St. Thomas Aquinas School is a K-8 school, located in urban Indianapolis. The enrollment consists of 219 students from a multitude of cultural and economic backgrounds. St. Thomas Aquinas prides itself on its academic excellence, and was recently awarded the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence.

The Learning Disabilities Resource Program has been in existence for over 20 years. It began as a part time program, which has since developed into a program with two full time teachers. The program serves students with a variety of learning challenges. 15% of the student body have Individual Educational Plans (IEP’s) written with the assistance of local public schools. Leaning challenges which have been identified include Dyslexia, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Aphasia, Attachment Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, Autism, Visual Impairment, Bi-Polar Disorder, and Auditory Processing Disorder.

Students are served in a variety of ways, depending on individual needs. Some of the strategies used are small group reading and math instruction, direct instruction in study skills, organization, and social skills, support groups for various disabilities, sound therapy, and regular teacher/parent communication. Orton Gillingham Multisensory Instruction, Lindamood Bell Visualization/Verbalization, and Samonas Sound Therapy are all research-based methods that are employed. Gospel values provide a foundation for all strategies that are used.

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