Hornet's Nest | May 21, 2021 | Vol. 6 | Issue 5

HORNET’S NEST Proctor Academy | May 21, 2021| Vol. 6 | Issue 5

Caleb Warzocha (left) (Proctor Flickr)

The Learning of Art and the Art of Learning

By Stewart Kane

Art classes at Proctor are a wonderful thing; they offer students the opportunity to take seventy minutes for a break from the craziness of academics and activate their creativity.

Though many art classes are offered, it seems there are some that students just can’t get enough of. I wanted to learn what made these classes so hard to get into, so I talked to Morgan Wilson, Assistant to the Academic Dean. “Some of them [art classes] have caps for security reasons like metal and wood working. We only have so many wheels in ceramics but students who are looking to take higher capacity classes, like digital photo, studio art, or digital art can totally be accommodated!”

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This made me curious about what security reason may create caps in classes such as Metal Engineering. “I could change the curriculum of the class and have twelve kids here and it would be like

going through the textbook.” said teacher Gordon Basset. ”I just dont think it would be as interesting or as fun for the students so in the interests of trying to give kids an experience that they really like, and make something cool that’s appealing to them,....

I mean, that’s the trade-off, we all like to have fun.”

Finally, I talked to art teacher Corby Leith about his hopes for the future of the Proctor arts program. “I would love for there to be more opportunity for students to experiment or to try new things, to engage and explore ... the resources we have.” Proctor has many great opportunities for aspiring artists to practice, learn and grow. Even if you aren’t able to get into the classes you had hoped for, many art teachers are open to students attending extra help or open studio.

Trinity Whitehat (Proctor Flickr)

Proctor’s Future: What’s in Store?

soon will be the exciting change in leadership of Brian Thomas. The future of Proctor is a bright one where the fears and restrictions of the pandemic are just another chapter in the history books and new opportunities await students and faculty alike.

By Patrick Duffy

As Proctor begins to transition from one Head of School to another, there is a lot of change in our future. With more people getting vaccinated, will the school lift restrictions and let students roam free again? What new facilities will be a part of this already impressive campus within the next decade? After interviewing administrators Scott Allenby and Derek Nussbaum-Wagler, I heard two visions for the upcoming years.

Since the pandemic will most likely still be around next fall, it is unclear as to how many restrictions will be lifted. Derek said, “I am hopeful that we can see the Wise, the Coffee House, etc... back in action in a more normal way. Certainly we are not planning on having students taking classes remotely. The hope/expectation is that all students will be in-person and on campus unless they are traveling for Proctor-sponsored activities. This will allow our faculty to get back into more interactive instruction that isn’t centered around Webex.” Scott emphasized the need for vaccines, “I do think vaccinations are a big piece of us being able to return to “normal,” and hopefully we will see the vast majority of the students and employees vaccinated.”

Recently, a part of the Field House was fenced off for the last phase of the renovation process and new facilities are being planned. According to Scott, “The two buildings under construction right now (Phase 4 of the Field House and Woodlands Center) are the only two current construction projects planned. Others have been discussed - Maxwell Savage, maybe renovation of Shirley Hall” Proctor’s new Woodlands center, which will be located behind MLS and Gulick, will contain two new classrooms, a greenhouse, and a big entry and sitting area.

The new building will strengthen our connection with the woodlands and increase the importance of forest sciences at Proctor. I am very excited to see the Woodlands Center become a reality so that I can take cool classes outside and easily find outdoor gear.

The Class Schedule

By Reid Sias In addition, I wanted to know what improvements Derek and Scott prioritized for Proctor. Scott said, “Over the past three decades, Proctor’s tuition rate has outpaced income levels in the United States, even those of the top 1% of incomes in the US. This growing gap in tuition vs income, as well as overall wealth inequality is an acute issue for schools like Proctor. Personally, I would love for Proctor to really dig into working to make Proctor the most diverse, inclusive, welcoming school community we can be.

Growing our financial aid budget and increasing access to Proctor must be a priority moving forward.”

In addition, Derek stated, “I would add that the pandemic has been a significant disruptor to the world of education.

Proctor is poised to continue to be a Derek, Academic Dean leader in the world (Proctor Flickr) of progressive education. I would love for us to not only consider expanding our off-campus offerings but to continue to find ways to integrate some of the off-campus experiences more into our on-campus courses.” Even though I never thought about what they said beforehand, Proctor could benefit from diversity and more off-campus experiences here in Andover.

Proctor has a lot going for it and next year Proctor needs to reopen campus as safely as possible and as much as the CDC will allow. Even though this school doesn’t boast about its facilities, more buildings like the Woodlands Center are necessary because it shows that Proctor cares about the outdoors and outdoor studies more than any other boarding school. The biggest change to happen

We all know the class schedule is ‘the constant’ in our life that’s always changing, the daily calendar that dictates what we do all day. It is a hotly debated topic on campus, but what do people really want for for class length and number of meetings per week? Why did the administration create our current block schedule?

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Students who live with the schedule gave their input through a poll. A majority of the students (14 of 22, or 63%) said that they would like four classes a week.

There were some unexpected responses with four people saying that three classes a week would be best, while an equal number said they would like five classes a week. The main reason for the vote for the three blocks a week was for less homework each night because of the fewer classes each day. While on the flip side, the main reasons for the five blocks vote was shorter classes with less time required to focus potentially learning more content each week.

The teachers who are also directly affected by the schedule were similar to the students with a majority of the teachers (12/20, 60%) saying that they would like their classes to meet four times a week.

Seven teachers said they would like the

70 minute blocks. This demographic was mostly science and math teachers with two from art and one from English. One clever teacher suggested, “How about a 2-week cycle? 3 classes one week, 4 classes the next week, 60-70 minutes is good.”

Derek Nussbaum Wagler, Proctor’s Dean of Academics, talked about how much goes into creating a new schedule and that a schedule will never please everyone. Students want more time to sleep in the morning, teachers want shorter or longer blocks, and sports want more time to practice. It took a year for the scheduling committee to finish with this one. He mentioned this version has not been tested to its fullest extent because of the many remote students.

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The committee looks at other Lakes Region schools to see what we could learn about our schedule. Derek mentioned that KUA was using a schedule with half of its classes meeting everyday for half the year and the other classes meeting for the other half of the year.

Derek has also had to work under schedules where you had every class a day for five days a week and they were all in the same time slots. He showed me books they used to better understand what the current research is saying about how the best learning takes place. The current research indicates longer, less frequent blocks provide the most learning in a week. Proctor is also unusual because we have seven class blocks compared to other schools that only have six.

With this tumultus time coming to an end, hopefully next year will bring welcome routine in our class days. With a new Head of School we are entering a new era potentially bringing a new voice and opportunities.

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Countdown to Summer: Proctor Travel

By Carly Sipp

This past year has been a challenge for many of us, but the good news is that summer is just around the corner. Last summer, people were skeptical of flying but now that there is a vaccine, this summer may look a lot different. I was curious to know what Proctor students and faculty are planning on traveling this coming summer.

I asked students and faculty in a survey, “How do you think this summer will compare to last summer in terms of traveling?” A responder said, “I am hopeful that travel will be much safer with vaccinations in place. I do think it will be important to continue to wear masks while flying and to avoid crowded indoor spaces.” Another person noted, “I think there will be a gradual reopening to events, restaurants, and travel destinations. With a lot of people getting their vaccinations, there is anticipation that traveling will be more commonly accepted.” The majority of people are hopeful that they will get to travel more compared to last summer.

When I asked students and faculty, “Do you have plans to fly this summer?” 45% said yes, 19% said no, and 26% said maybe or not sure yet. The people who said ‘no’ were also the ones who said that they are still skeptical about how Covid-19 will play out this summer even though so many people have or will get the vaccine.

Then I asked, “After this hard past year,

what are some things you are looking forward to most this summer?” One response stated, “I truly believe that humans thrive off of adventures and shared experiences with family and friends.

This being said, I think this [isolation] is one of the leading contributors to depression, anxiety and the feelings of loneliness that we have attributed to the pandemic. I hope to see more people (in a safe setting now that I have my vaccine and a lot of my family members are being vaccinated)”.

People at Proctor want to have a summer full of fun and in person experiences. Traveling while spending time with friends or family is a great way to achieve those goals. Students and faculty at Proctor are optimistic and eager to travel this summer, while having faith of having a more ‘normal’ summer than the last one.

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I Believe In Myself and Science: Faculty & Vaccines

By Madeleine Balser

Covid-19 has been a whirlwind for Proctor. Having to quarantine, go home, and keep distance from the people we love has been challenging. The recent release of the covid-19 vaccine has been a source of hope though for the return of normalcy. Because of how recently the vaccine was introduced to Proctor, I wanted to know the faculty view of thel response.

I asked English teacher and dorm parent, Shauna Turnbull, Why did you decide to receive the vaccine? She stated, “I believe in science and trust the advice of well-respected scientists and medical professionals.” Starr Fair, mathematics teacher and dorm surrogate stressed, “To lessen my chance of becoming ill or passing the virus to others.”

Were you at all hesitant to receive the vaccine? There was some variation in responses, but beyond the lack of long term research, there was little hesitancy for the vaccine. Starr explained, “mRNA technology has been around for a while, so that piece didn’t concern me. However, the vaccine has not been studied long term. I made sure to read as much about the vaccines as possible before getting/receiving one.” Similarly Jill Jones Grotnes, art teacher, dorm parent, and coach, stated that, “Yes, [I was] nervous because it was so new.”

Jill Jones Grotnes (left) (Proctor Flickr)

When I received the vaccine, I felt crummy for about a day. I wondered if teachers had also had a short term response to the vaccine. Ninety nine percent of those I interviewed reported sore arms, light headaches, and fatigue. Some were worse than others with high fevers and exhaustion. Luckily the symptoms are very short lived; one day of feeling crummy feels like an easy price to pay for the safety of the community.

I also asked if faculty found any positives in the pandemic. It can be easy to forget how much has been lost because of Covid-19, Jill reported, “yes, I can hug my parents now.” It can be easy to forget what has been lost because of the pandemic. Things such as quality time and contact with loved ones were put on hold.

Amy Makecknie, a teacher and writer at Proctor, shared her thoughts on receiving the vaccine. “Yes. I feel extremely lucky.

Distribution was efficient, and this Amy Makecknie (Proctor Flickr) vaccine was the most quickly developed vaccine to ever

be produced in the world.” Medical professionals have made getting the vaccine quick, easy, and accessible for many. The Health Center, faculty, and students have made great progress in supporting the health of our community. Hopefully we’ll enjoy the return of normal Proctor life this upcoming fall.

Staying Motivated When COVID Disappointments Hit

By Hayse Broome

Proctor Students Hiking Ragged Mountain on Earth Day

Are you lacking energy and feeling unmotivated? Disappointments hitting hard? Here’s how the Proctor community is coping.

In a recent survey sent to the student body asking how students are coping with quarantine or Phase 1, the answers were a mix of people saying they were doing the best they could to get outside for some kind of normalcy, but also struggling with classes and homework. About half of the people who participated in the survey said that exercise and talking to family and friends were helping them feel better. However, equally as many students said that they simply were not coping at all.

In an article published by The New York Times titled, How to Cope When Everything Keeps Changing, author Cindy Lamothe interviews organizational psychologist, Nick Tasler., “During a setback, it’s easy to get stuck in feelings of panic and disappointment,” says Tasler. “One of the most psychologically jarring things for many of us right now ... is the radical upheaval to our daily routines.”

The survey shows that many students are finding ways to keep a daily routine and stay on track amidst an ever-changing

Day of Introspection (Proctor Flickr)

Covid schedule. When asked what helped them stay productive and motivated to do schoolwork, one student wrote, “Music and setting a Day of Introspection certain time during the day to fully focus.” A second responded, “A good schedule and making lists.” However, multiple struggling students had answers similar to, “Nothing, I don’t do schoolwork in Phase 1 [I have], no motivation.”

So why is everyone reporting low energy and productivity? The biggest energy drainers are unhealthy eating habits, a poor sleep schedule, dehydration, surrounding yourself with negativity, and excessive use of technology. According to one student, “Too much screen time/ napping for too long (drains my energy).” Another individual answered, “A bad sleep schedule and when teachers go overboard with homework assignments.”

A healthy sleep schedule can make all the difference in your ability to stay energized and get through the day. A few more effective habits are soaking up the sunlight, eating whole foods, and practicing mindfulness or deep breathing.

Making our bodies feel good can motivate us to get through these hard times.

Corona Tests the Spring Coaches

By Griffin Franz

The rollercoaster of the 2021 spring sports season was overwhelming. Between positive Covid cases, quarantined players, and cancelled games, patience was a virtue that coaches needed. They faced new rules, regulations and protocols. Proctor coaches had to adapt and overcome the new challenges thrown on top of teaching and coaching 20-30 athletes to salvage a productive season.

spring has been a challenging stretch.

We have had many players in and out of quarantine. Developing patience is an important life skill. As a coach, it had been important to remind the boys to be mindful, and we’ve made some pretty good progress as a team over the course of two months. We practiced as much as we could. We bonded as a team at barbeques and bonfires, and we have finally been able to play some games.”

Proctor Flickr

Gregor Makechnie, The Director of Athletics and Proctor graduate stated “The start of spring athletic competition was derailed by cases of COVID-19 on campus. Late in the month of April, on Tuesday the 20th, we were emotionally bolstered, and imbued with optimism when we received the devastating news that testing had revealed a positive COVID-19 case. That news and subsequent cancellation of competitions with Kimball Union Academy was devastating!”

Gregor continued, As a community, we showed resilience, through athletes, coaches, and the Athletic Department who remained patient and optimistic that we would eventually have the opportunity to play games. Teams held practices with as few as 3 players while the remainder of the roster was quarantined.

The athletic department has scrambled to schedule games, cancel games, and then reschedule games. The smiles on the faces of participants make all we have patiently endured and all the effort to adapt and adjust worthwhile.”

Zack Zavalick, The varsity boys lacrosse assistant coach and defensive coordinator noted, “Without question, this

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Mike Walsh, The varsity golf head coach stated, “ I think you have to have the mindset to make the best of the hand you’re dealt and I learned this during the winter and spring terms with hockey and golf. Proctor has made a strong commitment to keep all of us safe and the virus out of our community. It’s up to everyone to make the best of the adversity we all face each day and just take the positives out of it.”

Summer Jobs: “Money+fun+ entertainment+vegetables”

By Lucy Powdermaker

Photo of Class of 2022 (Proctor Flickr)

Sometimes it is hard to believe that summer is so close, but it’s coming! So what are Proctor students looking forward to doing this summer? Finding a job or internship? Who knew you could learn so many life lessons by working at TJ Maxx?

There are the basic benefits of having a job like earning money, but what are the other benefits of going through the job process? Helen Russel, the founder and Executive Director of Apprentice Learning in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, believes that teenagers can learn life lessons by having any type of job. According to Helen, when a teenager has a job, they learn how to, “Be on time, ... understanding what punctuality means, learning how to talk to adults that they don’t know, and following directions.”

Developing these skills and having a job while young is important because it can increase your likeliness of being hired for a job as an adult.

This past year I worked at TJ Maxx and learned more than I could have ever imagined. Thinking back on it, everything Helen said in her interview was true and more. After working at a place like TJ Maxx, I found that it was like a grocery store; every different type of person shopped there. Some customers came in and bought Gucci handbags, others bought five-dollar pairs of pants.

What I realized about myself was that I became much more confident.

One of the first lessons that I was taught was that the customer is always right. If a shopper asked for something, I had to look for it until they stopped asking. If they thought an item was on sale and I told them it wasn’t and they wanted to talk to my boss, they could. Although I did not always enjoy these customers, they taught me something important: self-assurance. For the longest time, I was too shy to send my food back to a restaurant or talk to the cashier at a store for fear of being rude. Now I understand if my food is cold or they served me the completely wrong dish, I can send it back and ask for what I want. Having confidence in yourself is such an important life lesson and working in a professional environment whether it be an ice cream shop, a camp, or an internship can help you become assertive.

When I surveyed Proctor students why they were working this summer I got a lot of responses. One theme was clear: “Make money,” or “spend money,” or just “money money money.” Dealing with finances is an important life skill to learn when you are young. One Proctor student noted, “I work because I can make money and it teaches me a lot

The Blue Bird Baker (Proctor Flickr)

about life and is a good way [to] spend my summer when [I’m] not hanging out with friends.”

So why not find a job this summer? You can learn different skills, earn some money, and become more independent. Maybe if you are lucky enough you will find yourself at register 8 in TJ Maxx spraying cologne on index cards for thirty minutes trying to help someone’s girlfriend pick out a cologne.

How Long is Nine Years?

AP Environmental Science, Alan has been Proctor’s Environmental Coordinator since 2004. Many Proctor students express interest in conserving resources and protecting the planet. Similar to some students, Alan’s interest in environmentalism began in his childhood. “As a kid, I hated seeing roadkill,” said Alan. “I rescued many turtles and reptiles from the demise of roads and highways and often incorporated my worry into my bedtime prayers.

After that, I started clean-up programs and recycling due to the same worry - the loss of lovely creatures so alien and beautiful.”

By River Turnbull

Nine. Nine is not a very large number.

We can count to nine on our hands.

What about nine years? The Big Bang happened 13.7 billion years ago, so you could fit 1,522,222,222 nine-year periods into that. Well, according to the United Nations General Assembly, nine years is all the time we have left as a planet until climate change causes irreversible damage.

Proctor offers an unrelenting determination to lessen our impact on the environment and increase the ways we give back to the earth. Each year, the entire school participates in a massive Earth Day celebration involving community service, painting, gardening, fishing, hiking, and everything in between. On top of that, every Friday the Proctor Environmental Action group meets to discuss how we can reduce our individual and community carbon emissions. Some students study climate change in a classroom, others investigate it as an academic concentration. What’s the common factor of all these projects? Alan McIntyre.

In addition to teaching courses such as

Alan McIntyre (Right)

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Sustainable development is one of the most effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and it advocates for using natural resources without compromising the environment for future generations. Sustainable development is happening all over the world, and Alan believes that it should be a priority for Proctor. “As a school, we hope to create critical, creative, and collaborative problem solvers,” said Alan. “Solving problems requires models that can inspire how a problem can be solved. By becoming more efficient and effective with our resource use, we not only create some stability but we can honor our core values by actively shaping a future that is less dystopian.” Along with this goal, positive change is currently happening on campus.

Proctor has already taken some significant steps in the right direction. “The replacement of Morton house with Peabody was a good [example of sustainable development],” explained Alan. “Morton House was 95% recycled or recovered.

This means the materials from pipes and siding were peeled apart and sent to others who could use those base materials for other things. What we replaced Morton house with is a grand gesture to sustainability because the materials are local and recovered materials, from counterfeit money countertops to the old basketball

gym from Plymouth State [University],” Whether it be solar panels at the ski hill or composting in the Dining Hall, efforts to reduce our environmental impact are happening all over campus.

Although the school is striving to be more energy and resource-efficient, there is still a lot of important work to be done.

Alan has four major ideas for sustainable technologies that the school should implement as soon as possible. Firstly, Alan stated that “We need to be able to measure and monitor our energy consumption at any moment by anyone - student or staff.” Being able to access this information would allow the community to make smarter decisions on a daily basis about how we use our energy. “We need an energy descent plan which would guide us year by year to move away from non-renewable energy resources by an agreed-upon date like, say, 2030.”

The most important organizations in the world, like the United Nations, have set specific yearly goals for what they’d like to achieve, so why shouldn’t Proctor do the same? Finally, Alan stated that “We need to have a reliable and effective composting service in place on campus, [and] we need to eliminate the use of all single-use disposable plastics on campus.” Although some of these goals may seem easy, the only way we will accomplish them is if the entire community works together. If we truly want to become a carbon-neutral school, these are critical steps.

Alan imagines a bright and sustainable future for Proctor, but this is only achievable if every member Proctor Flickr of the community becomes involved and contributes to the cause. Science suggests that we only have nine years left. Where do you see yourself in nine years? I know that, wherever I’ll be, I don’t want a rapidly warming planet to be an issue that controls my life.

Nine years is not a lot of time, but it is more than enough time to act if we start now.