Year after year, students roam the hallways in cowboy hats and boots, rainbow print tops and flared jeans, with outfits planned for the next day. However, Spirit Week isn’t just for students. Teachers and staff also participate, showing off costumes that range from pop culture icons to handmade artistic creations.
While teachers from every department dress up, the science department plans group and individual costumes tailored to the assigned themes well before Spirit Week commences.
“My students come to expect a certain level of costume quality,” science dean Stephen Anand said. “We (the science department staff) love to live up to those expectations. In addition, we like to celebrate our costumes. I think it’s a lot better that we (students and staff) celebrate together.”
Some teachers, like Mr. Anand, spend months brainstorming ideas, gathering materials, and perfecting their looks in preparation for the five days of character, holiday, music genre, decade, and social clique-themed dress-up.
“(I begin planning my outfits at) the beginning of the year,” Mr. Anand said. “One of the things that we start in August is planning for October (Fall Festival). We start thinking about Spirit Week and learning more about what the themes might be so we can start planning it.”
Some faculty members buy their costumes, while others take a more hands-on approach. Art teachers, such as visual teacher Ryan Toth, design and craft their outfits from scratch, using items from their classroom and home to construct them.
“I get the list for whatever the themes are, and then it usually just comes to me,” Mr. Toth said. “Once I get that all together, I’ll just look around and see the resources that we have, usually like recycled projects and something expansive and crazy. I might just be staring at this pile of synthetic hair that I’ve had in my house for the last 10 years.”
Mr. Toth, a Class of ‘98 alumnus, has been participating in Spirit Week since he was a student. Approaching it the same way he did then, he focuses on repurposing old and unused items blended with the new, the only difference being his position as an educator, with some students using him as their inspiration.
“I had students that dressed up as me for Spirit Week,” Mr. Toth said. “I used to wear an evolution skull t-shirt, and I always have some crazy belt buckle. They had a crazy belt buckle, and they bought an evolution t-shirt and everything else. (They) just put bags underneath their eyes, (which) made them look extra tired. For the most part, I think we’re all just trying to top each other.”
Math teacher Monica Russell also participates in Spirit Week, mostly thrifting her costumes the week before. Ms. Russell draws her inspiration from clothes she already owns, only purchasing pieces if necessary to accentuate the theme in mind.
“I’ve been dressing up for Spirit Week for 12 years, but last year was my first (time) here (as a teacher) and participating,” Ms. Russell said. “(Wearing costumes) is fun, and it’s a part of the school culture. If you’re not dressing up for Spirit Week, what are you doing?”
By choosing to dress up, school staff must follow the basic rules, such as not covering their face. Additionally, their costumes must remain practical in design, as faculty members spend time teaching and walking around campus in the costume they choose to wear.
“(I was dressed as) Gene Simmons and had to walk off campus all the way to Publix with full face paint, a guitar, and a leather jacket to purchase something for a lab I was conducting during the day,” Mr. Anand said. “One time, Mr. Schuman (science substitute teacher Sanford Schuman) broke his ankle because he had on boots that had five-inch risers on them. He was on crutches and in a wheelchair for weeks after that.”
Mr. Anand and the science department say they are planning “fun” outfit surprises, and Mr. Toth says he is preparing to reveal a “creative and not commonly thought of” spin on Tuesday’s Rock theme for staff.
“(Students are going to see) you and be like, ‘You make a fool out of yourself every day, but you really went above and beyond making the fool out of yourself today, so we respect you,’” Mr. Toth said. “My philosophy for class is that I’m never going to ask something of you that I wouldn’t do myself, (and) that goes for Spirit Week. I understand how we’re all together and just participating, just having fun being ridiculous.”
