Mission, Values & History
From its inception through today, MPA has provided rigorous learning opportunities for students in a nurturing environment, establishing itself as a top-tier college-preparatory school in the Twin Cities.
Our Mission: We teach students to think independently, communicate effectively, and act with respect and integrity in a diverse community that models intellectual ambition, global responsibility, and the joy of learning.
Our Motto: Dream Big. Do Right.
History
Mounds Park Academy began with a bold idea: that a school could challenge students intellectually while also nurturing the character, curiosity, and confidence that shape who they become in the world.
After years of research, planning, and a deep commitment to educating the whole child, founders Bob Kreischer and Sandy Kreischer Smith brought that vision to life in the fall of 1982. With just over 100 students, a small group of dedicated teachers, and a community of families willing to build something new together, MPA opened its doors with a clear purpose—to create a rigorous college-preparatory school grounded in relationships, curiosity, and the joy of learning.
From those early days, the school's spirit was unmistakable. Students formed teams and clubs, friendships across grade levels took root, and classrooms became places where thoughtful discussion, creativity, and intellectual challenge were part of everyday life. Word quickly spread throughout the Twin Cities about this distinctive learning community. By 1986, enrollment had quadrupled and MPA celebrated its first graduating class of nine students—young people who embodied the school’s founding ideals of scholarship, character, and purpose.
Over the decades that followed, the school continued to grow thoughtfully while remaining true to its mission. Today, Mounds Park Academy serves approximately 570 students from PreK through grade 12 and graduates classes of around 65 students each year who go on to outstanding colleges and universities across the country.
The campus has evolved alongside the community it serves. Expanded classrooms, science labs, and collaborative learning spaces—including the Lansing Center, Hart Commons, AnneMarie Thomas Makerspace, Martin Lenz Harrison Libarary, and the Family Commons—reflect the school’s commitment to creating environments where students can explore, create, and connect.
While much has changed since 1982, the heart of Mounds Park Academy remains the same: a vibrant community where students are known, challenged, and inspired to grow. Generations of Panthers have discovered their passions here—learning not only how to succeed academically, but how to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
