As educators, we are always a bit challenged by Accepted Student Days as we simultaneously want to put our best foot forward for each visiting family while remaining true to who we are. A well orchestrated Accepted Student Day is critical to showing families the entirety of the Proctor experience, and yet the trust we place in our students to showcase the best of Proctor is what families will likely remember.
On Friday, we will welcome 50 families to campus for the first of our three Accepted Student Days. As accepted students and their families tour campus and engage in panel discussions with our current students, our hope is that our visitors gain a deeper understanding of Proctor’s educational model and the “why” behind the Proctor experience.
Whether it’s hiking and backcountry skiing in the White Mountains, walking the streets of downtown Boston or downtown Franklin, New Hampshire, the power of Project Period, Proctor’s five day, immersive small group program that kicks off the Spring Term each year, remains the same.
Proctor Academy alumni are no strangers to the Olympic Games. Five Proctor alums have competed in the Olympics, with many others directly involved in the Games through leadership and support roles. During this winter’s Beijing Olympics, three Proctor alumni were directly involved in supporting the United States' efforts.
During an interview with a potential consultant to help guide Proctor through an upcoming strategic visioning process, a group of faculty and staff representatives asked the consultant how she would describe Proctor's educational model. Her reply resonated with us: “I’ve witnessed that Proctor has an entirely unique vision of how we all should ‘do school’.” We happen to wholeheartedly agree.
Congratulations to our Accepted Students! Late this afternoon, families received admissions decisions for the 2022-2023 school year, and we are incredibly excited about the group of students who make up this year’s accepted student pool. Students hail from all over the world with talents as diverse as their backgrounds and learning styles. They found Proctor because they believe there is more to high school than traditional classrooms, and know there is a better way to “do” school.
The Proctor Woodlands Center is a project that has been three years in the making. Through the support of generous donors who understand Proctor's deep connection to the natural world and surrounding woodlands, this building will transform the life sciences at Proctor. With an estimated completion of July 2022, the Proctor Woodlands Center will be open for science classes starting next fall.
After nearly two decades of working in education, you might think the cycle of a school year would feel redundant: the same calendar, same events, same games, same final exam schedule. Like a farmer who will always be challenged by unpredictable weather, the challenge of our craft lies in the ever-changing nature of the uncontrollables -- the personalities, talents, and inherent energy of the students and adults in our community who make the February 2022 version of ourselves wholly unique.
