West Essex senior presents independent study on PANDAS, offers classroom strategies

Ryder Sable, a West Essex High School senior, presented his independent study in child and developmental psychology to the Board on April 13, describing research on Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and practical classroom supports.

"I started out delving deeper into the units of the AP Psychology curriculum...and applied them to a specific disorder," Sable said, explaining that he used psychological theories to better understand how PANDAS may present and how teachers can support affected students. He described delivering a 30‑minute presentation to the district’s CSD team, answering questions and providing a handout for staff.

Sable said the work included two months of research and in‑class outreach to aide understanding and support strategies for classroom implementation. A staff member who attended the CSD session praised the presentation as a strong professional‑development experience and said participants stayed after the session to ask questions.

The presentation was informational and part of the board’s student‑work showcase; no policy or budget action was attached to the item.