Health Centre, Immunizations and Illness

Health Centre
The Health Centre is located on the main floor of Ainslie House; a registered nurse (RN) is on campus Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and available on-call for Boarding students evenings and weekends.

If a student is too ill to attend class during the day, the student should inform their teacher and proceed to the School Main Reception, where the student will sign out and obtain a permission slip for the Health Centre. The Health Centre nurse will assess and care for the student until they are well enough to return to class.

When they are ready to return to class, the student must sign back in at the Senior School Main Reception and proceed to class with the completed Health Centre Admit Slip. If the student is too ill to return to class, the nurse will make arrangements for the student to spend additional time in one of the Health Centres, be seen by the school doctor or an off-campus doctor, or contact a local parent or guardian for the student to recuperate off campus if available. If a student is too ill to live in Boarding, the Director of Boarding will contact the student’s family to make alternate arrangements.

When feeling ill, no student should leave the school or stay out of class without speaking to a staff member. Boarding will remain open during the school day to supervise students engaged in virtual classes. Boarding Students who are feeling ill must inform the Boarding Advisor, who will then call the Health Centre, and the student will stay under the care of the school nurse for a period of 24-72 hours.

All families are required to provide the school with their child’s most recent health information, report allergies and other health concerns. New Boarding families must also provide a full physical examination for their child. It is very important that your child’s health records be updated whenever there is a change to their health status. Returning students do not need to complete a yearly physical; however, they do need to meet with the school nurse to review their medical history and discuss any updates. The Student Health Information Form is accessible on the Portal.

Toronto Public Health requires that every student’s immunization records be kept up-to-date. They have the legal right to suspend from school students who are in violation of these rules and the school must comply. Parents can call the Toronto Public Health Immunization Hotline at 416-392-1250 with any questions or updated immunization information.

International Student Medical Insurance

All international students attending Branksome Hall must have medical insurance while in Canada. If the student is not an Ontario resident covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), they must obtain coverage with Branksome Hall’s insurance provider, Johnson Fu Insurance Agency. The coverage will begin upon arrival to Toronto (including the quarantine period). Please advise Boarding of the arrival date / time to Toronto.

Other forms of medical insurance, excluding OHIP, are not accepted. This health insurance plan provides comprehensive coverage for your child’s medical needs and the school nurse will help to submit all medical claims with the provider. The annual cost of this coverage is approximately $900, charged to your school account in the fall.