September 27, 2018
As our nation, state, and school become more diverse, MPA is committed to equity and inclusion by continually striving to become an even more culturally competent community. Race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ability, world view, socio-economic class, language, and immigration status all bring a richness to our school community.
As a community, faculty, staff, parents, and students are on a multi-year journey to better understand how race and ethnicity impact our school culture and how we can become even more welcoming, respectful, and inclusive. We continually strive to be a community that values all members and validates who they are and what they bring to the community.
To aid us in this ongoing process, the 2018-2019 Mounds Park Academy Parent Education theme is “Exploring Equity and Inclusion.” As wonderfully said in the 2017-2018 MPA Yearbook, “Each individual piece of our mosaic is essential to forming the beautiful whole. Our diversity in age, cultures, talents, interests, and personalities paints an array of colors that make our mosaic vibrant.” These Parent Education discussions are imperative to the mosaic that is MPA. Read More
Make a difference by donating blood at the annual MPA Blood Drive! Hosted by the Upper School Student Council and the MPA first graders, the blood drive is a tradition that brings the community together for a cause. The drive is Thursday, October 25, from 12-6 PM in the Gallery.
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
What do you love about MPA?
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally? I graduated from college last spring, and I am applying to medical school for the fall of 2019. However, I am currently spending two gap years abroad in the southern French port city of Marseille, where I’m taking full advantage of all the opportunities this city and country have to offer. I spend two days a week working as an English language assistant for a preschool and primary school, where I teach English lessons to little ones. When I’m not in the schools, I’m either in the hospital or laboratory and take part in a weekly shadowing internship with a French neonatologist. I’ve even started to sit in on births in the operating and delivery rooms! I also volunteer weekly at another local children’s hospital, where I play board games with patients. The rest of my time is spent working in a neuroscience lab at the local university, where I will start conducting spatial navigation experiments on rats. The best part of my time in France is that I can do all of things I love in the clinical and laboratory settings all while speaking French!
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
The MPA Athletics Department is excited to announce the installation of a new camera system in the Lansing Sports Center for live streaming of all Upper School home volleyball and basketball games!
Please save the date for an MPA School Safety Roundtable on October 15, 2018, from 6-7:30 PM. This will be an opportunity to learn about how MPA approaches school safety and best practices in the field. You’ll hear from a panel of experts, including members of MPA’s School Safety Taskforce and some of the faculty and staff who recently attended a school security training. Come with questions and leave with a better understanding of this very important topic. Due to a lack of interest, childcare will not be provided at this event.
There is only one more week until Homecoming, and the joy begins at the starting line of the Homecoming Fun Run on Saturday, September 29! The MPA Cross Country team is hosting a 200M run at 8:30 AM. It’s the perfect opportunity for our younger students to participate in the festivities and run with the Panthers! Immediately following the 200M Fun Run, we are hosting a 2-mile race that is open to the entire community. All run participants will receive a limited edition aluminum MPA water bottle, energizing snacks, and plenty of water!