Each school year has a distinct feeling, because the human composition of the community is so complex, dynamic and ever evolving.
I recall the parent of a new student asking me on an October weekend--many years ago--how the school year seemed to be going. With brutal honesty, I shared my feeling that the student body had failed to come together as a group....I had the sense that that kids weren't buying-in to the expectations of adults. The opposite is true, today.
When buses rolled for South Station and Logan Airport Friday at noon, signifying the end of the fall trimester, more than a few of us observed that something remarkable had happened. We just completed a ten week term without a student receiving a major disciplinary violation. Not one. No one was dismissed from school. Nobody chose to leave. Zero attrition.
This is not to say that no one broke a rule; we don't see everything, and we know this. Still, going a whole term without processing a violation--when you're living with 350 teenagers--is something we haven't seen (I am going to guess) in at least 50 years.
Measuring success in this manner is negative accounting.... like saying, "I've never been arrested for a crime!" Still, when we do experience violations and dismissals, we beat ourselves up emotionally. So we should be forgiven for relishing this moment.
What has happened that could explain this happy occurrence?
Well, there's no doubt that student leadership has taken on an unprecedented role in the life of the community. Perhaps it is the strength of the senior class. Leadership groups are active as never before: groups like "Triple I," which celebrates various manifestations of student diversity and individuality.
Early in the fall, a boy stood in front of the school in assembly, and called a meeting of anyone and everyone who wanted to plan new, healthy weekend diversions and activities. He called this group FOCUS, and it took off. This is part of a FOCUS group huddling at lunch:
That kind of initiative and "buy-in" reflects both leadership and a climate or community ethos that no one person can manufacture. It's cool to be involved. Here are some members of Proctor Environmental Action helping other students sort recyclable materials on a Saturday morning.
It is tempting to hope that the key variable is the success of the admission process to attract and enroll kids who really understand what Proctor is...what we expect...what we stand for. Certainly, the past couple of years have seen the student population strengthen in ways that are hard to measure or articulate.
It's been a good term. Happy Thanksgiving!
