Parents spent Friday and Saturday immersed in Proctor life and the glory of fall in northern New England.
 

On Friday, they tagged along with their kids for morning classes.

 
While the weekend is intensely valuable, it is also simply intense, as faculty dedicate long hours to parent/teacher conferences. The pay-off is the parent buy-in to Proctor, its systems and the degree of caring invested by adults. 

 
The notion of emotional "buy-in" is a reflection of both physical and fiscal commitment. After all, the quality of education at Proctor is enabled--in part--through tuitions that rival the most exclusive small colleges anywhere.

 
Too many schools operate on a model that holds set standards for students to attain (or not). Some excel; some get by; some fail. 

 
Proctor operates differently. One teacher of senior English told me of a parent/teacher conference this weekend in which she confronted a boy getting grades in the 80s for not truly excelling at the "A" level. I pointed out that this is the difference; this is what motivates parents to sacrifice for the Proctor experience.

 
On Fall Family Weekend, the pay-back is the gratitude expressed by parents for the exhaustive holistic approach that we take, exploring individual students' motivators and stumbling blocks and making necessary adjustments.

 
October is National Cancer Awareness month. Our faculty and our students' families have been touched by too much cancer, and several positive initiatives were evident this weekend. Faculty and parents pulled off an extensive fund-raiser/bake sale after Friday's assembly:

 
A student group dedicated hours this week to constructing personalized, decorative "ribbons" for cancer patients in Hartford, Connecticut.

 
The presence of parents sometimes translates into some new Proctor gear, as is displayed here by Ryan, Calvin and Bruno:

 
Some parents took an extensive hike on Proctor trails, visiting some of the school's most remote destinations: The Cabin, The Bulkhead (the cliff-like east shoulder of Ragged Mountain,) Balanced Rock and Mud Pond. They even encountered a large moose!

 
Saturday afternoon featured a whole slate of home athletic contests. This is the bench of a victorious JV girls' soccer team:

 
And here, a few celebrate a goal:

 
The field hockey team huddles for some pointed encouragement at halftime:

 
Varsity football lines up against the Tilton Rams on Leonard Field:

 
Matt rolls out for a pass:

 
Back on Carr Field, Ryan carries the attack:

 
Students now have a couple of days to enjoy with parents and family. Boarders return Tuesday evening. The next Chuck's Corner will appear Wednesday evening.