The St Anthony School and Mood Disorders

What are Mood Disorders, and how do they affect students?

A mood disorder is explained as a person’s emotional state being negatively affected and disrupting his or her ability to function appropriately in day to day activities.  The main types of mood disorders are Bipolar Disorder, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) and Depressive Disorder. Students with a mood disorder may present as extremely sad, depressed, or have a flat affect, or experience cycles of depression and excessive happiness (mania). A mood disorder may affect a child in school through anger outbursts, attention problems, struggles with peer relationships, and time spent out of the classroom.

The St. Anthony School Approach to Mood Disorders

The St. Anthony School provides a specially designed program in order to support students with mood disorders. Staff members at The St. Anthony School are trained professionals in working with students with mood disorders, 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 mood disorders at The St. Anthony School are offered many accommodations in order to create a learning environment tailored to their specific needs.  These accommodations are built into daily routines so as to not single out any one student. Support staff at The St. Anthony School are knowledgeable in the warning signs of a mood disorder potential outburst, and they work proactively in order to give aid to students before an extreme episode occurs.  Students are encouraged to self-advocate and take a break when they begin feeling stressed, frustrated, sad, or too energetic. Teachers at The St. Anthony School understand the symptoms of mood disorders and are sensitive to the student’s needs. Extra time to complete assignments, working in a different learning environment, and one-on-one tutoring sessions are all accommodations given to students with mood disorders at The St. Anthony School. 

Modifications alter the curriculum given to a student. If a student is suffering from symptoms of a mood disorder, he or she may not be performing to his or her highest potential. The St. Anthony School staff are trained to see the difference between a learning disability and a mood disorder. A student with a mood disorder 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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