There is a shift on campus, a transition that is more than the collective relief of exams completed. Some students will be back on campus in a little more than a week, while others are getting ready to head to France, to Spain, or to spend a term on Mountain or in Costa Rica. This is the break that reveals the tidal rhythm of the school and reminds us of our constant motion.

This is a term that has seen its share of turmoil and change, more than many of us expected, but in the last week, so much of the good of the community emerged, particularly through the arts at Proctor. The performances, the paintings, the metal work, the leatherwork, and the ceramics…in the aggregate it represents stunning commitment from both students and faculty. It was a reminder.

The arts get us to slow down, pause to appreciate the excellence of others – their creation, their performance – and while it may not be the best we can produce, it’s a wondrous reminder of excellence in community. When so much might beckon despair, art makes a difference, can uplift, can inspire. To stand in front of a painting, to listen to song, to gaze at shapes wrought from metal, these are the small moments of appreciation that can build into larger gratitude.

It’s important to remember this as we stand on the cusp of Thanksgiving break.

Mike Henriques P'11, P'15

Proctor Academy Head of School