MPA At The Minnesota Independent School Diversity Career Fair

February 25, 2021

We are proud to be representing the MPA community at the third-annual Minnesota Independent School Diversity Career Fair on March 6, 2021, from 9 AM-12 PM at Breck School. This career fair welcomes faculty, staff, and school administrators from a variety of backgrounds including ​ethnicity, gender, religious background, national origin, race and gender identity and expression. Participating schools in this year’s fair include: Breck, City of Lakes Waldorf School, DeLaSalle High School, Minnehaha Academy, Mounds Park Academy, Shattuck-St. Mary’s, St. Paul Academy & Summit School, St. Thomas Academy, and Visitation School. ​For more information and to register, visit breckschool.org/diversitycareerfair.

Essential Planning For 2021-22

February 25, 2021

upper school and fourth grade chemistry doing a lab togetherby Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Growing up, I loved the summer vacations of our family. They were wonderful cross-country car trips that my mom and dad would spend months planning, engaging my sister, brother, and me in the process. (We still laugh that my little brother sat on a cushion between the two bucket front seats on the entire ride out to Boston and back.) Those road trips never quite worked out the way they were intended, but were, nonetheless, spectacular and we always had a marvelous time.

President Dwight Eisenhower is famous for saying, “Plans are worthless but planning is everything.” Like our summer road trips, a plan is essential, but what is most important is the planning. As we look forward to the 2021-22 school year, we are building upon the successes we’ve enjoyed this year as well as the lessons we have learned. A year ago, we began with a core set of values drawn from our school’s mission statement. Given the uncertainty, we knew that we needed a plan that was flexible and agile so that we could pivot quickly if necessary. Tying ourselves to a set of values enabled us to successfully adapt as the circumstances warranted. Read More

“Almost, Maine” Honored By Hennepin Theatre Trust

February 25, 2021

scene from winter show, Almost MaineThe Upper School Winter Show, “Almost, Maine,” took part in the Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Spotlight Education program this year. As part of the Spotlight Education program, the show was evaluated and recognized with multiple honors!

Production Honors

  • Achievement in Theatre: Honorable Mention
  • Overall Production: Outstanding
  • Overall Performance: Honorable Mention
  • Ensemble Performance: Honorable Mention
  • Acting Performance: Honorable Mention
  • Costume Crew: Honorable Mention
  • Overall Technical Team: Outstanding
  • Light & Sound Crew: Honorable Mention

Read More

Celebrating Black History Month

February 24, 2021

Ibrahim Playing the ViolinHappy Black History Month! This February, we celebrate the vibrancy of the Black community as we honor the people, events and accomplishments in Black history. At MPA, Black History Month includes both celebrating the amazing accomplishments throughout Black history (for example, the third graders learning the music of Dizzy Gillespie), and simultaneously examining, acknowledging, and remembering both contemporary and historic anti-Black racism and the struggle for justice (for example, the Racial Justice and Equity Club’s discussion on the Black Panther’s Ten-Point Program).

Most of all, we recognize the tremendous accomplishments of Black people throughout history, and in turn, honor our Black, African American and African community members at MPA. In Mr. Cunningham’s Middle School Social Studies Classes, students have begun each class period during February by highlighting and profiling amazing African-American heroes whose stories are sadly not as well known as they should be. These people are artists, activists, inventors, politicians, aviators, and so much more. Read More

Calling For Alumni Award Nominees

February 23, 2021

Heather Otto '97, 2020 alumni award winnerThe Alumni Association is looking for nominees for the MPA Alumni Association Award. Do you know an alum who is dreaming big and doing right? We want to hear about them. The MPA Alumni Association Award is intended to honor alumni of outstanding talent pursuing their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations, while embracing the spirit of MPA’s commitment to community and social outreach. They should be real-world examples for both current students and alumni to dream big and do right. Nominations are due April 1, 2021.

Please include the nominee’s name, email, and a brief explanation of why you believe they should receive the MPA Alumni Association Award (250 words or less). Send all nominations to alumni@moundsparkacademy.org.

Celebrate MPA Through The Decades By Supporting Your Alma Mater!

February 23, 2021

March 2, 2021 is your time to show your support for MPA students, faculty, and staff by participating in our Alumni Day of Giving. This year, participation matters more than ever before with our largest challenge yet! Through the decades, MPA students and alumni have embodied Panther Pride, and now you can share your gratitude by joining in on the annual day of giving. If your decade reaches 12% participation you will unlock a $2,500 challenge gift to support MPA’s next generation. If all four MPA decades reach 12% then it will unlock an additional $10,000, totaling $20,000 in matching challenge gifts. Schedule your gift today!

Other ways to join in:

  • Share on your social media platforms
  • Contact your fellow alums to participate to ensure challenge gifts are received
  • Send a statement to alumni@moundsparkacademy.org of “Why you give!”
  • Share on facebook, Instagram and with Mounds Park Academy photos of you and your time at MPA

Thank you for your support of the MPA students of today and tomorrow!
Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org or 651-748-5532 with any questions or to discuss your gift.

Meet Tom Hooven ’97

February 22, 2021

Tom Hooven and his familyWhat are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?

I’m an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Newborn Medicine in the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. I run a research laboratory that uses molecular genetics and bioinformatic techniques to better understand the interactions between bacteria, pregnant mothers, and newborn babies. The goal of this work is to develop better preventative and treatment approaches to avoid the worst complications of bacterial infections in pregnancy and early newborn life. I also serve as an attending physician in the neonatal intensive care units at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC, where our teams care for newborns and infants with complications of prematurity, congenital malformations, and other neonatal illnesses. I teach medical students, residents, neonatology fellows, and research scientists training at the University of Pittsburgh and affiliated institutions.

How did you get there? Where did you attend college? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?

I attended college at Yale University, where I benefitted from a true liberal arts education that let me study broadly, with very few constraints. I did not enter college planning a career in medicine or science. (I thought I’d be an English major!) I think having the freedom to explore many topics allowed me to find a calling in medicine that I hadn’t expected. It was a result of realizing that I wanted a career that combined reason and science with humanitarian goals. Read More

What Google’s Discovery Means For An MPA Student

February 18, 2021

Kindergarten student working in the Makerspaceby Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Not long ago, Google decided to do some self-reflection. Cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page set out to determine the eight most important qualities of Google’s top employees. As a company that mostly hired top computer scientists, I imagine they were more than a bit surprised to find that of these eight qualities, expertise in STEM was not first nor second, but eighth! The top seven were: being a good coach; communicating and listening well; possessing insights into others (including others’ different values and points of view); having empathy toward, and being supportive of one’s colleagues; being a good critical thinker and problem solver; and being able to make connections across complex ideas.

What can we learn from Google about the future of creating smart, successful, in-demand graduates? The skills that students learn from the humanities and liberal arts are in high demand. In addition to the skills listed above, Google’s follow up research identified having curiosity toward teammates’ ideas, harboring emotional intelligence, valuing equality, being generous, and cultivating emotional safety as additional key skills for their employees. Read More

Summer Registration Is Open!

February 18, 2021

summer campers in science campWe are pleased to be offering an expanded summer program with a larger choice of academic programs, enrichment classes, athletic clinics, full and half day Panther Camp, and much more for students of all ages! As always, our goal is to provide our participants with the highest quality program in the context of a safe and healthy environment.

Register at moundsparkacademy.org/summer. All Lower School classes and camps are currently open for registration. More Middle and Upper School options will be added in the coming days.

If you have any questions, please contact Russ Purdy, extended day program coordinator, at 651-748-5571 or rpurdy@moundsparkacademy.org.

Virtual Maker Fest Is Saturday, February 20!

February 18, 2021

Amelia Dickson's digital artworkWe are so excited for Virtual Maker Fest 2021 this weekend! On Saturday, February 20 at 11 AM, join us on Zoom as community makers to showcase their projects, passions, and hands on how-to demonstrations. Participants will be able to view the presentations by visiting different breakout rooms, ask questions, and discuss with our guest presenters. We are looking forward to seeing you there to celebrate our creative community!

Join via Zoom >
Meeting ID 913 0516 4223
Passcode: makerfest

Discover MPA Student And Maker Amelia Dickson
We interviewed MPA student and passionate maker Amelia Dickson so you can get to know her ahead of time! Don’t miss her Virtual Maker Fest presentation on Zoom Saturday, February 20 at 11 AM! Discover Amelia’s artwork and learn more about Virtual Maker Fest >