The Buzz

This winter, our Sophomore Seminar classes explored ways to stay healthy in the midst of what can be a long, tiresome trimester. Classes discussed substance use and abuse, relationships, stress management, communicable disease, birth control, being a good person, and how to take care of ourselves to the best of our ability. As the term wound down, students shared personal wellness goals for the rest of the year. As we enter Spring Break, we should all take some advice from these incredibly wise, self-aware tenth graders. Thank you to Terry Stoecker for prompting this post and sharing the student goals below!

While the winter athletic season is not officially over (hockey and basketball teams continue their quests for a NEPSAC title and USSA/FIS skiers continue to race until late March), we recognize the collective work of coaches, students, and the athletic department as we transition out of the winter season. Hosting and traveling to over 300 different games/races/competitions, running daily practices, coordinating buses for fifteen different teams, and sharing scores and highlights from various programs requires considerable effort by Proctor's athletic department, not to mention our coaches and athletes. 

We have carried a different community energy this year, an energy that is still positive, still Proctor, but different. We carry the loss of Dave Pilla from the summer. We miss his cheer, his laughter, his grace, and his generosity, his constant search for the perfect cup of coffee and his constant reminder of wilderness solace and solutions. Many of us think about the way he held his depression so close, hiding it from so many. The Woodlands Office has been quieter this year, the woodstove cold for much of the winter. Next door, the Wilson Building sits empty and unused; it carries a heavy energy.

Proctor's Mountain Classroom group shares a final blog of the Winter Term as Timmy '20 reflects on their student planned and led expedition to Joshua Tree National Park. Congratulations to this winter's group on a job well done! 

During those first practices in mid-November, hope abounds. The trying road ahead, through the depths of countless road trips criss crossing New England feels as smooth as can be as our sights are set on the potential that rests within our teams. We never define success for a team at Proctor by wins and losses, but for our girls’ varsity basketball and boys’ varsity hockey teams, a birth in the NEPSAC Tournament affords the opportunity for these two teams to test their merits against the best in New England.

As we spent our last week in Aix-en-Provence and our beautiful cozy house in Vauvenargues, we enjoyed the sunshine, the picnics, the broken dryer, the excursions, and the art that we are proud to have created.

Although I arrived a day late and missed an exciting day in the Roman ruins of Itálica on Saturday, I can say without doubt that the weekend excursion to Sevilla was my favorite thing that we have done in Spain so far. From the moment I arrived, I couldn’t contain my excitement to see if Sevilla lived up to its reputation of relentless zest for life and heavenly Mediterranean climate. As Laura and I entered the city and made our way towards the hostel, my excitement manifested itself into frustration. The only thing separating us from the 65 degree weather, the glow of the city under the siesta sun, and the equally vibrant people and colors painting the city was an Uber window.

 Proctor Academy's theater department will show Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a comedy by Christopher Durang. The play premiered in 2012, and has since earned countless awards. Set in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the play chronicles the lives of three adult siblings, all single, and explores, in a hilarious manner, the dynamics that exist within all families.