Robertozzi Named Superintendent of the Year

Linden Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Danny Robertozzi, has been nam ed Superintende nt of the Year by NJTESOL (New Jersey Teachers of English as a Second Language) in recognition of the district’s pioneerin g effort s t o esta bli sh the Seal of Biliteracy in our state.
The Seal of Biliteracy is a special designation that students can earn on their diplomas and transcripts that certifies that the stud ent is proficient in two languages. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. R obertozzi, Li nden’s dep art men t of Bilingual, ESL and World Languages and others who have advocated for this effort, the SEAL has now been recognized and signed into law in New Jersey by Governor Christie.
“In Linden we are eager to continue promoting the SEAL of Biliteracy in our sch ools, ” commented Dr. Robertozzi, “I hope that the number of states and districts participating in this program wi ll continue to g row, and with it a culture that values and nurtures the talents and assets that culturally diverse, biliterate students contribute to our community and nation.
June witnessed thirty-one Linden High School seniors graduating with the NJ Seal of Biliteracy on their diplomas. New Jersey has joined more than a dozen o the r states in recognizing and rewarding students who d emo nstrate linguistic proficiency in two or more languages. Students applying to the program mus t pass a rigorous language assessment in order to graduate with the Seal on their diplomas. Qualifying students must demonstrate that they can speak, read, and write in a se cond language at a high level of proficiency. This distinction serves the purpose of highlighting the students’ spec ial abilities to universities and potential employers in the global market place.
Linden Public Schools to ok a lead role in piloting the program, and was among the first NJ districts to help students to earn the Seal. Since 2014, over 100 Linden students have earned the Seal of Biliteracy.
Alphonsin a Paternostro, Linden’s s upervis or of Bilingual, ESL and World Languag es commented; “In our district we place a great value on our linguistic and cultural diversity. We see language learning as a very worthy endeavor, and offer students the opportunity to study a wide variety of world languages. The Seal of Biliteracy is another way to celebrate and highlight important skills that will help to open the doors to new opportunities for our students as they go out into the world.”