House Pride, MPA Spirit

September 24, 2026

The inaugural year of the MPA House System is off to a strong start, creating opportunities for students to build community, celebrate school spirit, and develop leadership skills. We launched the year with a community-wide assembly that brought all of MPA together for a spirited assembly that celebrated our shared vision. Students in PreK-12 sat with their houses and learned a cheer unique to their house. These cheers were the collaborative work of Upper School student leaders who, together with the Middle School student leaders, taught the cheer to their whole house! This was followed by an all-school ice cream social complete with cups in the house colors!

Other activities have included:

• Lower School: Students have been proudly wearing their house bracelets and comparing their own brightly colored house pencils with each other, excited to see who else is in their house. Our house color days bring a lively display of creativity and connection, starting with our youngest all the way to our fourth-grade leaders!
• Middle School: Students participated in a House Spirit Day by dressing in the colors and themes of their houses, and they came together for a lively Rock-Paper-Scissors competition that encouraged friendly rivalry and connection across grade levels. These activities were planned by our grade-level house leaders, who are helping foster house pride and serve as ambassadors within the student community. 
• Upper School: The first-ever MPA house competition happened at our ninth-grade New Student Orientation with a relay race in the Courtyard. Last week, our seniors participated in low- and high-ropes initiatives and group games in their house groups. This week, faculty members, one from each house, participated in our first Monday Morning Meeting “Minute-To-Win-It" competition, “Stack Attack”! 

Looking ahead, students can expect a variety of house-centered experiences designed to strengthen connections and cultivate belonging. During Homecoming Week, houses will participate in activities such as house cheers, team competitions, and community-building games that celebrate both our MPA and house pride and teamwork. In addition, each monthly all-school assembly will feature a house activity connected to the theme of the month, allowing students to engage with important character, cultural, and community topics in fun and meaningful ways. Students will also have opportunities to participate in spirit dress days and all-school lunch meetups within their smaller, cross-divisional House cabin groups, continuing to build relationships and strengthen our school community throughout the year. 

As the MPA House System continues to grow, we are excited to expand opportunities for student leadership and voice, inviting more students and staffulty to take an active role in shaping house traditions, activities, and events throughout the year.