Upper School Division News December 14, 2023

December 14, 2023

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars 

  • Tuesday, December 19: Class of 2028 Parent Coffee, 6:30-7:30 PM, PCR
  • Wednesday, December 20: MPA Caroling, 7:30-8 AM, Family Commons
  • Thursday, December 21-Tuesday, January 2: No Classes, Winter Break 
  • Wednesday, January 3: Classes Resume 
  • Friday, January 5: Alumni Meet & Greet with Class of 2024, 8-9:15 AM, Family Commons 
  • Tuesday, January 9: Grade 11 Parent College Counseling Night, 6:30-7:30 PM, Recital Hall 
  • Wednesday, January 10: US ACT Prep Class, 5:30-8:30 PM, Room 181
  • Friday, January 12: Class of 2028 Parent Coffee, 8-9 AM, PCR
  • Friday, January 12: US BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting, 11:20 AM-12 PM, Room 150-151
  • Monday, January 15: No Classes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 
  • Friday, January 19: US BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting, 11:20 AM-12 PM, Room 150-151
  • Friday, January 19: End of Quarter 2/First Semester 
  • Monday, January 22: No Classes, Grading Day 
  • Tuesday, January 23: Quarter 3/Second Semester Begins 
  • Wednesday, January 24: US ACTP Prep Class, 5:30-8:30 PM, Room 181
  • Thursday, January 25: Admission Preview  
  • Friday, January 26: US BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting, 11:20 AM-12 PM, Room 150-151
  • Friday, January 26: Parents Association Family Trivia Night, 6-9 PM, Family Commons
  • Friday, January 26: Winter Show—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box Theatre 
  • Saturday, January 27: Winter Show—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box Theatre 
  • Sunday, January 28: Winter Show—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 2-3:30 PM, Black Box Theatre 
  • Friday, February 2: US BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting, 11:20 AM-12 PM, Room 150-151 
  • Friday, February 2: Winter Show—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box Theatre 
  • Saturday, February 3: Winter Show—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 7-8:30 PM, Black Box Theatre 

A couple of years ago was the first time that I heard the term “cuddle puddle.” It was used to (positively) describe the mass of humanity gathered at our monthly Monday Morning Meetings, where students gather closely together to learn about the happenings in the upper school. According to medium.com, a cuddle puddle is a “fairly new term ubiquitous for non-sexual, touchy friendly happenings.” As the upper school director, I see the students huddled together as a way for students to foster a supportive and nurturing environment from which a strong sense of community is built. Building community happens frequently at MPA, yet last week, several opportunities stood out.  Read More

Parents Association News and Events December 14, 2023

December 14, 2023

Thank You!
Thank you to all MPA community members who volunteered to wrap gifts for MPA staff on December 11. This is a beloved tradition at MPA where volunteers wrap the personal gifts of MPA Faculty and Staff, giving them the gift of time during the Holiday season. This Monday, we wrapped 229 gifts for 25 staff members! We took 0 lunch breaks and had 0 reported paper cuts. It was quite a day! Thank you again from Tara and the MPA PA!

Book Festival Success
Last week, during the 2023 Book Festival, the MPA community celebrated our love of literature in a big way! We raised money for the library, supported student literacy, and discussed so many wonderful books with each other. Thank you to our community for participating in this effort, and we would like to extend a huge thank you to our amazing volunteers who helped make the MPA Book Festival a success.

Dr. Hudson’s Book Club
February 12 at 6 PM
One more announcement for our parent readers! Dr. Hudson’s Book Club will return to the MPA Library on February 12 at 6 PM. We will be reading The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James Baldwin. Childcare will be provided. Sign up here to get your copy of the book.

Nominations Sought for School Committees and Board of Trustees 

December 13, 2023

Each year, the Governance Committee of MPA’s Board of Trustees identifies, considers, and invites a small number of people within the MPA community to become new trustees. In soliciting and evaluating nominees, the Board seeks to match the board’s needs with the nominees’ professional and leadership skills and broad personal, cultural, and experience backgrounds. Before becoming trustees, many members first served in various capacities at MPA, such as on school committees, committees of the Board, in the Parents Association, or in other volunteer positions where they have been able to demonstrate and share their capabilities, personal experiences, and leadership skills.

The Board continuously seeks to broaden the diversity of experience and background of its membership. In addition, this year, it seeks to identify, among other things, those with professional capabilities in development, facilities, the arts, HR and personnel management, finance, education, and strategic planning. If you know someone who might be a strong candidate for the board or other school committees, or if you are interested, please submit a simple nomination form. The Governance Committee of the Board will be reviewing and vetting nominations during January and February and bringing a slate of candidates to the full Board for consideration at its spring meeting.

A detailed explanation of the Board’s work and a description of the Board’s active committee’s work can be found on the Board of Trustees MPA webpage.

Feel free to contact Board Vice-Chair and Governance Committee Chair Jeremy Drucker ’97 at Drucker.Jeremy@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Please complete this form to nominate yourself or someone else.

Talented Sophomores Achieve a Harmony of Accomplishments

December 11, 2023

Congratulations to sophomores Grace Nelson, Chali Yang, Warner Reid, and Truman Wilgocki, who auditioned and were selected to be members of the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota 9-10 State Honor Choirs. Grace will sing in the Soprano-Alto (SA) choir under the direction of Maria Ellis, owner of Girl Conductor, LLC. Chali is a member of the Tenor-Bass (TB) choir and will sing for Chris McGinley from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Warner and Truman will sing in the SATB choir conducted by Kira Haler Knutson from Valley City State University. The daylong Honor Choir event will culminate with a concert at the Minneapolis Convention Center in mid-February. Grace, Chali, and Warner were sponsored by Mr. Habermann, while Truman auditioned as a member of the MN Boychoir. Great work, everyone!

 

Transformative Initiatives And Compassionate Support

December 11, 2023

As Mounds Park Academy continues its commitment to providing a holistic and supportive learning environment, the recent addition of Jeanne Doyle as our Lower School Counselor brings forth a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives. In a recent interview, we explore Jeanne’s initial impressions of MPA, her unique insights, and the innovative programs she has introduced to enhance the Lower School experience.

In your experience, how is MPA different from other organizations you’ve worked for?

“One amazing, unique quality I noticed about Mounds Park Academy right away is that Dr. Hudson truly knows every child’s name! He knows and cares about each student and each MPA family. His love for the children is so genuine. If I were a parent of a child at MPA, this depth of care from the top would be so reassuring to me. As a counselor, I appreciate that feeling seen, known, and loved can foster a strong sense of self-worth in children. Everyone wants to belong in their community. This level of care is echoed throughout the teaching faculty and the staff at MPA, and that is truly a hallmark of our school. Read More

The Evolution of Digital Environments

December 7, 2023

from Bill Hudson, head of school

Next week, MPA will celebrate “Hour of Code,” an international movement of schools dedicating one hour to coding activities for students to introduce them to computer science. Instead of just one hour, MPA will dedicate the entire week of December 11-15 to activities designed to de-mystify “code” and demonstrate how anyone can learn the basics. The idea came from our Technology and Innovation Committee, comprised of our technology team and teachers from all divisions who meet regularly to better leverage technology to advance and enhance student learning and prepare students for college and life.

In keeping with our mission and values, technology is a critical aspect of a college-prep, progressive education that centers hands-on, experiential learning at the core of all we do. At MPA, our philosophy is that since technology surrounds us, its knowledge and skills are best learned through active participation. Our charge is to prepare our students to meet the challenges of this continually evolving digital environment with new ideas and new ways to use it that are spiraled throughout our curriculum.

I recently came across a quote that said that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t yet been invented. In a world of disruptive technological change with ever more rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence, I believe there is an urgent need for what Mike Walsh, CEO of Tomorrow, calls “citizen developers,” those who will be able to design work even if they lack formal programming skills. Likewise, director of academic technology Michael Moran shares, “By no means do we expect our students to become computer programmers; however, it’s our responsibility as educators to approach computer science and coding as a literacy.” Read More

Parents Association News and Events December 7, 2023

December 7, 2023

Holiday Gift Wrapping
Monday, December 11
Join the MPA Parents Association for this beloved holiday event. Give the gift of time to our staff by wrapping their gifts while also putting yourself in the holiday spirit. MPA teachers and staff bring in their unwrapped gifts; we return them wrapped and decorated. All supplies and snacks will be provided. Sign up here for one hour or more! See you in the Porter Conference Room (PCR), which is located in the Upper School above the Lansing/North entrance.

Middle School Pre-Concert Community Dinner—Last Call!
Thursday, December 14, Family Commons
The annual MS Dinner is here, and we want to welcome you and your entire family! Please join us next Thursday, December 14, from 5-6 PM before the MS Concert. A complete taco bar will be served in the Family Commons, along with beverages and dessert (allergies have been taken into account!). Please RSVP by sending $5 per person to Molly Oliver, PA MS Lead, via Venmo (@Molly-Oliver-7) or email Molly (moliverPA@moundsparkacademy.org) to make other arrangements. We need your RSVP by THIS SATURDAY, please!

Who We Are and What We Do

December 7, 2023

Who We Are And What We Do 

The Mounds Park Academy Board of Trustees is a self-generative body of approximately 20 to 22 trustees (plus the Head of School in an ex officio capacity) who guide the school’s strategic direction and protect its mission. Critical functions of the Board include hiring, supporting, and evaluating the Head of School, establishing the school’s mission and strategic plan, supporting the school’s development efforts, and safeguarding the school’s financial stability.

The Board’s purview is strategic, not operational (which is the responsibility of the head of school and his or her administrative team). Specifically, the Board does not hire or terminate employees or establish policies for doing so.  It does not make line-item budget determinations, including those on faculty salary; it does not establish the academic scope and sequence of classes. Rather, the Board collaborates with the Head of School to ensure that the school’s larger strategic goals are met, including accreditation, legal compliance, and other requirements.

MPA’s current Board Chair is Tiffany Scott-Knox, an experienced MPA trustee, completing her second year of a three-year term. Trustees serve up to two three-year terms. MPA’s Board meets 5-6 times a year and follows a ‘decentralized” model where the bulk of its work is accomplished through its five standing committees:  Read More

STEAM, The MPA Way

December 4, 2023

MPA 8th graders building their future cityThis message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the December 9, 2023 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

At MPA, we wholeheartedly embrace STEAM. From utilizing Design Thinking in the Makerspace, to challenging students to find reliable information from reputable sources for research projects, rigor in STEAM takes place PreK-12. Across all of the STEAM fields–science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics–MPA teachers are using their disciplines to provide academic challenges to students seeking it out.

As society increasingly focuses on STEM subjects, many of the careers of our future may in fact be in those areas. The National Science Foundation is reporting that STEM careers jumped from 21% of the workforce to 24% in just ten years, between 2011-2021. But how do STEM subjects in school apply to everyday life? Through rigor with purpose and the holistic approach to education in which MPA was founded. This is what truly prepares our students for the future. Read More

Environmental Chemistry In Action: A Field Trip To The King Power Plant

December 4, 2023

Field trip to Kings Power plant
Ms. Sullivan’s chemistry class recently ventured to the Allan S. King Power Plant in Marine on St. Croix. In their current unit on atmospheric chemistry, their studies delve into the intricate world of indoor and outdoor air pollution, including sulfur dioxide’s and nitric oxide’s role in acid rain formation, particulate matter, and more.

The class’s discussion naturally extended to the crucial topic of climate change, investigating its implications, and alternatives to fossil fuel usage. This field trip was a real eye-opener for students, offering a tangible connection between the discussion and theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom and its real-world application.

One main focal point of their excursion was to explore the cutting-edge technologies being used to remove sulfur dioxide, nitric oxides, and particulate matter at the King Power Plant and discover what makes it stand out among coal-burning facilities. Students had learned about these technologies in the environmental chemistry course, and even used stoichiometry calculations to determine how much calcium carbonate is needed to neutralize the sulfur dioxide that comes from burning coal in Minnesota, exemplifying the future-forward philosophy that is heavily integrated within MPA’s education.

Walking through the plant, students not only witnessed advanced environmental technologies but also engaged in conversations with the plant manager. These discussions provided insights into the career and economic implications of transitioning to renewable energy sources, reinforcing the vital link between science and society.

What made this experience even more remarkable was its origin—a chance encounter during parent-teacher conferences. Nick Martin, a parent who works for Excel Energy, noticed information about Ms. Sullivan’s atmospheric chemistry unit displayed on the board. Intrigued, he extended an invitation for MPA students to witness these concepts in action. Learning extends beyond the classroom at MPA, and the active involvement of our community members adds a unique dimension to the educational journey.

The King Power Plant, though set to discontinue coal usage by 2028, will be repurposed into a distribution hub for solar energy and other renewables. This aligns seamlessly with the class’s discussions on the evolving landscape of energy production and the imperative shift toward sustainability.

This field trip served as an invaluable opportunity for students to witness the practical applications of their academic pursuits. By experiencing firsthand the environmental technologies at play and understanding the broader societal impacts, they gained a deeper appreciation for the pivotal role science plays in addressing pressing global challenges.