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Boarding Supports
Circle of Care
Branksome Hall has a deep commitment to supporting the mental health and well-being of our students and uses a “Circle of Care” model when supporting young people to manage their mental and physical health.
This Circle of Care is an interdisciplinary approach that includes the student, members of the Boarding Team, Branksome Hall Nursing Staff and Branksome Hall Social Workers, as required. Other trusted adults, such as parents and guardians, teachers and School Counsellors, may also be included at the discretion of the Director of Boarding.
Being part of Boarding means we are part of the Branksome Hall community. Each of us must take all necessary steps to stay well and consistently protect ourselves and each other. To ensure the health and safety of community members and provide everyone on campus with a reasonable sense of security, we must all agree—and know that everyone else on campus has agreed—to take responsibility for our own health.
These guidelines and protocols, based on our Branksome values of Inclusiveness and Sense of Community, may be modified throughout the year based on the needs of the community. Branksome Hall abides by health and safety regulations put forward by Toronto Public Health, as well as the advice of the Branksome Hall Health Centre team.
Boarding Support
Boarding Advisors
The Boarding Team is a professional and caring group of adults who are experienced in the areas of residential living and the development of young people.
Contact email: boarding@branksome.on.ca
Health Centre: Nurse & Physician Support
All Boarding students will have an individual appointment with a School Nurse within the first two weeks of school to assess their health-care needs and to review their medical records. The Nurse must be notified of all medication being taken and any major past or ongoing medical concerns so that we can best support each student.
The Health Centre has partnered with the WELL Health Clinic to provide the Boarding community with access to physician assessment and care, as needed. Necessary appointments can be booked through the Health Centre and the Boarding Team.
Note: If an appointment is booked and missed, a cancellation fee will be applied to the student’s account.
Parents and Local Guardians
The Boarding Team partners with parents to help their child learn to advocate for their own needs. We encourage Boarders to work together respectfully to resolve issues and seek guidance and assistance from a Boarding Team member if they require additional support. If your child is encountering a complex issue, please contact the Director of Boarding to discuss strategies.
Responsibilities of Local Guardians
Branksome Hall requires each family to provide the contact information for local guardians in Ontario who can host your child in the event of illness, which could include accompanying the student to medical appointments or hospital visits for their physical and mental health or if there is a school closure. Boarding will be closed over the December and March breaks, so you must have a plan for where your child will spend that time if they are unable to return home. You will need to have a guardian who meets our criteria:
- Over the age of 25
- Able to care for your child in the event of illness as described above
- Able to collect your child within three hours of notification
- Located within three hours of Branksome Hall
If you are unable to provide someone, we can connect you to an organization that provides guardianship services. Please contact us if this is an issue.
Local contacts and guardians must act as “in loco parentis” (which means “in place of a parent”) for Boarding students, including:
- Providing supervision and accommodation for illness as described above or disciplinary matters if either requires that the student live off-campus.
- Providing supervision and accommodation during school closures, should the student be unable to return home to their family.
- Providing transportation to and from the airport, as required for travel during school closures or long weekend trips.
- Assisting with documentation such as visas and student permits for all travel that is not sponsored by Branksome Hall.
- Providing storage during the summer for returning students, as needed. Returning Boarding students are permitted to leave two boxes, provided by Branksome Hall, over the summer. All students are required to sign a summer release form acknowledging that Branksome Hall is not responsible for any lost or damaged contents.