One of the best adjectives to describe Proctor is "non-adversarial," because it captures the common-sense nature of the school's rules and regulations. Over the 38 years since the Fowler revolution, the faculty has crafted structures that encourage relationships that work. The notion of "freedom within fences" reflects a system that defines structure in terms of communication and support over nit-picking punishments and demerits (which we don't have.) Below, six teachers and administrators hack with students during a free moment after today's assembly.
This background climate helps to explain student response to a complaint about the volume of music coming from a boom box next to the stone table--a social center during lunch on mild days.
The kids claim that the volume was moderate and appropriate, but responded with guitars and a Golden Gate Park-like songfest reminiscent of the late '60s.
I'm going to guess that the boom box will be back as soon as a compromise is reached. This is what we call a teachable moment!
Fine weather and good times helped to mollify student angst, and no one complained about the volume of student singing and guitar playing.
A contributing factor: the lawn south of the dining room has been torn up, and landscaping has yet to make it attractive for students to spread out (with their music.) Today, the picnic tables are packed.
No one had any problem with the volume of the Cedar Cliff High School Chamber Singers, from Camp Hill, PA. They will join our Chamber Choir in the theater Saturday evening at 7:00, and they treated us to two songs in assembly Friday morning.
These kids attend our own Kristofer Johnson's school, and their conductor helped to shape Kris's career. They are awesome, and are loving their long weekend at Proctor.
After assembly, they joined their Proctor peers on the march to the Wise Community Center.
