American Sign Language (ASL) was first introduced to students at Mount St. Mary Academy during the 2023–2024 academic year as a language elective. Upperclassmen were offered Introduction to American Sign Language, a half-credit course that sparked growing interest in ASL, Deaf culture, and the Deaf community among our students.

Since then, many of our Mounties have graduated from MSM with plans to pursue careers in fields such as law, medicine, social work, and political science. In the United States, ASL is widely recognized as one of the most commonly used languages, with more than half a million people using it as a primary means of communication. With this in mind, we at MSM recognize that learning ASL is a valuable skill that can serve our students well in their future academic and professional endeavors.

As artificial intelligence and other technologies continue to rapidly transform the way we communicate and interact, we believe it is increasingly important to emphasize the value of genuine human connection. Learning ASL provides our students with an opportunity to build meaningful connections, communicate across differences, and develop a deeper understanding of the experiences of others.

At Mount St. Mary Academy, our Catholic values call us to recognize and uphold the inherent dignity and worth of every person. Offering ASL as part of our language curriculum reflects our commitment to fostering compassion, inclusion, and respect while preparing our students to engage thoughtfully and meaningfully with the diverse communities they will encounter throughout their lives.

The program is taught by Ms. Kayleigh Schiesser, an educator and ASL/English Interpreter in the Buffalo Community. She was also the on-field ASL interpreter during the September 17th Buffalo Bills Home Opener at the brand new Highmark Stadium! 

Ms. Schiesser shares her plans for the new program: 

“I am so excited for the opportunity to be starting this ASL (American Sign Language) program at MSM! This year, we have an Intro to ASL elective for upperclassmen, as well as an ASL 1 course for the class of 2030, which will turn into a 3-year sequence to fulfill the students’ language credit. In class, we will be focusing on signs and communication, as well as how body language and facial expression are used to understand the meaning of the conversation. We are also learning about Deaf culture and the d/Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community, and ways we can make the world we live in more accessible and welcoming to all. 

Along with teaching, I am also an ASL/English interpreter, which I have been doing for almost four years now. I’ve dipped my toes into many different areas of this field, such as K-12 education, higher education, business, religious, comedy, theater, sports, etc. My all-time favorite, though, would have to be performance. I hope to show my students how important it is to provide this kind of accessibility in all different types of settings. 

As an ASL/English interpreter, advocacy is a huge passion of mine, and that is something I hope to instill in my students – not only those taking ASL, but for all our Mounties! We have lots of ideas on how we can make our MSM community more inclusive, and I am just so thrilled to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to seeing this program continue to grow, and to seeing our students gain knowledge and enthusiasm for this language and community!” 

In this current academic year, the Introduction to American Sign Language course includes a full class size of 20 seniors enrolled as their 4th year language requirement. The freshman course, American Sign Language 1, is also a full class of 20 students who have chosen to enroll as their three-year language requirement as part of the Mount St. Mary Academy Academic Curriculum. 

Our students will experience a variety of hands-on learning opportunities with the local Deaf community throughout the school year. Thank you to friend of MSM, Mr. David Wantuck, for coming in to speak with our students about his work at SignWow USA, a prominent, Deaf-led organization focused on sign language accessibility. SignWow provides services such as remote American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, advocacy, and community resources.