LENOX — Lenox Public Schools is pleased to share that Lenox Memorial Middle High School students are currently undergoing the process to obtain the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy.
The Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy is an award presented to students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by their high school graduation.
Lenox is participating in the process for the second year. Efforts are being led by Lenox’s Chair of World Languages and Seal of Biliteracy CoordinatorDr.Ann-Marie Rodriguez.
Three of last year’s graduating seniors were honored with this distinction in June:
- Thomas Leger, in French. Leger is now a first year at Carleton University.
- Jack O’Brien, in French. O’Brien is now a first year at Georgetown University.
- Ely Hochfelder, in Spanish. Hochfelder is now a first year at Boston University.
To earn the Seal of Biliteracy, students must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English by earning a score of 472 or higher on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS, demonstrate a high level of proficiency in a world language by attaining a minimum score equivalent to Intermediate-High on an assessment approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and satisfy all other graduation requirements.
Lenox recently administered the ELA MCAS, and is currently administering Proficiency Assessments in French, Latin, and Spanish. Lenox is looking forward to assessing students wishing to demonstrate proficiency in languages other than those taught in the District including Gujarati, Hindi, Thai, Turkish, Russian, and more.
The 2024 Seal of Biliteracy awards will be announced in the spring.
“The Seal is an opportunity for us to celebrate the diligence and hard work of all students who become proficient in at least one other language in addition to English by graduation,” said Rodriguez. “We look forward to honoring the language expertise and diversity in our district through this initiative.”
The Seal of Biliteracy promotes excellence in the study of world language, respect for human differences by exposing students to other cultures and perspectives, and equity by honoring the diverse literacy skills of those in the community. It also provides evidence of biliteracy skills to future employers and college admissions officers.
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