Letter writer Laura Pascal makes her case for American Sign Language.
The Board of Education is facing the difficult task of deciding on the school budget. The following aims to show the importance of the request of offering of American Sign Language (ASL) to Moorestown students. It directly relates to the district goals presented at the March 27 meeting. I encourage you to let the BOE know if you encourage them to pass the budget to meet the offering of American Sign Language.
Providing ASL to students as a world language option would rise to meet the goals of the district by:
- Establishing a culture of innovation to facilitate authentic growth
- Provide instruction tailored to learners’ foundational needs
- Design opportunities that promote self awareness and confidence to provide the foundation for competent local and global citizenship
Dr. McCartney shared that currently there are 60 student requests for this opportunity in the high school. The incoming ninth graders are very interested as well. Including my son who, for the first time, is organically excited about a class and learning. For students who struggle with traditional learning styles, the offering of ASL would be a wonderful benefit for them, the community and the culture of this generation.
The budget remains to be the obstacle. In the fall, I provided an alternative no to low cost budget option for the district as well.
I encourage you to let Dr. McCartney and the BOE know if you want them to pass the budget to offer American Sign Language for the 2018–2019 academic year. Thank you all for your time and welcome the opportunity for furthering this discussion.
Laura Pascal
