Middle School Division News March 7, 2024

MS newsfrom Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School director 

Mark Your Calendars

  • Friday, March 9: iTerm Share Fair, 2:20-3 PM, Family Commons
  • Monday, March 11-24: No Classes, Spring Break
  • Monday, March 25: Classes Resume at 8 AM
  • Friday, April 5: End of Quarter 3
  • Monday, April 8: Quarter 4 Begins

Middle School has been joyfully wrapped up in i-Term 2024 this week and we are so grateful for all our parents, community, faculty, and staff support to make the week possible!!! You’re invited to join us on Friday, March 8, from 2:15-3 PM, as we host an iTERM SHARE FAIR! Each course prepares a display to showcase what they did together, what they learned, share some new skills, and show off their products!

2024 MPA Spring Auction on April 19
Be on the lookout for information about the 2024 MPA Spring Auction, Together We Can Move Mountains, scheduled for Friday, April 19 at Dellwood Golf Club. This is your chance to attend a night of fun, inspiration, and community building while supporting MPA with fellow parents, alumni, and friends.

SPRING BREAK: Time for REST, BOREDOM, and CONNECTION
As we prepare for the long break ahead, I hope you’ll take time to rest, open spaces for boredom, and reconnect with each other–especially your middle. Our lives can be so hectic, so scheduled, and so centered around “tasks” that we forget to stop, take a break, cook a meal together, and even just watch a movie together. Enjoy your break. We’ll see you March 25.


Upper School Division News March 7, 2024

US newsfrom Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

  • Friday, March 8: Spring Break Begins at 3 PM
  • Monday, March 11-24: No Classes, Spring Break
  • Monday, March 25: Classes Resume at 8 AM
  • Tuesday, April 2: World Language Final Exams During Scheduled Class Time
  • Wednesday, April 3: World Language Final Exams During Scheduled Class Time
  • Thursday, April 4: Science Final Exams, 8:45-10:15 AM
  • Thursday, April 4: English Final Exams, 12-1:30 PM
  • Friday, April 5: Math Final Exams, 8:45-10:15 AM
  • Friday, April 5: Social Studies Final Exams, 12-1:30 PM
  • Friday, April 5: End of Quarter 3
  • Monday, April 8: Quarter 4 Begins
  • Wednesday, April 10: No Classes, Eid al-Fitr
  • Thursday, April 11: Parents Association Cultural Celebration Day
  • Saturday, April 13: National ACT Test Date, 8 AM-1 PM, Lansing Sports Center
  • Thursday, April 18: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Nicholson Center
  • Friday, April 19: MPA Spring Auction, 6:30-11 PM, Dellwood Golf Club
  • Friday, April 26: Spring Musical, The Hello Girls, 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center
  • Saturday, April 27: Spring Musical, The Hello Girls, 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center
  • Sunday, April 28: Spring Musical, The Hello Girls, 2-4 PM, Nicholson Center
  • Friday, May 3: Upper School Parent’s Association Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, PCR

Important Information

  1. If your student will be absent, late, or needs to be excused early from school, please reach out to the Upper School office via cwilliams@moundsparkacademy.org.
  2. On Thursday, April 4, and Friday, April 5, there are no regular Upper School classes. There are only final exams these two days. Upper School students may be on campus before and after their final exams, and lunch will be available for those students on the MPA lunch plan
    11:20-11:45 AM. Light breakfast and snack items will be available throughout the day to all Upper School students outside of the Upper School office. Please note that Middle and Lower School students will follow their regular class schedule all week and only Upper School has a modified schedule for final exams.
  3. Be on the lookout for information about the 2024 MPA Spring Auction, Together We Can Move Mountains, scheduled for Friday, April 19 at Dellwood Golf Club. This is your chance to attend a night of fun, inspiration, and community building while supporting MPA with fellow parents, alumni, and friends.

High school is one of the best times of a student’s life. Friendships are solidified, passions and future aspirations are explored and realized, and liberties are often earned and granted. High school can also be one of the most dangerous times in a student’s life. Beliefs of invincibility and that rules may not always apply are normal and developmentally in line with their peers. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Although the brain stops growing in size by early adolescence, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for planning, prioritizing, and making good decisions, doesn’t finish developing until an individual is in their mid-to-late 20s.” As someone who works with teenagers in a school setting, this information is confirmed daily.

I share the above information as I met with members of the senior class recently as I learned that the annual game of “Nerf Wars” is staring up again. A version of tag, “Nerf Wars,” involves using high-powered Nerf guns to shoot foam projectiles at other participants. Once a player is hit, they are out of the game. During the games, however, good decision-making is often traded for impulsive actions that can have tragic outcomes. According to an organizer of a Nerf War game at a local high school, “the game includes people flying down alleys, running and jumping into cars, no one is wearing their seat belts, as you have to be ready to go.” Unfortunately, several local students from the Twin Cities metro area have been injured in automobile accidents in recent years, and in 2015 two high school students from Lakeville died when their car crashed while playing the game. Dangers also exist as some participants “go into stealth mode” by dressing in black and sneaking around at nighttime in neighborhoods that they are not familiar with or where people are unaware of the game. Unaware neighbors have been known to call the police, scared that there are people lurking around their homes, and police officers have shown up with guns drawn to address the situation.

I shared with the seniors that we care about them and implore them to make good choices and to be safe if they decide to participate. It is also important to pass this information to you, and the adults in their lives, as I am sure that this game is not limited to only members of the senior class and want to make you aware of the possibility of your child participating.

As we head off into Spring Break, I hope your families find time to rest, refresh, and spend time together. I look forward to seeing you on campus soon.


MPA Summer Sports Camps

Soccer CampRegistration is open for our annual Summer Panther Sports Camps with Volleyball Camps coming soon!

Panther Soccer Camp: June 10-13, 9-11 AM
Soccer lovers in grades K-6 can join Mr. Sheehan and the MPA soccer coaches for a fun and challenging week of activities for all abilities! Bring a friend! register here >

Panther PE Summer Camp: June 17-20, 9:30-11:30 AM for grades K-2 and 1-3 PM for grades 3-6
Panther PE Camp offers a friendly space for students of all athletic abilities to participate in a mix of some of the students’ favorite PE activities and games. Bring a friend!
K-2 register here >
3-6 register here >

Panther Basketball Camp: July 8-11, 8-9:30 AM for grades K-4 and 9:30-11:30 AM for grades 5-8
MPA’s Head Basketball Coach, Chris Hopkins, will be running these basketball camps for students in grades K-8. The emphasis will be on shooting, ball handling, and fundamentals for all skill levels.
K-4 register here >
5-8 register here >

See all of the incredible summer offerings, including Skyhawks Sports Camps here!


Parent Association News March 7, 2024

PAphotowpCultural Celebration Day
Thursday, April 11, 3:00-6:00 PM
Save the date for Cultural Celebration Day at MPA! Enjoy an evening of food, music and crafts from around the world.

The Parents Association invites you to be a part of our cultural showcase. Please email sanwarPA@moundsparkacademy.org to reserve a table and share your culture and heritage with the MPA community.

Dr Hudson’s Book Club
April 18 at 6:00 PM
Please join Dr. Hudson and fellow book-loving parents in the MPA Library to discuss “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese on April 18. “The Covenant of Water” is “a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.” We can get you this book in time for Spring Break reading, so sign up here today to read this hotly anticipated novel by a beloved author!

New MPA Merch
New merch is here for Mounds Park Academy!
Introducing a fresh collaboration between the MPA Parents Association + Talisman, a St. Paul-based lifestyle brand by MPA alum and parents Bethany and Dustin Branan!

Shop gear for the whole family including new tees, crewnecks, hoodies, and caps.
Preorder Online Now through March 15
Use code: SCHOOLPICKUP at checkout for pickup at MPA on April 4, or select paid shipping options for home delivery
Limited Quantities, Reserve yours today

Show your school spirit in style! Go Panthers!

Save the Date for These Summer Events
Saturday, June 22: Minnesota United FC game
Friday, July 26: St. Paul Saints game


Host Families Needed; Referral Bonus Offered

Host FamilyWe are so fortunate to welcome international students from around the world to MPA through our International Student Program. A $10,000 per student stipend is paid to host families to cover the cost of room, board, and transportation from August to June. Typically, families host for at least one full year and sometimes for a student’s entire MPA experience. As you warmly welcome this student into your home, you will gain a first-hand understanding of another culture, a lifelong relationship with your students, and so much more.

If you are interested …
Contact Cory Becker-Kim, international student program coordinator, at international@moundsparkacademy.org or 651-748-5541. Get started on the host family application form here.

If you know someone outside our community who is interested …
Please share mpa.link/host with them. When they reach out, share your name, and become an approved host family, you will receive a $200 referral bonus in the form of a Visa gift card.

Thank you in advance for your interest and/or for recommending this opportunity to your friends, neighbors, and colleagues.


MPA Sailing: All Are Welcome, Grades 7-12!

MPA sailing promofrom Parker Ziegler, team captain

The MPA sailing team is genuinely for anyone, from first-time sailors to national competitors. Although we have plenty of practice time (3:30-6:30 PM Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays), we’re about flexibility, not just competition. Although it’s encouraged to attend all the practices and then regattas on Saturdays, it’s not required. “In my first years, I was hesitant about all the practices and had very little experience, but over the years, the sailing team allowed me to find close friendships and improve my sailing skills, and now I can’t wait to get on the water,” said MPA sailor, Alex Bixby ’25. Read More


I’m Grateful For All Of It

Scott WilsonSave The Date: Retirement Celebration, May 30

Mr. Scott Wilson has shared that he will retire at the end of the 2023-24 school year after 24 years of teaching in Lower School at MPA. He said, “My time at MPA has given me immeasurable special moments and allowed me to be part of an incredible group of professional teachers and staff, both past and present. I am so very thankful for the community of families and their students who have passed through my classrooms. I am honored to have been a part of their educational experience. I will miss the opportunities for comradery and collaboration with my fellow faculty, the spirit of MPA’s mission, and the opportunities to witness the joy of learning. The past 24 years have been quite a ride! I am grateful for all of it.” Read More


The Why Behind i-Term

Why i-Termfrom Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

This week marks an exciting time for Middle School students as they eagerly dive into i-Term, a unique enrichment experience at MPA that embodies our mission of independent thinking and joyful learning. i-Term provides students in grades five through eight with the opportunity to engage in a week-long exploration of their passions and interests far beyond the traditional classroom setting.

Through inquiry-based, experiential learning, students participate in Project-Based Learning (PBL) courses that not only deepen their understanding of a subject but also expose them to new ways of thinking and being in the world. While participation in i-Term is required, students have the freedom to choose a course that aligns with their interests and goals. This year’s offerings include a diverse range of experiences such as Survivor MPA, Woodworking, French Immersion Trip to Quebec, PlaMo Build-A-Thon, and Director’s Cut Filmmaking.

PBL has emerged as a powerful educational approach that engages students in hands-on, real-world projects, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and preparing them for success in the 21st-century workforce. PBL enhances student engagement and motivation by allowing them to work on projects that are personally meaningful and relevant to their lives. This autonomy and choice give students a sense of ownership over their learning. For example, the idea for Survivor MPA originated from a conversation between Middle School music teacher Michael Claver and sixth grader Sam, both fans of the TV show Survivor, who together brainstormed how to adapt it into an i-Term class. Read More


Launching The Search

Original publish date: February 16, 2024

Greetings, MPA Community –

I am pleased to provide this initial update on the progress of launching a comprehensive national search for Mounds Park Academy’s fifth Head of School. To ensure that the community has opportunities to be informed, engaged, and provide feedback, I offer the following:

  • you are formally invited to a listening session as detailed below;
  • you are welcome to participate in the community survey linked below;
  • our head of school search website is live and can be found here;
  • our dedicated email address, headsearch@moundsparkacademy.org, has been established for you to communicate with the search committee chair, communications director, and me to share your thoughts and provide feedback.

As I shared earlier this week, selecting our next head of school is one of our community’s most important decisions. It is more than just finding a leader to serve in that capacity; this is an opportunity for us to build upon Dr. Hudson’s legacy and collectively shape our community’s future.

We are committed to ensuring a thorough and diligent search process, and we look forward to your engagement in the exciting journey ahead.

Sincerely,
Tiffany Scott Knox
MPA Parent
Chair, Board of Trustees
headsearch@moundsparkacademy.org

Dear Mounds Park Academy Community,

It has been an emotional week for the Mounds Park Academy community. Dr. Hudson’s announcement that he will retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year has provoked an outpouring of gratitude for his extraordinary 11 years of leadership at MPA. I’ve also heard many express excitement as we think about the next step for the school, built upon the strong foundation Dr. Hudson helped advance. And, of course, it’s natural that we also feel a sense of loss mingled with our happiness for Dr. Hudson and his husband, Ross, as they begin to look ahead toward an active and fulfilling retirement. Read More


If This Is What Matters To You, You’ve Found The Right School

kindergarten celebrating 100th day of schoolThis message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the March 1, 2024 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

At this point in the school year, you may be anywhere on your journey to MPA, from first discovering who we are to making an enrollment decision. You’re probably wondering, “Why do families choose MPA?” Here are just a few of the reasons why students PreK-12 thrive at Mounds Park Academy.

MPA academics are demanding–not draining.
In PreK, our youngest students are digging into a dinosaur fossil lesson to explore how the biology and science of the world in the past influences the future. In their senior year, advanced physics students are venturing out into our community to address problems, and then designing, engineering, and manufacturing 3D-printed tangible solutions. Academic rigor with purpose grounds MPA students in the radical idea that their identity in the world is not measured by a test score, but rather by the depth and decency of their impact on the world.

MPA values collaboration over competition.
Students work together in an environment of support and encouragement where teachers are partners on the journey. Meaningful relationships culminate in the Upper School and last a lifetime. “Within my first weeks here at MPA, I was exposed to a learning environment where people were supporting each other instead of competing with each other,” says MPA alum Ella Jones ’20. “Through discussions with my friends, I have learned more about the world and its political issues in just a year than I had in the first 16 years of my life.”

MPA makes learning joyful.
Creating and nurturing a joyful learning environment is at the heart of MPA. Days at MPA are filled with wonder and exploration that comes with hands-on learning. We believe education is not only about academic achievement but also the holistic development of individuals. Infusing education with joy contributes to the overall well-being and mental health of students. Joyful learning spurs creativity and critical thinking, and MPA students are engaged and enthusiastic to think outside the box, ask probing questions, and seek innovative solutions.

If this is what matters to you, you’ve found the right school.