In a community dedicated to optimal positive growth, the physical well being of individuals is paramount.

 

While the images in this page depict the usual healthy bustle of school life, this was a very tough week for many at Proctor.

 

On Monday morning, our rink personnel operated propane-powered machinery (the Zamboni and an "edger") unaware that technicians had temporarily deactivated the facility's ventilation system. 

 

That evening, the boys' varsity team held a practice in the rink. By early Tuesday morning, players exhibited symptoms resulting from inhaling unventilated fumes. Symptoms varied from individual to individual, but the situation was very serious. While they improved over days of close monitoring (our Health Team worked closely with State officials on procedures,) each boy will need on-going evaluations in the future. Below, some team members joke around before Friday night's all-school program on cyber-bullying.

 

A campus emergency demands that our administrative structure snaps into a mode of frequent huddles in which we ask, "What do we know we know? What do we think we know? What do we know we do not know?" Fast evolving realities need to be known and shared, and communication has to be forthcoming and honest yet limited to establish facts, not conjecture.

 

One person--almost certainly the Head of School--must take responsibility for the management of the administrative response. Electronic communication enables us to send updates to specific constituencies: all parents, the parents of the players, the media, etc. This is a great benefit, but poses a novel challenge; do we send a message with incomplete information now, or wait another hour when more information may be available?

 

While we follow basic protocols for managing in crisis, actual emergencies always include the unexpected. This was a challenging week in which our response systems were tested and improved.
Many deserve credit for the strength of character (including the affected students) throughout this ordeal. The support of parents--including parents experiencing the anxiety of a sick child--has been an enormous source of strength.