120 incoming Greendale freshmen pick ASL as their world language — a first for southeastern Wisconsin

Starting fall 2018, some Greendale High School students will be the first in southeastern Wisconsin with the option to take American Sign Language as a world language course.

Other area districts could follow Greendale's lead. Officials at two New Berlin high schools, Eisenhower and West, confirmed they are considering adding ASL, but not for the coming fall semester.

In Greendale, the idea came from a parent, Mark Vorkapich, whose daughter expressed interest in learning ASL, said Kim Amidzich, the district's director of instruction.

"I just think that ASL — it's a totally different skillset," Vorkapich said. "With the idea that, after four years, you can try to obtain some certification — it's a valuable skill to have."

Adding an entire program is more complicated than introducing a single new class that might attract about 20 students, Amidzich said. But 120 Greendale incoming freshmen have selected ASL as a world language for the fall. They will start with American Sign Language 1 and have the option to progress through all four years of high school.

"What's interesting for us is the number of students enrolled," Amidzich said.

Greendale is modeling its program after one at La Follette High School in Madison, which has taught ASL for 20 years.

Molly Belt, a La Follette ASL teacher, said it's a good choice for those who struggle in spoken and written world languages.

"Visual learners often do very well," Belt said. "We sometimes have students that are not as successful in other classes, but when they come to ASL, they're successful. That's an important experience to have."

She said it's opened career paths for students.

"We have, regularly, students who have gone through level four who have gone on to college to become interpreters. And, even if they don't become interpreters, if one of them becomes a police officer and can sign — that's going to help somebody some day."   

In addition to giving the option for students in the ASL course to test and place at a university level, Amidzich said the district is looking to have the course credited by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where there is an established ASL interpreter program.

Greendale Principal Steve Lodes said the high school is still recruiting a teacher for the new program. The district is looking for candidates who can help students interact with native or fluent ASL speakers outside the classroom, just as students in German, Spanish and French courses do.

"There's still a lot of newness around it," Lodes said. "We will be growing right along with it."