It’s a rainy early start of my journey to Europe, landing lightly at the house where the Proctor students, as well as where European Art Classroom co-directors Dave and Jen Fleming, live in Aix-en-Provence, France. 

Not your usual week in Andover, NH. This week has gone by in a blink of an eye. The week started off by welcoming our head of school, Brian Thomas, into our small French family in Vauvenargue!

The time is currently 4:19pm on Sunday the 15th of January, we are currently doing chores, that is why I am writing to you now… nonetheless, these “chores” have caused great strife as I hear the echoing cries of Nate who is on bathroom duty.

The magic at Proctor happens in a series of moments, one stacked upon another, building the momentum and excitement within the soul-filled community we get to experience each and every day. Walk with us through the Top 10 most read blog posts of 2022! 

Recognizing the power of art on a community’s understanding of itself and its members, Proctor Academy’s Visual Arts Department, under the leadership of Interim Chair and Art Curator Molly Leith, continues to curate exhibits on campus of local artists. Read more about the latest exhibits on display on Proctor’s campus. 

Last week’s Holderness Weekend had all of us reflecting on the trimester that has now come to a close. Last week, not only did our students compete at the highest levels on and off the field of play, but they were nice people who had fun being with each other. In fact, I don’t ever remember working at a school in my long history of being in schools and visiting other schools where the students cared so deeply about supporting each other and honoring the games and activities in which they participated. 

The last week of Fall Euro 2022 was a whirlwind of finishing up our books, plein air painting, and working on our carnets (sketch/travel journals). We went to our final French, art history, and literature classes on Monday and used the rest of the day to walk around Aix for the last time. On Tuesday we went to Dave's friend, Danielle’s vineyard. We had meant to do our last plein air painting there, but decided to work in our carnets instead.

At high schools across the country, the final games of the fall athletic season often occur between the fiercest of rivals. Many of these rivalries date back well over a hundred years, evolving over time, but always keeping at the core a mutual respect and healthy competitiveness with the other school. Such is the Proctor // Holderness rivalry.