HORNET’S NEST Proctor Academy | October 2018| Vol. 4 | Issue 1
New Faces, New Roles at Proctor A Warm Welcome Back
Starr Fair: A New Face on Campus
Kristen Nesbitt, who is currently the assistant librarian, has recently returned to Proctor, after working at a University two hours west of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. About two years prior, Kristen describes that she felt a calling to enter the Peace Corps and was sent to Ukraine. After working as a Learning Skills specialist for twenty years, she has returned to work as the assistant librarian and to launch a writing workshop program.
Starr Fair is a new math teacher this year.
By Ellie Richardson
Why did you decide that this year was the right school year to return to Proctor? Kristen takes a deep breath, and her eyes water just the slightest. She then says with a clear tone, “The reason why I came back was really, number one because of David Pilla. I guess I can just explain that he was a very dear friend of mine, and that loss brought up the community and my feeling of wanting to be with the community and share.” Kristen was not actively pursuing a job at Proctor, but she wanted to give back to the community and share wellness and healing to all of the members affected by the tragic loss. Kristen is a yoga teacher and avid leader for health and wellness practices. What does your day to day look like? While Head Librarian Heidi’s assistant, one of Kristen’s other roles this year is launching the writing lab. She is enthusiastic about working with students in 30-minute time slots and she will be working with students to develop a Peer Tutoring program as part of the Writing Lab in the coming months. Kristen shares that, “One thing that I really love about Proctor is that everyone is so supportive and really invested in students, and I wanted to be a part of that mission again.” What’s your favorite part about Proctor or just the community in general? “I think my favorite part about Proctor is the soul of Proctor which is really the essence of the place. It’s not really something that you can put into words; it’s more like a feeling.” So I know that this is where I belong, and that I’m supposed to be here working with these people, and in this community.”
Kristen Nesbitt
What are some of your hobbies? Kristen is a yoga instructor and enjoys practicing meditation. In fact, Kristen even trained people in Ukraine in the practice of meditation; she went back in 2015 and implemented a project called “Breathing for Peace” where she trained people in different cities in Ukraine to practice meditation. She also enjoys the outdoors and swimming with her dog and husband. Kristen also enjoys camping in her VW Westfalia pop top camper. She notes “we really enjoy the simplicity of traveling in that thing. We’ve had it for over 25 years now.”
By Sam Parkman
How did you find Proctor? “My daughter Margaret is a senior here. She transferred in last year and we live right down the road in Boscawen.” Soon after her daughter had attended, Starr got to see how happy she was here and what a caring environment it was. “I was inspired as a teacher to come join this community because it’s so student focused and built on relationships.” What is it like being a parent of a Proctor student? “It’s okay. She’s always been a student in schools with me really for most of her life. We have developed a really good relationship,” She doesn’t see her daughter all the time, but loves when she gets to see her throughout the school day and say hi. Starr adds, “It’s a nice chance to connect when there is a minute during the day.” Giving her daughter some space at school or when she’s with her friends is important, but she still gets excited when she has a minute to chat with her.
Starr Fair
What kinds of activities do you enjoy outside of work? “I love to spend time outside!” She loves hiking, gardening, four wheeling, and bird watching. “Hanging out with the family around the fire is always a good time.” What are you most excited for this year? “I’m most excited for the challenge of everything. Switching it up and coming to high school and teaching at a different level is nice,” Starr is really excited to grow in her teaching and expand her learning environment. “Being able to stretch my wings and getting the kids to stretch their wings will be exciting.” What do you think the most rewarding part of your job is? Starr smiles, “This is going to sound totally cliche, but it really is the ‘ah ha’ moment. When you have a student, no matter if they struggled for three weeks or a couple seconds with a concept, really the most rewarding part is when something clicks for them.”
Dan Griffin, New to Admissions By Henry Bechok
Dan Griffin is a brand new member of the Proctor community as the newest member of the spectacular admissions team. Dan is looking to bring his adventurous and fun spirit to campus. What is your role here at Proctor? I am the Associate Director of Admissions, and I am also a dorm parent in Mac House. How did you find Proctor and why did you choose Proctor? I happened to know of Proctor because of my previous work at St. John’s Prep - which is another New England Boarding school. But I also had a close friend who was the Athletic Director. When I saw the job listing online I thought it would be a pretty fun opportunity to work with new people. At St. John’s it is an all boys school that holds similar core values but is missing the experiential learning and “outside the box” education that Proctor has to offer. I think Proctor has an unbelievable balance of challenging academics yet it has some very fun off campus experiential learning opportunities. How does Proctor compare to St. John’s Prep? To start, St. John’s Prep is an all boys school and it is middle and high school. It is home to about 1200 students and is located in Danvers, Massachusetts outside of Boston. However, Proctor has a lot of off campus experiential learning. At Proctor, it seems like there is a lot of out of classroom teaching and a lot more hands on work. Which I think is very important for students, especially at this age. What is something that differentiates you from your peers or what is something many people don’t know about you? Well truthfully, the majority of my friends call me “The Dad of the group.” This is because I am the one who loves to cook. I am always bringing my leftover meals to my friends. I usually tell them to not worry about lunch for the week because I tend to make something deli-
Dan Griffin
cious and in large quantities. I think my favorite thing to make is an Enchilada dish. I have a special technique of cooking the chicken which enhances the recipe. What are some of your favorite hobbies? I like to read and write, I have been published twice for two shorter novels. With that, I am also a huge Marvel and Star Wars fanatic. I am super into collecting old Vinyl records. One of my favorite activities that I have done is that I took a Brazilian jiu-jitsu class and loved it. When I heard about possibly a club at Proctor I was all for it. Do you have any goals set for your first year here at Proctor? One of my first goals from the admissions perspective is to meet the goal enrollment. This is the largest senior class Proctor has had which means were losing 106 kids, so if we are losing that many, we have to enroll that many to replace the class. This all means that I should be trying to get kids excited about the school and having people outside want to be here. Overall, I just want to have a positive impact on this community and get to know as many people as I can.
dress code. Dress code is a sensitive subject so finding a Proctor-type, relaxed dress code that keeps everybody feeling comfortable in the community takes time. The dress code now is a bit of a problem because it is still a little unclear and keeps changing.” You have quite a busy schedule as a senior with athletics, academics, and now your role as student leader. How do you plan to balance your busy schedule and give the students what they desire from you? “My style of organization may seem a little complex but it’s working. I have a free block as well as a LSI block to help loosen up my schedule. I have many of my student leader meetings during meals which leaves my free blocks open for actually taking action on what we talk about in the meetings. My free blocks are G and C and I prioritize those blocks for student leadership activity. If anybody wants to talk about student government or has any suggestions for me just send me an email and I’d be happy to talk with you. Of course, I encourage people to approach me anytime they see me. Most of the time after sports I spend completing my homework.”
Getting to Know Student Leader Lucas Bush By Rob Gillis
Committed to serving the community, Lucas Bush has many ideas up his sleeve and is eager to hear opinions from students. What inspired you to become a student leader? “I was inspired to run for student leader because of the idea of possibly being able to make a change. There have always been kids complaining about aspects or changes in the school which seem totally fixable. I had a good relationship with the past Student Leader Toby and he encouraged me to throw my hat in the ring.” After years of little change made by students leaders, what will you do differently to inspire change? “My goal is to involve the student body as much as I can. I will be sending out a variety of surveys via email to try and represent the best interest of the students. I believe if the students really know what’s going on, they can help and support whatever needs to be changed. Students can easily complain about something they disagree with, but getting them to actually try and help make a difference is going to be my goal.” What are some current problems you see within the Proctor Community? “An issue I’m currently addressing is the
Lucas Bush What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of school? “Some of my favorite hobbies outside of school include playing tennis, sailing, and cooking. Sailing is more of a summertime activity for me but at home, I always have competitive tennis matches with my family. When it comes to cooking, I am a big breakfast guy so I try to be as creative as I can with my breakfast.” Do you have anything you would like to tell the student body about yourself or your plans for the upcoming school year? “I am really looking forward to this year! Please approach me if you have anything to say no matter what grade you are in. I’m nice and I want to talk. If anybody has any suggestions for me please feel free to talk to me or send an email! Let’s have an awesome year.”
Zina Asante, Assistant School Leader By Mikel Timm
Zina is one of our two student body presidents. Zina is from West Africa, and has a very unique outlook on the Proctor community, the good and the bad. Where are you from? “I am from East Legon, Accra Ghana. It is in West Africa.” What brought you to Proctor? “My mother and I wanted something similar to my middle school. In other words something that was safe and out of the way, but could also provide a personalized education to fit my interests. My grandmother was the one that found Proctor for me, and once I visited, the rest is history.” How does Proctor different from home? “Well first of all it’s in a different country on the opposite side of the world. Besides the obvious things like weather, language and food, Proctor just thinks differently from my home in general. In Ghana although there is definitely a sense of community, it is also an ‘every man for himself’ kind of environment. People from different tribes and regions get territorial and defensive if challenged. And students have it much harder in Ghana. Paying school fees is a problem that most families struggle with, and the teachers don’t help at all. There are often beatings, rapes and students being expelled from school for no good reason. At Proctor things are much different. The teachers here are kind and wouldn’t dream of touching their students in a harmful way. The teachers also take their time to teach the students properly and are willing to give up their own free time to help students. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE MY COUNTRY, but I would be lying if I said I don’t notice there are some things that aren’t morally right.”
Zina Asante
What are the biggest things that need to change here at Proctor? “From the outside Proctor looks like a happy bubble of success and happiness, and to some degree that’s what it is, but just like most other things there is always a second side to the story. Proctor needs to understand and be more accepting to the needs of different cultures and ethnic groups within the community. With a 99% white faculty and staff, the school has a hard time bending the rules for things that they can’t understand simply because they were not born and raised in the culture that involves those things. This is understandable, and I think Proctor does do a good job of trying to accept everyone and everything, we just are not all the way there yet.” What do you hope to do with the power that comes with your position as student president? “I hope to be able to work towards all of these changes so that Proctor can feel more like home to more of the people in the community. I know that I am a student like everybody else, but hopefully being elected as one of the student body presidents will give me some leverage in order to help stand up for our community when things are not being handled fairly. I am just here to help the rest of my fellow students feel heard.”
From Rink to Classroom: Tim Denoncour By TJ Beaver
Tim Denecour joined the Proctor community as a part of the maintenance team in 2014. Since then he has become the rink manger, a social science teacher, coach and dorm surrogate. Around campus, Tim is known as a great guy and a mentor to many students. Can you tell me a little about your background and college? “I grew up about 30 minutes from Andover in the town of Hopkinton, NH. After spending my childhood in Hopkinton I studied four years of undergrad at University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. At UNE I studied Environmental Studies and Ecology and I ran for the cross country team. After college I began my adult life as a tree worker clearing lines and that job was not for me. That lead me on a path to graduate school to study education. I needed to find a job where I could study education while at the same time get a constant income through other work. Originally when I arrived at Proctor I worked maintenance doing the garbage route while I studied for my masters in education.”
Tim Denoncour How has your job changed since you’ve been at Proctor? “I was a part time employee and my only job was the garbage route, it was less than 28 hours a week. The rink manger left which lead to an opening for the Assistant Rink Manager position. At the time the rink manager’s name was Rachel and she approached me and told me I should apply for the open spot. Honestly the new job came as a surprise to me because I had forgotten that we even had a rink. I asked if it came with a pay raise and they said yes so obviously I had to apply. I was there for little over a year before Rachel left and I became the full time Rink Manager. That gave me free time to get into the classroom as a student teacher and join the service trip to Guatemala. All of that basically set me up to move into a classroom teaching role this year.” What’s the best part about your job and the worst part? “I think I can answer that very simply, I have absolutely no free time at all. I strive to be an effective teacher and be a good teacher with good lesson plans and good energy for my students. Then I have to be able to flip a switch and go back to the rink for a couple hours before coaching in the afternoon. Some nights after dinner I’m right back at the rink because every week I need 40 hours just in the rink. It can get tiresome sometimes but it’s all good because I love what I do, both the rink and teaching.” How have you been welcomed as a member of the teaching staff? “Of course! It’s been amazing I have the best mentor in the world, Brook Haynes, she has been amazing and everyone else in that office [social studies] has been so helpful to me. Luckily being here at Proctor for quite a while
I’ve known them all in the past meaning that not only are they my colleagues but they are also my friends. It really makes a great working environment.”
necessarily happy to see me. I like being able to take them from that bad time, getting them rehabilitated, flipping their mindset, and getting them back out on the field.
Do you think Proctor will be home for you 10 years down the road? “My goal is to be able to transition away from the rink and into a full time teaching position by next year. That’s the plan!”
What do you like least about your job? Some of the most difficult parts of my job are when an athlete has a recurring injury, or is not mentally able to work through an injury and they just stay injured and can’t take ownership of the injury and do rehab.
Chris Jones: Alum Returns to Keep Students Healthy & Jumping
How has Proctor changed since you were a student? Well, a lot on campus has changed physically since I graduated in terms of buildings and facilities, but the thing that hasn’t changed a lot is the ethos of Proctor. It’s always been, “live to learn learn to live,” and it’s always felt that way. There is consistently a big push towards experiential learning. A large part of that I think is due to the way faculty present material to the students. Some of the interests of students have changed, but Proctor attracts a certain type of person and demands that you be all in in all facets of the lifestyle. You can’t stay in one corner, you have to branch out to be successful here. I think faculty members that can do that stay and this is a place that faculty and students love to be.
By Eric Nemirovsky
How did you come to Proctor? Well, I knew about Proctor because I was a student here in the early 2000’s. As far as returning to Proctor, I was working at St Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont and my wife got a job at Claremont Middle School in Claremont New Hampshire, so we moved. In the process of moving I discovered that Proctor needed a ski jumping coach so I came to be the jumping coach, then Proctor found a job for me in athletic training and that became a full time job. Do you have any other roles at proctor? A primary duty in the job is running the concussion protocol. My initial hiring was as the ski jumping coach, but the primary duty now is not as a coach, it’s as an AT. I’m also a dorm parent this year in Burbank West. I’ve thought about expanding my role at Proctor and trying to teach.
Chris Jones What about your job do you find rewarding/enjoyable? Athletic training for me has always been about working with the students. Getting the opportunity to see somebody go from their worst day to hopefully moving up and working towards their best day. No athlete ever likes being hurt, so when they see me they aren’t
Maggie Kennedy By Kara Baird
Maggie came to Proctor last year to fulfill the role of Girls’ Varsity Hockey Head Coach; on top of that she’s the Girls’ Varsity Soccer Assistant Coach and a Freshman/Sophomore Seminar Teacher. This year she moved onto campus to become a Dorm Parent at Ives. She is committed to her athletes and community as she has so many roles. What does your everyday life look like? Each term I teach two blocks of student health related classed called Freshman Seminar and Sophomore Seminar. As well as being a teacher I’m a coach and a dorm parent in Ives. I’m the Assistant Coach of Girls’ Varsity Soccer in the fall and Head Coach of Girls’ Varsity Ice Hockey in the winter. In between teaching I make plans on what drills to do at practice depending on what term it is. Spring term I don’t coach a sport. When I’m not teaching or coaching I’m spending time in Ives taking care of Oakley. [her Golden Retriever puppy] What were your other jobs before this? How did these lead you to Proctor? Right out of college I lived at home and was a coach at Loomis Chaffee and a travel girls’ hockey team. I coached soccer, ice hockey, and softball at Loomis. I worked at Loomis Chaffee
full time for coaching and running the employee wellness program. After being a three sport and travel hockey coach I decided to take an alumni fellowship in the employee wellness office at Dartmouth. Dartmouth offered me a full time job but a day after I was offered a job at Proctor. I was torn between the two decisions but after visiting Proctor I felt this was the place for me. At first I was afraid to step out of my comfort zone but now I can’t believe I doubted coming here. Why did you decide to be a dorm parent? A lot of reasons actually, the free apartment was definitely enticing! The main reason is we (she and her fiancee, Lindsay) really wanted to be more connected to the community. It was hard for me to be a really good head coach and be a really good resource to my players without being here on campus. Now since I’m always here I can support my athletes better, which is great! What is your favorite part about Proctor? Proctor is the most unique boarding school I’ve ever experienced and that’s my favorite part. We have a robust learning skills program that people are so proud to be a part of and there’s no stigma attached to it, that’s rare. To me, just being different from other schools is what makes me love this place to much. I love how laid back it is here compared to Loomis. The uniqueness again is really what draws me to be here. Plus wearing jeans to work is a plus. Which term do you like the best at Proctor? I want to say spring term because it’s relaxing and I have freedom to do other things. But, I’d say winter is my favorite. Honestly the winter is my most busy time and most stressful time but it’s the most rewarding for me. To be in charge of a team and go through the ups and downs with them is exhausting but it’s the high moments that make a lot of difference. I remember telling a player last year that no matter the mood I was in the winter because of bad weather or the cold, stepping on the ice instantly changed my mood. To be a part of that fun is impactful and makes me feel like I’m doing something worthwhile seeing the joy my players are having.
Maggie Kennedy
John Miller: New Face In The Hornet’s Nest By: Ben Levisay
John Miller is a new social science teacher who joins his son Hank here at Proctor. Welcome to the Hornet’s nest John! Where are you from? I am from a little town in Ohio called Wilmington, which is just northeast of Cincinnati. What brought you to Proctor? We bought a place at Lake Sunapee a couple of years ago when we were living in Connecticut. We met people and began to hear how great of a place Proctor was and met some of the kids who went there. When it came time for my son to choose a school, he chose Proctor. I had already taught in Connecticut and wanted to teach again. What did you do before going to proctor? “Before becoming a teacher at Proctor, I was a lawyer. I went to law school in and got my undergraduate degree in Ohio. I practiced law for many years and did all kinds of stuff. I was a prosecutor who did a lot of courtroom work and after many years I became tired of doing that, so I began teaching. I mean teaching is a hard job, but it is just different. I went back to school to get a masters degree in teaching because I didn’t have an education background. I began teaching social science Connecticut after getting my masters degree.” What is it like being a first year teacher? “My first thought about Proctor is that it is a pretty awesome place! Almost everyone without exception has been very friendly, kind, helpful, active, and involved. It is sort of like being a freshman in school where you don’t know the rules or the system or how the grading works. I would say it’s a learning curve, but I’m getting it.”
What are some of your favorite things to do at Proctor? “Well I feel like I haven’t been able to get the full experience of campus life quite yet. I haven’t been to Jake’s [JJ’s] by myself yet. I only have gone to Jake’s to get my son chicken tenders, which are surprisingly pretty good. I feel like in a way I am cheated a little bit because I don’t live here. I come and teach, go to assembly, and if there’s a lunch break I try and make an attempt to go to the dining hall. I really haven’t gotten a taste of campus life yet, and actually tonight is my first night on campus so this is all new to me. It is really different to see kids out throwing the football and running around without backpacks and books. It is really cool to see what the kids do in their free time, because I only get to see the academic side of them.” What do you look to accomplish this year as a teacher? “I hope I am able to ignite something in my students that can allow them to be interested in something for the rest of their lives. I want them to feel interested in topics and allow their interest to make them more engaged and productive people.” What impression do you want to leave for your students? “I want them to think that I’m passionate, I care, and that I’m invested in their learning. I also want them to know that I am approachable, understanding, and want us to go on this journey together. What are some interesting things people might not know about you? “I have parachuted….a few times. My first time, I was 17 years old at this sketchy place without my parents knowing that I went parachuting. I told them when I got back. I also like to do lots of outdoor stuff…. Let’s see something funny… I once had to prosecute somebody for stealing onions out of his mother’s garden. I felt bad for doing it but the judge only gave him a five dollar fine.”
New to Proctor, Not the Town: Amie Murdough, New Tech Help Staff Member By Jesse Aguilar
Amie Murdough began working at the tech help desk at the beginning of the year. Along with her technology skills, her personality will shine brightly in this community. What were you doing before joining Proctor’s tech help team? I actually worked for a local bank. I was the ATM coordinator, fraud investigator, and I managed their debit card operations department. John Miller
How has your interest in technology changed over
Amie Murdough time? I’ve always been very interested in it. So when I did see this [job opportunity], it certainly piqued my interest that much more. Apple is a wonderful product, so being able to gain that knowledge and work with people with such wonderful experience certainly helped with my decision and wanting to come here and make that change from banking into a different role in life. What made the transition to Proctor easier for you? The fact that a lot of people in town know my family and my parents. I remember some of the people from back when I was a kid, when I would come running around here. So, that made it a lot easier to see familiar and friendly faces. It is a very family like setting. Where and when did technology begin to interest you? Probably within the last five years. The growth, just the difference, and the advantages we have now with technology. It’s exciting! Seeing that come along further and further is what really started piquing my interest and made me want to know more about it. What’s another interest of yours that you take pride in? I like doing a lot of charitable actions. A lot for animals, rescues [SPCA 5k, volunteering for numerous hours at animal rescue centers] . Because it makes me feel good and I know they can use all the attention they can get. What’s something you didn’t know about Proctor until after you began working here? I didn’t realize the opportunities you guys [students] have. It’s amazing! I’ve never quite seen anything like it. I knew that the classes were an advantage. I just didn’t realize how much you actually had at your fingertips. Describe yourself in three words and tell me why. Positive: I’m a pretty positive person. I like the atmosphere. I choose to have that kind of attitude because it is the best way to be. A good positive attitude certainly sets the atmosphere
for the rest of the day. Motivated: I get excited! I enjoy learning new things, new techniques, meeting new people, and seeing new places. So that’s good motivation for me. Friendly: Just being a friendly person and easy-going. I like people, I enjoy working with the public. I always have someone to talk to here.
Nora Hefner
By: Anna Hollenbaugh I sat down with a Nora Hefner, a new teacher in the Proctor community, and discussed her transition from her old job to Proctor. What is your role at Proctor? “I teach in the science department [environmental science] and I coach crew and I am a dorm surrogate in King House. I went to boarding school, so I sort of knew what I was getting myself into.” Nora is used to the hustle and bustle of boarding schools. How was your transition to Proctor? Nora chuckled a little bit and sighed, “The job offer came at a weird time and under weird circumstances, but I was ready to make the leap and go for it. It was a little rushed, because I got hired in the middle of August so it was a really quick turnaround.” Switching jobs at such short notice is hard but she “had the help of the community, and everyone was really supportive and willing to help me with my transition. That is a reason why I love Proctor.” Do you have any goals for the upcoming school year? “I want to learn as much as I can from both faculty and my students about being a good teacher and helping to create a welcoming community where people are excited to learn.” Do you have any hidden talents? I love to paint! I mostly paint portraits. I would love to get involved in a project period that involves painting.
Kara Kidder
Welcome to a New Dorm Parent, Kara Kidder By Logan Dunne
Not only has Kara been a huge pillar of support here on this campus, she now is helpful and supportive in one of the biggest boys dorm. This past year Kara Kidder has moved into the MLS dorm with her family. What are the responsibilities as a dorm parent? Dorm parenting is a huge responsibility, one that I am still learning the depth of. Being a dorm parent in MLS with just under 20 boys is a big job! What has happened so far this year that has made you think that becoming a dorm parent was a good decision? There are many moments in a Proctor day that make me thankful of my opportunities to be a part of the community. We are all excited to build rapport with the boys in our dorm. One highlight that happened early on was a student offered to help my older daughter with her homework! Were you anxious about moving your family on campus? What so far has been the hardest thing that you have had to do? I was really less than excited about the logistics of moving and figuring out new routines that work for our family schedule. What are the differences between living off campus vs the new responsibilities of living on? There are many changes associated with the move. The biggest one for me is staying up ‘til 11 o’clock when I’m on dorm duty. I am an early bird by nature so staying up has been a challenge.
Nora Hefner
What’s one aspect of dorm living you’re looking forward to? “We are really excited about the luxuries that campus affords our kids, specifically their commute to hockey practice!