Mounds Park Academy

Panthers Take Third And Fifth At IMAC Championships

May 30, 2019

The Panthers traveled to Providence Academy on a warm Thursday afternoon for the IMAC championships. Noteworthy performances on the girls side include eighth grader Zoe M. placing fourth in the 100m dash in 13.39 and adding a fifth place finish in the 200m in 28.02. Eighth grader Greta M. (Gentry Academy) finished fifth in the 200m in 28.10 and fourth in the 400m in a personal best 1:02.28. In the 800m, senior Sofia Walker ran a near personal best 2:26.18 to place second and sophomore Izzy Quam ran a season best 2:33.63 to finish sixth. Eighth grader Emily B. ran two personal bests in the hurdles races, placing sixth in 19.13 in the 100m hurdles and recording another personal best of 55.12 in the 300 hurdles. In the field events, Zoe M. placed fifth in the long jump with a personal best jump of 15.8.75, now third all time in MPA history. 15.8.75 gets Zoe on the state honor roll in the long jump! Junior Catherine Moore placed fourth in the discus throw with a near personal best of 80.9.

In the 4x100m, junior Catherine Moore, ninth grader Ella Fruchterman, and eighth graders Greta M. (Gentry) and Zoe M. place second in a season best time of 53.00, moving up to sole possession of fourth place all time at MPA. In the 4x800m, seniors Gabby Law and Sofia Walker, sophomore Izzy Quam and eighth grader Margo N. were conference champions! They ran a season best 10:21.54, earning a spot on the state honor roll and moving up to fifth place all time at MPA with the fastest time since 2002. Read More

Your New Parents Association Executive Board!

May 29, 2019

Thank you to those of you who voted for your new Parents Association Executive Board. The following slate was approved and will begin leading the Parents Association and serving the MPA community on July 1, 2019: Kim Jakway, president; Seema Anwar and Barry Madore, co-presidents-elect; Meredith Forgosh, secretary; Yuki Miyokawa, treasurer; Russ Purdy, Upper School division lead; Susan Knapp, Middle School division lead; Sally Richie and Andrea Dodson, Lower School co-division leads.

In addition, a special thanks to Tara Lafferty who is stepping down as Middle School lead but will continue to be involved in Parents Association events. Tara has dedicated many volunteer hours and her amazing contributions are much appreciated!

Quiz Bowl Excels At Nationals

May 29, 2019

Congratulations to the Upper School Quiz Bowl team for finishing with a record of 5-5 at Nationals last weekend! They were one win away from making playoffs. Sophomore Isak Dai finished 68th out of more than 1600 players, earning a Rising Star Award. Congratulations, Quiz Bowl!

Volunteer With MPA This Summer!

May 29, 2019

The Offices of Admission and Marketing/Communication are looking forward to MPA’s presence at many fabulous summer events, starting this weekend! These events provide us with an opportunity to raise awareness of MPA in the community and share what a wonderful school it is.

We are looking for volunteers (families, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, and students) to join us in this effort! This is a great way to connect with people you might not get to otherwise and share your love for MPA. Your children are more than welcome to accompany you and this is a great way for Upper School students to earn service hours. Read More

Class of 2019: Ling DeBellis, Saint Paul

May 29, 2019

As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!

In what grade did you come to MPA?
I started MPA in PreK in 2005! This was MPA’s first PreK class. I was really shy back then, and had faced isolation at a PreK before MPA, so I was pretty nervous on the first day of school. Lorraine Anderson, the former MPA PreK teacher, was amazingly kind and nurturing; it didn’t take long for me to come out of my shell!

How did you come to choose the college that you did?
I chose Rice University in Houston, TX because it just felt like home. The people were so authentic and welcoming. Our campus tour was incredibly accessible (I am a wheelchair user, and have had terrible experiences at other colleges). I ate lunch with the best, nerdiest students ever, and instantly felt a connection. I was clearly surrounded by supportive, engaging peers and brilliant professors! And, of course, Houston weather is my kind of vibe. I ended up applying Early Decision because I knew I’d be heartbroken if I didn’t get in. A bonus is that Rice is neighbors to the world’s largest medical complex (really!) — fingers crossed for plenty of research gigs! Read More

Class of 2019: José Varela Castillo, Woodbury

May 28, 2019

As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!

In what grade did you come to MPA?
I came to MPA in ninth grade. MPA has been a great fit and I’ve really enjoyed my time here.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?
I chose Tulane because I wanted to be in a place that was warm and close to home. Also, I wanted to be in a five-year architecture program, and Tulane was my favorite school in the south that offered it. I also was looking for a medium size school, but one that still had lots of school spirit and D1 athletics. Tulane also allows me to double or switch majors because admission is not school specific giving me more options if architecture is not the path I ultimately want to take.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?
I am really looking forward to taking more art classes and doing more hands-on projects. I am also looking forward to more independence and the ability to have more control over my schedule. College will also give me the opportunity to find out what I really want in life and discover new paths. I am excited to meet new people who have had different life experiences than I have. Studying abroad is another thing that I am excited for, since I love to travel and like living in different countries. Read More

Class of 2019: Lance Go, Woodbury

May 24, 2019

As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!

In what grade did you come to MPA?
I came to MPA in ninth grade. I originally went to St. Ambrose of Woodbury from K-8 before MPA, and I distinctly remember being the only person from St. Ambrose to transfer to MPA in my class. Since I decided to enroll at MPA, I have never looked back.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?
Northwestern University has been somewhere I have wanted to go since I was very young. Northwestern is in the unique position of offering many more options than a traditional liberal arts college while still maintaining a smaller feel than a big university. Although I will be an engineering student, I will still have the option of taking many classes outside of my major. The combination of having a wide selection of courses and the flexibility to try things outside of what I am studying easily made Northwestern my top choice.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?
As much as I love the great state of Minnesota, I am very excited to see what other cities have to offer! I am always up for trying new things, and Evanston and Chicago will be a nice change of scenery. As someone who does not yet know what kind of engineering is best for me, I’m also excited to further explore a variety of engineering disciplines and the STEM field as a whole. Read More

Taking Responsibility For The Future

May 23, 2019

There are freethinkers, free spirits, risk takers, right makers, dreamers, and doers who are standing up to support Together, We Dream. Here is one story that explains why. Met Jeremy Drucker, MPA alumnus.

What impact do you see the completion of Together, We Dream: The Campaign for MPA having on you or your family?
I see the completion of the campaign as a continuation of the promise of Mounds Park Academy to grow and nurture young people to be the intellectual and moral stewards of tomorrow. The older I get, the more I realize that the future is unsettled and nothing is guaranteed. Ensuring that there will be bright, innovative, and good people improving the world they inherit, is at the core of what MPA does.

Why do you believe it is important to give to both Together, We Dream AND to the annual MPA Fund as you would in other years?
It is important to support the growth of the school so it can maintain its competitiveness, as well as the MPA fund so it can continue supporting the ongoing work MPA does.

How do you see the four priorities (library, cafeteria and kitchen, endowment, and outdoor track) of Together, We Dream impacting the student experience?
With those four priorities, students will be provided with an elite educational environment that prepares them intellectually and culturally for the future,

What is your dream for the future of MPA and how do you see Together, We Dream working toward your dream?
The future belongs to those who take responsibility for it. The Together, We Dream campaign aims to give Mounds Park students a world-class education that positions them them to be the moral and intellectual stewards of tomorrow.

Honor where we’ve been. Power our way forward. Make a gift at moundsparkacademy.org/donate/together.

Middle School Track And Field Wins Conference Championship

May 23, 2019

Congratulations to the Middle School Boys and Girls Track And Field Teams! These Panthers won the Conference Championship last week!

The Middle School Conference Championship Meet was held at Providence Academy and totaled in 29 team and individual events. The Panthers placed first in 11 of them.

In the boys 100 meter hurdles event, Owen L. came in first place and Kai Z. in fifth. Amelia J. placed second for the girls and Kensi B. fourth.

MPA took third in both the boys and girls 800 meter relay.

Hope B. placed first in the girls 1600 meter run. For the boys, all top three places were MPA runners–Jasper P., Owen L., and Evan W.

In the 400 meter relay, the MPA girls team took second place. The boys took both second and third in their race. Read More

A Message From Board Chair Brent Peacock

May 23, 2019

As the school year is wrapping up and my tenure as board chair is coming to a close, I would like to take a moment to thank the dedicated group of parents, alumni and alumni parents who serve as trustees of the MPA Board. These 20 individuals commit to a three-year term where they serve on at least one of five standing committees (Executive, Governance, Finance, Development, and Audit) as well as bi-monthly board meetings. Via countless hours of meetings and emails they set strategic direction and approve budgets, audit risk, and raise critical funds.

Some of our goals this year included:

Vision/Strategy: Developed a collaborative process to launch the next strategic planning effort.
Financial & Risk Management: Oversaw legal risk and financial management for the organization.
Leadership Oversight: Supported Dr. Hudson in leading and managing the school.
Provided Resources: Aligned Board around development strategies and 100% participation in Together, We Dream: The Campaign for MPA (with various members serving on the Committee) and the MPA Fund. Served as MPA Brand Ambassadors by promoting the school in many capacities.