Health & Well-Being

A core team of staff members works with local providers to provide mental health support:

• Ongoing walk-in availability for students to talk with a team member

• Crisis intervention and/or management

• Treatment planning

• Short-term counseling

• Referrals to area therapists, advanced practice registered nurses, nutritionists, and more if further intervention is needed

The Mental Health and Wellness Committee is a tremendous opportunity for you to not only have a positive impact on your classmates’ lives, but on the entire Canterbury community. Composed wholly of students with guidance from Director of Counseling Cynthia Willmen, L.P.C., the committee focuses on awareness and support. It works to educate the campus on mental health topics that interest students and seeks to decrease the stigma and normalize the conversation around mental health. Committee members periodically invite students to speak with them and share information about available resources. The ongoing goal is to continue building and advancing a community in which everyone feels comfortable finding help from people they trust—and Canterbury is filled with such people.

Canterbury School maintains a safe, secure campus at all times:

• We have a diligent Security Department watching over our community, and it is everyone’s shared responsibility to foster a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Specific policies and procedures are provided and followed, and emergency protocols are tested on a regular basis through safety drills and mass notifications.

• All dorms have building access control systems installed.

• A School Safety Committee meets quarterly and as needed to review and consider safety and risk management matters.

• The New Milford Police Department is less than one mile from campus.

• New Milford is a safe, peaceful town with crime rates significantly lower than the national average.

Each student has a faculty advisor who is a key link between the School and the family: 

• The boarding student’s advisor often lives in his or her dormitory; the day student’s advisor typically teaches or coaches the student.

• In addition to providing guidance on academic matters, advisors offer personal support and encouragement.

• The faculty advisor receives correspondence from teachers, coaches, activities advisors, and dorm parents about a student’s performance.

• The Donovan Center for Learning also tracks the academic progress of the students. Advisors receive all official reports that parents receive.