As independent schools in northern New England have worked to diversify their student bodies in recent decades, that same diversity has lagged in the faculty and staff of those institutions. In 2019, conversations began among heads of schools in the region to create a network of future educators in order to build a cohort community that would be both supportive and appealing to join. The result of these conversations is a groundbreaking collaboration among northern New England independent schools and Dartmouth College to create a fellowship program that will provide aspiring educators an opportunity to receive a Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) while participating in a two year practicum at one of the participating independent schools. 

From the moment we unlock our phones in the morning until we find the willpower to set them down at night, we are barraged with messages of insufficiency. Targeted ads tell us we need to lose weight, be more productive, be more beautiful, take a new job, be more masculine, be more feminine, be more straight, be more gay, start a diet, exercise more, and countless other not-so-subtle messages of not being enough.  

A week from today is July 1, an uneventful turn of the calendar that marks the true start of summer for many. For all of us at Proctor, it is the start of a new fiscal year. Proctor's June 30 fiscal year end marks the end of the 2021-2022 annual giving cycle. We don't talk often about school finances, but as a 501(c)3 non-profit, Proctor relies on tax-deductible donations to meet its operating budget, a budget that unlocks a world of opportunities for our students. 

On June 23, 1972, 50 Years ago today, President Richard Nixon signed into law Title IX banning sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding. Title IX’s impact on women’s sports around the country, and at Proctor, has been remarkable. More than 3.4 million high school girls compete in sports and more than 215,000 women play in NCAA athletics. 

Boarding school communities are made whole by the adults who commit their lives and careers to sustaining and building the cultures of our school. Like all healthy organizations, annual shifts in roles and responsibilities bring renewed energy to the school. At our end of year gatherings, we bid farewell to departing employees, some who have spent their whole careers at Proctor, others just a short season of their lives. Regardless of their time spent as a Proctor employee, each has left an impact and a legacy that has made Proctor a better place. We share a thank you and best wishes to this talented group of educators and committed employees. 

Proctor’s USS/FIS ski team traveled to Mount Hood, Oregon for their annual June training camp. The first of three pre-season training camps provided by coaches, the ten day Mount Hood camp affords students the opportunity to get on snow and work fundamental drills and skill development. 

Just over two years ago, we celebrated the Class of 2020 with the most bizarre graduation ceremony in Proctor’s history. We mailed home caps and gowns and yard signs, shared livestream links to both the ceremony and made the best of an otherwise challenging early pandemic moment. This weekend we finally gathered the Class of 2020 in person for a long overdue, in-person acknowledgement of their hard work and determination. 

The Class of 2022 consistently astounded us with their performance in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and in the art studios and stage. The exploration of different interests and passions that took place at Proctor has laid a foundation for our graduates’ post-Proctor journey. For many of our seniors, they will be pursuing athletics and the arts in college. Be sure to follow along as this group of young people makes their impact on the world! 

Each of our lives are shaped by individuals who take the time to appreciate our individuality, to ask questions, to challenge us to dream, and, in turn, push us to become better versions of ourselves. Institutions are no different. It is with great sadness that we share the passing of former Head of School David Fowler, a leader who transformed Proctor during his 25 years as Head of School and inspired generations of educators and students with his vision for what high school could be. 

Proctor Academy launched an Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017 with the intent of recognizing athletes, coaches, and teams who have distinguished themselves as outstanding contributors to athletics while at Proctor and who have continued to exemplify the values core to the community: respect, responsibility, compassion and honesty in their personal and professional lives. During 2022 reunion, we publicly recognized three classes of inductees. Read more about these individuals and teams below: 

For the past two plus years our alumni have lived in a virtual relationship with Proctor. They attended the more than a hundred online events offered through our Alumni Office since March 2020, and while a few came to campus on special occasions, our annual Alumni Reunion weekend was twice postponed. The result of a two year hiatus on reunion? Record numbers and an absolutely amazing weekend in relationship with each other.