Health and Wellness

EA's school nurses, athletic trainers, and mental health counselors are dedicated to the holistic health needs of students.

In collaboration with the Marple Newtown School District, EA provides mandated health programs required by the State of Pennsylvania. The district provides part-time nursing services for the implementation of these programs. The Academy provides daily nursing coverage during school hours. Athletic trainers provide evaluation and first aid of sports injuries until the end of daily sports programs. Mental health professionals work directly with students, faculty, and families to support the mental health of the EA community.

Physical Health Services

Our school nurses and athletic trainers help ensure the physical health and safety of our students during the school day and at athletic events. Contact a nurse or trainer below.

Laura Hurst, CRNP, MSN

Director of Health Services
Middle/Upper School Nurse
email | 484-424-1442

Sheila Garrity, RN, BSN

Lower School Nurse
email | 484-424-1434

Maria Kokol, RN, BSN

School Nurse
email | 484-424-1551

V.J. Crouse

Associate Athletic Trainer
email | 484-424-1418

Julia Vollmer

Associate Athletic Trainer
email | 484-424-1417

Mental Health Services

EA's on-campus Lower, Middle, and Upper School mental health professionals provide individual and group counseling support to address social, emotional, and behavioral needs. This includes responding to mental-health crises that may arise; working collaboratively with students, families, faculty, chaplains, nurses and administrators; and serving as the EA liaison with external professionals working with EA students. Mental health professionals also assist the school’s learning specialists in interpreting psycho-educational evaluations and generating education plans for students.

EA Mental Health and Counseling Resources

Dr. Paul Anderson, PsyD

Lower School Psychologist
email | 484-424-1509

Colleen Tate

Mrs. Colleen Tate, LPC

Middle School Psychologist
email

Mrs. Caroline Graham, LCSW

Upper School Counselor
email | 484-424-1522

Anna Morrow

Upper School Counselor
email | 484-424-1518

Illness Guidelines

Help keep EA healthy! Check out our guide below on when to keep your child home, and when it's safe to return to school. If you have any questions, please reach out to our nursing staff.

Keeping your child home

Keep your child at home if any of these conditions exist:

Temperature of 100 degrees or more within the past 24 hours (without Tylenol or other anti-fever medication)
Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
When strep is suspected, but the results of a throat culture are not yet known.
A positive throat culture for strep (a student should be on antibiotic treatment for 24 hours before returning to school)
Any symptoms of acute illness such as persistent cough or runny nose accompanied by body aches
A red eye with crust, mucous, or excessive tearing (until diagnosed by a physician and treated with medication for 24 hours if "pink eye")
Any skin lesion with honey-brown crusts (until diagnosed by a physician and treated with medication for 24 hours if "impetigo")
Skin lesion: A mildly itchy ring shaped pink patch with a scaly, raised border and a clear center (until diagnosed by a physician and treated with antifungal cream if "ringworm")
Any rash (unless determined to be non-communicable by physician)
If your child requires any medication for pain stronger than Tylenol or Ibuprofen, they should not attend school.

These guidelines will help parents determine if a child should attend school or other activities. Your child should look and behave like him/herself for 24 to 48 hours before returning to school: A sick child who returns to school too soon is at risk for picking up other infections due to lowered immunity. Additionally, a child who is still sick is likely to infect other students and staff.

Please notify the school if your child develops any communicable condition such as strep throat, chickenpox, pinworm, and head lice.

Returning to School

Chickenpox: May return six days after the last crop of vesicles, and vesicles must be crusted.
Fifth Disease: Children with fifth disease are not excluded from school. However, parents should notify the school nurse.
German Measles, Measles, Mumps, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Pertussis, and Meningitis: Require a physician's note to return to school.
Head Lice: Students may return when appropriately treated with a pediculocide (see below).

Remind your child about frequent hand washing. It is the most effective means of preventing the spread of communicable disease.

Head Lice

If a student has head lice, he or she may return when appropriately treated with a pediculicide. Your child's school nurse is a valuable resource in the prevention and treatment of head lice. No pediculocide is 100% effective; therefore, removal of all nits is essential to prevent reinfestation. Please notify the school nurse if your child has been treated for head lice.

It is advisable for parents to check their child's hair for head lice weekly. Learn more.

Food Allergies

Many children have food allergies. Please report all food allergies to the Nurse’s Office so we may create an individualized care plan for each student with an allergy. The Episcopal Academy is not a nut-free school; however, compliance to the following guidelines is expected:

No peanut or nut products should be brought to school for bake sales, class snacks, parties, and bus trips.
When an individual food allergy care plan is in place, students and parents are expected to adhere to the plan.
Encourage your student not to share food with their friends.

For more information on food allergies and anaphylaxis, access The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network at foodallergy.org

AEDs on Campus

Automated External Defibrillators (AED) POLICY

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a lifesaving device that is used to restart the heart of a sudden cardiac arrest victim. Children, as well as adults, may fall victim to this life threatening arrhythmia.

DOWNLOAD THE AED MAP

The Episcopal Academy has nine AEDs on campus in the following locations:

Welcome Center at front of campus near baseball field
Lower School, Main Lobby
Academic Center, first floor Science Hall
Crawford Campus Center, outside of Theater
Chapel, main sanctuary
Dixon Athletic Center, outside of wrestling office
Tennis Pavilion
Athletic Trainers (two; mobile)

AEDs are kept in unlocked cabinets while the buildings are open. AEDs are recommended for trained personnel, but can be used by any willing first responder. Our school nurses, athletic trainers, and the majority of our employees are certified to use the AEDs. Certification of additional faculty and staff is ongoing.

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