Congratulations to the following students who have qualified for the Seal of Biliteracy. They will receive a special Seal on their Diploma and be acknowledged at Pride Spectacular and Graduation.

The Seal of Biliteracy is a new award offered by the State of California and MUSD to recognize students who are bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural in English and another language. In order to qualify, you must meet the following criteria :

A. English 4 years of English with a GPA of 2.0 or higher
B. CST An English CST score of Proficient (350) or higher
C. World Language:
      Must meet ONE of the following
1. AP score of 3 or higher 
                                                 OR,
                  2. 4 years of World Languages with a GPA of 3.0 or higher 
                                                 OR,
                  3. SAT II score of 600 or higher

If you think you qualify, submit an application to Ms. Claudia Murillo in the Language Testing Office Fall of your Senior Year.  

Juniors - Class of 2014 - If you meet most of the criteria but did not pass a Spanish or French AP Exam this year, then you should sign up to take an SAT II Exam in Spanish or French in the Fall of your Senior Year. If you score 600 or higher then you can qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy. You can also qualify if you take a Foreign Language Class at a Community Colllege. See Mrs. Kightlinger ij Room 203 or Ms. Murillo in the language testing Office if you have questions.
 

Spanish 3 / 4 Challenge Exam:

Congratulations to the 16 students who passed the Spanish 3-4 Challenge Exam administered on March 13 with a score of 80% or higher. There were 97 BGHS students who took the Exam, so the passing rate was 19%.   These students earned 10 credits of A for their mastery of Spanish language and literacy skills.  The results of the Exam are posted on the door of Room 203 and by the door of the Principal’s Office.  If you passed, your scores have already been reported to your Counselor and the Records Office. You are encouraged to sign up for AP Spanish Language and Culture or another foreign language or an elective of your choice.  Students who did not pass with 80% or higher are encouraged to sign up for Spanish 3-4 for Spanish Speakers. See Mrs. Kightlinger in Room 203 if you have any questions.

Congratulations to the students who passed the Spanish 1-2 and/or 3-4 Challenge Exam with a score of 80% or higher.  These students earned 10 - 20 credits of A for their mastery of Spanish language and literacy skills.  The results of the Exam are posted on the door of Room 203 and by the door of the Principal’s Office.  If you passed, your scores have already been reported to your Counselor and the Records Office. You are encouraged to sign up for Spanish 3-4 for Spanish Speakers or AP Spanish Language and Culture or another foreign language or an elective of your choice. See Mrs. Kightlinger in Room 203 if you have any questions.

 SPANISH CHALLENGE EXAM

BELLGARDENS HIGH SCHOOL FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT

WHAT is the Spanish Challenge Exam?

The Exam is a way for students who are already proficient in Spanish to earn credits for the Spanish 1 / 2 and/or 3 / 4 class by passing an exam instead of enrolling in the class for a year.  If you pass the exam with a score of 80-100%, you earn 10 credits of A. This grade will be included in your permanent GPA (grade point average). You may take both exams and earn 20 credits - the equivalent of two years of Spanish. (There is no penalty or consequence if your score is 79% or lower – it will not show on any record.)    This exam is a two hour exam composed of multiple choice vocabulary and grammar sections, reading comprehension, verb fill-ins and a composition which is scored by a committee of Spanish teachers from BGHS, MHS, and SHS.

WHO may take the Spanish Challenge Exam?

Students who are fluent in Spanish and have a high degree of literacy may take it.  You should be able to converse freely on a variety of topics and understand Spanish language radio and television.  For Spanish 1 / 2, you should be able to read magazines and newspapers in Spanish.  For Spanish 3 / 4, you should be able to read short stories, poems, and novels.  You should be familiar with verb tenses (present, past, imperfect, future, conditional, imperative, and subjunctive).  You should be able to write a five paragraph composition using standard Spanish with a high degree of accuracy in spelling and accent marks.

WHEN will the Spanish Challenge Exam be offered?

The Exam is only offered once a year at the beginning of the Spring Semester. 

This year’s dates are:  Spanish 1 / 2 – Wednesday, February 20   3:00 pm- 5:00 pm.

           Spanish 3 / 4 – Wednesday,  March 13      2:30 pm- 4:30 pm. (CAHSEE schedule)

WHERE will the Spanish Challenge Exam be offered?

The Exam will be administered in the Foreign Language Department classrooms (Rooms 200-206) on the West Wing of the second floor of  “A” building. 

WHY should you take the Spanish Challenge Exam?

If you pass the Exam, you will earn credits towards graduation/ college admission requirements.  This will allow you more room in your schedule to take an advanced Spanish class, to learn another language, or enroll in any other class of your choice.  It will validate your fluency in the Spanish language.  You’ll be very proud of yourself!

HOW do you take the Spanish Challenge Exam?

You must sign up with Mrs. Kightlinger in Room 203 before or after school on these dates:  Spanish 1 / 2 – Tuesday –Feb. 12 – Tuesday, Feb.19

Spanish 3 / 4  – Monday, March 4 - Monday, March 11

(Students currently enrolled in Spanish 1 /2 will sign-up with their own Spanish teacher during class.)

You must bring a BGHS student ID card (or a valid photo ID) with you to sign up and again on the day of the Exam.  You also need to bring a #2 pencil and a blue/black ink pen on the day of the Exam.

EXAMEN DE RETO DE ESPANOL

DEPARTAMENTO DE IDIOMAS EXTRANJEROS

DE LA SECUNDARIA BELL GARDENS

¿Qué es el Examen de Reto de Español?

El Examen es una manera para que los estudiantes que ya son hábiles en español puedan adquirir créditos para la clase de Español 1 / 2 y/o 3 / 4 pasando un examen en lugar de inscribirse en la clase por un año.  Si usted pasa el examen con una calificación de   80-100%, usted adquiere 10 créditos con la calificación de una A.  Esta calificación será incluído en su promedio permanente.  Usted puede tomar los dos exámenes y adquirir 20 créditos – al equivalente de dos años de Español.  (No hay sanción o consecuencia si su calificación es 79% o más baja – no aparecerá en ningún expediente académico.) Este es un examen de dos horas compuesto de selección multiple de vocabulario y gramática, comprensión de lectura, conjugación de verbos y una composición que es calificada por un comité de maestros de Español de las Secundarias de Bell Gardens, Montebello y Schurr.

¿Quién puede tomarel Examen de Reto de Español?

Los estudiantes que dominan el español y tienen un alto nivel de lectura y escritura pueden tomarlo. Usted debe poder conversar libremente sobre una variedad de temas y comprender el idioma español de la radio y la televisión.  Para Español 1 / 2, debe poder leer revistas y periódicos en español.  Para Español 3 / 4, debe poder leer cuentos, poemas y novelas.  Usted debe de tener conocimiento de los tiempos verbales (presente, pretérito, imperfecto, futuro, condicional, imperativo y subjuntivo).  Usted deberá poder escribir una composición de 5 párrafos usando el español universal con un alto nivel de exactitud de ortografía y acentos.

¿Cuándo se ofrecerá el Examen de Reto de Español?

El Examen solamente se ofrece una vez al año- al comienzo del semestre de primavera.  Las fechas para este año son:

Español 1 / 2 – miércoles, 20 de febrero    3:00 pm- 5:00 pm.

Español 3 / 4 – miércoles, 13 de marzo  2:30 pm- 4:30 pm (horario especial de CAHSEE)

¿Dónde se ofrecerá el Examen de Reto de Español?

El Examen será administrado en los salones del Departamento de Idiomas Extranjeros (Salones 200-206) en la sección oeste del segundo piso del edificio “A”.

¿Por qué debe tomar el Examen de Reto de Español?

Si usted pasa el Examen, usted adquirirá los créditos para graduación o ingreso universitario.  Esto le dejará más espacio en su horario para tomar una clase avanzada de Español, aprender otro idioma o inscribirse en cualquier otra clase que usted desee.  Esto dará validez a su dominio del idioma español.  ¡Estará muy orgulloso de sí mismo(a)!

¿Cómo se puede tomar el Examen de Reto de Español?

Usted se puede inscribir con la Sra. Kightlinger en el salón 203 antes o después de clases en estas fechas:

Español 1 / 2 – martes, 12 de febrero a martes, 19 de febrero   

Español 3 / 4 – lunes, 4 de marzo a lunes, 11 de marzo

(Los estudiantes que al presente están inscritos en Español 1 / 2 se inscribirán con su maestro de Español durante la clase).     

Usted debe de traer su identificación estudiantil BGHS (o una identificación válida con foto) consigo cuando vaya a inscribirse y también el día del Examen.  Usted también tendrá que traer un lápiz y una pluma de tinta azul/negra el día del Examen.