For teachers, the rhythm of the calendar year is inextricably tied to the cycle of the academic calendar. Boarding school life amplifies those rhythms: when we are on, we are ON, and when we are off, we try to unplug and recharge. As we prepare to turn the calendar to July, we are still in the early phases of recharging, but cannot help but feel the emptiness of campus this time of year.
Each Tuesday throughout the school year, Proctor’s Development team welcomes advisory groups to their office to share information about the Proctor Fund and The Campaign for Proctor. Proctor’s financial model is complex, and while our primary perception of ourself is as a school, we are also a business that has thousands of customers and a $22,000,000 a year budget. Operating on a June 30 fiscal year, the month of June is one of the busiest of the year for our Development Office.
Irrational fears are often rooted in an experience, a moment in time when our innocence is lost or our perspective shifts drastically. I’m terrified of sailing. It is an irrational fear born of a family sail aboard our 17 foot day sailer as a young child. I don’t remember the specifics, but simply recall the sensation of lost control, of tipping on edge, of feeling helpless. For years after my father worked to help me overcome this fear, attempting to teach me how to sail, how to manage gusts of wind, explaining ad nauseam there is always an escape plan in an emergency as long as you are prepared for it.
Today it is raining (again), the mosquitos in the woods are unbearable, and the high temperature will not crack 60 degrees. Not the idyllic mid-June days we dream of during the depths of winter, but the last week has graced us with exceptional weather. Even in the rain, there is such beauty surrounding us. We need to get outside and enjoy that beauty. We need to prioritize our connection to nature, and in doing so, we will find ourselves trending toward happier, healthier, more balanced individuals.
The Class of 2019 graced us with their artistic talents over the past four years. Every graduating student is required to take three art courses at Proctor, however, many choose to dive far deeper into their artistic pursuits. The graduates below will be studying art in college next year - be sure to keep an eye out for their work in the future!
Alumni Reunion is not only a time to reconnect with former classmates and teachers, but to recognize the remarkable work of our alumni. During 2019 Reunion, Proctor recognized four individuals and one team with an induction into the Proctor Athletic Hall of Fame. We also recognized two alumni for their outstanding contributions to the Proctor community with the 2019 Alumni Award. Congratulations to each of the award recipients below!
In Senator Angus King’s P’09 Commencement address last Saturday, he shared a list of ten pieces of advice he wish he knew when he was 18 years old. Number 10 was to spend time with your family and friends because when life gets hard, they are all you have. As we welcomed roughly 200 members of the Proctor Family back home for Alumni Reunion 2019, we were reminded why it is so important to prioritize our relationships with those we love.
