PROCTOR PULSE Proctor Academy | May 12, 2017 | Issue 3
FAREWELL FACULTY: WHERE ARE THEY GOING NEXT?
Farewell Phil By Drew MacInnis
Bye Bye Brenda By Eliza Pokorny
Brenda Godwin has been teaching at Proctor for twenty years and before that she spent nine years in development. We will all miss her assembly announcements about yearbook photos and senior pages. Now that Brenda has decided to retire from Proctor, she hopes to “never see snow again.” She is a devoted advisor and will miss her advisees the most. The sentiment is mutual and when asked to describe Brenda in one word, her advisees responded: intelligent, creative, smart, amazing, strong minded, and best advisor of all time. Can you recap your years and roles at PA? I’ve been at Proctor for 29 years, 9 in Development and the other 20 as a teacher. I’ve taught US History, European History, History of the USSR, History of Modern China, The Cold War, Modern Middle Eastern History, AP Government and Photoshop/ Lightroom in the tech department. I have been an advisor, and overseen the Green Lantern, Proctor’s Yearbook.
What’s next after leaving PA? I’m getting out of New Hampshire in the winters, planning to spend October—April in Ocala, Florida, where there are golf courses to play, high schools to sub in, relatively inexpensive real estate and low taxes. I’ll continue to enjoy my home on Bradley Lake [in Andover] in the spring and summer. What are you most looking forward to? Never seeing snow again, I hope. 4. What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor? My students, especially those I’ve taught who are juniors this year: Lance, Joe, Kevin, Toby, Hunter, Peter, Hazem, David, Lindsay, Kiara and Liv. My junior advisees JT, Hazem and Liam. 5. One favorite memory or a highlight of working at PA? Celebrating Patriot Super Bowl victories (and mourning two devastating losses) with Proctor students
at my Super Bowl parties. Win or lose, the company was outstanding. [Another] great moment on the Proctor campus: when the Proctor varsity boys defeated Brewster in basketball in 2006. Proctor was down by 2 and had the ball out of bounds at half court. Bert Carvalho (an unsung hero) was on the clock. He didn’t hasten to start it when the ball was inbounded, The pass went to Jerome behind the 3-point line. Three Brewster players were hanging on him, he got the shot away and it swished through the net as time expired. My colleague and I were standing behind the Proctor bench so we watched the crowd explode out of the stands and rush the court, burying the players in joyous embraces. It was wonderful. One aspect of PA you WON’T miss? Dish duty.
For 22 years, Phil Goodnow has been a teacher in the social science department and has also coached numerous sports teams including lacrosse, soccer, and hockey. Phil has also had three of his children graduate from Proctor. It is clear that Phil loves the Proctor community and that the community loves him back. What roles have you had at Proctor? I was hired in 1995 to be the Social Science Department Chair. I have taught [eight different classes including AP’s]. I was a dorm parent in Burbank West for five years, and then in Fowler House for two years. I have coached soccer (I was the varsity boys head coach for nine years), JV ice hockey, and assisted in Varsity Boys Lacrosse. I have been an advisor every year. What’s next after leaving PA? Lawre and I are moving back to our hometown, Little Compton, RI. We grew up together there, and built a house on a family farm back in 2011. My mom is 88 years old and lives in a nursing home in Tiverton, RI which is the next town over. Mom’s health is failing so I want to spend time with her and support her for as long as I can.
As I told Mike Henriques, if I wanted to stay in teaching I would remain at Proctor because I enjoy this school so much. I hope to work for myself in some capacity, and also take care of the family farm. I enjoy physical labor and its rewards so reconnecting with the land is an exciting prospect for me. What are you most looking forward to? After 32 years of teaching I am looking forward to exploring and learning more about myself. I am also looking forward to working with my hands rather than my mind, and being in a place that has always been “home” to me. What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor? I will miss the students and faculty
I have befriended. While I am a very private person who enjoys being in my own thoughts, I do relish the relationships that have come my way. My students and colleagues have opened my eyes to my own strengths and weaknesses and thus allowed me to grow from that exposure. For that I can’t thank all those individuals enough. One favorite memory or a highlight of working at PA? My three favorite memories/highlights from my work at Proctor were the days that my three children - Hilary ‘05, Hannah ‘08, and Jonathan ‘14 - graduated from Proctor. Those three dates were moments when I was reminded of how Proctor delivers an amazing education to all different styles of learners and, subsequently, how much a privilege it has been to work here for 22 years.
Tucker Prudden Starts a New Chapter By Rowan Moynihan
Can you recap your Proctor experience? For the past five years, I have served in the roles of learning specialist, college counselor, social science teacher, advisor, dorm parent and coach in Ice Hockey and Lacrosse. I have lived in two different dorms. Additionally, I organize a spring break training trip to Florida. What’s next after leaving Proctor?
Loving Laurie By Nikki Asch
Laurie Zimmerman has been with Proctor for around thirty years. She has given lots to Proctor, and many in the community are sad to see her go. When her fellow faculty members were asked what word would describe Laurie, they answered: fearless, resilient, colorful, ebullient, vivacious, sublime, inspiring, and that she is a mentor. All are accurate. We love and thank her so much; we wish Laurie the best of luck for what is to come in her future out West! Can you recap your years and roles at PA? I was an editor and English teacher before I came to Proctor, but when Alice Fowler (previous Head’s wife) needed a “sub” in Learning Skills I came to Proctor to help her out for a year. Four years later, I was still here! When she died, I moved over to teach full time in the English Dept. I was the international student coordinator for a while, a dorm surrogate in many dorms, and a fitness coach for afternoon activity. I taught freshman English...British Literature, Themes in Literature, and then I developed the Poetry classes.
What’s next after leaving PA? I am leaving NH after thirty years to go back to California, where I lived before coming to NH. This time, instead of Berkeley, I’ll be residing in Los Angeles where my two adult children live. I’m retiring from teaching but will be looking (desperately) for a job! I may go back into publishing or I may get lazy and be a cashier at Target. Whatever I find! What are you most looking forward to? I can’t wait to have nights and weekends free of homework. I cannot wait to get back to the west coast, the sunshine, the diverse poetry scene, and the palm trees. But most of all, I am looking forward to spending holidays with my children, something I haven’t been able to do in years, and to having family around me. What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor? I think it will be a big adjustment to no longer have the energy and fun of teenagers in my daily life, and I’ll miss the gorgeous campus and my colleagues.
Creative Writing. That and having my children are the highlights of my life, so far, and in many ways Proctor’s support enabled me to write my first book and make connections and lifelong literary friends I now can’t imagine my life without. One favorite memory or a highlight of working at PA? Too many: former headmaster David Fowler leaping off the stage backward into a mosh pit of students, and then being carried through the auditorium and out the back doors—that was my very first assembly experience; all of my son’s plays; working with Tom Eslick and Sarah Will on a Hamlet exam, in which every question was a joke and Suzy Norris finally fell off her chair in the English office and collapsed on the rug from laughter; students stealing Alex Estin’s and my bus (on our way to Project Period in Montreal) and driving it around the block at the Canada border to trick us. The best times, however, have always been the times I’ve spent in class with my students. Aspects of PA you WON’T miss?
One way Proctor has changed you? Proctor gave me the ability to earn my degree in Fine Arts/Literature and
Getting up early on Saturday mornings. Snow. Cold. Long dark winters. Faculty Meetings.
My wife and I have accepted positions as faculty members at the Pomfret School. [I’ll be] a social science teacher, and hockey/lacrosse coach. My wife will teach Spanish and coach soccer/ basketball. We both will also be dorm parents and advisors. What are you most looking forward to? What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor? I am looking forward to the opportunity to work in the same community as my wife and the opportunities it provides us when considering a family in the future. What I will miss most
about Proctor is the people, specifically the young men on the lacrosse team which I have had the privilege of working with. One favorite memory or a highlight of working at PA? One of my favorite memories about my experience came this past year when Pete Southworth and I were able to design and organize a Project Period trip to the Mohawk reservation. I remain fascinated with Native cultures and their connection to the game of lacrosse and it was a powerful experience to learn more about the community that shared the game with European settlers. Lance Crate ‘18, shared his thoughts on Tucker: “Tucker was my foundation coming into Proctor as an advisor and a coach. I knew he was the coach I wanted to play for before entering Proctor but never imagined the difference he’d make for me off the field. He always sets a high standard but is also light hearted and relatable, a personality I could reciprocate with. He helped me find my place here immediately…. Overall, he has done a lot for me and this community and his presence will be missed.”
Goodbye Sean, You Will be Missed By Dennis J. McCarthy
Coach, teacher, advisor: these are some of the many roles Sean Woods filled as part of the Proctor community. After graduating from Bates College, Sean has spent the last two years here and his easy going personality and youthful energy have made him an instant student favorite. However, this year Sean has made the decision to move back to his home state of Colorado to be closer to his loved ones. Recap of your years and roles at Proctor? I have been at Proctor for two years and I teach in the mathematics department. During my first year I was a surrogate dorm parent and I coached Mountain Biking and Nordic Skiing. For this current year, I live in Carr House as a dorm parent and I coached JV1
Boys’ Soccer as well as Nordic Skiing. I am also an advisor.
What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor?
What’s next after leaving Proctor? I will be moving back to Colorado where the rest of my family lives. I have no job plans as of now but ideally, I would love to work for Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) or American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE).
I will definitely miss the people! The faculty, students, and staff are incredible here. I will definitely miss working alongside my colleagues as well as the students. So many individuals at Proctor come from unique backgrounds and it is amazing to hear about their experiences and learn from them.
What are you most looking forward to?
Is there one way Proctor has changed you?
I am most looking forward to living near my family again. My brother and grandmother live in Denver and my parents live in a small town west of Vail. The weather will be also be a plus.
Proctor has allowed me to become more flexible in a sense. Before, I was used to a regimented plan that I stuck to and was always clear to me. I believe that at Proctor, it is important to be adaptable and ready
for anything because so many students and faculty are doing such amazing things. Favorite memory or a highlight of working at Proctor? I love how students are encouraged to make mistakes and work through confusion (and in some cases frustration) to gain a complete understanding of class material. It is amazing to help guide students through this process until they reach that lightbulb moment. One particular memory that will stick with me is when the Nordic team had a night ski right after our team dinner this past winter. It was an incredible way to end the season because there was a full moon, there was no wind, nice temps, and no one wanted to stop skiing.
Corey Cooper Skates Off By Hayden Manning
Hard-working, courageous, witty, bright, dedicated, caring role model. When asking students and faculty to describe Corey in one word, these were a few of the the answers. Corey has been a member of the Proctor community for four years. Many will be sad to see her go but before she does, I decided to ask her a few questions about her time in our community. What’s next after leaving PA? Next year, I’m heading to the Millbrook School in Millbrook, NY to teach English, live in a dorm, be an advisor, and coach hockey. When I move, I’ll be much closer to family, which is definitely the change about which I’m most excited. What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor? There is no question in my mind that I’ll miss the people at Proctor more than anything else. I have learned so much during my time here, especially from our unbelievably talented and hardworking staff, students, faculty, athletes, and artists. I couldn’t be more grateful to have had the opportunity to start my teaching career here. What was your favorite memory from your time at Proctor? I’d say that my favorite Proctor memory is of the time our girls’ varsity hockey bus got a flat tire almost as soon as we left Southfield to head back to Proctor after an evening game. We were still very close to Boston, and so had about a two-hour
ride ahead of us. Despite being stuck at a gas station for over an hour, the girls not only kept a positive attitude, but saw it as an opportunity for an all-out dance party on the uninjured bus, which led to a far more exciting and fun late night than we ever could’ve anticipated. Though our night didn’t unfold as planned, due to a humbling loss and a flat tire that held us hostage for about an hour and a half, the girls were in great spirits, and taught us coaches, as they did many times that season, that from adversity come some of our most memorable and character-revealing moments. What is one way Proctor has changed you? Perhaps more than any other experience in my life, the chance to work at Proctor has given me insight into the complexities and intricacies of each person’s path through life, and taught me that we never quite know a person’s whole story, and that doing our best to understand others is by far the richest experience we can have.
STAFF MOVING ON FROM PROCTOR: Susan Currier
What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor?
Can you recap your years and roles at PA? I started working for Learning Skills in 1985. When John Schoeller hired me he asked me if I knew anything about computers. I told him I didn’t, but I’d love to learn. From Learning Skills I moved to Technology. What’s next after leaving PA?
My teammates. The individuals I work with have become part of my family. Of course, with the exception of one; he already is my family. What’s one way Proctor has changed you?
What are you most looking forward to?
I found that a person grows here, whether or not he/she wants to. It just happens. I have loved my time here, Proctor is a feeling, it has it own essence. One favorite memory of working at PA?
Spending time with my family, reading, needlework, yard work, and traveling.
Having my children go through their high school years here. What a gift to have had that benefit!
Volunteer work. I have several areas I might pursue.
Natasha Langsdorf Can you recap your role at Proctor? I have worked on the communication team and have been a dorm surrogate in Gulick. One of the best things about my job has been getting to know people in the community and hearing their stories. Gulick has been an amazing dorm to work in– Lori and the girls are incredible! What’s next after leaving PA? This summer, I will on a beautiful lake in Vermont, working at Camp Aloha Hive. It will be my 7th counselor summer and I will be in charge of the counselor in training program. I will be moving to DC in the fall!
What’s one thing you’ll miss most about Proctor? I will miss living on 2,500 beautiful acres of wilderness. We are so fortunate that we can go on adventures right in our backyard! What’s one way Proctor has impacted you? Proctor has shown to me the power of a caring, inclusive, and challenging high school community. It fosters diverse interests, and attracts kind, caring people who want to push themselves (and those around them) to do well and be the best people they can be. One favorite memory of working at PA? I loved doing social media for Project Period with Raz! The diversity of the projects was incredible, and it was fun to see faculty and alumni share their passions with students.
Sounds of Spring: Woods Team By Catherine Doheny ‘17 Photo Credits: Mary Gettens ‘19
The loud mechanical whirring of the splitter starting up is a nuisance to some but music to others, it is the tell-tale symphony of spring. The clunk of the log being put on the splitter, the hydraulics powering up, the first crack of wood against the wedge and then comes the complete split and the sputtering of the cylinder. Finally, the dropping of the log in the metal truck bed, which adds a hint of percussion to the melody.
It isn’t just the sound that makes me giddy, the smell of freshly split wood spreads a smile across my face as easily as the first buds of spring open up for the sunshine. My absolute favorite smell is the way split Red Oak permeates the air. Dave says it smells like peaches, but I think it is more like an earthy decay with a hint of citrus.
This isn’t methodical destruction, but a true intimacy with the creation and life of the forest. I become more aware of how the wood cries and how lovely the heartwood is, because of this I have an immense gratitude for the trees and their gifts to us.
We’re singing in newness and celebrating renewal of the forest. “Make way, make way,” the splitter sings, for we are nourishing the new by felling the old. It feels that way for the people too. We get to work off the weary, winter shells and make room for powerful, harvest ready bodies.
Splitting season grants its participants strength. You have to lift, toss, and hand split which requires the building of new muscles to make you more compatible with the job. It feels empowering the way the forest shapes you to be like it when you spend enough time with it. To become as sturdy as the oaks you have to know them and realize their power as you struggle to harness it with a splitter.
I like to remember, when the mechanical whirring gets loud and the mosquitoes begin their feasting, that this allows me to be more connected. I feel it in my lungs when the fresh air rejuvenates them and in my legs as they get stronger, that the work that comes with springtime is natural and necessary. The hope that comes with spring is even more enhanced when you get an up close and personal job that allows to have a hand in making springtime even more magical.