On Tuesday, the Admission Office mailed letters of admission to applicants for the 2009-10 school year. While we are away on Spring Break, we're recycling a Chuck's Corner from last September for the benefit of those newly-admitted students. Congratulations!
It has been observed that Proctor is a school with a kind of genetic code.... A DNA molecule comprised of three strands that--taken together--make it wholly unique.
One "strand" is the school's commitment to experiential modes of teaching and learning, manifested both by off-campus programs, and in classrooms here on campus. Then there's the structured support systems--NTAs, extra help and tutorials--that enable students to anticipate success. The third strand is more abstract: the ethos, or social tone of the community.
Despite the fact that social ambience is amorphous, this is the easiest thing for visitors to the school to internalize and know. The nature of relationships between and adults and adolescents is unique here, respectful yet non-adversarial.
Proctor's social climate may be the product of two seemingly opposing realities. On the one hand, we meet together regularly for open-forum assemblies, so we see ourselves as a whole repeatedly. On the other hand, the nature of the curriculum invites individualization....the process through which a student pursues an education that is customized and unique.
In between these poles is a highly defined middle ground: advisee groups that bring small clusters of students into intimate relationships with individual adults. We sit together at assemblies in advisee groups. We meet together on Tuesday mornings in advisories.
Tuesday mornings in the Science Office:
At a school where structure is not reflected in formality, the significance of the advisee system to academic communication and follow-through is a challenge for visitors to appreciate. And the power of student/faculty relationships is not limited to advising.
Interestingly, class identification, class pride and seniority systems are relatively weak at Proctor. This is not to say that they do not exist, but we rarely separate the community into classes. These are juniors, posing for a yearbook photo.
The families of prospective applicants are visiting Proctor, trying to get a handle on the qualities that distinguish this school. Most of them will succeed!
