Today’s offering for The Journey comes through the voices of John Around Him and Lori Patriaca ‘01, both of whom have served a critical role in helping our Proctor community connect with, understand, and become a part of the Lakota communities of South Dakota, continuing a legacy of connection first made by John’s father, John Around Him, and late faculty member George Emeny in the 1980s. John spent last week visiting classes, spending time with students and faculty, and immersing himself in all that is Proctor. Enjoy John and Lori’s offering below. 

The Proctor Mathematics Department has begun a transition from a textbook-based curriculum to one that is centered around rich tasks that all students can access (low floor, high ceiling). We believe that everyone can learn mathematics, and feel that transitioning from textbooks will help us further our vision of equitable learning.

For nearly 50 years, Proctor students have studied abroad with host families in Spain. The 2021 edition of Proctor en Segovia is off to a great start following a recent excursion to Andalucia and Cordoba. Read more from Sophie ‘23 and Katie ‘23 the group’s most recent blog post! 

Proctor’s girls’ varsity soccer team is a perennial power in the Lakes Region, but this year’s squad might be one of the deepest and strongest we have seen in quite some time. With a core of eleven seniors and a pool of talented younger players, the Hornets are off to a 6-2-1 record after falling to Holderness School on Saturday afternoon. Head Coach Kyle Connolly and senior captain and four year player Brynne Makechnie ‘22 shared insights into their team’s success in this week’s Team Spotlight. 

This week at Proctor marks the period of settling. Just as the leaves in their autumnal colors change and fall, so, too, does our affective model of education begin to shift, unfold, and deepen as a storyline in a novel does. Every school where I have worked has a rhythm all its own.

After a week of unexpected obstacles and quick pivots, Proctor Academy's Ocean Classroom program began their journey south with a high winds passage through the Cape Cod Canal as they sailed toward New Bedford, MA. Morale is high on board Harvey Gamage as students begin to fully appreciate and understand what it means to live and learn at sea. Read more from the past week on Ocean Classroom below.  

Each fall, the trails throughout the Proctor Woodlands are littered with acorns that threaten a rolled ankle even among the most nimble of hikers. As winter snows recede and spring temperatures catalyze the annual rebirth within the 2,500 acres of land Proctor calls home, some of these acorns will sprout and grow into saplings. 

As parents of young children, we were often reminded not to blink, reassured that while the days were long, the years were short. In the midst of sleepless nights, incessant changing of diapers, and tantruming toddlers, this advice fell on largely deaf ears. But now that our kids are older, well, we blinked.