September 25, 2025
from Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, head of school
On Monday morning, I made my usual right turn from Beebe Road onto the school grounds. Seeing “We. Are. MPA.,” not only brought a smile to my face but also evoked an incredible sense of school pride. I must admit, I was caught by surprise. As a new member of the MPA community, it’s a magical experience to feel school spirit. In so many ways it felt like I was arriving home.
I do not take school spirit for granted. It doesn’t magically appear. Rather, school spirit is the energy that grows from the pride, traditions, and shared experiences left in the form of memories and artifacts from years past, and the voices and actions of those who currently move throughout the campus.
I frequently turn to my Responsive Classroom training and seek to define experiences and goals by asking: What does it look like, sound like, and feel like?
This week, school spirit looks like our students wearing themed clothing and hallways decorated with streamers and colorful posters throughout the building. School spirit sounds like our teams clapping and cheering for our Lower and Middle School students during arrival and standing in the hallway, eagerly planning for an upcoming debate tournament. School spirit feels like the surge of warmth that fills my cheeks with joy when I see students across divisions learning a school chant or reading books—together. And it’s not exclusively created by our students. I see it in the ways our faculty and staff create spaces that foster curiosity. I hear it when a family member says “I love you” to their student at the classroom door. I feel it when someone takes a minute to share with me a special moment they had learning from their colleague.
Simply put, anywhere I look, school spirit is everywhere. While we are amid Spirit Week leading up to Homecoming, the truth is, school spirit is in the small and big moments that happen every day here at MPA. It’s around us all the time.
Homecoming is a wonderful way to experience the spirit of MPA. I look forward to seeing you this weekend as we celebrate our incredible community!
