory COVID-19 closures.

1–2 Family Promise volunteers pack meals at St. Cecilia Church in Englewood.

Immaculate Heart Academy students Rebecca Beltam, Lauren Lugo, Alexandra Kaspar and Gianna Grigaliunas started a GoFundMe page to raise money and assemble wellness baskets for first responders and healthcare workers. With support from the Bergen County Police Chiefs Association and the Machuga Foundation, the students raised more than $6,300 and donated 100 bags filled with weighted blankets, masks, hand sanitizer, lip balm and more. 4 Rebecca Beltam, Lauren Lugo, Zackari Kaspar, Alexandra Kaspar and Gianna Grigaliunas drop off donations at Hackensack University Medical Center.

KEARNY BANK To assist in COVID-19 care efforts, the Kearny Bank Foundation recently donated $200,000 to eight critical care institutions and charities in six different New Jersey counties.

Englewood’s Center for Food Action received $15,000 to continue its nonprofit food pantry.

5 Eight institutions, including St. Joseph’s Health Foundation in nearby Paterson, received a donation from Kearny Bank.

5 2 MUSIC AND MEALS Throughout the pandemic, Brigid Miller, a student at the Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest, and her classmates have been raising money to purchase meals for residents and healthcare workers at local assisted living facilities. They made their first delivery on Nurses Appreciation Day in May. 6 Molly Brooks, Jackie Kilb, Brigid Miller

6

3 HACKENSACK RIVERKEEPER Hackensack Riverkeeper began its summer outreach work with a socially distant cleanup at Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus. The 50 volunteers (the maximum allowed by state guidelines) hauled more than 1,500 pounds of garbage from the Hackensack River. 3 Volunteers bagged dozens of tires, plastic debris, Styrofoam containers and more during a Hackensack River cleanup.

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AUGUST 2020

Family Promise of Bergen County (1–2), Hackensack Riverkeeper (3), Alexandra Kaspar (4), SCG (5), Academy of the Holy Angels (6)

1

IMMACULATE HEART ACADEMY

A S K T H E H E ALT H P RO

AS K T H E H E A LT H P RO

Ask the Healthcare Professional SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

What is dentistry like post Covid?

At Midland Park Family Dentistry, patient health and infection control is paramount.

Committed to maintaining an exemplary record of consistently outperforming CDC and OSHA standards and guidelines, our office operates in infectious disease control mode all the time. Our pledge to deliver high-quality dentistry in a sterile environment that’s underpinned with strong infection mitigation has allowed us to instill even greater trust and reassurance with our patients.

In addition to complying with recommended social-distancing in our office we have installed advanced UV-air filtration, aerosol-splatter reduction suction, and sterilization techniques that exceed regulatory standards. Following each patient visit, treatment rooms are sterilized using antimicrobial fogging machines. Front- and backoffice staff has been outfitted with approved PPE to ensure the safety of our team and patients. For more information we encourage you to call the office or visit: https://www. midlandparkfamilydentistry.com/covid-19-updates/

MIDLAND PARK FAMILY DENTISTRY

ANTHONY CARAMICO, D.M.D. 662 Godwin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432 201.447.5555 | midlandparkfamilydentistry.com

TH A LTH RO A SAKSK TH E EHH EEALT H PPRO

What causes varicose veins and can they be treated?

Many people think of varicose and spider veins as simply a cosmetic concern; however, they are often a sign of an underlying medical condition called venous insufficiency. Simply defined, venous insufficiency means veins that no longer work. This is thought to be from weakened valves in these veins.

Venous insufficiency is quite common, affecting about one in three American adults.

The condition is often progressive and worsens over time. Initial symptoms may be heaviness, aching, cramps and swelling. As vein walls become weaker over time they can often bulge and protrude from the skin. This increased pressure can also form spider veins on the surface of the skin. Venous insufficiency is often hereditary and more common in females. Certain occupations that involve prolonged standing or sitting can also be risk factors. Other risk factors include pregnancy, age, and previous injury. This is a progressive condition, but thankfully it is treatable with new minimally invasive treatments.

In the past few years there have been significant advances in vein treatments that allow us to treat patients in our office in about one hour.

While each patient’s case is unique, treatment options can include a combination of laser, radio frequency, ultrasound guided treatments and Varithena® – which is a revolutionary treatment that uses microfoam injections. The ultimate result is the elimination of unhealthy veins. When this occurs, blood is automatically rerouted to the remaining healthy veins. All treatments are nearly pain free and have little recovery time. Most patients can return to work and their regular activities the same day.

Marwan Hammoud, M.D.

Medical Director and Board-Certified Vein Specialist | Florham Park, NJ

Jordan Garrison, M.D., FACS, FASMBS

Board-Certified Vascular Surgeon and Vein Specialist | Hackensack, NJ

Metro Vein Centers Overview Founded in 2008, Metro Vein Centers is a leader in the treatment of vein and vascular disorders like varicose veins, spider veins and other venous conditions.

METRO VEIN CENTERS

385 Prospect Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601 83 Hanover Rd, Florham Park, NJ 07932 201.778.6168 | metroveincenters.com

Wearing a face mask has proven to be one of the best ways to stop the spread of Covid-19, but to the hearing impaired, a mask that covers one’s face can literally be a barrier to effective communication. Facial expressions and lip reading are key elements that aid in speech understanding for our patients in addition to their hearing instruments, so communicating without risking an unwanted exposure is critical to their health and safety.

In these unprecedented times we are trying to find new ways to protect yet serve our patients. We are continuing to offer “curbside” drop off and picking up of devices for cleaning and service. We are welcoming patients into the office on an appointment only basis for now, so as to allow for ample time for sanitization of our office. We are limiting the exam room

Mark Salvesen, BC-HIS*

N.J. Hearing Aid Dispenser Supervising License #535

to patients only unless the patient is in need of a direct caregiver. Masks must be worn at all times. No one will be permitted inside without a face covering.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but the safety and health of our patients is our PRIORITY. We are hopeful to resume what will be our new normal soon; until then we are here for all of your hearing healthcare needs and just a call away. Due to the vast number of Hearing Centers that have remained closed throughout this time, we are welcoming many new patients to the PHAC family. We thank you for the trust you have placed with us, and do not take that responsibility lightly. We look forward to helping you on your journey to a lifetime of better hearing.

Peggy Stanlick, BC-HIS*

N.J. Hearing Aid Dispenser Supervising License #1086

HEARING EVALUATION: • Free complete audiometric evaluation and consultation • Video otoscopy for detailed viewing of your ear canal • Free second opinion of your current hearing aids • Experience the clarity immediately in our office with your loved one HEARING AIDS: • Full line of state-of-the-art digital, programmable hearing aids • Invisible solutions to fit any budget • Comprehensive follow-up program for optimum results HEARING ACCESSORIES: • Premium hearing aid batteries • Custom earmolds for hearing aids, headphones, and swim plugs • Custom ear protection for musicians and sportsmen ADDITIONAL SERVICES: • Hearing aid cleaning and repair services on all makes and models • Tinnitus solutions • Educational seminars for groups and organizations including support groups *Certified by the National Board of Certification in Hearing Instrument Science.

PROFESSIONAL HEARING AID CENTER

681 Main St., Hackensack, NJ 07601 | 201.343.1980 | professionalhearingaids.com

A SK TH E H E A LTH P RO

Face coverings and hearing loss, our new normal?

21 Harrison Ave Waldwick, New Jersey, 07463 Call Or Text Us At 201-512-8316

JOIN OUR FAMILY!

AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS...

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“I am the volunteer photographer for the Hackensack High School football team, and the guys reached out to me to take graduation pictures. As student athletes playing football for the Hackensack Comets, these friends are no strangers to adversity. The backdrop of the photo is the iconic Hackensack High School bridge: the crossing of the “bridge” symbolizes them walking to new roads ahead.”

—Benjamin James, Hackensack

BERGEN Magazine Volume 20, Issue 8 (ISSN# 2573-8151 and USPS 025-351) is published 12 times a year by Wainscot Media, One Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Postmaster: Send address changes to Subscription Department, Wainscot Media, One Maynard Dr., Park Ridge, NJ 07656. Periodicals postage paid at Mahwah, N.J., and additional mailing offices.

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* AUGUST 2020

Send us your Bergen Moment! Email your photo and a short description to editor@wainscotmedia.com.

Photo courtesy of Benjamin James, Instagram: @bobjamesphoto. From left to right, Aubyn Bryan III, Victor Campos, Jordan Wimberly, Colin Hutchinson, Robert Walker, Cheyenne Romney-Bosque.

{ A BERGEN MOMENT }

SAM E -DAY A P P O I NT MENTS

THE ROTHMAN APPROACH TO ORTHOPAEDICS IS COMING SOON TO PARAMUS. Since 1970, the Rothman Approach to Orthopaedics has combined minimally invasive techniques, and insights from working on top athletes, to provide the most advanced orthopaedic care possible.

And now we’re bringing our extensive expertise to Paramus.

Featuring the latest in patient-focused design, our new location offers an epidural suite and 24 exam rooms. With physical therapy, hand therapy, and orthotics conveniently located on-site, you can get all the care you need—all right here. So you can put pain behind you and be what you were.

RothmanNJ.com

8 0 R O U T E 4 • PA R A M U S

Valley Home Care Ad 9 x 10.875.qxp 6/3/20 4:50 PM Page 1

Sometimes, the Best Care is at Home Valley Home Care brings the highest level of health care to the homes of more than 12,000 people each year. We are here to care for you in your home.

Your Safety is Our First Priority To ensure your safety, our Valley Home Care professionals are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and following enhanced safety protocols during visits to your home.

Do not put o the care you need. Call Valley Home Care today at 201-291-6283, or speak with your doctor about our services.

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ValleyHealth.com/HomeCare