Mounds Park Academy

January 23, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

It is my custom to provide a yearly “state of the school” report in January, and I will use my Panther Post messages today and next week to highlight key updates and insights into our progress and future direction. Let me say upfront that MPA is in excellent shape and in a strong position locally, regionally, and nationally. Your partnership, support, and trust make it possible for MPA to continue thriving as a school community dedicated to cultivating a love of learning and fostering excellence in our students.

Enrollment Growth and Community Strength
I am thrilled to share that our enrollment for this year stands at 571 students, exceeding our forecast and marking continued growth. This is a testament to the exceptional reputation of MPA within the broader community. Once again, the demand for Lower School is a primary driver of this growth, with as many new students joining Lower School as the Middle and Upper Schools combined. We are proud to report that several grades, including kindergarten, first grade, third grade, sixth grade, and seventh grade, are fully enrolled with most other grades having just a few spots open.

Community member recommendations have emerged as the most common way that new families discover MPA, reflecting the power of word-of-mouth and the strength of our community’s commitment to our school’s mission. Additionally, attrition rates are at their lowest in several years, particularly during key transition years such as PreK to kindergarten, fourth to fifth grade, and eighth to ninth grade. This retention demonstrates the confidence families have in the continuity and quality of an MPA education. Looking ahead to the 2025-26 school year, we anticipate maintaining or slightly increasing enrollment. This steady, incremental growth aligns with demographic trends in the east metro area of the Twin Cities. Read More

MPA Takes On Future City Competition

January 23, 2025

Three teams were selected from the nine teams that participated in the Future City Competition from MPA. The three teams, Larmes (Holland B., Sylvie W., Mason R., Brooke S., Lily M.), AuroraVann (Mia K., Jaclyn L., Ford B., Maren G., Violette N.), and Makarapolis (Declan S, Sukey R., Tori M., Olivia K., Madelyn K.) attended the regional competition, which was held on Saturday, January 18, at Metro State University St. Paul campus. Teams spent the morning giving their seven-minute presentation twice to two different teams of City Model/Presentation judges. Teams had to present what makes their city innovative and keeps its citizens healthy and safe. Judges then had 8-10 minutes to ask the teams questions about their city.

When teams were not giving their presentations to the City Model/Q&A judges, Special Awards judges visited them and asked them questions specific to the Special Awards. Each team could select up to six Special Awards for which they wanted to be interviewed.

AuroraVann made it to the afternoon judging, where the top five teams of the competition presented. AuroraVann received an honorable mention and an award for having the most points for their city model. Makarapolis won an award for Readiness for Natural and Human-made Disasters, given to the team that has demonstrated the most thought into addressing risks to its infrastructure and populace stemming from potential natural and human-made disasters. We are so proud of our Panther representatives!

Photos from the Future City Competition can be found here.

Parents Association News And Events January 23, 2025

January 23, 2025

We are trying something new this year for Faculty and Staff Appreciation, which is being hosted by different grade groupings throughout the year, and it has been a huge hit. Last Friday, parent volunteers from seventh through ninth grade hosted candle-making, special breakfast drinks, and a raffle. Thank you to all who chipped in to show our love for the faculty and staff at MPA!

MPA PA Trivia Night

Join us for the second annual MPA PA Trivia Night on Friday, January 24, in the Family Commons! This will be a joyful night out for dinner and socializing! There will also be friendly competition against fellow parents for the chance to hold the title of Parents Association Trivia Night Champion!

Details

All parents and guardians of students in PreK-12 are welcome.
Upper School and college students are welcome with their parents, although this is primarily a parent event.
Limited childcare for students in grades K through six with pre-registration by Upper School student volunteers. Please note that the MPA PA is unable to provide childcare for children in PreK or younger.
Dinner will be provided for parents and children by Cossetta.
Cost is $6 per person, adults and children. Registration is required to help us plan food quantities. Registration must be completed in advance for childcare.

MPA Book Festival

Get ready to fall in love with reading at the MPA Book Festival from February 10-13 in the MPA Gallery!

Each year at MPA, our community supports the Martin Lenz Harrison Library and the joy of reading through the Book Festival. This is a time-honored MPA tradition for all MPA families to get new books into the hands of students while supporting Library initiatives and a beloved local bookstore. The book festival is for everyone!

Why Alumni Are Choosing MPA For Their Children

January 22, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the January 22 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

The full-circle moment of welcoming alumni back when they bring their own children to MPA is very special. As such a young school, we’ve started to see an upward trend of alumni bringing their children to MPA in recent years. And because the fabric of our alumni community is so unique, we hear a lot of different reasons why; joyful memories of their time here, aligning values, an overall feeling of home, and crediting MPA for preparing them for the world.

“A lot of who I am and who I came to be started in this building and continues to stay with me today,” says Spencer Butts, a class of 1999 MPA alum. “I’ve seen both of my boys, since they’ve been at MPA, learn better study habits and learn how to challenge themselves without being prompted. I think their self-confidence–socially and academically–has changed and improved. MPA really beautifully walks along that fence of making sure that students understand that rigor is an important part of life. But, I think it’s also understood that you have to be able to understand failure to succeed at the end of the day.” This is why Spencer chose MPA for his children.

Like Spencer, our alumni have had transformative experiences at MPA, and they want their children to benefit from the same environment that shaped their own growth–both academically and personally. Alumni returning, and bringing the next generation with them, reflects the lasting impact MPA strives to have on students for a lifetime.

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A Message From Clare Halloran ’03

January 21, 2025

What interested you in pursuing the career that you are in now? What did the process look like to go into your career and what does it look like now? Did you always know what you wanted to dedicate your time to? How do you spend your time outside of your career?

I paused—these were good questions from my mentee, a senior at MPA. It made me think back on my career path and the turns that led me to the niche I find myself in today. I thought back on the years of figuring out “what I wanted to be.” Now I have the opportunity to share my experience—what would have been helpful for me to hear 20-plus years ago?

I first started participating in MPA’s Mentorship Program a few years ago. As part of this program, development manager Angie Gerstner thoughtfully pairs each MPA senior with an MPA alum who shares the interests or career field that the student is thinking about pursuing.

Over a few months, each mentor and mentee share a few emails with the senior leading the questions to help get to know one another, discuss college and career paths, and share challenges and general advice. The program concludes with an informal Alumni Meet & Greet each January on campus (open to all alums, not just mentors!), during which MPA seniors can ask questions of alums across all career sectors and during which alums can reconnect. Read More

Please Welcome Back Ms. Sarah McFarland To MPA!

January 17, 2025

MPA is excited to announce the return of Ms. Sarah McFarland! She will take over as a long-term substitute physical education and health teacher and will teach fifth-grade health, fifth through seventh-grade P.E., and ninth and 10th-grade P.E. We are thrilled to reintroduce her to the community!

From what school/organization are you coming?
I previously taught at MPA before teaching middle school math at a local public school.

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I am a familiar face at MPA, returning after a brief hiatus teaching middle school math at a local public school. While new to the Middle and Upper School P.E. department, I’ve worn many hats over the years (math, English, ESL/AL&C, Program coordinator) and am super excited to don this one, too!

What did you find appealing about MPA?
I love MPA’s gentle embrace of the awesome, quirky, and depthless potential of every student—especially the Middle Schoolers who are near and dear to my heart. Likewise, I have found community here (for my own quirky, awesome self!) that cannot be matched anywhere else. There is so much good to be found here!

What lasting impact do you plan to have on MPA and its students?
I simply want to carry students kindly and thoughtfully through this ever-changing world and their ever-changing selves. I hope they see themselves as dynamic, amazing, forever-learning, endlessly capable humans who strive to dream big while doing right.
Read More

Parents Association News And Events January 16, 2025

January 16, 2025

Details

All parents and guardians of students in PreK-12 are welcome.
Upper School and college students are welcome with their parents, although this is primarily a parent event.
Limited childcare for students in grades K through six with pre-registration by Upper School student volunteers. Please note that the MPA PA is unable to provide childcare for children in PreK or younger.
Dinner will be provided for parents and children by Cossetta.
Cost is $6 per person. Registration is required to help us plan food quantities. Registration must be completed in advance for childcare.

Dr. Hudson’s Book Club

All book lovers are invited to join us on February 12 at 6:30 PM in the Martin Lenz Harrison Library for Dr. Hudson’s Book Club! We will be discussing “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin. All are welcome to attend, even if this is your first time attending the book club. Please RSVP here.

Upcoming Events

Friday, January 17: PA Faculty and Staff Appreciation hosted by Grades 7-9, 6:45-10:30 AM, Peacock Family Teaching Kitchen
Friday, January 24: PA Family Trivia Night, 6-8 PM, Family Commons

Upper School Division News January 16, 2025

January 16, 2025

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, January 17: End of Quarter 2
Monday, January 20: No Classes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 21: No Classes, Grading & Professional Development
Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting, Check Email For Link
Friday, January 24: PA Family Trivia Night, 6-8 PM, Family Commons
Friday, January 24: US Winter Show: “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” 7-9 PM, Black Box
Saturday, January 25: US Winter Show: “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” 7-9 PM, Black Box
Sunday, January 26: US Winter Show: “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” 2:30-4:30 PM, Black Box
Thursday, January 30: US Visual Arts Semester Showcase Reception, 6:30-7:30 PM, Gallery and Rossbach Art Walk
Thursday, January 30: US Cabaret Concert, 7:30-9 PM, Family Commons
Friday, January 31: Returning Family Re-Enrollment Agreements Sent
Friday, January 31: US Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
Friday, January 31: US Winter Show: “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” 7-9 PM, Black Box
Saturday, February 1: US Winter Show: “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” 7-9 PM, Black Box
Tuesday, February 4: Speech Tournament, 3-10 PM
Wednesday, February 5: US G10 Retreat, Deep Portage Retreat Center
Thursday, February 6: US G10 Retreat, Deep Portage Retreat Center

As the start of the second semester begins next week (remember we do not have school either Monday or Tuesday), students have a unique opportunity to embrace a fresh start. Their second quarter and first semester classes draw to an end, and this transitional period can be the breadth of fresh air that allows them to reflect on the past and set new goals for the future. Research shows that resetting one’s mindset can lead towards improved academic performance and overall well-being. According to psychologist and author Carol Dweck, “The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you live your life.” By resetting and adopting a growth mindset, students can enter the second semester with a renewed determination and a sense of optimism.

There are several benefits of “starting fresh” for the second semester, and one of the primary ones is having the chance to reassess academic goals. Students can evaluate their first-semester performance and identify areas that need more attention during the second semester. A study published last October in the Journal of Educational Psychology suggests that goals setting enhances a student’s motivation and, quite possibly, increases their achievement. By setting specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (SMART) goals, students can create a clear roadmap to achieve academic success during the third and fourth quarters.

Middle School Division News January 16, 2025

January 16, 2025

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, January 17: End of Quarter 2
Monday, January 20: No Classes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 21: No Classes, Grading & Professional Development
Wednesday, January 22: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3PM, Panther Center
Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting, Check Email For Link
Friday, January 24: PA Family Trivia Night, 6-8 PM, Family Commons
Saturday, January 25: MS Quiz Bowl Tournament, 8:30 AM-3 PM, Edgewood Middle School, Mounds View
Thursday, January 30: MS G5 Music Share, 2:20-3 PM, Recital Hall
Friday, January 31: Returning Family Re-Enrollment Agreements Sent
Friday, January 31: MS G5-8 Talent Show, 12:30-3 PM, Nicholson Center
Wednesday, February 5: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
Thursday, February 6: LS/MS Evening Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
Friday, February 7: LS/MS Conferences, 8 AM-3 PM

With the transition into a new year and our academic quarters changing—the end of quarter 2 is Friday, January 17—it’s only natural for us to take time to reflect on the first half of the year and look ahead to what is to come in 2025. As our students returned from the winter break, they looked taller, more confident and comfortable, and newer…the newer may have just been because many were wearing the hoodies or shoes they got over break. At the start of the year, our fifth graders looked (and acted) more like fourth graders. Now, they are quickly on their way into the heart of their Middle School years. And, our eighth graders are acting and looking more and more like Upper Schoolers as well. What impressed me most, though, was how quickly and easily all our folks got right back to learning.

Last Friday, we had one of our best Middle School Meetings yet, with student announcements about raising awareness about pollution and plastics to a seventh-grade novel reading with a couple of our students. A couple of our eighth-grade Future Cities teams described their projects and the upcoming competition. And, as part of our Dream Big, Do Right Advisory Challenge, Mrs. Kramer’s advisory announced that they were collecting supplies to restock everyone’s school supplies. Each Middle School student will get a couple of pencils with extra erasers and a few other things from her advisory this week.

Lower School Division News January 16, 2025

January 16, 2025

from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, January 20: No Classes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, January 20: Panther Club Closed
Monday, January 20, PreK Closed
Tuesday, January 21: No Classes, Grading & Professional Development
Tuesday, January 21: Panther Club Closed
Tuesday, January 21: PreK Closed
Wednesday, January 22: MS G4 to G5 Transition Parent Meeting, 8-9 AM, Family Commons
Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting, Check Email For Link
Friday, January 24: LS PreK to K Transition Parent Coffee, 8:15-9:15 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Friday, January 24: PA Family Trivia Night, 6-8 PM, Family Commons
Wednesday, January 29: January Uniform Sale, 8 AM-3:30 PM, Atrium
Wednesday, January 29: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-8:45 AM, Family Commons
Thursday, January 30: January Uniform Sale, 8 AM-3:30 PM, Atrium
Friday, January 31: Returning Family Re-Enrollment Agreements Sent
Friday, January 31: January Uniform Sale, 8 AM-3:30 PM, Atrium
Thursday, February 6: LS Duty-Free Lunch with Parent Volunteers, 11:40 AM-12:40 PM, Playground and Family Commons
Thursday, February 6: LS/MS Evening Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
Friday, February 7: LS/MS Conferences, 8 AM-3 PM

Welcome back to the Lower School, and welcome to 2025! I trust that you’ve had a restful and rejuvenating winter break and are enjoying seeing your children back in the thick of learning at school. Even amidst freezing temperatures, things are heating up as we explore new units and concepts. Read on for more updates on some exciting events and important reminders!

Winter FastBridge Assessments: January 15-24

All kindergarten students will engage in the FastBridge assessment for reading and math with learning specialist Mrs. Ross from January 15-24. Students in first through fourth grade who are currently in intervention groups for reading, writing and/or math will complete FastBridge assessments for the subject(s) in which they are receiving intervention. Your child’s results will be shared with you at Winter Conferences.

PreK to Kindergarten Transition Parent Coffee: Friday, January 24

To support our PreK families, we warmly invite the parents of our youngest learners to the Library on January 24 from 8:15-9:15 AM to meet the kindergarten teaching team, learn more about the MPA kindergarten program, and get any questions answered about the next step in your PreK children’s journey. All PreK families are welcome to attend, even if your child will enjoy another year in our PreK program! Kindergarten faculty Ms. Katie Roche and Ms. Kristine Petersen along with Ms. Jennifer Le Varge and Ms. Jennifer Jasinski are excited to collaborate with you! If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director, at jlevarge@moundsparkacademy.org. Read More