Mounds Park Academy

April 12, 2018

What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I am currently teaching IB Chemistry at Academia Cotopaxi American International School in Quito, Ecuador.

How did you get there? Where did you attend college? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I graduated from Smith College in 2015 with degrees in American studies and chemistry. After Smith, I moved back to Minnesota to pursue my initial license in 9-12 chemistry with the Twin Cities Teacher Collaborative (TC2). This experimental teacher training program provided me with the course work for my license and a yearlong residency experience instead of the traditional student teaching. In this program, I taught at St. Paul Central for one year. Then, I moved to Ecuador and began teaching at Academia Cotopaxi. I completed my MAT through Hamline University this fall, and my final project focused on the integration of the nature of science into the IB chemistry syllabus. I hope to present this research over the summer at the IB World Conference in San Diego. Read More

Crochet For Beginners Camp At MPA

April 12, 2018

Crochet for Beginners with Ms. Schwieger is coming to Summer At MPA! From June 18-22, campers entering grades 2-5 are welcome to join this hands-on class.

“I can’t wait to share my love of crochet with students during Summer Enrichment! I’ve enjoyed needlework, embroidery, sewing, and working with yarn for many years,” says Ms. Schwieger. “Crocheting is a fun and relaxing hobby that’s easy to learn. They’ll also go home with plenty of ideas and resources to continue their new hobby over the summer!”

Join Ms. Schwieger and discover a new passion! Students will be introduced to the basics of crochet and pattern reading. Materials, terminology, and basic stitches are covered. When the students feel comfortable with the basics, they can choose a project to work on. By the end of the week, they will have completed their first crochet project and have a creative skill for life! Click here to learn more and register!

Bequest Through A Will Or Living Trust

April 12, 2018

The most common method of making a charitable gift from one’s estate is through a testamentary bequest from a will or a revocable (living) trust. In addition to ensuring that your wishes are documented and will be used for the charitable purpose you intend, a gift made using this method also removes the designated assets from your taxable estate at death.

In order to create or modify a will or revocable (living) trust, you will need the assistance of an estate planning attorney, so unlike with beneficiary designations, some expense is involved. It is advisable for most everyone to have at least a simple will in place so that your property may be distributed as you wish at death. In cases where persons die intestate (that is, without a valid will or revocable (living) trust) the court makes the determination as to who has the right to receive your property. You have the ability to make these decisions yourself during life, to include making charitable gifts from your estate, by creating an estate plan. For most people, a will is all that is needed to ensure gifts to heirs and to charity, but for some a revocable (living) trust, which avoids probate and is more private, may be preferable. Your attorney can advise you on what is best in your situation.

The Sound of Music

April 12, 2018

sound of music at MPA Come see the MPA Upper School theatre put on the world’s most beloved musical! On April 26, 27, and 28 at 7 PM in the Nicholson Center, they will be performing “The Sound Of Music” at MPA! Purchase tickets here!

From Rodgers & Hammerstein Theatricals: “When a postulant proves too high-spirited for the religious life, she is dispatched to serve as governess for the seven children of a widowed naval Captain. Her growing rapport with the youngsters, coupled with her generosity of spirit, gradually capture the heart of the stern Captain, and they marry. Upon returning from their honeymoon, the two discover Austria has been invaded by the Nazis, who demand the Captain’s immediate service in their navy. The family’s narrow escape of the mountains of Switzerland on the eve of World War II provides one of the most thrilling and inspirational finales ever presented in the theatre. The motion picture version remains the most popular movie musical of all time.”

The Raptor Center Visits Panther Club

April 12, 2018

We were blown away by the six-foot wingspans, but our visitors from The Raptor Center were even more blown away by how much Panther Club students know about their local birds!

They were able to name each of the amazing animals that visited campus on Monday, rattling off unique facts and asking intriguing questions to the Raptor experts. View the beautiful birds that our students got to witness firsthand!

Love what you see? Learn more about Panther Club and all of MPA’s extended day programs!

Breakfast At MPA

April 12, 2018

Have your friends and neighbors been asking about MPA? We can’t wait to meet them! Spread the word and invite them to our next admission event, Breakfast at MPA, on April 17 at 8:30 AM! Guests are invited to campus during a regular school day to meet school administrators over a breakfast, tour MPA, and see our community in action.

Please extend our invitation and have your friends RSVP in advance for this engaging program at moundsparkacademy.org/RSVP. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Admission at 651-748-5577 or admission@moundsparkacademy.org.

Swim Club Made Waves At State!

April 12, 2018

It’s an exciting time to be an aquatic Panther! The MPA Swim Club finished their season at the State competition last night with an abundance of achievements, spirit, and excitement for next year!

The celebrations began last week, when all of the swimmers competed in the Catholic Athletic Association Championship preliminary meet. More than 1,000 swimmers swam, and the ranks were tough: only the top 16 swimmers in each event were going to advance to the championship finals at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. By the end of the meet, MPA had several Panthers very giddy about swimming in The U’s pool!

The CAA Championship was a huge meet, but most importantly, another opportunity for these swimmers to shine. All of their hard work, determination, and progress throughout the season was exemplified in these races. On the first night, the MPA first and second grade boys medley relay won their race, and the boys third and fourth medley placed second! And at the girls’ meet, the team placed eighth overall!

What started out as a team of three in 2004 has evolved into a team of State champions. We are so proud of our young athletes and can’t wait for them to continue doing what they love. Click here for full meet results, view photos from the meets, and give our swimmers a huge congratulations!

Development Of The Athlete

April 12, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

MPA was founded on the conviction that a balance between academics, the arts, and athletics is an important part of a whole-child education and leads to success in school and in life. The balance is maintained in a number of ways, including a commitment to physical education in the curriculum and offering a robust athletic program. The key to balancing academics, the arts, and athletics is teachers, coaches, and directors who encourage students to participate in a variety of clubs, activities, and sports, and do not make it difficult for them to do so.

At MPA, we encourage students to play a variety of sports. With a no-cut policy, students have the opportunity to try different sports and learn new skills. Multi-sport participation is important at MPA and we take every opportunity to promote its value. Each sport challenges athletes in different ways and skills developed in one sport may help them in other sports. The exposure to different coaches, teaching methods, and teammates may increase their mental toughness, appreciation, and humility, which is helpful in the overall development of the athlete. Having choices helps students learn what they enjoy, and they may discover a love for a sport they had not previously considered.

The rise of specialization–when a student focuses on only one sport–is troubling and impacts the overall strength of a school’s athletic program and the physical well-being of athletes. Specialization is driven in part by the belief that it is the best path to earn a college scholarship. In reality, only four percent of athletes actually earn an athletic scholarship for college. Some in the medical field also believe that the increasing number of sports-related injuries can be tied to specialization. High school athletes who specialize in a single sport are 70 percent more likely to suffer an injury during their season than those who play multiple sports, according to a study released last year commissioned by the National Federation of High School Associations.

Teaching Character Through Literature

April 9, 2018

An extended MPA Now interview with founding faculty member, Anne Devout Atchison.

Why is teaching character through literature so effective?

Because good literature touches our souls. Yes, reading makes us better, but it also makes us human. Take fiction, for example. Good novels give us examples of what we should and shouldn’t choose, what we should and shouldn’t want, and who we should and shouldn’t be. We’re in a safe space to test our own morality, wonder about our own grit, and practice our own choice-making as stories unfold and we discover what characters are truly made of. In a novel, no one is actually betrayed, no one is literally defeated. It’s just make-believe, right? Let’s face it, most of our life is ordinary. But when we read fiction, we have the opportunity to practice discernment and discrimination and exercise our decision-making muscles, so we are ready when our ordinary life gets disrupted by the extraordinary. And in those moments and in those circumstances, it’s like we’ve already been there. We’re not as surprised and we’re not as afraid because we’re not rookies at these emotions anymore. Now it’s our turn to see what we’re made of.

MPA Section Speech Champs!

April 7, 2018

Mounds Park Academy won the Section 4A Speech Tournament held today at MPA with a score of 95! There were 300 students competing from 19 different schools. MPA had 32 students competing in 12 categories. Second place was Watertown Mayer with a score of 35.

The next stop for the students who placed first through third will be the State Tournament on Saturday, April 21 at Apple Valley High School starting at 10:15 AM. Observers are welcome and encouraged! Congratulations and Go Panthers!

Today’s results are as follows … Read More