Mounds Park Academy

Lower School Division News April 7, 2022

April 7, 2022

from Renee Wright, Lower School Director

MPA Book Festival
The Mounds Park Academy Book Festival has been a cherished event over many years. The purpose of the book festival is to foster the joy and love of reading for all ages. Funds raised from book purchases go toward supporting the MPA library and directly impact students. This event is sponsored by the MPA Parents Association in conjunction with faculty and staff.

On Tuesday, April 5 Lower School students participated in the book festival kick-off assembly to begin the celebration. The assembly was hosted by Renee Wright, Nancy Lage, and Michelle Mick, member of the MPA Parents Association and book festival organizer. Each student was presented with a book festival bookmark with information for families.

The theme of the book festival is “superheroes.” Students were reminded that they are all superheroes and their superpowers can change the world. A brand-new book was shared with students entitled, “Our World is a Family,” by Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson. The message shared in the book is that the world is one big family and everyone must be welcomed. We can use our superpowers to make others feel welcome. Read More

Middle School Division News April 7, 2022

April 7, 2022

from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School Director

Spring Has Sprung!
While it does not feel like it, we are in the middle of Minnesota spring! We are counting down the days to warm recess time, reading outside, and the eagerness to bust out of the classroom/building to learn outside.

7/8 Grade Dance Party and Parent Social Opportunity
This Friday, April 8, from 7-9 PM, our 7/8 Student Council, lead by Marina Dale and Jocque Warner will host our first dance in the Family Commons. Please note the following details:

Entry fee is $10 and includes pizza, beverage, and snack.
Outside food/drink may not be brought to the event. No exceptions.
Phones will collected from all students upon entry to the building and placed into a bin at the start of the evening and can be picked up at 9PM at the end of the event.
Dress is “come as you are” casual
In addition to dancing and fun music, we also have bean bag toss in the hallways, card games and other board games available to play and gather with friends.

Please do not drop your student off before 6:55 PM and plan to promptly retrieve them at 9 PM. All drop-off and pick-up happen at DOOR 1 (Lower School office).

Book Festival at MPA
While many of our events remain virtual this year, there are a few places where YOU and your middle schooler can get involved. Please join us from now, until April 17 to share in the adventure of reading and promote literacy at MPA.

Daily, from now until the end of the festival, gently loved books are for sale in our hallways during the day. Paperback books are $.25/each and hardcover just $1.00. You’re welcome to donate books your family no longer wishes to keep and sending a few dollars with your avid reader to select a few new ones is a great way to support the festival!

You can also purchase new books for yourself and others to benefit the library. Visit this link to place your order. Mention MPA in the order comments or when purchasing in person and 20% of the order will go back to the MPA Library. Looking for a different selection? Visit this link to place an order with Usborne Books & More. Based on your purchases, MPA Library will earn 50% of the sales back in FREE BOOKS! Read More

Upper School Division News April 7, 2022

April 7, 2022

from Mark Segal, Upper School Director

During the past week I have had the opportunity to speak with families who had a child accepted to MPA next year. Some of them are current MPA families and already have children on campus, and many will be new next fall. I love hearing their unbridled joy emanate through the speaker of the telephone as they talk about their happiness for their children and their family. This reaction made me think about how our students and faculty look at the joy experienced on campus.

At MPA the joy of learning is one of the six tenets of our mission statement. It is not just something that we hope our community experiences, but rather something that we thoughtfully and intentionally expect of our faculty and students. As I think about this, I wonder how we measure one’s joy of learning.

My guess is that it is not through the width of a student’s smile, or the decibel levels of laughter coming from a classroom, but rather from the intangible sense that we as educators and parents innately have.

As I think about this, I “measure” the joy of learning when seeing a gaggle of seniors gathered in the Hart Commons working together while huddled around a challenging AP Calculus problem, witnessing a group of juniors leaving their American Studies class discussing the “This American Life” podcast that they listened to, noticing sophomores sharing information about a peer critique in their Photography class, or eavesdropping on freshmen reminding each other to take care of their mental health as they learned in their health class. These genuine and authentic conversations between students about things they learn in class gives me great joy. The happiness that emerges from this community fills me with deep gratitude for the students and the incredibly talented faculty members who teach them. Read More

Parents Association Book Festival & April Events

April 7, 2022

Book Festival
Tuesday, April 5-Sunday, April 17
MPA’s beloved annual Book Festival is here! The goal is to promote the joy of reading and connect with the MPA community through our shared enjoyment of reading. This year we have a hybrid model with some on-campus events and online book purchasing from our booksellers, Usborne and Valley Bookseller. If you have any questions, please email michelle_wessely@yahoo.com.

Proceeds from the used book sale and purchases made through the booksellers benefit the MPA library so every purchase you make will help support our wonderful library, a great resource for both students and families. Read More

Welcome To MPA, Shaun Saeger!

April 7, 2022

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Business Office Assistant/Transportation Coordinator

From what school/organization are you coming?
Sacred Heart Catholic School

Tell us a little bit about your education and past experience.
I have acquired many skills throughout my career including but not limited to accounts payable, accounts receivable, administration, bookkeeping, human resources & management.

What did you find appealing about MPA during the interview process?
My first person of contact was Shian. She went above & beyond to find an interview time & date that would work for everyone which was impressive. The staff that interviewed me were very friendly & welcoming. It was appealing to see how well they functioned as a team. Read More

Meet Elissa Frankel ’22

April 5, 2022

What do you love about MPA?
I love the learning environment that the teachers and students create together! Everyone is encouraged to follow their curiosity and given the support to learn about things they’re interested in. The student body is really involved in clubs and extracurriculars (especially for such a small school), and trying new things is encouraged.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
The teachers at MPA always supported me in my goals and dreams and given me the resources to help me follow the right path to achieve them. MPA is a place where dreaming big and doing right are valued and encouraged by the whole community. Having a community that truly believes in you and your future has encouraged me to dream big and do right.

Why do you believe your teachers teach the way they do?
The teachers at MPA truly care about their students and the subject matter they are teaching. They want their students to find fascination in learning and discover their passions. MPA teachers want to see their students make an impact in the world and achieve their goals and they equip us with the tools to do so. Read More

Rigor With Purpose

March 31, 2022

I enjoyed the opportunity last Friday to visit with fifth-graders about their SEEK (Science, Experiments, Explorations, and Knowledge) Projects. A tradition for more than 20 years, Middle School Science Teacher Courtney Nagle describes SEEK as “the scientific method on steroids!”

As I wandered around the Family Commons, I was impressed by the variety of scientific experiments students chose and was struck by their curiosity. In particular, I was delighted with their ability to critique their project, talk about what they would do differently next time, and how what they learned could be applied in other contexts. The SEEK Project is an excellent example of what we at MPA call “rigor with purpose.”

Rigor is different from difficulty. Traditional applications of rigor most often entail more and harder assignments that are “pushed down” from the teacher and “piled on” to the student. In reality, such an understanding of rigor requires little more than lower-level thinking skills such as factual recall and procedural regurgitation rather than greater cognitive complexity. At MPA, rigor with purpose is meaningful learning that goes deeper to challenge students’ thinking in new and exciting ways. Read More

Parents Association Book Festival Announcement

March 31, 2022

Book Festival
Tuesday, April 5-Sunday, April 17
MPA’s beloved annual Book Festival is almost here! We’ll have many fun book-centered activities, including stories to help unwind in the evening, and our padlet board for sharing your favorite read. Click here to add to the padlet board. The Book Festival’s goal is to promote the joy of reading and connect with the MPA community through our shared enjoyment of reading. This year we have a hybrid model with some on-campus events and online book purchasing from our booksellers, Usborne and Valley Bookseller, more details coming soon.

Used Book Sale
The Book Festival Committee is asking for donations of gently used books and music that will be available for sale (25 cents for paperbacks, $1 for hardcovers) during the Book Festival. Look for donation carts at the North and South entrances from March 24-April 15. We welcome books for all ages!

MPAPA One Book, One Community: Book Club with Dr. Hudson April 14, at 6:30 PM
Please join us for a lively discussion of Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel! The PA will be purchasing books for those who would like to take part. Let us know if you plan on attending the book club, and whether or not you would like a copy of the book provided to you. Please fill in this google form to order the book and sign up for the book club.

Meet The Soto Álvarez Family

March 29, 2022

Meet the Soto Álvarez family! Current parents Diana and Michael are joined by their MPA kindergartener, Lucas, to share their MPA story.

What do you love about MPA?
Lucas: I have a lot of friends. And on the school’s birthday, we got cupcakes! I like my French class. I also like my classroom because that’s where my friends are.

Diana & Michael: Everyone is so welcoming. And it is clear that the programs and offerings are incredibly well thought out.

What initially attracted you to MPA? Do your same needs/desires hold true today?
Lucas: My mommy and daddy picked it, but it was a good decision.

Diana & Michael: We wanted a school that was excellent academically, but that also took a holistic approach to the student. We value that MPA cultivates active community members and social change agents. We like how design thinking has been interwoven throughout the school. And we were blown away by the quality of the ceramics projects on display! Over the past several months we have seen Lucas growing and learning in a range of ways, including how to use his “emotional toolbox” to handle difficult situations. Read More

Welcoming Back Smiling Faces

March 24, 2022

From Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, Director of Development and Community Engagement

One Thursday per month you will see a guest Head’s Message from a member of the Institutional Advancement Team. We hope these additional perspectives will help you catch a glimpse inside the inner-workings of your school.

If you’re like me, over the past few weeks, you may have been reflecting on how different our spring breaks were two years ago compared to this year. Two years ago, my two kiddos and I were enjoying a memorable trip to New York City, gearing up to take in Broadway shows and the many sites. Halfway through the trip, major sports teams, businesses, public spaces, and what felt like the entire country began to shut down due to this new virus that was sweeping across the world. One day we were walking through the bustling Times Square, and the next day I was worried about our ability to get a flight back home.

Two years in, so many things in our lives continue to be different, but I am so happy to see many areas returning to our new normal. Seeing many of your students’ smiling faces as we made the move to masks being optional, having parents back in our hallways, and being together to build community have been wonderful steps forward. Read More