Harrison students earn Seal of Biliteracy; state task force praises district presentations

Jennifer Egan, Harrison Central School District's director of world languages and ENL, told trustees on May 6 that the district had a particularly strong year for the New York State Seal of Biliteracy.

Egan described the seal as "a very prestigious recognition awarded to graduating seniors who demonstrate high levels of proficiency in English and one or more additional languages." She said the seal requires students to complete a series of tasks worth points — including course averages, an exam score and a culminating project presented to a panel — and that Harrison covers exam fees so students face no financial barriers to participation.

Egan said the district expects to award 57 seals to 53 students this year, including awards for Spanish, French and Italian as well as students pursuing seals in Japanese, Dutch and Russian. She described a state Seal of Biliteracy task force visit in which members listened to student presentations and provided rubric feedback calling Harrison's presentations "exemplary," praising well-prepared students who communicated with clarity and confidence.

To illustrate the student experience, the board viewed a video of student presentations and invited the student board liaison, Jazelle Lopez, to read a poem that she had included in her sealed portfolio. Lopez read in Spanish and English; afterward she said she intends to study biology at Barnard College, Columbia University.

Egan and board members said the task force's feedback confirmed the district's instructional approach and that Harrison will explore ways to share its practices with other schools.