Fort Lee cross country head coach Ed Garrison is happy with what he has seen thus far during practices, and knows he has two talented teams on his hands. Last season, the boys team finished fifth out of six teams in the Big North Division 7 American League with a record of 1-4. The team also finished seventh out of nine in the Bergen County Championship and eighth out of 15 teams in the NJSIAA North 2, Section 2 Sectional Championship Meet. The team has some important people returning for another season, including senior Jenya Dyagilev, who is first team Big North Division 7; senior Yuki …
As Fort Lee public school students return to their classrooms for a new school year Tuesday, they are being greeted by a number of new faces, along with many familiar ones. The school district was forced to make budget cuts in the spring, but also to get creative in filling vacancies, restructuring classroom aide positions and creating new positions to meet the needs of students as things like IEPs and changing enrollment dictated. On May 4, there was a “reduction in force,” but many of those people were called back in late June—some as full-timers and others in a part-time capacity. Below is…
The Fort Lee Lady Bridgemen are out to defend their league championship this season, and the pieces seem to be in place to do so. Fort Lee went undefeated in the league last year and was a serious force to be reckoned with. Things are looking up for this season as well. Senior Emilia Lesckowicz is playing first singles, senior Natalie Shapnik will be playing second singles, and senior Jelena Sutovic will be playing third singles. Despite the team losing two of their top players, head coach Sheri Steckler is feeling as good as ever about what is yet to come for this team. “We’re better than …
The Fort Lee Bridgemen soccer team lost nine seniors from last year’s squad but will be looking to rebuild quickly and make a run at the state and county tournaments this season. The team does return some scoring firepower in seniors Nikola Gogic and “Yu Yu” Fahmy, along with junior Matthew Hernandez. Head coach Bob Ciccone knows that the team will have to figure some things out on the defensive end. "Hopefully the midfield will be the strongest part because we return everybody there," Ciccone said. "Hopefully the goalkeeping will be very solid. Big question marks will be replacing our whole …
The Fort Lee girls soccer team has the potential to frustrate many of their opponents this season with their pesky defense. The Lady Bridgemen have been practicing hard in preparation for the season-opener on Sept. 10 at Bergenfield. The defensive side of the team is mostly intact from last year, as they return many of their major players. Jen Valdeon and Sophia Lupino are two four-year starters returning for head coach Phil Zappel. Leading goal scorer from last season, Caitlin Mckenna, also returns for her sophomore year at the midfielder position. Natalie Mateus was the team’s second …
Fort Lee High School teachers, administrators, guidance counselors, PTA members and parent volunteers welcomed the school’s incoming freshmen class Friday for orientation, or what high school principal Priscilla Church called “convocation.” The 250 students, who will officially make the transition from middle to high school Tuesday, are Fort Lee High School’s first to be part of the school district’s new Freshman Academy. Church, whose idea it was—along with a committee formed last year—to start the academy in order to create a more supportive and meaningful learning experience and ease ninth…
The Lady Bridgemen are anxious to get the season underway, and they will not have to wait long. On Sept. 9, the Fort Lee volleyball team will open their 2011 season at Bergenfield High School, whom they lost to in a close match last season. Leadership will be they key in games like this, and throughout the entire season, and due to the team’s good mix of juniors and seniors, leadership should not be a problem. The team returns senior co-captain Megan Gimson, an outside hitter who played her first Fort Lee volleyball season last year; Anthe Nikolaidis, a senior co-captain and middle hitter; …
Beginning this year, the Fort Lee School District will start using a new district-wide student information system (SIS) that will enable administrators, teachers and parents to more effectively monitor students. At Monday’s Fort Lee Board of Education regular business meeting, Assistant Superintendent Steven Engravalle thanked district technology coordinator Jason Ruggiero—whom he previously said was “really instrumental in getting the system up and running”—for his tireless work in making Power School function for 2011. Engravalle went on Monday to highlight several “bullet points” related …
The Fort Lee Bridgemen football team are more than ready to take the field under the lights on Friday, Sept.9, when they host rival Bergenfield at 7 p.m. Head coach Bill Straub is entering his third year and is feeling optimistic about what he has seen so far. "We just want to get better each and every day, and I think through camp we really have; I think the kids are coming to work hard everyday," said Straub. "I think they’re ready to just get under the lights on Friday night." The team brings back many explosive players, including senior wide receiver and outside linebacker Tyler Sanders, …
Fort Lee students returning to school this year will join their counterparts statewide in being the first to be covered by what the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) considers “the most stringent anti-bullying laws in the nation.” The Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act, as it's known, was signed into law in January with the staunch backing of NJSBA and takes effect this school year. “For students, it means additional levels of protection against harassment, intimidation and bullying,” according to NJSBA officials. “For public schools, it means a heightened level of attention on …
