Spire students are bright, college bound students who have gotten “side-tracked”. They are intellectually capable students who are at risk for significant academic underachievement due to social and emotional challenges oftentimes because of limited coping skills and/or a stressful life event (divorce, loss, trauma, adoption). They are girls and boys ages 11 to 18, grades 6-12. Parents oftentimes describe them as kind, sensitive, capable kids who struggle to meet the demands of everyday life.

Most of our families reside in either Fairfield (CT) or Westchester (NY) counties. The students may be coming from home and their local private or public school, a wilderness program, recent hospitalization or a therapeutic boarding school.

Absolutely. We enjoy meeting with parents and learning about their children as well as answering questions they may have about Spire. Our admissions process includes not only meeting with parents when they come to tour, but also meeting the student and spending some time with him/her during an informal interview.

The process can take anywhere from approximately ten days to a few weeks. Families are usually notified within a week once the application process has been completed. This includes a tour for the parents and student, the receipt of the completed application and supporting documents, calls completed from the release of information, the student having an interview and the opportunity to spend some time in our classrooms, meeting some of our teachers and students while shadowing classes.

There are no deadlines in the application/admissions process. The Spire School operates on a rolling admissions basis, so that students may apply at any time during the year. Should space not be available, accepted students will be placed on a waiting list.

We are located at 201 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06905. For more information please call (203) 661-1609, extension 204 or email us at admissions@spireschool.org

As we are a state approved, special education program, our calendar is more similar to the local public school districts, but does vary a bit.

Spire’s school year begins in the early fall, usually late August/early September, and runs until the middle of June. We also have an Extended School Year (ESY) program in July.

Our normal school day runs from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Thursday and 8:00 AM to 12:15 PM on Fridays.

Students who are placed at Spire by their public school district are typically provided transportation by their district as a part of their placement. Students who are privately placed at Spire provide their own transportation; this may include forming a carpool with other Spire families. With parent permission, eligible students may drive themselves.