Parents Association News And Events August 29, 2024

August 29, 2024

Welcome to the Parents Association, and happy first week of school! It was great to connect with members of our community at our First Day of School Coffee. If you missed it, it is not too late to learn more about the Mounds Park Academy Parents Association (MPAPA), sign up for a committee and/or get involved.

Find more information on the MPA website, @MPAParents Instagram, or email PA@moundsparkacademy.org. Stay tuned through the weekly Panther Posts for upcoming events and opportunities to volunteer!

Upcoming Events
September 6: PA Board Meeting, 8 AM, PA Room at MPA
September 23: Staff Appreciation Day hosted by Grades 5 and 6

Call For Volunteers
Are you ready to bring your team spirit? The MPAPA Panther Sports Committee is looking for 1-2 parents from each Middle School sports team to help build community through the sports programs at MPA. From coordinating a team potluck to decorating athletes’ lockers, you will be sparking a new level of Panther pride for our MPA community! Learn more about the role and contact Christine Larson, our panther sports committee lead, at clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org with any questions or interest.

Join MPA’s Grade 7-12 Sailing Team

August 29, 2024

Did you know that MPA has a highly competitive and successful sailing team? While sailing is not an MSHSL sport and is run as a club at MPA, our sailors have competed at the regional, national, and collegiate levels annually for many years. No experience or boat is needed to join, and all are welcome from grades seven through 12. In fact, it’s free for the first week! Sailing is a lifelong sport that is both technical and physical, and it is a great way to make friends from MPA and other schools.

Details:

Practices are held September 3-October 24 (weather permitting) at White Bear Sailing School.
Attendance is free September 3-5—come try out the sport!
MPA’s team is coached and practices alongside sailors from Mahtomedi Public Schools, White Bear Public Schools, and other area schools.
Practices are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30-6:30 PM.
Potluck and parent night Saturday, September 7 at 7 PM.
Parent information meeting slides can be found here.
Regattas are optional but encouraged and held on Saturdays on lakes throughout the Twin Cities.
Sailing is a spring and/or fall sport and students can participate in one or both seasons.
Some personal gear is required to ensure safety on the water—some gear may be available to borrow.
The cost is $550 per season and includes coaching and the use of boats and other equipment.

Registration and more information can be found here. If you have any questions, please reach out to MPA’s sailing team advisor, Natalie Waters Seum at nwatersseum@moundsparkacademy.org. We hope to see you on the water!

Get Ready For The Ice Cream Social!

August 29, 2024

Let’s celebrate the start of an incredible year! Make plans to join us for a beloved MPA tradition, the Ice Cream Social on Friday, September 6, from 3-4 PM on the South Lawn! This is an all-school opportunity to connect with one another, enjoy a sweet treat, and meet our new families.

Details For Lower School Families
If you are planning to attend, please meet your child at their classroom door and notify your child’s homeroom teacher in advance. Otherwise, we will send your child on the bus or to the drive thru lane as usual. All Lower School students must be directly supervised by an adult to get their ice cream.

Details For All Families
A sundae bar with all of the fixings will be available for students and their families. The ice cream will be peanut and tree nut free and provided by YoYo Donuts. All of the sundae bar toppings will be peanut and tree nut free and provided by SAGE. JonnyPops Organic Freezer Pops will be available at a separate station for food-allergic students. This should be safe for all MPA students, but it is not guaranteed. Ingredients will be available for review by parents or can be found at the link above. Because any frozen treat could be messy on a bus, bus riders will be sent home with allergy-friendly Partake cookies (free of top-9 allergens, gluten-free, vegan, OU Kosher). All students at Panther Club and Panther Den will be taken outside for a treat and supervised accordingly by Panther staff. Middle School students may navigate the event with or without a parent. If they are without a parent, they should be able to manage any allergies they may have.

If you have any questions or would like more information about ingredients, please contact communications@moundsparkacademy.org. See you there!

Emotional Milestones

August 29, 2024

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

Welcome (back) to MPA and another fantastic school year!

Whether you’re a returning family or a family with one of the 103 new students joining the MPA community this year, it’s a fresh start and a new beginning for all of us.

First, I apologize for not being with you last week for Back To School Night. Instead, I was in Tucson, dropping my daughter off at the University of Arizona for her first year of college. I managed to keep my emotions in check—until we returned home, and I passed by her bedroom. The door was open, her bed was made, and her room was spotless—three things that had never been true before. After 34 years in education, helping launch hundreds of students into their futures, I knew saying goodbye would be hard. I just didn’t realize how hard.

Dropping a child off at college for the first time is a deeply emotional milestone for parents. In many ways, it parallels the experience of entrusting your child to a new school or, even for returning students, beginning a new school year. You and I are likely navigating similar emotions right now—moments that signify significant transitions in the parent-child relationship and mark our children’s growing independence. There’s also the natural anxiety about how our children will adapt to a new environment, whether it’s the magical world of kindergarten, a new grade, or the independence of college. Rest assured, our exceptional faculty and staff are dedicated to ensuring a successful transition and making a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of our students every single day. Read More

Upper School Division News August 29, 2024

August 29, 2024

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, September 2: No Classes, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 3: Alumni Current Parent Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Gallery
Wednesday, September 4: US Grade 11 Families College Counseling Meeting, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting
Friday, September 6: School Photos, 7:30 AM-12 PM, Indoor Track
Friday, September 6: Ice Cream Social, 3-4 PM, South Lawn
Tuesday, September 10: US Grade 12 Parent College Counseling Night, 6:30-7:30 PM, Virtual Meeting
Thursday, September 12: MS/US International Program Back to School Social, 3:30-5 PM, Benz Courtyard
Sunday, September 15: Admission & Indexed Tuition Applications Open
Tuesday, September 17: US Signs of Suicide Screening (G9 & New G10 Students), 7:30 AM-2 PM, PCR
Wednesday, September 18: US Signs of Suicide Screening (G11), 7:30 AM-2 PM, PCR
Sunday, September 22: Twin Cities Partnership College Fair, 1-3 PM, Breck School

Summer is one of my favorite times of year – the sun shines more brightly, the days are longer, and the green grass provides a wonderful balance of color to the bright blue summer sky. It is the perfect time for me to think about the previous school year while planning and adjusting for the upcoming one. It is also a time where the school building can be eerily quiet as most teachers, administrators, and students are enjoying the slower pace of the year and are on vacation. Each year, while I sit at my desk in the quiet building, I play Simon and Garfunkel’s famous ballad, “The Sound of Silence.” As much as I enjoy the solitude, there is something special about the return of students and faculty and the noise that comes with them to campus.

Lower School Division News August 29, 2024

August 29, 2024

from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, September 2: No Classes, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 3: Alumni Current Parent Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Gallery
Wednesday, September 4: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-9 AM, Family Commons
Friday, September 6: School Photos, 7:30 AM-12 PM, Indoor Track, Non-Uniform Day
Friday, September 6: Ice Cream Social, 3-4 PM, South Lawn
Thursday, September 12: MS/LS Curriculum Night, 6-8 PM, Classrooms
Sunday, September 15: Admission & Indexed Tuition Applications Open
Friday, September 20: LS Duty-Free Lunch with Parent Volunteers, 11:30 AM-12:45 PM, Playground and Family Commons

Welcome (back) to the MPA Lower School!

Since the first day, the children have embarked on their exciting learning journey for the 2024-25 academic year. The start of the year was remarkable in its positivity, with many smiling faces, buzzing classrooms, and happy children. Thank you for partnering with us as we offer a warm welcome and homecoming for our learners! As we look toward the coming months, please note that every week, a Panther Post will come to your inbox, chock full of helpful information, reminders, and news with every other week including Division News. Please read on for some insights for the next few weeks:

Revised Lower School Uniform Policy

At Mounds Park Academy, our Lower School students benefit from wearing uniforms, as they contribute to a positive and equitable school climate and a sense of belonging. Uniforms help to underscore consistency and cohesion while also emphasizing each student’s dignity and well-being. Our uniform policy is designed to be gender inclusive. Any student can wear any part of the uniform. Parents are welcome to source the items from various retailers and price points. Please note that we have revised our uniform policy in the Lower School to be more inclusive and practical. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions! Read More

Middle School Division News August 29, 2024

August 29, 2024

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Monday, September 2: No Classes, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 3: Alumni Current Parent Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Gallery
Friday, September 6: School Photos, 7:30 AM-12 PM, Indoor Track
Friday, September 6: Ice Cream Social, 3-4 PM, South Lawn
Monday, September 9: MS Show Auditions, 3:15-5:15 PM, Black Box
Tuesday, September 10: MS Show Auditions, 3:15-5:15 PM, Black Box
Wednesday, September 11: MS Show Callbacks, 3:15-5:15 PM, Black Box
Thursday, September 12: MS/US International Program Back to School Social, 3:30-5 PM, Benz Courtyard
Sunday, September 15: Admission & Indexed Tuition Applications Open
Monday, September 16: MS Grade 7/8 MAP Testing
Monday, September 16: MS Grade 6 Eagle Bluff Trip
Tuesday, September 17: MS Grade 7/8 MAP Testing
Tuesday, September 17: MS Grade 6 Eagle Bluff Trip
Wednesday, September 18: MS Grade 7/8 MAP Testing
Wednesday, September 18: MS Grade 5 Osprey Wild Overnight Trip
Wednesday, September 18: MS Grade 6 Eagle Bluff Trip
Thursday, September 19: MS Grade 7/8 MAP Testing
Thursday, September 19: MS Grade 5 Osprey Wild Overnight Trip
Friday, September 20: MS Grade 7/8 MAP Testing
Friday, September 20: MS Grade 5 Osprey Wild Overnight Trip
Friday, September 20: MS Quarterly Coffee, 8-9 AM, TBD

One of my duties that I grew to love during COVID times at my previous school was greeting students at our front door to ensure that they had completed their COVID app and were “OK for School.” Watching Middle School students enter a school is just so joyous and slightly comical. They carry a lot into our schools with backpacks filled with books, gym bags filled with sports equipment, bodies filled with energy, hearts filled with emotion, and minds filled with curiosity, joy, and a sense of belonging. While they don’t always have their shoes tied, appropriate outerwear for the weather, or even all that they need for the day (don’t forget that instrument!), they always appreciate a “good morning” and a smile, and even a fist-bump or hi-five. This week, I have genuinely been excited to work our door 4 entrance and get to greet and dismiss most of our Middle School students. I have also appreciated all the waves and the patience from you, their chauffeurs, as you shuttle them to school and navigate the exit maze created by our construction traffic plan.

Welcome to the Division News section of Panther Post. Here, every other week, I will share new information, important dates, and upcoming items that require your attention. This is a rich resource designed to help you and your student(s) plan for upcoming events and stay abreast of all the exciting events and activities we have planned for Middle School parents and students. Read More

Alumni Association Welcomes New Members

August 27, 2024

As the new school year approaches, the Alumni Association welcomes its new Alumni Board members. Please join us in thanking them for their service to the community!

Kevin McQuade ’07

For what grades did you attend MPA?
I attended MPA K-12.

Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
Bringing a diverse perspective helps position MPA students, faculty, staff, and alumni alike to succeed. I jumped at the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing conversation of how to engage alumni to support MPA’s holistic mission.

In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
Two aspects of MPA’s mission and vision resonated with me as a student, and continue to do so as an adult. First, the concept of “do right” should be at the top of people’s minds as they go through their day-to-day lives, not just as students but as adults. It serves as an important reminder to focus beyond oneself and do the right thing at every turn. Second, an early focus on the integration of technology and experiential learning positions students to be valued, innovative, and sociable contributors to our culture. I am also excited about the recently announced Center for Inclusive Teaching & Learning, as inclusive principles and understanding were key to my growth and education at a young age.

What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I live in Washington, D.C., with my wife Erica and our two-year-old daughter, Rory! My focus is on strategic planning and innovation for the U.S. Government, mostly in the defense, intelligence, and security portfolios. I have spent over a decade leading efforts to improve Federal transportation security, cybersecurity operations, and procurement. Read More

Back To School With Joy

August 27, 2024

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the August 27, 2024 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

At MPA, the start of the new school year brings:

The honor of welcoming more than 100 new students to MPA, where we will see them explore their passions, join new clubs, try new sports, challenge themselves academically, and grow into dreamers and doers.
A rare opportunity to hit the “restart” button. While there are many familiar faces and comfort in a predictable schedule, they are coupled with new opportunities, relationships, classes, and discoveries are waiting to be tapped into for the new school year.
Celebrating growth and changes and finding the subtle changes in something familiar. There is so much joy in welcoming the community back, but everybody is a little different from the last time you saw them.
An unforgettable first day for students and parents. At MPA, the first day brings happiness in seeing friends and teachers, the anticipation of an amazing year ahead, and the comfort of knowing you are celebrated for the person you are.

While each student, parent, teacher, and community member experiences the first day of school in their own unique way, a shared sense of hope, wonder, and anticipation for what’s to come brings us all together. And as we look ahead, the Office of Admission is preparing for midyear and fall 2025 applications. Admission and Indexed Tuition applications will open on September 15! Read More

Welcome to MPA, Mandi Wilson!

August 15, 2024

Welcome to MPA, Mandi Wilson! Mandi started as a Pre-K teacher on August 14, and we are so excited to introduce her to our community!

From what school/organization are you coming?
I am coming from Children’s House Montessori School. (Eau Claire, WI)

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I have a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry. I have a Professional Science Master’s Degree in conservation biology. I subbed for Eau Claire Public Schools before becoming a lead PreK teacher at the Children’s House.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
I truly value the emphasis of individual growth, inclusiveness, and the development of a global responsibility. I appreciate the welcoming atmosphere that promotes and celebrates diversity on multiple levels.

What lasting impact do you plan to have on MPA?
I want our students to feel safe, loved, and appreciated for who they are. I feel lucky to be able to bond with students and families to become a part of their educational journey! Read More