FAQ: Health + Safety
EXPLO Health and Safety
EXPLO health and safety is grounded in our 1 : 7 staff-to-student ratio. With personal advisors, 24/7 health services, and support at every turn, you can rest easy while your tween or teen lives it up.
Is there a nurse on-site?
Yes! Our on-campus health center is staffed 24/7 by registered nurses dedicated solely to EXPLO students. Thanks to EXPLO’s 1 : 7 staff-to-student ratio, an Advisor can walk them over if desired.
What happens if a student gets sick?
If a student feels ill, they can go directly to the on-campus health center, which is staffed 24/7 by registered nurses dedicated solely to EXPLO students. A staff member can also accompany them if desired. The nurses treat minor issues, dispense any prescription or over-the-counter meds on file, and let students rest in a quiet room until they’re ready to rejoin activities.
For anything beyond the center’s scope, an EXPLO staff member accompanies the student to our partner pediatrics practices or nearby clinic or hospital, and we contact parents right away. Thanks to EXPLO’s 1 : 7 staff-to-student ratio, someone checks in often, delivers meals, etc. Students typically don’t take long to recover.
How do I send medication with my child?
EXPLO health and safety include safe practices for medication. Please register all medications through the appropriate health forms on the Dashboard before the summer. Medications will be administered through the Health Office. You can find more information in our Health and Medical Guide.
What health forms, immunizations, or insurance do I need for EXPLO?
Once enrolled, you will receive detailed information about the EXPLO health and safety processes. In the meantime, you can find more information in our Health and Medical Guide.
My child is traveling as an unaccompanied minor. Will you pick them up at the airport?
Yes. EXPLO runs a staffed shuttle from Boston Logan (BOS) on the official arrival/departure days. If your airline requires your child to fly as an Unaccompanied Minor (UM), EXPLO will register a staff member as the pick-up/hand-off adult, meet your child at the gate, escort them to campus, and reverse the process on departure.
Fees: $100 each way for the standard airport shuttle + an additional $150 UM surcharge per leg for unaccompanied minors. You must:
- Pay the airline’s UM fee in advance and list the EXPLO contact on the UM form.
- Submit EXPLO’s Arrival & Departure forms with the flight details by the stated deadline.
Because UM procedures add time at the airport, EXPLO recommends using the service only when mandated by your airline’s age rules.
What safety and security measures are in place on campus?
EXPLO layers safety into every aspect of the experience. Together, these layers create a secure environment where students can explore widely—and parents can breathe easily.
- Unmatched support: A 1:7 staff-to-student ratio and two live-in Resident Advisors on every hall mean caring adults are always close by.
- Round-the-clock medical care: A dedicated, on-campus health center is staffed by registered nurses 24/7, with Student Life staff trained to spot and respond to issues early.
- Daily accountability: Program-wide check-ins happen throughout the day. All program administrators live on campus. A well-supervised staff is a key to well-supervised students. Final check-ins for the day are at 9:15 p.m. A 10:15 p.m. room curfew ensures every student is safe, settled, and accounted for before lights-out. EXPLO also has a very close working relationship with the supportive Wellesley College police and safety department.
- Trained trip escorts: Whether it’s whale-watching or a museum run, staff accompany all off-campus adventures and handle transportation logistics.
Do you share space with anyone else on campus?
No. We have dedicated space on the Wellesley College campus that’s used just by us. Your children are safe and accounted for at EXPLO.
How does EXPLO keep students safe when there are safety concerns at college campuses?
EXPLO coordinates closely with Wellesley College Police, so if the campus issues an emergency alert—fire, severe-weather, shelter-in-place, etc.—staff receive the same real-time texts, emails, and public-address notices that go to college students. They immediately move to a camp-wide plan that spells out next steps. EXPLO also conducts fire drills each session and conducts pre-season crisis training with administrators.
Inside the residence halls, two live-in RAs and a 1:7 staff-to-student ratio let EXPLO run rapid roster checks; key-card doors secure each building, and Wellesley officers patrol 24/7. A dedicated health center stays open round-the-clock for medical support.
Who will be in class with the students? Will there be college students present?
What kind of supervision is provided?
EXPLO surrounds students with caring adults 24/7. A 1 : 7 staff-to-student ratio means mentors are always close; each dorm floor has two live-in Resident Advisors, while instructors lead workshops and clubs. There’s a dedicated Student Life team, and registered nurses staff the on-site health center round-the-clock. Staff chaperone every off-campus trip, nightly check-in, and curfew.
Are students allowed to leave campus on their own?
No. Residential students stay on campus unless they’re on an EXPLO-run trip. Every off-site adventure—museum runs, Boston excursions, Six Flags, etc.—is planned and chaperoned by staff. Day students have specific sign-in and pick-up windows (4:30 p.m. regular, 8:45 p.m. after evening events) and check in with advisors, but they don’t roam solo either. With a 1 : 7 staff-to-student ratio and trip chaperones, EXPLO always knows exactly where every student is.
Trips into Wellesley Square are offered during Flex Time in the afternoons. Students can sign up to walk into town to get ice cream, shop, or eat dinner as part of a group. They are not permitted to walk alone. While they're in the square, they can walk around freely within the boundaries set by EXPLO. EXPLO staff are located along the way as well as in town.
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