Curriculum

Academics

CURRICULUM

GRADES 9-12 & PG HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

SPIRE Academy faculty create interactive learning opportunities for students to encourage them to think independently and critically about the topics explored in class. Interweaving projects throughout the curriculum ensures not only students understand the material, but that they can also apply the knowledge learned. Teachers are encouraged to create interdisciplinary learning opportunities so students can see intersections between disciplines. Many of the courses are designed with the student athlete in mind, linking sports to the disciplines.

SPIRE ACADEMY IS A SCHOLASTIC INSTITUTION

SPIRE Academy, an affiliate of Grand River Academy, is deemed a scholastic institution through the NCAA eligibility center. This distinction confirms that we are cleared by the NCAA, all of our student athletes are in the Clearing House and that college coaches can attend during all live periods. This is important to SPIRE because it allows our student athletes to have maximum recruiting opportunities with a range of colleges and universities.

Academics

HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT

Students engage in individualized capstone research projects that allow them to examine the history and culture of their sport and use their sport as a lens through which to analyze the historical and contemporary world. In the 2021-2022 academic year, student research topics include the history of competitive swimwear leading up to the contemporary tech suit, interracial sport “buddy” films in American cinema, the depiction of basketball in modern American art, and racial “passing” in American baseball before the era of Jackie Robinson. As part of the research writing curriculum, students design a multi-media oral history project, “The Season” including interviews with members of the high school and post grad basketball teams and their coaches.

MATH DEPARTMENT

AP Calculus AB students are offered a rigorous course to prepare them for a college calculus class and the College Boards AP Exam. A more intuitive approach to calculus may be offered for those students who want to learn the concepts without the rigor of the mathematics.

Precalculus allows students who have completed an Algebra II course to learn advanced algebra and trigonometry in order to be prepared for AP Calculus.

More “Real-World” courses will be added to help students understand the importance of mathematics in their daily lives. “Financial Algebra” and “Physics in Sports” are two such courses being developed.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Students explore a multitude of texts to bolster their literary analysis skills, learn how to write critically using multiple texts, hone their research and professional writing skills to prepare for the college setting, as well as explore media as text using everything from graphic novels, art, podcasts, film or video games during the process and as part of class projects.

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Students learn the basics of science and the skills and tools they need to further their science studies. We explore the characteristics of living things and the various organization levels. This enables students to further develop their knowledge in anatomy and physiology, in which we explore the structures of the human body and how they work together. Sport Science takes this one step further studying the human body under exercise stress and competition.

SEMINAR

A course all students take. This class includes a health thread, mental skills and college counseling and is co-taught by college counseling, science and sports psychologists. This course affords opportunities for career exploration, entrepreneurship training and chances for members of the community to work with students.

COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Students learn with hands-on constructions of all manner of shapes. What the students experience in their sport is related to the geometry that they encounter on a daily basis. Geometric theories are explored through these constructions and the students’ daily lives.

GEOMETRY DEPARTMENT

Students learn with hands-on constructions of all manner of shapes. What the students experience in their sport is related to the geometry that they encounter on a daily basis. Geometric theories are explored through these constructions and the students’ daily lives.