The St. Anthony School and Anxiety

What is it?

Anxiety is explained as feeling excessively frightened, uneasy, distressed, or worried in a given situation where others would not feel this way. Many students are experiencing anxiety in regards to attending school after the Covid 19 pandemic. Students with school anxiety may have trouble focusing in class or completing assignments, avoid certain social situations, or miss school due to physical symptoms such as nausea, rapid breathing, or an elevated pulse.

The St. Anthony Approach

The St. Anthony School provides a specially designed program in order to support students experiencing school anxiety. Staff members at The St. Anthony School are trained professionals in working with students with anxiety, and they understand that a student’s emotional well-being must be in place before learning can occur. Each classroom was developed to encourage low sensory stimulation, and there are multiple sensory rooms and monitored common areas where students can choose to spend their time. The St. Anthony School uses selective diagnostics to determine appropriate academic placement for each student on campus. When students are in a safe and appropriate academic environment, their potential for growth is unlimited.

Academic and Emotional Accommodations and Modifications

Students with anxiety are offered many accommodations in order to create the most successful learning environment. These accommodations are built into daily routines so as to not single out any one student. Trained support staff are available to meet with students when they are feeling anxious, and they encourage the student to use individual coping strategies in order to develop self-regulation skills. Students are encouraged to self-advocate and take a break from a situation that is overwhelming by asking for time in a sensory room, outside, or in another common area.

The St. Anthony School utilizes a consistent daily schedule so all students experience a predictable routine with built in transition times to calmly switch from one activity to another. Students with anxiety will be given advance notice if there is an upcoming change to the schedule (i.e.- field trip, school assembly, etc.) In the classroom, students are provided a seat where they feel most comfortable to encourage a stress-free environment. Classroom expectations and instructions are clearly stated by teachers and written down for visual reminders as well. Assignments may be broken down into smaller sections to reduce stress and anxiety.

Modifications alter the curriculum given to a student. If a student is suffering from anxiety in the classroom, he or she may not be performing to his or her highest potential due to the overwhelming symptoms that are being experienced. The St. Anthony School staff are trained to see the difference between a learning disability and school anxiety. A student with anxiety may start with a modified curriculum until they are comfortable in the setting, then he or she will be placed in the appropriate academic class for his or her abilities.

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