Health and Well-Being Center and Services

Under construction during the 2025-2026 school year, Proctor’s new Health and Well-Being Center will provide comprehensive and integrated health care addressing the mental, emotional, and physical health needs of the Proctor community. Located at the heart of campus, The Health and Well-Being Center will provide a nurturing and inviting space to house all integrated health services, individual and group counseling, and well-being programming. The Health and Well-Being Center provides a space that empowers students with the tools and resources needed to achieve optimal health and well-being while tackling the challenges of adolescence, leading to increased resilience, self-awareness, and success in their lives both within and outside of the Proctor community.

Health and Well-Being Center Features:

Increased overall health center square footage from 2,200 to 7,500 square feet.
Large, open “Living Room” to welcome and provide a comfortable space for students.
Expanded nurses station to support multiple students during busy times.
Enlarged kitchen and servery, enhanced overnight nurses quarters and laundry facilities.
Eight single patient rooms.
Modernized, private medical treatment spaces for visiting physicians and healthcare providers.
Addition of dedicated 3,000 square foot Counseling Center, “The Robin’s Nest”, named for late counselor, Robin Mayer.
Community Well-Being Activity Room for classes, yoga/meditation, and small group meetings.
Two dedicated “Decompression” or Relaxation Rooms where students can recenter and refocus during the day.
Three dedicated private counseling spaces with a warm, welcoming waiting area.
Office and meeting space for the Chief Medical Officer, Directors and Staff to collaborate.

Foundational Care for Today’s Teenagers

Alexandra Shor, MD, P’25, ‘28 shared at the groundbreaking ceremony for Proctor’s Health and Well-Being Center on May 30, 2025:

Today’s groundbreaking isn’t just about a building - it’s about a new way of thinking. It’s about how we, as a community, choose to prioritize the well-being of our adolescents - not just their academic and athletic success, but their emotional, mental, and physical health. As a physician, a parent, and a trustee, I have seen up close the complexity of adolescent development at this time in history. We are in the midst of a mental health crisis that’s affecting young people in every corner of society. Rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm have skyrocketed, and boarding schools like Proctor are being asked to do more than ever before and rather than shrinking from that responsibility, today Proctor steps forward. This center will be a place where support is embraced, not stigmatized. Where students can access timely, compassionate, integrated care. Where we recognize that learning doesn’t happen in isolation from health. I am especially interested in what will happen inside this building and all around campus. While the structure will be spectacular, it’s the programming, the conversations, the daily practices, and the relationships it supports that will transform lives. What we build into our culture is what our students will carry forward. This is about aligning with science. Neuroscience and psychology tell us that adolescents thrive when they feel connected and understood. This center is a commitment to building an environment that fosters those conditions. It is also a recognition that well-being is not a luxury or an add-on. It is foundational. I am so grateful to be part of this community that isn’t afraid to evolve, to question the old models, and to do what’s right even when it’s hard. To every student who will walk through the doors of this building in the years ahead: I hope you feel seen. I hope you feel supported. And I hope you know that your health, your whole health, matters deeply to us.

Health Center

Proctor’s Health Center is a five bed facility licensed by the State of New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services, staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by a registered nurse. The Health Center is overseen by Dr. Sarah Lester, M.D our Medical Director. Her primary location is at New London Pediatric Care Center, 273 County Road, New London, New Hampshire 03257, and her office phone number is (603) 526-5363. Proctor's Health Center phone number is (603) 735-6737 and the fax number is (603) 735-6306. Sue Norris, R.N. is our Director of the Health Center.

Health Center Policies

Prescription Medications

Students taking prescription medications must keep their medicines at the Health Center to be administered by the nurse. Prescriptions may be mailed to the Health Center or filled at a local pharmacy. Prescriptions filled at this local pharmacy will be delivered on Monday - Friday to the Health Center. The Health Center encourages parents to keep a supply of their child's prescription medication at home for school vacations. During the school year, all prescription medications must be mailed to the attention of the Health Center and not your child. Parental permission is required for students under the age of 18 to transport his/her prescription medication home. For further clarification regarding the management of student medications, please refer to our medication policy.

Confidentiality

Health Center personnel will maintain confidentiality of all health-related information within its care, except mandatory reporting or when the safety of a student or others is at risk. For example, Proctor teachers, advisors, coaches, and dorm parents will be made aware, on a need to know basis, of illnesses or injuries that affect a student's ability to safely participate in classes or other activities.

Doctor's Appointments

Dr. Sarah Lester, M.D., Proctor’s Medical Director, will coordinate a visit to New London Pediatrics in New London, NH, if necessary. Dr. Lester's office will bill each student's insurance directly for these visits and any uncovered charges are billed directly home. Dr. Lester also sees students during weekly clinics for medication management and other medical issues held at the Health Center for which Proctor accounts are charged a $35 fee.

We strongly encourage students to complete routine health care while at home. However, orthodontic, dental, ophthalmological, physical therapy, and chiropractic services can be arranged locally upon request. School approved drivers transport students who require medical services off campus, and the charges for transportation are billed to the student account.

Health Insurance

Students are required to carry medical insurance. Parents should review their health insurance policies to ensure appropriate away from home coverage. Please note that out of state Medicaid is not valid in New Hampshire. Student insurance is available to both domestic and international students from an independent agency and may be purchased through the Health Center. Domestic boarding students will be provided a Major Accident insurance plan at no cost to the family. To ensure proper billing, a copy of the student's current health insurance card must be maintained in the Health Center.

Hospitals Nearby

Injuries While at School

In the case of a serious injury, all attempts are made to have a Proctor adult accompany the student to the hospital. If this is not feasible, a school approved driver will transport the student. If the student requires transportation by ambulance, a Proctor adult shall meet the student at the hospital as soon as possible and return the student to the Health Center, as needed, upon discharge, unless hospital admission is required.

Reporting Laws

Sex Education

Proctor Academy does not condone intimate sexual activity. However, we are aware that students will make their own decisions about sexual intimacy. Reproductive healthcare for students is accessible through the Health Center. The Health Center staff provides counseling and information about all options and choices regarding reproductive healthcare and prevention of sexually transmitted disease. Students are encouraged to discuss their choices with their parents. Referrals to medical offices or Family Planning clinics outside of Proctor Academy are made for those who seek services. Students may also access them independently. Condoms are available in the Health Center for prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Mental Health and Counseling Services

A student's integrated support system at Proctor includes their advisor, Learning Specialist, dorm parent, coach, and teachers. This group of trusting adults surrounds each student with the adult relationships critical to navigating adolescence. As part of Proctor's Student Health and Well-Being program, we provide our student body with both 1:1 mental health counseling as well as provide access to support groups led by our mental health professionals working in conjunction with the school's Chief Medical Officer, Student Health and Wellness Coordinator and Health Center staff.

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