Apoio à Biliteracia | Apoyar la Alfabetización | Supporting Biliteracy | 支持双语教育| 이중언어능력 지원
Students can apply here | Los estudiantes pueden solicitarlo aqui
Biliteracy Family and Community Interest Form
The Amherst Regional Public Schools value the linguistic diversity of our community. To celebrate the
assets of multilingualism and to promote sustained English language, native language, heritage
language, and global language learning, the Amherst Regional School District is excited to offer the Seal
of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is awarded by the state department of education and local school
districts to recognize students who attain proficiency in English, as well as one or more additional
languages learned in school or another setting. Biliteracy is defined as having a functional level of
proficiency in each language, and there are various levels of biliteracy. Student biliteracy is measured
through participation in language assessments. This recognition will be included with students’ high
school transcripts and diplomas and serves to certify attainment of a student’s biliteracy for employers
and universities.
ARPS will be offering the official State Seal of Biliteracy to graduating seniors each spring, as well as
Biliteracy Pathway Awards to students in grades 6 and 8. Biliteracy Pathway Awards are administered
by a statewide consortium called the Language Opportunity Coalition. This coalition created additional
award opportunities to encourage long-term language study by recognizing and rewarding language
learning in elementary, middle and high school. In addition to offering an opportunity for students to
demonstrate and be honored for their language proficiency, the district is excited to launch enrichment
opportunities (parent/child reading clubs, tutoring, and Biliteracy clubs) to help students cultivate their
languages across all grade levels. We are looking for parent, staff and community members to support
this exciting program!
2023-2024 School Year Clubs
ARHS Biliteracy Club – contact Violeta Hernandez Duran at to join.
ARMS Biliteracy Club -TBD
Elementary Biliteracy Club – meets on Wednesdays from 2:45-5:00 PM, contact Robin Cruz at
or Lucia Montalvo at .
Parents, Staff and Community Members: Click HERE to let us know if you are interested and to receive
updates.
We are looking for multilingual:
● Parents interested in supporting their students to participate and/ or volunteering
● Staff members interested in supporting this work
● Community members interested in volunteering with our students
Biliteracy Awards Info
● ARPS Seal of Biliteracy and Pathway Awards
● ARPS Seal of Biliteracy School Committee Presentation
● ACTFL Proficiency Levels- Beach Talk
Free Multilingual Online Libraries
● Unite for Literacy: Early Learning eBooks: More than 100 original ebooks carefully crafted to
connect with young children and their families. Books are written in English and include audio
narration in English and 28 languages.
● Worldstories: A growing collection of short stories including retold traditional tales and new short
stories from around the world. The stories can be read and listened to online, or downloaded and
they’re all free!
● International Children’s Online Library: A searchable library of digital children’s books in more
than 50 languages.
● Rosetta Project: Books in Multiple Languages: Digital books in more than 40 languages.
Resources
Growing Up Bilingual/ Bicultural: A Community Conversation
Listen here for a community conversation with UMASS students Alondra Esparza, Mildred-Maria Reyes,
Cristian Luna-Robinson and Natalee Paredes about their experiences growing up bilingual and
bicultural. The conversation is facilitated by Diego Sharon, principal of Amherst Regional Middle School,
and Danielle Thomas, Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at UMASS Amherst.
For additional information, please contact the Biliteracy Coordinators:
● ARHS: Oumy Cissé,
● ARMS: TBD
● Elementary: Robin Cruz at or Lucia Montalvo at
● Volunteer Coordinator: Daniela Narvaez Burbano,
● Assessment Coordinator: Alisa Clements,