Lower School Division News

September 3, 2026

from James Ewer, Lower School director

We made it through week one. Here we sit in week two! 

As I was driving home on Friday after the Ice Cream Social, it hit me. We did it. New routines, new faces, kids figuring out how this year is going to feel in their bodies before they can even name it. Thank you for trusting us with your children. Handing your child to us each morning is not a small act, and we do not take it lightly. What got me most last week wasn't anything that was planned on my calendar. It was the small stuff. 

The words adults use with kids when a moment calls for courage. "Got this." "Believe in yourself." I heard those phrases repeatedly, in hallways, at recess, right before someone had to try something scary for the first time this year. Small words, but words that carry big weight. They tell a child someone in this building is watching for them. 

Last week, I started asking your kids what they love about MPA. Here's what I heard. 

They told me we offer classes they can't find anywhere else. They told me people here are nice and respectful. They told me that they get the best seats at lunch. Must be in fourth grade! Another mentioned the assemblies and the Ice Cream Social everyone's still talking about. One girl told me she never once felt new here because of how welcoming everyone was to her. 

But one fourth grader put it better than I could have. He said, “Everything we do here is great. It's great for learning and learning how to be a kid.” 

I've thought about that sentence more than I probably should this week. To him, those aren't two separate things. Learning how to read, learning how to disagree with a friend and still be friends, learning how to be a kid—that's not three jobs. It's one job. And your children showed us this last week what it looks like when we do that job well. 

We did everything we could to give that kind of love and connection all week long, and we're not stopping. 

If your child comes home with a story from this week, a new friend, a proud moment, or something that made them laugh, we want to hear it. Share it with a teacher, drop it in an email to me, or come stop by and share it with the office. Those little stories are how we know we're building something real. Together. 

Our hope for every child walking these halls is simple. That MPA starts to feel less like a school they attend and more like a home they belong to. 

Important Note 

Save The Dates For Conferences: PreK-12 Conferences are right around the corner. They will take place on Thursday, October 1, and Friday, October 2. New this year and based on family feedback, regular classes will not be held on either day to allow families a greater opportunity to meet with their students’ teachers. More information will be shared soon regarding signing up for conferences. For those new to the community, Upper School students participate in their conferences and are required to attend. 

A Look Ahead 

• Monday, September 7: No Classes, Campus Closed, Labor Day 
• Wednesday, September 9: DEIB Family Forum, 8:15-9:15 AM, PCR 
• Thursday, September 10: LS Curriculum Night PreK-G2, 5:30-6:50 PM 
• Thursday, September 10: LS Curriculum Night G3-4, 6-7:30 PM 
• Friday, September 11: LS Family Forum, 8:30-9:30 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library 
• Sunday, September 13: Panther Pride Meets Maroon and Gold, 1 PM, Maturi Pavilion 
• Sunday, September 13: Argentina Exchange Students Welcome Dinner, 6:30-8, Family Commons 
• Wednesday, September 16: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-9 AM, Nicholson Center 
• Monday, September 21: No Classes, Campus Closed, Yom Kippur 
• Tuesday, September 22-Saturday, September 26: Homecoming Week 
• Tuesday, September 22: Maker Event – Cosplay Day 1, 6:30-8:30 PM, Makerspace 
• Wednesday, September 23: CITL Distinguished Speaker Series: Sturdy Parenting and Technology: Practice Strategies to Manage This Age of Parenting, 12-1 PM, Virtual 
• Wednesday, September 23: Maker Event – Cosplay Day 2, 6:30-8:30 PM, Makerspace 
• Thursday, September 24: LS G3 Field Trip 
• Thursday, September 24: LS Homecoming Assembly, 8:15-9 AM, Family Commons