The energy is palpable, flowing down the halls, into classrooms, emanating from clusters of students mixing and mingling through MPA.  Back-to-school nights roll along, new folks are welcomed into the community, and everyone readies for the official launch on Monday.  It should be a great year.  Welcome back to school!! 

This time of year always brings with it the excitement of new faces, whether it’s the nearly 100 new students, the new parents that anxiously hope for a smooth transition to the new school, or the new faculty and staff that step into the shoes of those who’ve left MPA.

With this first Head’s Message of the year, it is my great pleasure to introduce you to our wonderful group of new faculty and staff.   MPA always manages to attract extremely dynamic people into our working community, and this year is no exception.

In addition, we are also strengthening our mentoring program this year, with more training and support for the mentors as they work to smooth the transition of our new people.

So here’s a primer on the new faces on our staff this year:  (see italics for a hidden truth about each of our new people - in their own words)

Christina Harriman is an avid artist, teacher and coach and comes to MPA from Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, where she taught Middle School art.  She has a BA from Principia College and will join the fine arts department as a Middle and Upper school art teacher.  She is also a certified Ropes Course facilitator, has coached figure skating, and is a 21-year member of the U.S. Figure Skating Association.  She will be mentored by Jim Schweiger.  I suppose I’m an adventurous, traveler, dare-devil of sorts.  I’ve went bungee-jumping in Austria, hang-gliding in Switzerland, skydiving at sunset, blazed through 8 countries in 2 months.   Looking forward to many more adventures and travels to come.

Not technically new to MPA, Yamini Kimmerle is moving in to a completely new role as one of our three fourth grade classroom teachers.  Before coming to MPA last year, Yamini taught first and third grades at Town School for boys in San Francisco.  She was also a sports program leader at Real Options for City Kids, also in San Francisco.  She holds a BA in Economics from Colgate University.  Pam Found will mentor Yamini in her new role. I was an investment banker in San Francisco before discovering my true calling in the classroom.  That light burning at midnight at the top of the Trans America Building in SF - that used to be me.

Jim Schweiger, Christina Harriman, Yamini Kimmerle, Pam Found

Through her recent work as a Regional Coordinator and Teacher Leader at the College Preparatory Mathematics Educational Program, Lisa Fisher-Comfort has presented at both MCTM (Minnesota Council of Teachers of Math) and NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Math).  She has also trained teachers of math in Colorado and California.  She has extensive teaching experience at all levels of Upper School math in California and Minnesota, and has a BS in math from California State University.  She has also coached basketball, track and academic bowl.  She will join the Upper School math department and will be mentored by Theresa Reardon Offerman.  I changed my major five times and went to four universities before I declared my major (in Mathematics).  I grew up moving a lot, living in 20 different homes before I graduated from high school, so frequent change was normal to me.  I enjoy change and look for opportunities to move out of my comfort zone (-:   Yes, the pun was intended!

Lisa Rydeski Pederson joins the MPA staff as Director of College Counseling.  She has been Assistant Director of Admissions at Macalester College for the last five years.  Prior to that, she worked for William Mitchell College of Law.  She was also Associate Director of Admissions for Gustavus Adolphus College, having spent 10 years working in admissions there.  She holds a BA in English with a minor in music from Gustavus and will be mentored by Katrina Wentzel.  I can’t believe I’m going to reveal this, but in junior high I attended Joyful Voices summer music camp and won the “Pitchpipe Award” for “being in tune with the community”.

Theresa Reardon Offerman, Lisa Fischer-Comfort, Katrina Wentzel, Lisa Pedersen

Melinda Moore joins the drama department as a Lower School drama teacher and will additionally be directing the Upper School winter show Our Town.  Melinda is a native of Omaha, NE.  She holds a Masters in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory and a BA in Theater and Communication Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College.  She has performed with companies including The Nebraska Theater Caravan, The Guthrie Theater, Actors Theater of Minnesota, Minneapolis Music Theater, The Boston Pops Orchestra, and Chanhassen Dinner Theaters.  Melinda has taught and developed drama classes at Mill City Museum and Climb Theater Company, was a long-term substitute teacher for high-school level Spanish and French, and spent two years as a national motivational speaker and educator for Making It Count Programs.  Kristine Petersen will be her mentor.  The first thing that comes to mind, and really defines who I am today, is this: I  lost my mother to breast cancer when I was a senior in college – she was 48, and a teacher for 30 years, and is my inspiration every day in the classroom.

Jennifer Otremba will assume the position of Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction for the Breakthrough Saint Paul Program.  For the past five years, she worked for the Saint Paul Public Schools at Valley Branch Environmental Learning Center, and also served as Program Liaison for the 5-District Integration Partnership.  Jennifer graduated from the College of Saint Benedict with a BS in Natural Science and is currently pursuing an MA in Youth Development Leadership at the University of Minnesota.  Her mentor will be Kari Kunze.  I lived in six states before the age of 10 and I have had a cup of coffee only once in my life.

Kristine Peterson, Melinda Moore, Jennifer Otremba, Kari Kunze

Mary Binger joins the MPA staff as a part-time Substitute Coordinator, after working as a substitute at MPA for several years in all grades levels.  Mary has extensive wilderness experience, having sailed across the Atlantic (Canary Islands to the Caribbean) as well as a 62-day ocean kayak trip in Alaska.  She is a certified Wilderness First Responder and holds a BA in Geology from Carleton College.  Laurie Foss will serve as Mary’s mentor.  I can put my whole fist in my mouth, but don't tell anyone because they'll ask me to do it!

Molly Bye is a new guidance counselor and is looking forward to assisting students, parents, and staff in the areas of college and career counseling, personal wellness, and social responsibility. Since 2003, Mary has been a guidance counselor in the public schools in St. Paul and Finlayson. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2003 with an MS in School Counseling.  She has also coached soccer and will be mentored by Lisa Woodruff.  Here goes :)
I’ve never had a speeding ticket and I’ve been pulled over nine times.

Laurie Foss, Mary Binger, Molly Bye, Lisa Woodruff

Ann Laundry assumed the Human Resource, payroll and benefits role in January of this year.  She came to MPA with over 10 years of office management and payroll administration experience.  She has a BA in Business Management from Bethel University and will be mentored by Beth Slocum.  Ann loves road trips and traveling to warm sunny destinations when she can.  I’ve been to several locations in the Eastern Caribbean.  Currently, my dream vacation destination would be to Europe, specifically the Tuscany region of Italy.

Tasslyn Magnusson came to MPA at the end of last year with several years of experience in the development area, most recently from the Minnesota Zoo Foundation.  She completed her PhD in American History in 2005 from Case Western Reserve University.  She joins the Development Team as the Annual Fund Manager and Alumni Relations Coordinator.  Abigail Kline Duffine will serve as her mentor. I love Christmas decorations and have a 6'9" tall husband.  I love being a mom more than anything else I've ever done - it's harder than the PhD, by far.

Beth Slocum, Ann Laundry, Tasslyn Magnusson, Abigail Kline Duffine

 Rebecca Ganzel Thompson joins the MPA library staff for a semester as librarian while Shannon Horton is on leave.  She has worked as a librarian for St. Olaf College, Hamline University, Augsburg College, and the Textile Center of Minnesota.  She holds an MLIS from Dominican University, an MA in English literature from the University of Minnesota, and a BA in English from Carleton.  In a previous career, she was a writer and editor specializing in education publications for Macalester and Carleton Colleges, among others.  She will be mentored by Nancy Lage.

Rebecca Ganzel Thompson, Nancy Lage

Welcome all to MPA!

Please note that the weekly eCommunication will resume in full next Thursday around noon, with notes from the divisions and others.  Look for an MPA eCommunication email this time each week.

Mike Downs,

Head of School