April 24, 2025
from Mark Segal, Upper School director
Mark Your Calendars
- Friday, April 25: MS/US Robotics Team Banquet, 5-8 PM, Family Commons
- Friday, May 2: US Art and Pop Fair, 3:30-6 PM, US Hallway and Commons
- Friday, May 2: New Family Panther Party, 4-5:30 PM, MPA Campus
- Saturday, May 3: US Prom, 8-11:30 PM, Lakefront Park, (Hudson)
- Monday, May 5: MS/US Students & Screens Parent Meeting, 1:45-3 PM, Recital Hall
- Tuesday, May 6: Senior Project: Empty Bowls, 4:30-6:30 PM, Family Commons
- Thursday, May 8: MS/US Orchestra Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson 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
In almost three decades of working with students I would like to think that I have seen almost everything. Early in my career I helped a student who “accidentally” had a pencil stuck through their tongue and needed to convince their parent that they should see a doctor even though they believed “that the mouth heals quickly,” I got a student from their athletic practice to let them know that their parent had been in a plane crash (one that they were flying) and needed to “protect” them from the media frenzy that would soon follow the accident, and I convinced a student to hand over multiple sets of brass knuckles that were in their possession as they would not need them “for protection.” I, however, recently found myself wrapped up in and deeply affected by the four-part Netflix series, “Adolescence,” as it hit home not just as a school administrator, but also as the parent of a teenage boy.
The series was released in late March and since then, according to IMDb, has become third most watched Netflix series ever with more than 120 million views in over 80 countries. Parents of teenagers across the world are taking notice of the hard-hitting drama that offers a compelling and chilling lens into the world of male teenage identity. The series, each episode shot in one take, has garnered significant attention from educators and mental health professionals and presents an unflinching look at how young men navigate their high school years and construct their identities in today’s challenging social environment. An article in Parenting magazine this week shares, “the story is framed around online radicalization, it also forces us to confront below-the-surface things we overlook: what happens when boys are taught to hide what they feel, to bury their hurt, and to mistake detachment for strength.”
The series’ strength lies in its ability to showcase how a young adult isn’t being deliberately ignored; rather he is just flying under the radar. It explores his relationships with his peers, teachers, and the massive disconnect between Generation X parents and their Generation Alpha children. A 2022 study in Educational Psychology Review shared, “that when adults understand and acknowledge the complexity of male adolescent experience, boys are more likely to seek help when faced with emotional or social challenges.” Read More
Parent Survey deadline is coming up! Help us reimagine the MPA Parents Association to better meet the needs of our parent community. 
from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school
This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 22 issue of Inside MPA. 
Thank you to the parent organizers, volunteers, and participants who made our annual Cultural Celebration Day a success! 
from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school
This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 16 issue of Inside MPA. 
from Takele Thompson-Nelson ’18
Every year, we seek additional members to join the MPA alumni board, and we recognize that you may or may not know what committing to the board entails. The board is perfect for those who want to connect further with the MPA community or give back to the school that gave them so much without a major time commitment. As a second-year board member, I am incredibly glad I chose to join the board and only wish I had joined sooner.