Isabella Santini

The beginning of a fresh start for North Bergen was initiated these last few weeks, with the welcoming of North Bergen’s 7th through 9th grade students starting their school year in the newly established Junior High building which is the former home of High Tech High School. Located on 85th Street and Tonelle Avenue in North Bergen, the Junior High Campus opened its doors this fall to bring about change and impact in the education of incoming students. 

This project began almost ten years ago with North Bergen’s plan to renovate the previous location of the High Tech High School with discussions being made for the improvement of this building and what was meant for the town in coming years.

According to the Hudson County View, in December of 2018, the residents of the North Bergen Township had voted in favor of permitting the North Bergen Board of Education to borrow approximately 60 million dollars to fund the upgrading of education facilities and environments, with the school districts obtaining about one-third of that amount to move forward with constructing a new structure and alterations to existing classrooms. 

Nevertheless, the development of this project was severely delayed in relation to the Coronavirus Pandemic, lawsuits, and the strike of Hurricane Ida, leading to profound flooding within the foundation of the building. The website issued later in March of 2022 a statement of what this renovated building would be, declaring it to be a Junior High for grades 7th - 9th, incorporating a variety of activities and programs into their education to conduct a diverse reach across their students.  The Hudson County View article stated the opening of this Junior High school was scheduled for September 2023, but the effects of the flooding within the school’s structure delayed the process once again. The Township and North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority had claimed they would like to “reduce flooding to improve quality of life and enhance the safety of the new campus and surrounding neighborhood.” 

The induction of students this fall marked the conclusion of such a prolonged process for the town. This is a time of recognition and advancement for North Bergen, moving forward from its past and investing time into the future of the new generation of residents, with Principal Adamarys Galvin saying, “Together, we are laying the cornerstone for what will become a place of discovery, achievement, and belonging for generations to come.”