When he was younger, Kirk Spofford’s uncle taught him a lesson that stuck with him for a long time.

“My uncle was a high school math teacher, and he always seemed to be having fun,” said the Bow Memorial School principal. “He had a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He enjoyed his work, and I thought maybe there was something to it.”

After seeing how much his uncle enjoyed working in the school system, Spofford decided what he wanted to do with his future.

Spofford attended St. Michael’s College, where he studied English literature before earning a master’s in education from Antioch University. Before landing in Bow in 1989, Spofford taught at Bishop Brady High School in Concord for 15 years.

According to Spofford, having a lengthy experience of classroom teaching has given him perspective of how hard his staff works.

“Teachers have no break in the day. Other than lunch, their days are jam filled without much control,” said Spofford. “The bottom line is that being a teacher is harder than being an administrator.”

When the final bell of the school year rings, the classrooms and hallways empty, but Spofford and other administrators remain for a somewhat lonely summer.

“It gets a little tedious during the summer. It’s a quiet and noninvigorating place to be for most of the summer,” said Spofford. “Everyone looks forward to the place being filled with people again. Not that I object to quiet time, but it’s great to have energy back in the building.”

Spofford said one of the most difficult aspects of being an administrator is finding the balance between learning and making sure children enjoy being at school.

“That’s a hard thing to do. That is what we all try to do at the school, not just me. What happens here happens in 34 classrooms,” said Spofford. “We think it’s important that we know what the core reason for being here is, and that’s learning.”

When he isn’t on school grounds, Spofford said he enjoys collecting American and Asian antiques, a hobby he picked up about 15 years ago after growing up watching his mother collect as well.

Spofford said that no matter how many years he serves as the school’s principal, he never loses the eagerness he has for the first day of classes.

“It’s exciting,” said Spofford. “I can honestly say I feel as excited as the faculty and kids do.”