January 15, 2026
from Mark Segal, Upper School director
As we draw the first semester to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the true strength of our Upper School community. A strong, supportive community isn’t just a “feel-good” phrase—it’s a vital foundation that helps every student, teacher, and family thrive, especially when times are challenging. Whether it’s academic pressure, personal stress, or unexpected life events, knowing you are part of a warm, caring, and nurturing community can make all the difference in how you navigate those moments. Educational research shows why these matter. Studies have found that “school connectedness (the feeling that students are supported, respected, and valued by their peers and adults at school) acts as a protective factor that promotes resilience and positive outcomes even when students face adversity. (Development and Psychopathology, Cambridge University Press, November 15, 2021)”
This aligns with our own experiences at MPA. When students feel connected, whether through supportive friendships, strong relationships with teachers, engagement in school athletics and activities, or simply knowing that a community member cares, they are more likely to persevere through challenging times and reach their full potential. As Coretta Scott King wisely said, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” That compassion, which is shown in everyday acts of kindness, support, and genuine care, transforms our upper school into more than a loose group of individuals—it makes it a resilient, uplifting, and unified community.
At MPA, we see this spirit of mutual support in action continually through peer-tutoring programs like Reading Buddies, Upper School clubs that welcome new students at their weekly meetings, and teachers, counselors, and administrators who check in with students and their families when times are challenging. These actions create an inclusive environment where every student feels seen and valued. As we continue through these dark winter months, let’s strive to continue to strengthen these bonds, reach out to genuinely check on one another, and model the compassionate, resilient community we all wish and deserve to be part of.
Thank you for your continued support of our community and its members. Your involvement and engagement are appreciated and not taken for granted.
I look forward to seeing you on campus soon.
Important Information
- If your student will be absent, late, or needs to be excused early from school, please contact the Upper School assistant, Chanda Williams, at cwilliams@moundsparkacademy.org.
- Invite a friend to experience MPA at the PreK-12 MPA Preview on January 22, from 5-7 PM! MPA Previews are signature PreK-12 events designed to introduce families to the faculty, staff, and students who make MPA the exceptional learning community that it is. Visitors will have the opportunity to take a student-led tour, visit the Information Fair, enjoy a light meal, and participate in experiences led by the expert teachers you know and love. They will leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way. The most important way new families come to MPA is through someone they know and trust, and we’d be so grateful if you invited someone today! And feel free to join them! RSVP here!
- Make plans to attend the Mounds Park Academy Winter Show, “40 Neo-Futurist Plays from Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (30 plays in 60 minutes),” by Greg Allen!The play is a collection of 90 plays that the ensemble picks 40 to perform. Each two-minute play is performed in a random order that the audience decides on. An onstage 80-minute timer keeps everyone honest, and when the clock reaches zero, the show is over. Created in the Italian Futurist tradition, these plays are illogical and irreverent, humorous and absurd, serious and poignant. We hope you can attend these upcoming performances:
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- Friday, January 23: 7 PM
- Saturday, January 24, 7 PM
- Sunday, January 25: 7 PM
- Friday, January 30: 7 PM
- Saturday, January 31: 7 PM
Purchase your tickets by clicking here! All shows will be held in the Black Box Theatre. Please use Door 4. For any mobility needs, please contact James Lekatz at jlekatz@moundsparkacademy.org.
Mark Your Calendars
- Friday, January 16: MS/US End of Quarter 2
- Sunday, January 18: MPA Family Open Gym, 1-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center, Register >
- Monday, January 19: No Classes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Panther Club/Den & PreK Panther Closed
- Tuesday, January 20: No Classes, Grading Day & Professional Development, Panther Club/Den & PreK Panther Closed
- Wednesday, January 21-Friday, February 6: US Art Showcase, Gallery & Rossbach Art Walk
- Wednesday, January 21: US Class of 2028 Parent Meeting, 7-8 PM, Virtual
- Friday, January 23: US Winter Show, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box, Tickets >
- Saturday, January 24: US Winter Show, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box, Tickets >
- Sunday, January 25: MPA Family Open Gym, 1-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center, Register >
- Sunday, January 25: US Winter Show, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box, Tickets >
- Friday, January 30: US Senior Speeches, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
- Friday, January 30: US Winter Show, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box
- Saturday, January 31: US Winter Show, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box, Tickets >
- Wednesday, February 4: US Semester One Showcase Reception, 6:30-7:30 PM, Gallery & Rossbach Art Walk
- Wednesday, February 4: Cabaret Concert, 7:30-9 PM, Recital Hall
