On September 23, the Andover/Proctor Liaison Committee met for their fall meeting (the group meets quarterly) to discuss updates from both the local community and the Proctor community. The charge of the Committee, as set forth in its founding in 2000, is to improve communications, partnership, and collaboration between Town Officials and leadership at Proctor Academy. September’s meeting included Scott Allenby, Kurt Croft, Jeff Dickinson, Alex Estin, Kelly George, Kelly Griffin-Brown, Mark Stetson, and Steve Wilkins, and discussion of the following topics:

1. Leadership transitions at Proctor for next year and the hiring of incoming Head of School Amy Smucker (starting July 1, 2025). 

2. Introductions to Kelly George (new AE/MS Principal) and opportunities for Proctor students/faculty to support AE/MS programming and student development in the future, including relaunching a Big Brothers/Big Sisters program with Proctor and AE/MS students. 

3. Future building projects at Proctor (see article on the new Health and Wellness Center) and Proctor’s intentional decision not to purchase adjacent homes/properties in the near future, as it shifts focus to caring for its existing facilities.

4. Traffic flow/concerns in town and how Proctor and the Town might partner to encourage traffic calming devices/behaviors on Main Street after a few close calls with Proctor students and speeding cars.

5. A comprehensive update from the Andover Village District on work being done by the Commissioners, grant funding initiatives, and how Proctor might partner with the Village District to care for and invest in the infrastructure, recognizing it is the largest consumer of water in the system, while also recognizing opportunities for Proctor students to engage in direct learning regarding the water systems, renewable energy sources, etc.

6. Enrollment updates from Proctor, including discussion of a revised Andover Grant Program that will ensure Proctor continues to allocate significant need-based financial aid to Andover families who have resided in town for more than four years, and overall enrollment challenges as the demand for day student spots at Proctor has grown exponentially over the past four years.

Thank you to all those who were able to attend. The next Andover/Proctor Liaison Committee Meeting will be held in early December. Please reach out to Scott Allenby (allenbysc@nullproctoracademy.org) with questions or concerns.