Mounds Park Academy

The Class Of 2025 Finds Their Fit

May 8, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the May 8 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

In a few short months, MPA Panthers from the Class of 2025 will become Wildcats, Badgers, Huskies, Ducks, Bruins, Boilermakers, Lions, and more.

They’ll pursue programs and passions in majors like engineering, neuroscience, business, biology, music, political science, public policy, and game design. Many of them will also be competing in athletics for their new schools, continuing their contests in basketball, cross country, skiing, and rowing.

They’ll dream big and shake the world at institutions across the United States, coast to coast and beyond, landing in 13 different states and Rome, Italy. They’ll be everywhere from California to Massachusetts and Colorado to North Carolina. They’re landing in cities all around the country, like Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Read More

Parents Association News And Events May 8, 2025

May 8, 2025

Tend The MPA Gardens!

A small group of parent volunteers is getting organized to refresh and care for the school gardens, including the areas near the library, front entrance, and kindergarten door. We’re looking for a few more helpers for upcoming clean-up days and ongoing maintenance. No green thumb required—just a willingness to pitch in! Fill out this form to receive more information.

Welcome to MPA, Mr. James Ewer!

May 2, 2025

Mr. James Ewer will be joining us as Lower School director beginning July 1, 2025. Mr. Ewer brings with him a powerful blend of experience, conviction, and vision that will serve the Lower School—and the entire MPA community—exceptionally well. We are thrilled to introduce him to our community!

Tell us about your education and past experience.
For the past 14 years, I’ve dedicated my life to education—working across classrooms, leadership teams, and communities to create spaces where every child feels seen, challenged, and inspired. My journey has taken me from the front lines of teaching to the strategic work of school leadership, professional development, and instructional coaching. Along the way, I’ve led teams, reimagined systems, and built programs grounded in equity, joy, and high expectations.

I hold a master’s degree in school leadership from Harvard University, where I deepened my commitment to transformative, culturally responsive education. My work is rooted in the belief that education should be liberatory, and that the way we lead matters just as much as what we teach.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
This community feels truly special. From the moment I stepped in, there was a sense of warmth and honesty that stood out. People didn’t just share logistics or expectations—they shared their hopes and dreams. That openness, that willingness to be vulnerable and visionary at the same time, is what I felt most connected to. It reminded me that the heart of any thriving community isn’t just in its plans, but in the people who dare to imagine what’s possible together.
Read More

Navigating A Complex, Often Challenging Digital Landscape

May 1, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

Looking for something to watch over spring break, I happened upon “Adolescence” on Netflix. Once I started watching it, I was hooked. Set in a northern English town, the series centers on 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is arrested for the murder of a female classmate. The series delves deep into the psychological and social factors that could lead an ordinary teenager to commit such a heinous act. Rather than focusing on a traditional “whodunit” approach, “Adolescence” explores the “whydunit,” examining the influences of online radicalization, toxic masculinity, and societal neglect.

The four-part series is unsettling and deeply thought-provoking, shining a powerful light on some of the complex realities young people face today. While fictional, “Adolescence” captures an urgent truth: the internet is not just a place of harmless entertainment; it’s also shaping how young people see themselves, each other, and the world. “What struck me about the show is that it wasn’t really made for teens at all, but for us adults—to spark conversations about how easily young people can get lost in curated realities online,” said Dr. James Densley, MPA parent and internationally recognized criminologist, bestselling author, and thought leader on violence prevention. (James will be leading a discussion at MPA on Monday—see details below.)

One growing area of concern within the internet is the rise of the manosphere—a network of online spaces where young men and boys are often exposed to unhealthy, even harmful, ideas about masculinity, gender, and identity. What begins as advice about fitness, confidence, or success can quickly spiral into narratives that promote anger, blame, and misogyny. These messages are often hidden in gaming communities, social media influencers’ posts, and algorithm-driven content that adolescents encounter every day.

Parents Association News And Events May 1, 2025

May 1, 2025

Help us assemble and deliver goodie bags for faculty and staff! Your help is needed next week to celebrate the MPA adult community during National Teacher (faculty & staff) Appreciation Week. Sign up to help on May 5.

Tend The MPA Gardens!

May 3: Upper School Parents Social

Gather with fellow Upper School parents on prom night to enjoy some adult camaraderie as the students set sail on the St. Croix. We will meet at Lucky Guys Distillery in downtown Hudson from 8-11 PM. Light appetizers will be provided. Please RSVP here! All Upper School parents are welcome.

Come Sail With Us!

April 30, 2025

Students in first through sixth grade from Mounds Park Academy are invited to experience the excitement of sailing—for free—during a special introductory event hosted by White Bear Sailing School just for MPA!

The event will be held Saturday, June 7, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM at the White Bear Sailing School! Participants will have the opportunity to meet coaches, learn new skills, and get out on the water.

Sailing is offered at Mounds Park Academy as a club sport beginning in seventh grade, with activities in both the fall and spring. The club is coached and hosted by White Bear Sailing School.

White Bear Sailing School also offers a variety of summer camps for youth of all experience levels, ranging from beginner Opti camps for ages seven to 11, to advanced racing programs for teens up to age 18. Programs include all-day camps, learn-to-race sessions, and competitive race teams.

Students and families interested in participating in the June 7 event can sign up here! Or, if interested in a summer camp, find more information and register online by clicking here.

Music And The Brain

April 29, 2025

At Mounds Park Academy, music is much more than an extracurricular activity. It plays a vital part in a child’s cognitive and emotional development by engaging the brain in ways few other disciplines can. It sharpens memory, strengthens attention, and boosts language skills. But beyond academic growth, music also nurtures empathy, creativity, and social and emotional intelligence through composing, performing, or simply listening. This is why music plays an essential role in Mounds Park Academy’s whole child, progressive, college-preparatory curriculum, PreK through grade 12.

In a time when standardized testing is heavily emphasized and there are rising concerns about math and science scores within our nation, parents might question MPA’s emphasis on the arts. From the school’s founding, our curriculum has reflected an intentional balance between academics and the arts. Through new and emerging research, we now know they were correct.

Cognitive Benefits of Music

The Frontiers in Neuroscience article, “How Musical Training Affects Cognitive Development,” states that children exposed to musical training have better verbal memory, language pronunciation and accuracy, reading ability, and executive functions, because of how the brain processes sound. Nina Kraus, author of “Of Sound Mind,” said “People think of the hearing brain as being a silo within the brain. In fact, our hearing engages our cognitive, sensory, motor, and reward systems.” Music learning is so powerful because it engages every one of the above systems into a single activity. Kraus asks us to consider playing the violin. “To play the violin, a student coordinates their motor, cognitive, and sensory system to be able to put their fingers on the correct strings and move the bow at the right time; to read musical notes on a sheet of music and know what sounds they represent; and to hear if the pitches and rhythms are correct and coordinating with other players at the same time,” she goes on to say that this elicits a certain feeling from the student playing the music, which triggers the reward system within the brain. Engaging these different systems makes learning how to play music one of the richest and deepest brain activities humans can perform. Simply put, “Teachers resoundingly tell me that children who participate in creating music do better in school,” Kraus states. Read More

MPA Speech Team Wins State Again!

April 25, 2025

We’re thrilled to share that the MPA speech team has won the state championship for the third year in a row—an incredible achievement and a perfect springboard into the national season ahead! Highlights from the state tournament include:

A new school record of 69 points, breaking our own previous best.
16 students earned individual medals, tying the school’s all-time record set in 2004.
Paul Fertig became MPA’s 50th individual state champion, the most in Class A history and third-most in Minnesota history overall.
Esteemed judge Roxy Janke, with over 40 years of experience, praised our team, saying: “I feel like I could just sit down across from them, and they would teach me everything about their piece.”

Next up: Nationals! The team will travel to Kansas City on May 15 for NIETOC, followed by a trip to Des Moines for the 100th anniversary of the NSDA. Good luck, Panthers!

Full MPA Results From State:

Paul Fertig: State Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking
Guy Schwieger and Nico Bergh: Second place, Duo
Amal Sastry: Second place, Extemporaneous Speaking
Mina Kim: Second place, Great Speeches
Nabila Artan: Third place, Original Oratory
Oslo Norcross: Third place, Informative Speaking
Rowan Mulrooney: Fourth place, Great Speeches
Alyona Vietrova: Fourth place, Poetry
Mari Minear: Fifth place, Great Speeches
Warner Reid and Hazel Reid: Sixth place, Duo
Sidd Sastry: Sixth place, Extemporaneous Speaking
Zainab Lodhi: Sixth place, Informative Speaking
Ash Klann: Sixth place, Original Oratory
Kelvyn Boddipalli: Seventh place, Humorous Interpretation

Lower School Division News April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director

Mark Your Calendars

Tuesday, April 29: LS Quarterly Coffee, 8:15-9:30 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Tuesday, April 29: LS/MS Swim Team Awards, 3-4 PM, Family Commons
Thursday, May 1: MS/US Rising G5-9 Parent Meeting, 6-6:45 PM, MPA Campus
Thursday, May 1: MS Vocal Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
Friday, May 2: New Family Panther Party, 4-5:30 PM, MPA Campus
Wednesday, May 7: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-8:45 AM, Family Commons
Tuesday, May 8: LS Duty-Free Lunch with Parent Volunteers, 11:40 AM-12:40 PM, Playground and Family Commons
Wednesday, May 14: MPA PA Gender Inclusive School Parent and Ally Meeting, 6-8 PM, Family Commons and Panther Center

Spring fever has struck, and we’ve got some active kiddos here at school who are excited about being outdoors as much as possible. Read on for more updates, as we’ve got lots going on!

Express Yourself Friday: April 25
Our next Express Yourself Friday will be held on April 25!

Lower School CHAMP Updates
At our last CHAMP assembly on April 16, we launched our positive behavioral interventions with the students, along with a new CHAMP Challenge with emphasis on the CHAMP attributes of accountability and self-control. With the help and input of our first graders, we have determined that our expected CHAMP behaviors are:

Be Safe

Use safe hands and feet
Use whole body listening

Be Kind

Be mindful of voice levels
Honor all community members

Do Right

Be a first-time listener
Respect out classroom/school spaces

The students were presented with a CHAMP Challenge of showing the expected behaviors as much as possible over the next few weeks. Students will receive a CHAMP sticker when they demonstrate these behaviors and we will celebrate this positivity at our next CHAMP assembly from 8:15-9 AM on Wednesday, May 7.

Lower School Parent Coffee: Tuesday, April 29 (Library)
Our next Lower School Parent Coffee will be held in the Library on Tuesday, April 29 from 8:15-9:30 AM. We will host our special guest, Lower School parent Dr. Audrey Wells, who will share a snippet of her latest presentation on sleep and technology from the recent MPA Students and Screens initiative. We will also engage in a mini workshop about the lower school positive behavior initiative and go over some positive ways to end the year and look forward to a productive summer. We hope to see you there!

Lower School MAP Assessments for Grades 2-4: April 28-May 9
Spring MAP assessments will be held on April 28-May 9 for our students in Grades 2-4.

Lower School FastBridge Assessments for K and Grade 1: May 12-23
Spring FastBridge assessments will be held from May 12-23 for our students in Kindergarten through grade 1.

Middle School Division News April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, April 25: MS/US Robotics Team Banquet, 5-8 PM, Family Commons
Tuesday, April 29: LS/MS Swim Team Awards, 3-4 PM, Family Commons
Wednesday, April 30: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
Thursday, May 1: MS/US Rising G5-9 Parent Meeting, 6-6:45 PM, MPA Campus
Thursday, May 1: MS Vocal Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
Friday, May 2: New Family Panther Party, 4-5:30 PM, MPA Campus
Monday, May 5: MS/US Students & Screens Parent Meeting, 1:45-3 PM, Recital Hall
Thursday, May 8: MS/US Orchestra Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
Friday, May 9: MS G5/6 Service Day, 8-11:30 AM, Off Campus
Friday May 9: MS G8 Field Trip, 9 AM-1:30 PM, Off Campus
Monday, May 12-Friday, May 16: MS G5/8 MAP Testing
Wednesday, May 14: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
Wednesday, May 14: MPA PA Gender Inclusive School Parent and Ally Meeting, 6-8 PM, Family Commons and Panther Center
Thursday, May 15: MS/US Band Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center

There is so much good stuff going on during this part of the year, I don’t even know where to start! During this week alone, we’ve had author visits, pairing assemblies, athletics competitions, and the opening night of our spring musical, “The Wizard of Oz!” Our students are busy, busy, busy, so please keep a close eye on our calendars and Schoology to keep up with all the upcoming concerts, field trips, and events.

For our students next week, we have the Middle School Vocal Concert on Thursday night, May 1 at 7 PM. We ask all families to come at 6 PM that evening so our faculty can talk with you to get you excited for the 2025-26 school year. The following week is our Orchestra Concert on Thursday night, May 8 at 7 PM and field trips and service learning for our grade five, six, and eight students on Friday. And, the following week, we will have our Spring MAP assessments and our Band Concert on Thursday night, May 15 at 7 PM. Read More