Friendships And Connections Through Alumni Mentorship

Dorothy (Schilling) Tiernan '02 and Grace Holloway '20The MPA Mentorship Program entered into its second year with MPA Alumni being paired with a member of the senior class. The MPA Alum and seniors exchange three emails throughout the months of November and December. This year was wildly successful with more alumni interested in the program than we had seniors. Mentees and mentors were matched based on interests, hobbies, career goals, college choice, etc. It was clear from the first email exchange that having the mentorship program based upon similar common interests has been yielding more quality relationships. The Mentorship Program concludes with a Networking Event held at MPA with Alumni and Parents of Alumni networking with the Class of 2020. Unfortunately, due to MPA alumni living all over the world they are not always able to attend. Therefore, they take opportunities to connect in person outside of the Networking Event.

“MPA has such a unique fabric of experience and I’ve found it really fun to learn about someone else in this shared space, where I feel like I understand so much about where this student has come from—this academic environment and their academic development, and in a small way, have also been a part of their experience, and through it all, discovering all of these individual, remarkable talents that each student has, and the extraordinary qualities that are unique to them,” said Dorothy (Schilling) Tiernan ’02. “With every email, I am so impressed at what these students are thinking, asking, and doing.” Read More


Alumni Back At Home

alumni on campus for the winter socialThanks to college winter break and those traveling back for the holidays to spend time with family, we were excited to welcome so many alumni back home on campus at MPA. A variety of events occurred in the last month including basketball games, tours, and reunions. Read on to learn more!

Thanks For A Joyful Community Caroling!
Thank you to the MPA alumni who returned to campus for our annual holiday caroling! We love having you back to join us for this special tradition. Enjoy photos of the beautiful caroling here.

Alumni Basketball Game
There were 25 alumni, representing ten graduating classes, who joined current basketball players and coaches for the annual alumni game on Saturday, December 21 in the Lansing Sports Center at MPA. Boys Varsity Basketball head coach Jacob Schwartz ’09 shared, “It’s always good to have former players back on campus. The alumni game is a great way to reconnect and it’s something we all look forward to each year. Our overall turnout has been very encouraging, and we hope to see more alumni come back in the future.” Read More


Alumni Award: Calling For Nominees!

alumni association award 2019The 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, 2020.

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.


Get Involved With The POA

POA Jane Harper in the makerspaceAlthough the Parents of Alumni Association is dormant during the winter months, several Parents of Alumni have been actively engaged on campus. These parents continue to give back in a variety of ways, such as: moving books into the new library, creating partnerships and volunteering in the AnnMarie Thomas Makerspace, attending the Alumni basketball game, giving presentations to our Upper School students, and reading to our Lower School students. We love having our Parents of Alumni on campus. Please reach out to alumni@moundsparkacademy.org if you are interested in getting involved.


Meet Annie Stewart ’11

Annie stewart '11Meet 2019-20 Alumni Association Board member Annie Stewart ’11!

After attending MPA from grades 6-12, Annie Stewart ’11 went to St. Olaf College for four years and graduated in 2015 with a B.A. in Theater. She worked at a number of theater companies in St. Paul and Minneapolis before finding her way back to MPA as a substitute teacher and PreK teaching assistant. She worked in MPA’s Lower School for a year before deciding to go back to school to pursue her K-6 teaching license and Masters in Elementary Education! Annie says that it was working at MPA that helped solidify her passion for teaching, and she is so thankful for all of the experiences that led her to where she is today.

“MPA was such an important place and community for many years of my academic career,” said Annie. “Now, as I am completing a license and Masters, I use the tools and skills I learned at MPA on a daily basis. Most importantly, I am excited to teach and that love of teaching comes from the teachers and community I had at MPA. I’m especially looking forward to teaching the next generation of students how to think, not just what to think.” Read More


Be A Part Of The Middle School Cafe!

middle school cafe "NYC"The MPA Middle School Cafe is a well-loved annual tradition. It is a chance for Middle School students to gather and relax, hang out with friends, eat, and partake in fun activities together. In the past, they’ve been to “Paris” and “New York City;” this year they get to travel to the wacky and magical world of Shel Silverstein! Please help make this adventure possible by signing up here and come be part of the fun.


Spring Sports Registration Is Open

MPA track runnerRegistration for spring sports is now open! Enjoy staying active and competing with fellow Panther teammates this spring with a variety of options including baseball, fastpitch softball, tennis, track & field, and golf. Sign up for your choice here! Go Panthers!


Purchase Tickets For Perspective: 20/20

Perspective 2020 original posterMPA Theatre, in Association with Penumbra Theatre, presents Perspective: 20/20! Purchase your tickets here for the MPA Winter Show on January 23 and 24 at 7 PM in the Black Box theatre. The performance is recommended for ages 13 and up. Please note that there is no performance on Saturday, January 25.

The show features five original one-acts written, directed, designed, and performed by Upper School MPA students. These pieces encompass privilege, “isms,” lived experiences, frustrations, hopes, communal and global issues, and most importantly students’ voices.

Additionally, one of the one-acts titled “And Then There Was One” will compete in the Minnesota State High School League’s One-Act Competition, January 2020.


The Impact Of Singapore Math At MPA

student listening to teacher in classby Renee Wright, Lower School director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will find a guest Head’s Message here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you enjoy reading their thoughts and reflections about life at MPA.

Looking back over the past 30 years as a Lower School teacher, one of my most challenging subjects to teach was math. Some students were successful, and some were not. Some students loved math, while others didn’t care for it at all. How would I address these challenges? I knew it was my job to teach math concepts and make sure these skills could be applied. At the same time, I wanted students to love math and feel confident. I was not alone with these concerns.

Teachers often report that problem solving is one area that presents the largest challenge for students. It is not uncommon for students to feel anxious or frustrated when asked to solve challenging mathematical word problems. In fact, students often give up before even trying. Problem solving in math often causes students to feel incompetent and believe they aren’t good at math. This can lead to a negative mindset about math and becomes a huge barrier to future success in the subject. Six years ago, teachers and administrators at MPA started looking for a math program to address these challenges. After much research, the Singapore Math curriculum was selected and adopted in grades kindergarten through fifth. Read More


Save The Date For Maker Fest 2020

makers at maker fest 2019Join us on February 22 from 1-3 PM in the AnnMarieThomas Makerspace and cafeteria, where you can either host your own table or come as a spectator!

You can sign up here to share your Maker talents, either individually or with a group to have your very own display table at MPA Maker Fest. This is the perfect opportunity to “show and tell” something that you have created and share your accomplishments with the community. Maker Fest is free is open to everyone–students, parents, grandparents, alums, faculty, staff, etc. We can’t wait to see your creations!

If you have questions, please contact Ms. Koen at nkoen@moundsparkacademy.org.