Program Overview
Adolescence brings mind-bending questions that intrigue middle school students. Who am I? How do I fit in? What is the right thing to do? How can I make the world a better place?
At Mounds Park Academy, middle school is the amazing incubator where important questions get asked – and students are challenged to seek out answers. We encourage our Middle School students to follow their curiosity, deepen their connections to others and pursue their talents with purpose.
For some students, middle school can be a time of alienation and struggle, especially if they feel marginalized or different. At MPA, we create an inclusive, respectful environment that expects and welcomes differences. We stress kindness and advocate for students to act with integrity even when it’s not easy. Students feel comfortable being themselves – and trying on new ideas and personas – as they begin to realize who they really are.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Adolescence is a momentous time in life. At MPA, we embrace these years and all the changes and challenges they bring. We’ve created a stable and supportive culture that allows students to make their own choices and take social, emotional and intellectual risks that will stretch their self-confidence – and provide a place for safe landings if they fall.
OUR PROGRAM
To reach our academic goals, middle school must be challenging and engaging. And it is. Ideas unfold as part of a remarkable big picture. Facts and figures are not an end in themselves, they form a foundation for creative and critical thinking. MPA is a place where learning comes alive – where students are challenged and pushed to excel and succeed, and where it’s cool to be smart, easy to shine, and okay to make mistakes.
MPA Middle School students are welcomed, enjoyed and essential to class activities and discussion. In language arts and English, writing is a daily ritual as we seek to make this essential skill second nature. Students hone their composition skills, master language structure and explore a wide variety of literature.
Math curriculum is demanding and comprehensive. It’s what’s behind our students’ successes in Math Masters and MATHCOUNTS. Enrichment activities and advanced classes challenge the most driven learners in the 7th and 8th grades. The Math Club offers camaraderie and is an important part of the MPA Community.
Middle School science includes the study of life, earth, chemistry and physical science. Environmental studies projects take students to our on-campus garden laboratory and pond and to off-campus sites as part of a variety of day- and overnight-field trips. In social studies, students are introduced to world geography, current events and US history. They begin to understand and appreciate other cultures. By now, most students have had several years of French or Spanish.
For high energy middle school students, a daily dose of physical activities, games and scrimmages works wonders. Diving into visual art, drama, and vocal and instrumental music are key to our program, offering even more avenues for expression and discovery. In Seminar, students learn study skills, social skills, and technology skills, and they are given time to bond and connect with fellow classmates and teachers in Advisory. We encourage students to have a wide variety of friends and companions, we encourage talent, and we encourage students to reach for the goals they set. A growing list of co-curricular programs offers students opportunity to gain new skills, experience teamwork, and most importantly, have fun with one another.
As you contemplate the next school for your middle school student, consider MPA. We teach students to think and act responsibly and to strive for their unique potential. Every middle school student needs a school they can call their own, a place of security and adventure, and MPA Middle School is just that school.
Our Favorite Traditions and Events
OUR HOURS
8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
