World Language

We believe that our students will benefit in their thinking skills by learning how a different language system operates, how languages influence one another and how different cultures express ideas. The acquisition of a second language is imperative in today's global society. The internationalization of the economy has made us realize that the knowledge of foreign languages and cultures is essential for success in the international marketplace. Therefore, our foreign language program reflects the needs of the global economy and the multicultural workplace. We focus our language instruction on communicative goals. The students are instructed through a proficiency-based communicative approach. Through hands-on experiences, students use the target language in everyday situations. The emphasis is on learning how to speak and how to understand the language. Four-year world language sequences are offered in Spanish, French, Italian and Chinese.

WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT 

GRADING CRITERIA

CHINESE, FRENCH, ITALIAN & SPANISH

Daily Preparation & Responsibilities (15%), which can include homework, oral participation, class work, self-reflection, group work, and collaborative tasks with peers.

Integrated Performance Assessments (20%) (including ALL three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal & presentational) *Summative assessments involving performance tasks related to communicative functions & unit essential questions

 Evidence of Learning (65%)

• Interpretive Assessments (listening & reading) which can include daily quizzes, periodic quizzes, short answer, listening and/or reading tasks, assessments related to listening and reading

• Interpersonal Assessments (Two way: speaking & writing), which can include simulated conversations, guided conversations, partnership tasks, oral or written communication between peers, teacher and native speakers

• Presentational Assessments (One way: speaking & writing) which can include daily quizzes, periodic quizzes, assessments related to production of language through speaking and/or writing, oral or written proficiency assessments, presentations, projects, portfolios, speaking or writing prompts, essays

*The “Evidence of Learning” subcategories are based upon New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards: World Languages and the American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL) World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages.

 

*Please contact Chiara Kupiec, District Supervisor of Instruction, with questions or comments regarding the department grading criteria.

WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT    

Course Offerings Within 

Pascack Valley and Pascack Hills

Recommended WL Course Sequence

*Slideshow for incoming students/parents 

*Self Nomination form for current 8th grade students

• Chinese I, French I, Italian I, Spanish I: No Prerequisites*

• Chinese II, French II, Italian II & Spanish II: Successfully passing Level I

• Chinese III, IV & V, Spanish III, IV & V, French  III, IV, & V, & Italian III, IV & V: successfully passing previous levels of language

• Spanish for Heritage Speakers I/Honors & II: Available only to Heritage Speakers of the Spanish Language, please email Mrs. Kupiec (ckupiec@pascack.org) 

• Honors Chinese II, Honors French II, Honors Italian II & Honors Spanish II: Passing of Honors placement exams (given at middle school) with a B or better

• Honors Chinese III, Honors French III, Honors Italian III, Honors Spanish III : passing Honors II course with a B- or better/teacher recommendation

• Honors Chinese IV, Honors French IV, Honors Italian IV, Honors Spanish IV: passing Honors III course with a B- or better/ teacher recommendation

• Students wishing to move from the CP track to Honors track in Spanish, French, Italian or Chinese must show proficiency through a series of placement exams. This must be discussed with their current World Language teacher, World Language supervisor, guidance counselor and parents. 

• AP Chinese Language & Culture, AP French Language & Culture, AP Italian Language & Culture, AP Spanish Language & Culture: successfully passing Honors French IV, Honors Italian IV or Honors Spanish IV and teacher/supervisor recommendation
• AP Spanish Literature & Culture: successfully passing AP Spanish Language & Culture and teacher/supervisor recommendation

Please note:  

*For those entering freshmen considering Chinese I, we suggest that students must be highly motivated, have good study skills, and have successfully passed, with a B+ or better, another language at the middle school level.

**Entering freshmen who have begun Chinese at the middle school will need to take a placement test in order to determine their enrollment in Chinese I, Chinese II or Honors Chinese II. A self-nomination form is required for 8th graders interested in Honors Chinese II. 

NJ Student Learning Standards (Approved June 2020) 

World Languages 

https://www.nj.gov/education/cccs/2020/2020%20NJSLS-WL.pdf

The included here is the current curricula for the Pascack Valley Regional High School District. They have all been approved by the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education and are in alignment with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards approved by the New Jersey State Department of Education. Curricula for Advanced Placement (AP) courses have been approved by the College Board through their AP Audit.
 
New Jersey Student Learning Standards
2020 Revisions to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards
Curriculum Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Curriculum Requirements Mandated by the State of New Jersey

WORLD LANGUAGE CURRICULA

 

Course Name	Honors, AP, or DE	Grade(s)	Length
AP French Language and Culture	AP, DE	11, 12	FY
AP Italian Language and Culture	AP, DE	11, 12	FY
AP Spanish Language and Culture	AP, DE	11, 12	FY
AP Spanish Literature & Culture	AP	12	FY
Chinese I, French I, Italian I Spanish I		9, 10, 11, 12	FY
Chinese II, French II, Italian II, Spanish II/Honors Chinese II, French II, Italian II, Spanish II	H	9, 10, 11, 12	FY
Chinese III, French III, Italian III, Spanish III/Honors Chinese III, French III, Italian III, Spanish III	H	9, 10, 11, 12	FY
Chinese IV, French IV, Italian IV, Spanish IV/Honors Chinese IV, French IV, Italian IV, Spanish IV	H, DE	10, 11, 12	FY
Chinese V, French V, Italian V, Spanish V	DE	11, 12	FY
Multilingual Learners		9, 10, 11, 12	FY
Spanish for Heritage Speaker I		9, 10, 11, 12	FY
Spanish for Heritage Speakers II		9, 10, 11, 12	FY
Spanish for Heritage Speakers III Spanish Conversation & Culture		9, 10, 11, 12 9, 10, 11, 12	FY FY

  **In uncommon circumstances, levels may be offered to different grades.

World Language Honor Societies of the

Pascack Valley Regional High School District

*Students may speak with their world language teachers and/or advisors about applying in September to join each honor society. Honor Society Induction ceremonies & rehearsals will be held in each school in December. 

The 2025 PHHS Celebrate Languages Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, December 3rd, at 7pm, in Pascack Hills High School Auditorium.

The 2025 PVHS Celebrate Languages Ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 4th, at 7pm, in Pascack Hills High School Auditorium (notice the location!)

 

*At the graduation ceremonies in June, students are awarded an honor cord representing their honor society. This demonstrates their commitment to the honor society throughout the school year through their participation & volunteerism. A minimum of ten volunteer hours is required. 

CHINESE

(Advisor: Pascack Hills HS & Pascack Valley HS: Mr. O'Neill & Mrs. Yao)  

Membership Eligibility: The National Chinese Honor Society (NCHS) was established in November, 1993 to recognize those accomplished high school students who study Chinese as a world language. The National Chinese Honor Society is a scholastic organization that promotes and recognizes students with good citizenship, leadership, and deeds of community service. Membership is open to any senior who has completed or is currently enrolled in the highest level of Chinese offered within Pascack Valley Regional HS District (either Chinese IV/V or Chinese IV/V Honors). In order to remain in the NCHS, members must maintain a cumulative average of an A-. Seniors are inducted every Fall. Induction into the NCHSis an academic honor that can be noted in any college or scholarship application. Inductees are expected to participate in peer tutoring as well as other community-oriented activities. The club also organizes trips to cultural events. 

FRENCH

(Advisors: Pascack Hills HS Mme Sandt & Mme Schmidt, Pascack Valley HS Mme DelGiudice) 

Membership Eligibility: The Société Honoraire de Français (SHF) provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding scholarship in the study ofFrench language through selection for membership. A chapter provides a vehicle for focusing activities around French language and literature and also for encouraging member participation in the annual writing contest as well as apply for the annual travel grants.
In addition, there are opportunities for students to experience leadership in serving as officers, directing the initiation ceremony, and/or leading other chapter events. Membership is open to any senior who has completed or is currently enrolled in the highest level of French offered within Pascack Valley Regional HS District (either French IV/V or AP French). In order to remain in the SHF, members must maintain a cumulative average of an A- . Seniors are inducted every Fall. Induction into the SHF is an academic honor that can be noted in any college, or scholarship application. Inductees are expected to participate in peer tutoring as well as other community-oriented activities. The club also organizes trips to local cultural events.

ITALIAN

(Advisors: Pascack Hills HS Signora Guardabascio, Pascack Valley HS Signora DelGuidice) 

Membership Eligibility: The Società Onoraria Italica is a nation-wide organization sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI). It recognizes and rewards excellence in the Italian language at the high school level. Membership is open to any senior who has completed or is currently enrolled in the highest level of Italian offered at Pascack Valley Regional HS District (either Italian IV or Italian IV Honors). In order to remain in the Società, members must maintain a cumulative average of an A-. Seniors are inducted every Fall. Induction into the Società is an academic honor that can be noted in any college or scholarship application. Inductees are expected to participate in peer tutoring as well as other community-oriented activities. The club also organizes trips to cultural events and to local Italian restaurants. The Società awards a Certificate of Merit to one graduating senior every year.

SPANISH 

(Advisors: Pascack Hills HS Sra. Sularz, Pascack Valley HS Sra. Rems) 

Membership Eligibility: The Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica was established over 60 years ago and the purposes of the Sociedad are to recognize high achievement in Spanish and Portuguese by students of secondary schools and to promote continuity of interest in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian studies. The Sociedad is classified as a national and international academic honor society in the study of high school Spanish and Portuguese and is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc.Membership is open to any senior who has completed or is currently enrolled in the highest level of Spanish offered at Pascack Valley Regional HS District (either Spanish IV/V or AP Spanish). In order to remain in the Sociedad, members must maintain a cumulative average of an A-. Seniors are inducted every Fall. Induction into the Sociedad is an academic honor that can be noted in any college or scholarship application. Inductees are expected to participate in peer tutoring as well as other community-oriented activities. The club also organizes trips to cultural events. 

Name	School	Extension
Sra. Comitto	PHHS	25016
Sig.ra Guardabascio	PHHS	23101
Sra. Kanova	PHHS	25048
Sra. Martinez	PHHS	23049
Sra. Rodriguez-Grimshaw	PHHS	25044
Madame Sandt	PHHS	23017
Madame Schmidt	PHHS	23017
Sra. Sularz	PHHS	23108
Mrs. Yao	PHHS/PVHS	23018
Sr. Buckley	PVHS	25119
Sig.ra Corasaniti	PVHS	25204
Sig.ra DeLima	PVHS	25008
Ms. DelGiudice	PVHS	25008
Sra. Ladino	PVHS	25204
Sra. Lane	PVHS	25026
Sra. Leal-Drago	PVHS	25010
Mr. O'Neill	PVHS	25155
Sra. Panarello-Siempira	PVHS	23004
Sra. Rems	PVHS	25153
Srta. Sanchez	PVHS	25080
Srta. Spathis	PVHS	25027
Sra. Trass	PVHS	23049

District World Language Supervisor: Chiara Kupiec (ckupiec@pascack.org)
201-358-7020 ext. 22054 

For information, please contact: 

Ms. Schmidt: mschimdt@pascack.org (Pascack Hills High School)
OR
Ms. Ladino: jladino@pascack.org (Pascack Valley High School)

English Language Development Standards

The WIDA Consortium's English Language Proficiency Standards for Multilingual Learners (MLLs) in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 encompass:

• Social and Instructional language usage
• The language of Language Arts
• The language of Mathematics
• The language of Science
• The language of Social Studies

Learn about WIDA

NJDOE Bilingual Professional Development

Calendar

PVRHSD Seal of Biliteracy Information 

October 2025 Seal of Biliteracy Student Information Session (Slideshow) 
Sample Exams

Upcoming STAMP Assessment October 2025 Testing Dates in our district: 

October 13th, 2025, 8am-12pm

at Pascack Valley High School Media Center (for both schools)

Self Nomination LINK 
(current seniors, for October 2025 testing)

Press Releases: 
Pascack Press News Article
Making Connections: Dozens of Students Rock Biliteracy

NJ DOE/Rutgers Spotlight Newsletter

As of 2020, we also credential with the Global Seal of Biliteracy. 

The Global Seal of Biliteracy is an international credential that conveys proficiency with language skills in two or more languages for our students. This credential offers a competitive advantage for our students by helping them earn scholarships, higher pay, college credit, increased study abroad opportunities and so much more. To learn more about the Global Seal of Biliteracy visit their website at www.theglobalseal.com. 

 

 

2020 Pascack Hills & Pascack Valley Graduates Pictured Above:
Olivia Jones, Fiona O'Flynn, Jean Jabouin, Kristen Brown, Alycia Gilb, Alice Bruter, David Harnett, Alyssa Brown

Working with Seton Hall Project Acceleration, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District is proud to offer Dual-Enrollment options for our current 12th-grade students who are enrolled in Chinese, French, Italian or Spanish classes such as Level IV/IV Honors/V or AP. 

Dual Enrollment/Project Acceleration Slideshow (includes course codes)

Seton Hall Project Acceleration Sign Up Link

Dual Enrollment/Project Acceleration Website

Dual Enrollment/Project Acceleration:   Letter to Students & Parents

*Contact Information: projectacceleration@shu.edu or (973) 761-9224

Each year, students from the Pascack Valley Regional HS District World Language program participate in National Foreign Language Week. 

Last year, we celebrated National Foreign Language Week throughout the week of March 6th.
The theme was "Boost Your Brain with Languages". 

Students from Pascack Hills & Pascack Valley High Schools participated in a district-wide digital poster contest. You can view some of the winning submissions here. 

Check out some of the activities that took place during that week HERE!