Mounds Park Academy

November 2, 2017

by Mark Segal, Upper School Director

It is hard to believe that the annual MPA Halloween Parade is the culmination of months of planning and preparation. At some point early this past summer, my fourth-grade son, Logan, began to share with me how much he enjoys Halloween. An ardent Minnesota Vikings fan, he began to think about his costume and figured out a way to meld together his favorite Vikings player (Harrison Smith) and the Vikings mascot, Viktor the Viking. It is not about the candy, he would later share, but rather about the fun costumes that students get to wear and the high-fives he receives from the “older kids” as he follows the parade route through the building.

The all-school celebration of Halloween is one of the many school wide traditions that younger students get to share with older students at MPA. Mounds Park Academy is the only independent school in the Twin Cities that offers a PreK through 12 educational and community experience under one roof. I appreciate when prospective parents ask if being in an environment of mixed-age students is beneficial. I get to share that MPA wholeheartedly knows it is and explain the many ways in which this is the case. Being in a mixed-age community allows our students to be their best selves. Our Lower School students utilize their greatest communication skills and lessons learned from the CHAMP character education program in their interactions with older students and emulate their respectful, inclusive behavior. Our Upper School students respond appropriately to the fact that they are being carefully watched by the younger students and relish opportunities to act more child-like while still modeling appropriate behavior. And those in the middle? They find great joy and meaning through interacting with their younger friends as they look ahead to becoming campus-wide leaders as older students.

Finding Balance In Today’s World

October 26, 2017

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I am having a hard time finding balance these days. I think I am pretty good at the work-home balance, but achieving a physical balance is another matter. This week, I broke a bone in my foot and one in my ankle while on an afternoon run. Even with crutches, maintaining a balance is a challenge.

Maintaining balance and achieving well-being seem to be increasingly difficult in today’s society. It is challenging for adults and even more so for our children. It is well documented that anxiety and depression are on the rise for our young people. There are a number of reasons that can be attributed to this growing problem. The pressure of academic achievement, the drive for perfection, homework, and worries about getting into the “right” college can make it difficult for young people to find balance. Social media is also partly to blame. While the data is not yet conclusive, researchers believe the use of social media and smartphones appear to be culpable for the increase in teen mental health. (Jean Twenge, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, Sept. 2017)

Many years ago, MPA initiated a very unique and innovative marketing campaign. One of the taglines was “Competition belongs in the boardroom, not the classroom.” I think it speaks to one of the most distinctive attributes of MPA. Students work hard at achieving good grades, but not at the expense of their relationships with one another and with their teachers. We have a collaborative environment where students support one another and work to achieve their personal best, not to beat their classmates.

Section 4A

October 26, 2017

Declan is returning to state. And he’s bringing some friends!

First up on this blustery day was our girls varsity. Margo ran very well to finish in 4th place, qualifying individually for the state championship! Izzy ran her best time on this section course to finish 19th. Emily, in just her third varsity race, earned a personal best by over a minute. Katie wasn’t far behind. Sarah ran her best time on this section course. Skylar and Ana wrapped things up for the girls. With their efforts, the girls team finished 6th, their best finish in many years!

Next up was our boys varsity. Declan had some company early, but turned on the jets the second half of the race to build a significant lead, winning by over 20 seconds. Tanner ran his personal best to finish 14th. Henry S. was close behind, tying his personal best (run on a much flatter course). Matt ran his best race of a frustrating year to finish 22nd. Isak was just a few seconds behind as the all important 5th runner. Henry P. ran not far off his personal best, as did Sumner. For their efforts, the boys team finished 2nd, qualifying for the state championship!

Our JV runners finished things up for us. Peter ran just seconds off his personal best. Evan ran well. Dylan ran his best race of the season. Aneesh ran his best race of the year. Henry ran his personal best in just his second 5000 meter race. Louis was just seconds behind in his first 5000 meter race.

Emily W. ran her personal best by about 30 seconds, despite having to run around a stray dog (bad owner!). Izzy G. ran her personal best time. And Mari eclipsed her personal best by just a second.

I am so proud of your efforts today. This was a tough day to run, with temperatures dropping into the mid-40s by the end of the JV race, and strong winds to suck the warmth right out of you. But you stayed focused and ran very well.

Margo ran a splendid race to become our first girl to qualify for state since Kristen Bourne in 2008. Our boys team executed their race plan to perfection, being patient early, while everyone else went out fast. You earned this trip to state as a team. Congratulations!

Complete results for the girls varsity and the boys varsity are available from Gopher State Events.

Lower School Halloween Parade

October 26, 2017

Families are invited to attend this tradition on campus! Lower School students parade the halls, much to the delight of their older audiences! It’s never easy to tell what age is most joyful! Join us in the halls on Tuesday, October 31 at 2:30 PM. Please note this time change from when the calendar was printed.

Doubles Tennis Off to State

October 26, 2017

Congratulations to Rachel Lindrud/Sofia Walker and Annika Ide/Gabby Law who represented MPA deep into the Section Finals in Doubles Tennis. Rachel and Sofia took second in the Section and will advanced to the State Tournament and Annika/Gabby took fourth place. The competition was strong and all four players left it all out on the court. This is the first time since 2011 that MPA has had a team in the State Tournament. Go Panthers!

Update: Sofia Walker and Rachel Lindrud had a strong showing at the State Tennis meet at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center on Thursday. In their first match vs Minnewaska the Panthers won 7-5, 6-0. As they advanced in the state doubles tourney they played a very strong Litchfield team that went to three sets. In the end, the Panthers lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Please congratulate Rachel and Sofia on great season!

All State Second Team

October 26, 2017

Senior Captain Nicholas Guiang was named to the Minnesota High School Soccer Coaches Association All State Second Team at the MSHSSCA All State Banquet on Sunday at the River Centre in St. Paul! A four-year varsity starter, Guiang tallied nine goals and seven assists this season, both tops on the team. He led the Panthers to the Section 4A Quarterfinals. He is the second member of his family to be named to the All State Second Team—his older brother Eric ’14 earned All State Second Team in 2013. Read more about this family in MPA Now, arriving in homes in early November.

Bring A Friend To MPA Day

October 26, 2017

Friday, December 1 will be a very special day on campus for MPA students and their friends. Those in grades three through eight are welcome to bring a same-grade friend for a day of learning and fun! This is an opportunity for you to give a gentle nudge to families who you believe would appreciate the MPA experience. Learn much more and register at moundsparkacademy.org/bringafriend.

Inspiring Participation

October 26, 2017

a message from Matt Magers, Director of Development

“Today is one of my most favorite days of the year!” This is what I heard from several teachers last Wednesday, October 18, the third day of the Joyful Learning, Joyful Giving Fall Campaign. As a new staffer, I initially thought, “Wow! This school is really into philanthropy.”

That is true; however, I quickly realized that they were referring to our traditional Grandparents & Special Friends Day. This day provides an opportunity for our Lower and Middle School students to showcase their school to some of the most important people of their lives—grandparents and special friends! The entire day was filled with enthusiasm and joy as MPA welcomed more than 200 guests to campus (see photos here).

Meet Pranay Somayajula ’18

October 25, 2017

What do you love about MPA?
One word—community. I love that MPA is such a tightly knit community and you have the ability to form close and lasting relationships, whether they are with another student, an MPA parent, or a faculty member. MPA is unique in that it not only provides an opportunity to form close bonds, but that it actively encourages their formation.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
Every day in class, we are pushed to consider not just the information that we are learning, but the implications of those concepts on a broader global scale now and in the future. Whether the class is English, science, math, or history, we are encouraged to apply everything we learn to make a positive difference outside the classroom.

What would you tell a family considering MPA?
I can say with the utmost confidence that I would not be the person I am today, with the achievements and ambitions that I currently have, were it not for the outstanding education and community here at MPA. This school provided me with a support system that has allowed me over the years to find my voice, become more outgoing, and think beyond just myself in a way that makes me feel entirely prepared to go off to college and the real world next year. Read More

Laurel Schwartz’s World Premiere

October 20, 2017

Laurel Schwartz ’11 began creating video content about chronic illness when she was just 12 years old through her work with Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Now 24, her documentary “Running Breathless” will world premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival October 21 (tomorrow!) at 12:10 PM.

This is her directorial, editorial, and acting festival debut. Having spent the last two years as a producer at Leo Burnett’s internal production company, Greenhouse, she is now returning to school to pursue social work at Columbia University. In grad school, Schwartz hopes to explore uses for digital communication in chronic illness management and advocacy. She hopes to use her passion for film and digital media to share stories about chronic illness often left out of popular media.