There is much in the news about independent schools these days, and I write to share some of my thoughts about the current landscape.  The recent stories in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, and AP wire services about alleged sexual misconduct by employees at several boarding schools are appropriately generating significant interest. An anticipated article, or series of articles, on misconduct at elite schools by the Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team adds to that interest. Collectively, schools and their boards recognize this is an important dialog to be in, a necessary and critical one. While to date Proctor Academy has not been contacted by the Globe or any other news organization, nor are we currently aware of any current or past students expressing concerns about faculty or staff sexual misconduct, we are sensitive to the issues raised in the media and want to ensure that we are considering all of the right community responses. How do we find the right balance of community introspection and community day-to-day momentum?

Proctor's Spring Formal is the one time a year students dress up and gather as a community to celebrate the year before seniors depart for Senior Project. Sunny skies, warm temperatures, and a slight twist to the Spring Formal resulted in a wonderful night of good food, dancing, and enjoying each other's company. 

Each spring, Proctor celebrates Earth Day with an entire day dedicated to learning, experiencing, and loving the natural world around us. While we don't observe Earth Day on the official day, the impact of our celebration on our community is very real.

The Sabbath. Oliver Sacks has written a wonderfully, tight essay about the role this day played throughout his life - the restfulness of it, the pause of it, the disconnect from work and routine to focus on the connection of faith and family. It’s a powerful reminder the author tucks into the end of his slim volume of essays titled Gratitude. That essay and a conversation with Gregor about what we do and don’t share about individual beliefs have me musing late in the week about faith and schools.

Perhaps the most powerful aspect of working at a boarding school are those moments throughout the course of the year when you are able to experience tangible moments of transformation. Spring Family Weekend is one of those moments (as are Fall Family Weekend, Commencement, and Reunion Weekend). Our family comes together and we are reminded of the hard, very real, work we all are doing alongside our families to help our students navigate adolecence. 

Ten years ago, Chuck Will composed a comprehensive History of Proctor, including blog posts, archival photographs, and videos. This Proctor History 101 has proven invaluable to our institutional memory and is worth a read HERE. Today, we take a look back at perhaps the most transformative years in Proctor’s history through an interview with David Fowler who served as Head of School from 1971-1995, our first installment of Proctor History 202!

Life for teenagers can be complicated, scary, and filled with questions. Events in the news over the summer brought to light just how complicated residential life can be at a boarding school. We recognize this. We also recognize sexual and domestic assault and dating violence is not just a ‘boy’ issue. Nor is not just a ‘girl’ issue or a faculty/staff issue. It is an ‘us’ issue. If we do not actively work to shape  school culture, it will shape us.

That’s what last night was about as we launched the Proctor Sisters Program.