Now more than ever we crave connection. We miss running into each other on the pathways on the way to assembly or waiting in line for lunch. We crave the informal daily interactions that fuel us as social beings. This weekend would have been Alumni Reunion Weekend. For classes ending in 0’s and 5’s, a time to return to campus and connect with each other. For faculty and staff, a time to see our former students return as adults forging their way through life.
Over the last week we have collectively borne witness to the news of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis while in police custody, have seen the spread of angst and anger in communities, and seen images of protesters across the country. We have seen property damage. We have seen teargas shot into crowds and riot police knocking over protesters. We have seen police kneeling alongside protestors, peacefully. We have seen images of military helicopters intimidating crowds. We have seen journalists attacked and arrested. Amidst all of this (and the pandemic) it is hard for individuals and communities to find a framework for the turmoil that doesn’t make it feel overwhelming. We wonder where and when the healing will begin, when the requisite societal changes will take shape, and who will lead us through this valley.
And just like that it’s over. The planning, the preparations, the details, the mourning of what could have been had coronavirus not upended our lives, it is all behind us, and we shift our focus to reflecting on the raw emotions we felt today as we watched the Class of 2020 graduate from high school...virtually around the globe.
The end of each trimester at Proctor celebrates the collective work of students enrolled in art classes. Usually, we gather in the Wilkins Meeting House before the spring musical to peruse the art, gently run our hands over the sculptures, woodworking pieces, and marvel at the creativity of our students across disciplines. But like everything else this spring, our celebration of student artwork must take a slightly different form.
Over the past three months we have done our best to share an open window into life on Proctor’s campus during COVID-19, and we could not have shared the stories we have without the help of our Journalism class. As we head into the final week of the 2019-2020 school year, Journalism students share a final edition of The Hornet’s Nest featuring a fitting send-off to our seniors and a few of our departing faculty and staff. Read an excerpt from “From Freshman to Senior: Lessons Learned” below and check out the entire edition online.
Oh, the places we go, the geographies we ramble across, the memories we make. When we spend time in a particular setting and then leave, we carry with us the memories of people and adventures, but we also carry within us the geography of place, and that geography is a powerful force within us. Or as Wallace Stegner once noted in reflections about wilderness spaces these places can become “geographies of hope,” entering into the heart.
The role of School Leader at Proctor takes many forms: serving as the voice of the student body, sitting on discipline committees, acting as a voting member during faculty meetings, and so much more. Following campus-wide elections last week, we are thrilled to announce Proctor's 2020-2021 School Leaders Kingsley Palmer '21 and Nate Murawski '21! Read Kingsley's and Nate's thoughts about stepping into their new roles in the fall below.
When Proctor made the decision to spend the Spring Term learning remotely, the immediate question that arose focused on our academic schedule. Would we attempt to stay synchronous in our learning? Or would that simply be too complicated with students scattered around the globe with varying access to technology? Ultimately, we realized that at our core as a school is human connection, and when we are deprived of that connection, we struggle, and a fully synchronous schedule was born.
