Ethel Walker School
At the heart of the mission of The Ethel Walker School is a commitment to the health and wellness of our community. Here, an active lifestyle is encouraged.
Students begin learning about self care beginning in Middle School with the curriculum continuing through a sophomore seminar in women’s health and a self defense class in senior year. The wellness curriculum is offered through seminars on topics including study skills and adolescent development and it is enhanced by special events and assemblies on related topics including body image, self defense, and college readiness.
Fresh and nutritious foods are offered daily in our on-campus dining facility and all students are welcome to eat their meals in Abra’s Dining Hall during the school week as well as on weekends. Students are required to participate in a co-curricular activity each season lending opportunities for exercise, fun, and relaxation while building new skills. An academic advisor is assigned to each student who monitors academic progress as well as her social and emotional wellbeing.
Whether you live close by or far away, it is important to know that someone is here for your daughter when she is not feeling well, requires medication, or has health-related questions.
The Health Center is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. An on-call nurse is available for emergencies or urgent care situations at other times.
Our Health Center facility is easily accessible on the bottom floor of the Centennial Center and within close proximity to sports facilities and the training room. There is a large reception area with comfy furniture where staff talks with students to get an idea of their needs. This is also the area where daily medications are dispensed; our treatment room resembles a doctor’s office and allows for student privacy.
There are four single-bedrooms for students requiring overnight stays or an area to rest, three of which have their own full bathroom. There is an additional full bath with a therapeutic tub off the hallway and a kitchen is available to supply light meals when students are staying in the Health Center for longer periods of time. Both day and boarding students can stay if they are feeling ill during the class day and overnight coverage is available for boarding students when the situation requires constant nursing care. The Health Center follows the regulations from the State for admission to overnight care.
Most over-the-counter medications are available for day and boarding students at no additional charge making it convenient for students to access what they need without interrupting their school day. Medications that are required on a daily basis must be cleared by the nursing staff and a written statement from the prescribing physician is required. Boarding students are allowed certain over the counter meds in their rooms as long as it has been cleared by the Health Center. Most prescription drugs are kept in the Health Center per state regulations. Each fall, on-site administration of the flu shot is offered to those students who have permission from their parent or guardian.
The Health Center is also the site for “Ms. Mac’s” classroom, which is where she teaches Women’s Health and Culture to all tenth grade girls. In addition to learning about their bodies, students are certified in American Red Cross Adult/Child CPR, First Aid, and use of the Automatic External Defibrillator as part of our Capabilities Approach Program.
Director of Health Services
"What I like most about working at Walker's is the opportunity to work with the adolescent population. Our girls are bright, outgoing and talented young people."
Learn MoreThe Counseling Center, located in the Constance Lavino Bell Library, serves as a resource for students who are in need of emotional support for any personal struggles they may face during the school year. Recognizing that adolescence can be a time of difficult transitions, the Counseling Center offers wellness programming, individual counseling, workshops and group meetings for students, and consultation services for parents. In addition, inservice training is conducted for faculty and staff. All of our services are provided without charge. Parental/guardian permission or notification by the School is not needed for a student to meet with the school counselor. Meetings with a counselor are confidential except in cases where the student’s own health and safety, or that of another person, is in jeopardy.
Activities are organized for students which provide stress relief including meditation, therapy dog visits, and exam week stress busters. Students may visit with our counselors in the offices located inside the Constance Lavino Bell Library in an area that provides privacy.
Director of Counseling and Wellness
Kristen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with adolescents and their families. She holds an M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy and has advanced training in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
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Lisa Fichandler
Nurse (PT)
Lisa Fichandler
Annie Keating-Scherer
Counseling and Wellness Educator
Annie Keating-Scherer
Joyce McIntyre P'92
Director of Health Services
Joyce McIntyre P'92
Kristen Myshrall
Director of Counseling and Wellness
Kristen Myshrall
Kristen is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with adolescents and their families. She obtained her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Central Connecticut State University and has advanced training in TFCBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), IFS (Internal Family Systems), and DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy). Before joining Walker’s, Kristen worked in as a clinician in an outpatient clinic, as well as in a middle and high school. She transitioned to residential life as a therapist, and then a clinical director, of a therapeutic group home for adolescent females. Additionally, she has experience working with people experiencing homelessness and young adults with severe and persistent mental illness. Kristen is passionate about working with adolescents who have experienced trauma, are experiencing school related stress, LGBTQIA+ related issues/concerns, family difficulties, anxiety, depression, complex mental illness, suicidal ideation, those involved in DMST (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking), and those engaging in injurious behaviors. Prior to becoming a therapist, Kristen received a B.S. in Marine Science from Eckerd College, M.S. in Geology from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in Geoscience from UConn. She was a professor of Geoscience at UConn and conducted research across the global, which led to multiple publications and presentations. A desire to work more in depth with students led to a change in careers. Kristen is thrilled to return to an academic setting to provide mental health support to students.
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Dara Joy Neiman
Nurse
Dara Joy Neiman
