Since 1994, Proctor students have studied at sea as a part of Proctor’s Ocean Classroom program. Throughout those nearly three decades, Proctor has worked with different partners, most recently Sailing Ships Maine, to deliver this life-changing off-campus program that puts students at the center of learning aboard a tall-ship. It is with great enthusiasm that Proctor announces a new partnership with Sea Education Association (SEA) out of Woods Hole, Massachusetts for the fall Ocean Classroom program. 

Proctor Academy’s softball team is off to a strong start in a highly competitive Lakes Region League. With dominating early season wins over Gould Academy, Kents Hill School, and New Hampton School, the Hornets have lost three straight contests to St. Paul’s School, Tilton School, and Kimball Union Academy. 

My mom came for Parents Weekend and it was a great time, she was really in her French moment. She lived in Aix when she was in college so it was very sentimental for her to come and see me living the French lifestyle. 

When perfect weather intersects with events on campus, a certain magical vibe emerges. Such was the case this past Friday as sunshine, blue skies, and temperatures in the mid-60s welcomed families to campus for our Spring Family Weekend celebration. 

Starting in the spring of 2017, spurred by the interest of students, Proctor’s Athletic Department supported the launch of a track team. This spring, ten students, under the guidance of veteran coach Tom Gillen, are representing Proctor at both Lakes Region and state public school meets in a variety of track and field events. 

Proctor en Segovia traveled south from Segovia by high-speed train to the picturesque region of Andalucía. From solemn processions to joyful celebrations, Proctor students immersed themselves in the living culture of Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Archidona and Málaga. There they also studied the region's fascinating and complex history and enjoyed its renowned cuisine by cooking together in their rented house!

Last Saturday’s 80 degree temperatures saw students flying frisbees on Carr Field and a steady stream of eager swimmers parading to the swinging bridge while Proctor’s baseball team earned an 11-1 win over New Hampton School. With a backdrop of a snow-covered Proctor Ski Area, watching these swimmers traipse to a frigid Blackwater River in mid-April reminded us that, just like the seasons in New England, life with adolescents is filled with apparent contradictions. 

Vienna certainly waited for us, as Billy Joel would say. We arrived and spring pulled itself over the landscape, reflecting pinks and purples against the cloudy white buildings.

As Proctor’s Mountain Classroom program enters its fourth week of living and learning on the road in the American Southwest, students reflect on life without a phone and expeditions in the backcountry in today’s blog. 

Proctor’s sophomore study abroad program in Monteverde, Costa Rica is underway for the spring trimester as six students immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture. Students share their perspectives following their first weeks living with host families and studying abroad. Read more below! 

Living in Colorado and working professionally as an actor and carpenter in the theater industry, Jennifer Summers moved to New Hampshire with her husband, and Proctor alum, Gordon Bassett ‘96 in the summer of 2013 not knowing how her career might evolve. Gordon had just been hired to take over Proctor’s machine shop from longtime industrial arts educator Everett Jones ‘49 and to coach kayaking alongside fellow alum Corby Leith ‘92.

School traditions that are hotly anticipated by the entire school community and that help to expand and amplify the thinking of all who participate are rare. The Hays Speaking Contest does both. The finalists of the event, selected by the participants themselves, serve as a state of the union of Proctor’s current sophomore class. As the event’s host, English teacher Tom Morgan, gives the audience members a glimpse inside of the window of the lives of our students who stand and deliver their speeches.

Proctor’s 2,500 acres of woodlands are a sacred place for anyone who has called Proctor home. This land is deeply rooted in the school’s mission to provide a holistic education that fosters a love for the outdoors and a sense of responsibility towards the environment. The Woodlands are our largest classroom – they allow students the opportunity to study ecology, forestry, and environmental science in a living, breathing laboratory. They, along with Proctor's outdoor science teachers, have taught generations of students lessons about life, our planet, and our interconnectedness that reach far beyond a traditional classroom. 

The Proctor en Segovia Spring 2023 group checks in with this update from the beginning of their nine-week term abroad in Spain. Proctor students live with Segovian host families while studying the Spanish language, history, and culture. In this blog post, Will L. '24  and Sydney '23 immerse us in the first several days of their experience in Spain, from arriving and meeting host families to establishing a new routine of commuting (on foot!), classes, meal times, and afternoon activities.

On Friday, we went to a winery up in the foothills of the Alpilles, or the “Little Alps”. It was a warm sunny day, with a little bit of a breeze, and the trees are just beginning to leaf out again.

Each week in the Friday Parent Page, we profile an employee to help the greater Proctor community get to know the individuals make us who we are. Read more about this past week's profile on Ellie Moore, English Department Faculty, Gulick Dorm, Varsity Soccer, Girls JV Lacrosse coach. 

Last Friday, we hosted the first of our three Accepted Student Days. Throughout the day, we offered a window into the Proctor community, answering questions, listening, engaging, and connecting with families who listed Proctor as one of their top school choices in the late stages of looking at high schools. Our efforts to share the best of Proctor makes me reflect on a host of important factors in choosing a school, particularly why it is important to remind our accepted students and their families of why they were initially enthralled by Proctor in the first place.

Proctor’s spring Mountain Classroom program is underway with a recent trip down the Black Canyon just below the Hoover Dam. The group’s nine week adventure throughout the American Southwest, and eventually back to Andover, NH will be life changing for all involved. Read more from Cass ‘23 and Lily ‘23 in their first post of the term.