Campus has been incredibly quiet this week; even quieter than our remote December provided. Meetings related to our repopulation of campus in January and end of year fundraising projects fill some of our calendars, but an opportunity to disconnect allows us to reflect on our collective work at Proctor. 

The 30,000 foot perspective (like the photo above from Balanced Rock overlooking campus) of why we exist as a school is often lost in the hectic transitions between classes, assemblies, meals at the dining hall, afternoon activities, study hall, and dorm meetings. We know our daily work is valuable, we see incremental progress toward our goals, and we see tangible student growth, but without moments of reflection, the context and "why" of this work can too easily be lost. 

Why have we committed our lives to working at a boarding school? Why, as parents, have you chosen to entrust your children to Proctor? Why, as students, did you fall in love with this school in the first place? Why, as educators, do we feel so empty when our students are away (this year more than ever before!)? 

The answer to each of these questions finds common ground in the unique way Proctor seeks to fulfill its mission: through relationships with each other. This is the gift of Proctor; a gift that keeps giving as we nurture those friendships with our colleagues, alumni, parents, and students for generations after they first entered our lives.

During a season of giving, we acknowledge the gift that Proctor continues to be in our lives. The past twelve months have repeatedly required us to lean hard on our Proctor family. But just as the days have begun to get longer as we move beyond the winter solstice, our hope for 2021 becomes brighter each day. Thank you to everyone who has chosen to be a part of giving the gift of Proctor to us this year by supporting the Proctor Fund. If you have not yet supported Proctor with a year-end gift, we encourage you to do so as a simple recognition of the relationships and support this school has given you. Please consider supporting the Proctor Fund at the link below.