Proctor is many things at the same time. It is a place--fields, forests and buildings--sprawling across a river valley in central New Hampshire. It is a community comprised of 360 students, approximately 90 teachers and 100 staff. It is a highly successful school that--despite mind-numbing costs--is fully enrolled for the 2012-13 school year. These are the definitions of Proctor that draw the attention of my camera and my words 99% of the time.



But Proctor is something else, too....something that many people never really consider. Behind all of the relationships, hard work, play, creativity, blood, sweat and tears, Proctor is a business...a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation with a self-perpetuating Board of Trustees. 

 

While the school year ends early in June, those who see Proctor as a business operate within a fiscal year that ends at midnight on June 30. At that moment, overall revenues have matched expenses as projected in the budget (which is established a year in advance), or they have not. 

 

The budget for the 2011-12 year which ends in a matter of days called for almost 17 million dollars to create the Proctor experience. That's how much it costs to pay everyone's salaries, offer financial aid, feed us, heat and illuminate the buildings, fund off-campus programs, field trips, athletic uniforms, supplies, etc. It is an expensive model!
 

Seventeen million dollars is also the amount of revenue we must generate to cover expenses (by midnight, June 30.) Most of that revenue--almost 15 million dollars--comes from tuition and fees. Another million comes from investments; (we draw down 5% of a three-year trailing average of the school's approximately 20 million dollars of invested endowment.) 

 

This leaves us a little more than one million dollars short. That sum--$1,125,000 to be exact--must be raised by the Development Office (by midnight, June 30). We call this the Annual Fund. Today, with just days to go in the Annual Fund, almost 1,000 parents, past parents, alumni and friends of the school have donated $1,035,000. 

 
The good news is that we're 92% of the way to our goal. The challenge is that we need to raise $90,000 before....well, you know!
If you would consider a gift of any size to support the Proctor experience, please call Bonny at 603-735-6267!