Spring Spire Snapshots: Campus Happenings and Highlights
- Apr 10
- 5 min read
Welcome to Spire Snapshots, your peek into the exciting activities and events happening around The Spire School campus! From hands-on projects to festive celebrations, our students and staff continue to inspire us with their creativity, collaboration, and curiosity.
Campus Happenings
Student Passes Japanese Proficiency Exam
Mo Klares has passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (Level N5) very successfully. It is an official test supported by the Japanese Foundation. This was a great achievement and we are so proud!
Valentine Door Decorating
In February, Spire hosted its annual Valentine’s Day door decorating contest. Students collaborated in groups to design and create festive displays, showcasing their creativity and school spirit. The activity highlighted strong teamwork, communication, and collaboration among students.
World Culture Day
World Culture Day, held on March 13, celebrated a rich diversity of cultures and countries through a variety of engaging activities. Students participated in experiences such as making spring rolls, Israeli dancing, African drumming, and traditional Japanese games. In addition, several students delivered presentations in Italian and Spanish, and displays highlighted all seven continents.
The event was further enriched by the contributions of parents and staff, who provided a wide array of foods representing different cultures from around the world.
We are pleased to share photos that capture the spirit and success of this memorable event. Thank you to our students, staff, and families for your meaningful contributions and for helping make this a truly special Spire community celebration.
Pathfinders Career Speaker Series
We are honored to have hosted two Pathfinders Career speakers, both of whom are also current Spire parents! Carol Rodriguez from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals joined Spire to discuss her job from the perspective of a scientist and businesswoman, and Heather Machen discussed her career as a pediatrician in a busy hospital emergency department.
Art & Music
The Spire community is enriched by the many talents of our students. Throughout the school, student artwork is proudly displayed, adding inspiration to our hallways, while the sounds of music reflect the passion of our young musicians.
Pictured are a selection of student artworks alongside candid moments capturing our musical talent in action. We look forward to celebrating these accomplishments further at our Spring Concert on May 1.
Additional details will be shared as the date approaches..
Generation S.O.S
Generation S.O.S. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing vital peer-to-peer mental health support for teens and young adults across middle schools, high schools, colleges, places of worship, and community organizations nationwide. As part of its programming, Generation S.O.S. invites young adult speakers to share their personal journeys with addiction and recovery. These powerful accounts highlight the realities of anxiety, loneliness, and the impact of substance misuse, while ultimately conveying messages of resilience, courage, and hope.
To find out more about Generation S.O.S., visit their website:
Science
We have several amazing units in science: In Advanced Biology, students explored the components of blood and their respective functions through a hands-on laboratory investigation. During the activity, they created a blood model using Karo syrup to represent plasma, red candy for red blood cells, lentils for platelets, and white fava beans for white blood cells.
Students in Marine Science studied the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and investigated effective methods for oil recovery during an Oil Spill Lab. Through hands-on experimentation, they determined that cotton was the most absorbent material for collecting oil.
In Zoology, students have been studying various phyla and selected a specific organism to represent each group through a three-dimensional project. Using materials such as wooden frames, sand, and glitter, students created detailed models that reflect the characteristics of their chosen phylum. Represented organisms included members of Porifera (sponges), Cnidaria (jellyfish), and Mollusca (octopus). These projects pictured are on display outside of Mrs. Gaumer’s class.
In Middle School Science, students have been studying the Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 PM. As part of this unit, students constructed models of the Artemis II rocket and explored its mission objectives, including its trajectory to the Moon and return to Earth, as well as the assigned crew members. Students have been assigned specific crew roles and presented their findings on March 31. Additionally, the unit includes an exploration of Earth’s place in the universe.
In Environmental Science, Dr. Commodari’s class focused on project-based learning, including hydroponics and a cafeteria food waste analysis with a proposed composting plan. Students explored how food waste contributes to resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions—particularly methane—and identified ways to reduce Spire’s environmental footprint.
As part of this work, students interviewed Chef Steve Acampora to better understand current practices and opportunities for improvement.
Key insights included:
Certain menu items, particularly heavily seasoned or unfamiliar foods, tend to generate more leftovers.
The kitchen actively minimizes waste through careful inventory management, repurposing ingredients (e.g., using scraps for soups), and donating excess food before school breaks.
Portion control is a major factor in reducing waste; encouraging smaller initial servings with the option for seconds may help.
Dairy and produce are among the most commonly wasted items, and proteins are the most costly to discard.
The kitchen staff is fully supportive of implementing composting and waste separation efforts.
Students and staff valued this collaborative exchange and will continue developing sustainability initiatives, including a hydroponics garden and a potential cafeteria composting and recycling program.
Parent Activities
InSPIREd Summer 2026
The 2026 Extended School Year (ESY) runs from July 6 through July 30 on Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 am to 2:45 pm.
Our ESY program provides students with a highly individualized educational and therapeutic experience. The program consists of academic coursework, elective classes, along with executive function skills in the morning and therapeutic group work in the afternoon.
The summer session is tailored to an individual student's academic credit, content, and/or skill-based needs, as well as therapeutic goals.
For additional information or to enroll in Spire's Summer Program, please contact our Education Director, Lisa Strom.
Upcoming Events
STEM Bus April 27th
The University of Bridgeport Department of Engineering’s "STEM on Wheels" bus will visit for student activities and demonstrations.
Important Dates
April 16: SATs for Juniors
April 23: Mianus Park MS Field Trip
April 27-May 1: Senior Exam Review
May 4-8: Staff Appreciation Week
May 25: No School- Memorial Day
June 3-9: Final Exam Review (Gr. 9-11)
June 12: Senior Symposium
June 12: 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony
June 10-16: Final Exams (Gr. 9-11)
June 16: Early Dismissal at 12pm
June 17: No School- Senior Graduation
June 18: Early Dismissal at 12pm
June 19: No School- Juneteenth
June 22: Last Day of School- 12pm Dismissal
Thank you to everyone who continues to make Spire a vibrant, supportive, and inspiring place to learn and grow. Stay tuned for more updates in the next Spire Snapshot!
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