Health & Wellness
At Walnut Hill, we believe physical and mental wellness is a fundamental part of academic and artistic success.
To that end, we have many educational opportunities and resources available to help students make health and wellness a priority in support of their busy and full lives.
Walnut Hill Health Services include physical therapy and counseling services in addition to an on-campus Health Center open seven days a week and a medical professional on-call at all hours. All students benefit from workshops and classes by School Nurses and guest speakers throughout the year on topics such as nutrition, stress management, and healthy sleep schedules. Students are encouraged to make physical activity a part of their daily schedule, and to take advantage of our Fitness Center and many engaging group fitness classes throughout the year, from TRX to yoga.
Contact the Health Center
Phone: 508.650.5030
Fax: 508.650.5043
Movement & Wellness
The Fitness Center is located in the Academic and Technology Center (ATC) and is currently open to all students, faculty, and staff. Hours are posted each semester and updates are posted as needed. The Fitness Center currently has six pieces of cardio equipment, free weights, stability equipment, and a complete Nautilus trainer. For outdoor activities the Fitness Center has battle ropes, pop-up soccer nets, basketballs and other equipment that can be enjoyed by all. The Fitness Center coordinates a variety of classes each semester from Salsa dancing to Yoga and encourages students to enjoy life outside and off campus by coordinating nature walks and field trips to popular trampoline parks and indoor rock climbing gyms. The mission of the Fitness Center is to promote joyful and sustainable movement and mindfulness practices as a form of self-care that will support well-being over the lifespan.
Health Services
The School Nurse is available at the Health Center, which is centrally located on campus, Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 7:00pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 1:00pm. When the Health Center is closed, students can go to their Dorm Parents for health-related issues. All over-the-counter medications dispensed to students are recorded and reported to the Health Center. A medical professional is on-call at all hours when the Health Center is closed. Dorm Parents and the Administrator-on-Call may contact the medical professional as needed for medical guidance. A School Doctor is available as needed for student appointments. All appointments are billed through the student’s health insurance. Billing is completed by the provider’s office for insurance costs as well as appropriate co-payments not paid at the time of visits.
The School Nurse maintains the schedule of appointments. In the event of a medical emergency, a hospital with a pediatric emergency room is five miles from campus. Students must report to the School Nurse before their first class in order to be excused from classes. If a student falls ill during the night, she or he should see the Dorm Parent on duty to arrange for medical attention. A boarding student who is too ill to get to the Health Center in the morning should see the Dorm Parent on duty, send another student to alert the School Nurse, or call the Health Center at 508.650.5030. Students will not be excused after the fact; they must speak to the School Nurse before they miss a class.
In the event that a student is too sick to stay in the dormitory overnight, arrangements will be made by health services for the student to receive more closely monitored care. Parents are informed of any arrangements made if such a need arises. Costs, if any, would be the responsibility of the parent and billed to the student’s health insurance. If a day student begins to feel sick or is injured during the day, she or he must go see the School Nurse. The student is not excused to go home until the nurse has been able to contact the parents of the student.
Physical Therapy
Our unique student body of young artists often requires specialized care for injuries, symptoms of overuse, stress, and related problems. Physical therapy is available on campus, and homeopathic treatments, such as massage therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture, can be arranged through the Health Center as needed. These health professionals work with students in maintaining their levels of performance and educate them about injury prevention. Parents are notified when a student is referred to one of these providers. Additionally, Walnut Hill students receive priority appointments at the Children’s Hospital Sports Medicine Clinic. Use of these services incurs additional costs.
Counseling Services
The School Counselor provides individual personal support and also serves as the liaison for outside professional counseling for students. The School Counselor’s office is located on the second floor of the Health Center, with hours posted at the beginning of the year. The School Counselor works closely with students and their parents; standard rules of professional confidentiality apply in the counselor’s conversations with students. The School Counselor maintains a referral list of mental health providers and will arrange care as needed or requested. Use of these providers incurs additional cost.