Upper School Division News September 4, 2025

September 4, 2025

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, September 5: Ice Cream Social, 3-4 PM, South Lawn
Wednesday, September 10: US Class of 2026 College Counseling Parent Info Meeting, 12-1 PM, Virtual
Wednesday, September 10: US G11 College Counseling Family Info Night, 6:30-8 PM, Recital Hall
Monday, September 15: Returning Family Indexed Tuition Applications Open (Deadline December 1)
Monday, September 15: MS/US G7-12 Spring Musical Lead Character Auditions, 3:30-5 PM, Black Box
Tuesday, September 16: MPA PA Grade Rep Meeting, 8-9 PM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Tuesday, September 16: US G9 and New G10 SOS Depression + Suicide Screenings, 8 AM-3 PM
Tuesday, September 16: MS/US G7-12 Spring Musical Lead Character Auditions, 3:30-5 PM, Black Box
Wednesday, September 17: US G11 and New G12 SOS Depression + Suicide Screenings, 8 AM-3 PM
Thursday, September 18: MS/US International Program Welcome Social Event, 3:30-5 PM, Benz Courtyard
Friday, September 19: US Senior Retreat, 8 AM-4:30 PM, YMCA Camp St. Croix
Friday, September 19: US Senior Retreat Dinner, 4:30-6 PM, Family Commons
Sunday, September 21: MPA at the Twins, 1:10-3:30 PM, Target Field
Monday, September 22-Saturday, September 27: Homecoming Week
Thursday, September 25: ISACS Parent Series Webinar, 6:30 PM

It was tremendous to see so many Upper School parents and guardians at the Upper School Curriculum Night earlier this week. Your engagement, enthusiasm, and genuine excitement about being part of the MPA community and the year ahead created an atmosphere of collaboration and commitment that truly embodies the MPA spirit. Your presence and participation set a positive tone for the 2025-26 school year.

As we begin a new academic year, it is important to understand the psychological and educational benefits of embracing fresh starts. Research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School shares that “temporal landmarks” like the beginning of a new school year create natural opportunities for what researchers call the “fresh start effect.” This phenomenon shows that people are more likely to engage in aspirational behavior and pursue their goals following these temporal landmarks, making the beginning of the school year an optimal time for setting new intentions, goals, and patterns. Read More

Middle School Division News September 4, 2025

September 4, 2025

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, September 5: Ice Cream Social, 3-4 PM, South Lawn
Monday, September 8: MS Play Auditions, 3:15-5:30 PM, Black Box
Tuesday, September 9: MS Play Auditions, 3:15-5:30 PM, Black Box
Wednesday, September 10: LS/MS G3-5 Author Visit, 8-9:30 AM, Recital Hall
Wednesday, September 10: MS Show Callbacks, 3:15-5:15 PM, Black Box
Monday, September 15: Returning Family Indexed Tuition Applications Open (Deadline December 1)
Monday, September 15-Friday, September 19: MS G5-8 MAP Testing
Monday, September 15: MS/US G7-12 Spring Musical Lead Character Auditions, 3:30-5 PM, Black Box
Tuesday, September 16: MPA PA Grade Rep Meeting, 8-9 PM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Tuesday, September 16: MS/US G7-12 Spring Musical Lead Character Auditions, 3:30-5 PM, Black Box
Wednesday, September 17-Friday, September 19: MS G5 Osprey Wilds
Thursday, September 18: MS/US International Program Welcome Social Event, 3:30-5 PM, Benz Courtyard
Sunday, September 21: MPA at the Twins, 1:10-3:30 PM, Target Field
Monday, September 22-Saturday, September 27: Homecoming Week
Monday, September 22-Friday, September 26: MS G5-8 MAP Testing
Thursday, September 25: ISACS Parent Series Webinar, 6:30 PM

Here, every other week, I will share new information, important dates, and upcoming items that require your attention. This is a rich resource designed to help you and your student(s) plan for upcoming events and stay abreast of all the exciting events and activities we have planned for Middle School parents and students.

We are so excited to welcome you to the Middle School this year! Please know that we are here to help you and your child have the best year yet. As we head into the second week of school, I start to feel the end of the beginning. All summer long, we’ve been planning and tweaking, and scheduling (and re-scheduling), and ultimately looking for ways to make your middle schooler’s experience even better here at MPA.

This year, we are looking at improvements for our Flex block, allowing for a more structured time for students to get work done, along with better use of our extra help and club opportunities. There have been innovations to our lunch “flow” and announcements. And, for our fifth and sixth graders, you will notice a new rotation that includes art, drama, and either seminar or health. This will run the entire school year and allow those students to get approximately 30% more art and drama (and a little less seminar and health). Read More

Parents Association News And Events August 28, 2025

August 28, 2025

Welcome to the Parents Association and happy first week of school! It was great to connect with members of our community at our First Day of School Coffee.

In case you missed it:

Find more information on the MPA website, Instagram, or email PA@moundsparkacademy.org. Stay tuned for more details about upcoming events, opportunities to volunteer, and more through the weekly Panther Post and the MPAPA Parent Press, the inaugural monthly newsletter for parents from parents!

Upcoming Opportunities To Join In

Friday, September 12: Lower School Family Forum (monthly version of Quarterly Coffee), 8:15-9:45 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Friday, September 12: Parent Association Board Meeting, 8 AM, Parent Association Room at MPA
Tuesday, September 16: PA Grade Rep Meeting, 8-9 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Tuesday, September 30: Middle School Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, MPA Gallery
Wednesday, October 1: Upper School Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Porter Conference Room

Welcome To MPA, Ms. Aemah Iqbal!

August 28, 2025

Welcome to MPA, Aemah Iqbal! Ms. Iqbal started prior to the school year as an Upper School counselor and we are pleased to introduce her to the community.

From what school/organization are you coming?
I am coming from Phoenix Counseling.

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I did all my schooling in Pakistan and came to St. Cloud State University for college, where I did my undergrad in psychology and am currently pursuing a double master’s in counseling. I have had vast experience working with kids on the spectrum, as well as working at Boys & Girls Clubs and Kidstop through undergrad. More recently, I have worked with elementary and middle schoolers at different private schools.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The culture and the inclusivity—I love it. Also, the rigor and the way the kids have such an unconventional approach to learning.
Read More

Defining Our Excellence

August 28, 2025

from Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, head of school

Welcome back to the 2025-26 school year! It was wonderful to see both returning and new families at Back to School Open House, New Family and Student Orientation Day, and the first day of school! It is an absolute joy to see the smiles, hear the laughter, and feel the connections as everyone settles into the rhythm of a new school year.

After yesterday’s tragic news, nothing lifted my spirits more than walking campus and observing students connecting with one another, with their teachers, and with the content at hand. I am so grateful for the supportive and nurturing environment we all work together to create. Let me assure you that the energy on campus matches the sunny autumn-like weather we are enjoying this first week—bright, warm, and comfortable.

Since my arrival in July, I have met with a variety of stakeholders to learn about MPA, its strengths, and hopes for the future. It is evident that at the heart of it all, maintaining our sense of community is a priority. It was also clear that there is a strong desire to further define our identity and explore new opportunities. Thus, it seems most appropriate that our theme for this year should be:

Defining Our Excellence: honoring the past, living in the present, and planning for the future.

As we seek to live our mission every day, MPA’s strength is founded on intentional partnering, living our shared values, building community, and growing together with grace and compassion. We remain committed to creating an environment where students and adults feel as though they belong.

This sense of belonging doesn’t happen without the input and support of the members within our community. Throughout the year, I invite you to reach out for coffee and conversation or attend a scheduled Fireside Chat. I look forward to hearing from you and working together for the continued success and growth of your children and of MPA.

Please remember to check the school calendar for upcoming events, including the Ice Cream Social on September 5, and Homecoming Weekend on September 26-27. Let’s start the school year off celebrating MPA with Panther Pride!

I am excited to get to know you. I am excited for what lies ahead. And I hope you are just as excited as I am to be home!

Safety and Security Update

August 28, 2025

THANK YOU to all of the parents and guardians who are already in the habit of wearing their nametags!

It is MPA’s number one priority to provide the safest campus environment possible for you and your children. We ask that you share this critical information with all of the drivers in your home and others who may provide transportation for you.

Drive-Thru Lanes
In the interest of safety, courtesy, and efficiency, we ask that drivers refrain from pulling in front of another car or “leap-frogging” to the front. To make the process as efficient as possible, please pull up all the way to the crosswalk to allow maximum space in the drive-thru lanes. Please help ensure no gaps are present in the drive-thru lanes, even if that means your child needs to wait or walk further to enter the vehicle.

Entering and Exiting the Car
Children may only enter and exit the car from the right/curbside in the drive-thru lanes. If you need to leave the vehicle to help your children in or out, please park in the lot and walk them in, using the appropriate crosswalks. No Lower School student should cross the crosswalk into the parking lot without an adult caregiver by their side. Read More

Join Us For The Ice Cream Social!

August 28, 2025

Let’s celebrate the start of an incredible year! Make plans to join us for a beloved MPA tradition, the Ice Cream Social on Friday, September 5, from 3-4 PM on the South Lawn! This is an all-school opportunity to connect with one another, enjoy a sweet treat, and meet our new families.

Details For Lower School Families
If you are planning to attend, please meet your child at their classroom door no later than 3 PM and notify your child’s homeroom teacher in advance. Otherwise, we will send your child on the bus or to the drive-thru lane as usual. All Lower School students must be directly supervised by an adult in order to receive their ice cream.

Details For All Families
A sundae bar with all of the fixings will be available for students and their families. The ice cream will be peanut and tree nut free and provided by YoYo Donuts. All of the sundae bar toppings will be peanut and tree nut free and provided by SAGE.

JonnyPops Organic Freezer Pops will be available at a separate station for food-allergic students. This should be safe for all MPA students, but it is not guaranteed. Ingredients will be available for review by parents or can be found at the link above.

Because any frozen treat could be messy on a bus, bus riders will be sent home with allergy-friendly Partake cookies (free of top nine allergens, gluten-free, vegan, OU Kosher).

All students at Panther Club and Panther Den will be taken outside for a treat and supervised accordingly by Panther staff. Middle School students may navigate the event with or without a parent. If they are without a parent, they should be able to manage any allergies they may have.

If you have any questions or would like more information about ingredients, please contact communications@moundsparkacademy.org. See you there!

Why I Coach At MPA From Declan Dahlberg ’18

August 21, 2025

from Declan Dahlberg ’18

Throughout my athletic career at Mounds Park Academy, I had the privilege to be coached by Bev Docherty and Dan Ethier. Any alumni or parents who shared in this privilege will know how outstanding their dedication, expertise, and mentorship was to all their student athletes.

When I had the opportunity to return to MPA as an alum and coach, I remembered how transformative my experience with Coach Docherty and Ethier was for my development as a person and athlete. I wanted to do my best to replicate this experience for the next generation of MPA student-athletes.

MPA has a reputation for giving student-athletes an experience that they remember for the rest of their lives. These experiences go beyond performance and skill. Student-athletes at MPA make lifelong friends, overcome barriers, and learn how to work as a team that is diverse in age, ability, and countless other metrics. Coach Docherty and Coach Ethier were instrumental in carrying out this mission for many years at MPA, and it was my privilege to try to carry on their work during my time at MPA as a coach.

A Welcome From Tim Koerner ’03

August 19, 2025

Greetings, fellow Panthers!

On behalf of the Alumni Association Board, we welcome you to the 2025-2026 academic year and offer our sincere hopes that you have enjoyed your respective summers, dreaming big, doing right, and finding time to unplug and relax.

Whether you are soon returning to campus as an alum who is also a Panther parent, you recently joined us at Target Field for MPA Alumni Night, or you continue to keep in touch with MPA from hundreds or thousands of miles away via personal updates or financial support of the school, we hope to see your face or hear from you in the year to come.

As the school enters its 43rd year under the new head of school, Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, you remain an important part of MPA’s legacy and influence. Our Panther alumni network of roughly 2,500 continues to grow with each graduating class.

This year, the alumni association board is growing as well, with the addition of four new members and an association body that represents Panthers from the graduating classes of 2000-2022! It is a dynamic group that will bring great energy and ideas to MPA throughout the year!

Whether you graduated from MPA in the 1980s or just recently drove away from campus with your diploma as a member of the Class of 2025, we hope you know that MPA will always be a place that you can call home and be treated as a valued member of our community.

As the year moves along, please feel free to engage with MPA as a volunteer, offering your career expertise as a mentor, sharing an update via our social channels, and considering a financial gift to MPA to further the school’s mission and values.

Standing on the shoulders of the exemplary work of past alumni board presidents, James Cordon ’97, Mike Velin ’06, and Amanda Magistad ’12, and the MPA alumni board members of years past, the Panther alumni network has never been in a stronger or more exciting position. We seek to continue the growth of our alumni bonds via your participation in any number of ways and initiatives, à la carte, in the manner that best suits you at your respective point in post-MPA life.

Once upon a time, I spent 13 years at MPA as a “Lifer,” only to spend the next 17 years disconnected from the school. Upon my return as an MPA PreK parent in 2021, I quickly wondered what had taken me so long to revisit this unique and forward-thinking community.

If it has been a while for you, too—hey, I can relate. Consider taking the first step of sharing your story to further bolster and grow our flourishing alumni network. I promise you will feel the MPA warmth when you receive a reply from the development and alumni relations staff, Ashley, Angie, Michelle, or a member of our alumni board.

In a world that often seems to shrink from solving problems and doing right by the day, you are one of 2,500 in this mighty Panther alumni community. By connecting with one another, learning from one another, and collectively supporting the future of MPA for current Panthers, our community will achieve its big dreams while doing right.

Go Panthers,

Tim Koerner ’03

Alumni Association President
MPA Parent, Classes of 2036 and 2039

Alumni Association Welcomes New Board Members

August 19, 2025

As the new school year approaches, the Alumni Association welcomes its new Alumni Board members. Please join us in thanking them for their service to the community!

Phillipe Thao ’14

Phillipe joined the MPA community in eighth grade and graduated in 2014. He currently lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a digital publicist at Lionsgate, developing campaigns for major film franchises like John Wick and The Hunger Games. Prior to that, he was part of Netflix’s editorial team, helping launch its official fansite, Tudum, and creating content around hit series such as Squid Game and The Crown. Phillipe is also a published freelance writer, with work appearing in the LA Times, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, and InStyle Magazine.

A passionate supporter of MPA’s mission, he brings a creative lens and deep appreciation for storytelling to the Alumni Association Board. He looks forward to helping expand alumni engagement and fostering a strong, connected community. Read More