Anxiety disorders affect nearly one in three adolescents aged 13-18, making it crucial for educators to recognize and understand their impact in the classroom. Students experiencing anxiety often struggle with persistent worry and physical symptoms such as headaches and stomachaches, which can lead to frequent absences and avoidance of school activities. These challenges extend beyond the classroom, significantly affecting academic performance, social relationships, and overall functioning. Recognizing the signs of anxiety and providing appropriate support can help prevent long-term consequences and ensure students have the foundation they need for healthy development, meaningful social connections, and academic success.
In recent SAIS pulse surveys, school counselors cited anxiety as the number one health and well-being issue impacting their students. More than half of academic support leaders identified social-emotional support (anxiety, stress, etc.) as the greatest student need over the past two years. Fifty-one percent of middle and upper school division administrators cited “attending to student anxiety and well-being” as one of the most significant challenges impacting their role.
School counselors shared the top five ways anxiety is manifesting among their students:
Below you’ll find resources and templates designed to help schools implement comprehensive anxiety support — from school-wide initiatives to individual classroom strategies — as educators work to recognize, understand, accommodate, and effectively support students experiencing anxiety.
Academic Support & Student Well-Being ConferenceFebruary 8-10, 2026 | Marriott Convention Center | Chattanooga, TN
Delve into the latest research on student well-being along with cutting-edge instructional strategies to empower every student in your school. This dynamic program equips all members of the student support team—academic support specialists, counselors, nurses, deans of student life, community and belonging practitioners, and athletic trainers—with best practices tailored to the unique environment of independent schools, ensuring you can inspire and support all students to reach their full potential.
