Six Trussville students earn biliteracy seal in pilot program

By Terry Schrimscher For the Tribune

Pinson Valley High, and Rudd Middle schools were present to ac-

Springville hold first hearing on redistricting, honors police officers

By Terry Schrimscher

For the Tribune

SPRINGVILLE – The Springville Council held its first public hearing on proposed redistricting plans Monday night, March 6. Copies of the proposed district changes and existing district

TRUSSVILLE – HewittTrussville High School launched its pilot program for the Global Seal of Biliteracy in January and six students have already earned certifications for proficiency in a second language.

“So far, we have piloted the program with students enrolled in AP Spanish Language and Culture,” said Molly Cook, World languages co-department head and Spanish teacher at the high school.

“We have 12 students in that class and tested all of them,” said Cook. “Six of the 12 earned the seal credential.” Cook said some of the other students in the class could still earn the recognition later this semester.

The students who earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy are Molly Bruno, Kaitlyn Hardy, Katie Kalchik, Pryce Sewell, Sam McMahon and Ella Grace Young. The students took the four-hour test Feb. 9. The exam measures proficiency in reading, writ-

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Sports - Pages 13-16 ing, speaking and listening in the language.

“The plan after this pilot group is to test every spring in levels three, four and AP,” Cook said. She added the purpose of testing is to help students move toward earning the credential but also to get feedback from the test administrators. The feedback will help teachers learn where students can improve in areas of each mode of reading, writing, speaking and listening compared to results nationally and globally.

The Seal of Biliteracy program was approved in Alabama in 2022. Alabama became the 49th state to approve the certification. Hewitt-Trussville enacted the program in January of this year.

“Prior to Alabama adopting it, Vestavia piloted this program, not through the state, they did it through the Global Seal of Biliteracy organization,” Cook said.

“When they meet the state standards for earning the seal of biliteracy, they’ve also met the global seal of biliteracy standards for functional fluency.”

The biliteracy program isn’t just for English speaking students taking a world language, students studying English as a second language (ESL) can also attain the certification.

“I really like how it reaches out to kids who are bilingual, who may not even take a foreign language in school,” said Lisa Burroughs ESL teacher at Hewitt-Trussville. “They have the ability to show they have functional fluency in two different languages. They can take the test and add that to their credentials.

“It encourages them to continue to build academic skills in their native language as well as English,” Burroughs added.

See BILITERACY, Page 4

CLAY – The Clay City Council held its final scheduled meeting of the month, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m., at City Hall. There was no new business on the agenda but the Council was given an update on a recent raid conducted by Trussville Police Department within Clay city limits.

See CLAY, Page 5

Center Point facing complaints about debris removal fees

By Terry Schrimscher

For the Tribune CENTER POINT – Like many cities in the Birmingham area, the city of Center Point has been struggling with debris pick-up services due to outside vendors ending the option. At the March 2

See CENTER POINT, Page 6

TCS Foundation raises more than $20K at 4th Annual Casino Night

Special to the Tribune TRUSSVILLE — More than $20,000.00 was raised at the Trussville City Schools Foundation’s (TCSF) 4th Annual Casino Night – for the second year in a row! The event-packed evening, hosted at Ferus Artisan Ales in the

Leeds council approves budget amendment for police equipment, announces community cleanup

Nathan Prewett

By

For the Tribune

LEEDS – The Leeds City Council met on Monday, March 6, where they approved an amendment to use

By Carleen Phillips –Songbird Coordinator

You’re beginning to think your yard looks like something from Stranger Things; nothing but leggy specimens of unknown origins. You yearn for spring, for the nice, controlled green spaces. In your mind’s eye, you have everything planned out from where the new lawn furniture will go, to where the kiddie pool will NOT go. It will be a yard for the neighbors to envy. But first, you must do something about those leggy specimens. You have clippers and shears, hedge trimmers and even a chainsaw for the unsightly tree out back. You put on eye protection and tug at your hat. You’re ready.

I get it. But hold your horses before you do anything drastic.

New growth is exciting to see and can rapidly grow out of control. There are many websites which go into great length about the proper pruning meth-