Student Safety

Throughout the school year, SYA provides students with information and guidance to promote healthy and safe practices while living and traveling abroad. This guidance ranges from the importance of monitoring local news reports and being aware of travel delays, to conduct that minimizes unwarranted attention while traveling. In addition, SYA ensures that students have a phone with a local number so that they are always reachable and can communicate in the event of an emergency.

In the event of an emergency, SYA reaches out to parents through email or phone call. It is imperative that parents ensure that SYA knows how to reach them at all times throughout the year. If parents are traveling or are away from home, they should notify their child’s RD and provide contact information. The RD will act in loco parentis if parents cannot be reached in an emergency, but will make every effort to contact parents first. In addition, parents can call the RD at any hour on his/her cell phone in the case of an emergency.

Upon arrival in the host country, all SYA students are registered with the U.S. State Department through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which will facilitate direct communication provided by the U.S. Embassy in the event of a crisis. SYA is in regular contact with the U.S. Consul in the local area, and we receive alerts and updates from the U.S. Embassy in the host country. As a parent you may sign up via step.state.gov/step to monitor safety conditions for specific destination(s) overseas and receive the latest email alerts as they are posted on travel.state.gov. This is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

In addition, parents are strongly encouraged to discuss with their child the importance of following the policies and rules established by SYA in the Student-Parent Handbook, as they are meant to provide a safe, rigorous, culturally-rich, joyful and healthy experience for all students.

Medical assistance is readily available in all SYA host cities. The Resident Director or assistant will arrange routine medical appointments as needed and will implement established protocols to respond to any medical emergencies that may arise, including those requiring evacuation. Each SYA campus keeps on file all the medical information provided by each student’s family and physician.

The Resident Director will notify parents as soon as possible whenever a student suffers a significant injury or serious illness. SYA does not allow elective surgery such as the extraction of wisdom teeth without parents' authorization. Even in an emergency, SYA makes every effort to contact parents or others they designate before proceeding with surgery or other treatment. During the enrollment process, parents are required to sign a medical consent form allowing SYA to arrange for appropriate care in case parents cannot be reached.

SYA does not employ mental health counselors onsite, but has a contract with The Truman Group to provide individual counseling for students via video conferencing, while overseas. These services include communication with parents and doctors back home. The Truman Group also provides school-wide support and/or training as determined by the Resident Director. If a student wishes to access other options, SYA will help arrange appointments with local mental health professionals if available. Please note that access to English-speaking mental health professionals is significantly more limited than at home, and sometimes altogether unavailable.

Another option some students have found effective is to continue counseling via video-conference with their mental health professional from home.

SYA purchases health insurance for all students that covers most medical expenses incurred outside the United States, during the SYA school year. It also includes coverage for emergency evacuation. The policy does not cover pre‐existing treatment received in the U.S., and coverage for pre‐existing conditions is limited. If payment is required, students are expected to pay at the time of service; parents may subsequently submit their claim(s) to the insurance company. This insurance is only in effect when the student is overseas and enrolled in SYA.

As a Massachusetts-based organization, SYA is guided by both Massachusetts laws and public health guidelines, in addition to guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and the governments of our host countries on how best to manage travel and programming during the pandemic. The vast majority of adults in France, Italy and Spain are vaccinated against Covid-19. Please note that at this time, the regulatory agencies in SYA host countries do not require their residents (including host families and SYA faculty) or non-residents (including students) to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

While no longer a requirement, SYA strongly recommends all students be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (primary series and most recent booster available) and reserves the right to reinstate the vaccine requirement if the destination country regulatory agency requirement is reintroduced and/or the conditions worsen. All tuition payments (except the non-refundable deposit) would be refunded to families who withdraw their child due to a change in the SYA Covid-19 vaccine policy prior to departure.

In addition, SYA will follow future recommendations and requirements by the local governments of our host countries, the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), and/or the World Health Organization regarding further COVID-19 vaccination/booster immunizations that are applicable and available to SYA students prior to the start of the program or during the program.  If the students are already in the host country when the recommendation or requirement is issued, SYA will facilitate the vaccination process. Questions about this policy should be directed to Tom Hassan at thassan@sya.org.