Mounds Park Academy

December 2, 2021

from Jenn Milam, Middle School Director

The winter interim…
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break away with family and were able to spend some time doing what you love with those you care about most! As I shared at lunch announcements today, we have 12 days of school until Winter Break…let’s make the most of those and work hard each day, in every class!

Parents, motivation can lag this time of year…truly. It’s darker longer, the sun shines less, we’re all a little weary and tired. Please, encourage your kiddos to show up, every day, do their best every day, and respect themselves and their school community. It has been a difficult 18 months and yet, we are thriving, having plays, performances, and celebrating milestones! Resilience is key, perseverance is essential, and your support and commitment to holding your students accountable is imperative in our partnership. We are grateful you’re a part of our community!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO BE THOUGHTFUL: COVID Protocols and Symptom Response
While all middle school students are vaccine eligible and have received vaccinations, we still need to be mindful and responsive when symptoms/illness/the sniffles arise!

Just a reminder that any/all symptoms through our AUXS app and/or via email to COVID@moundsparkacademy.org.

Please do not email your divisional offices, directors, or teachers of an absence due to symptoms. It is important that all notifications are sent to Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, our COVID Health and Safety lead, so that you can be supported and informed of possible next steps including, but not limited to, the need to remain home, secure a negative test prior to return, and/or quarantine per CDC guidance. Read More

Three Panthers Chosen For 9-10 State Honor Choir

December 1, 2021

Congratulations to Olivia Lynch ’25, Pahwa Yang ’24, and Maggie Banks-Hehenberger ’24 who auditioned and were selected to be members of the 9-10 State Honor Choir! Olivia will sing in the mixed choir under the direction of Kyle Fleming (Regis University) while Pahwa and Maggie will perform in the soprano-alto choir with G. Phillip Shoultz (Vocal Essence). The daylong event will culminate with a concert on February 19 on the campus of Bethel University. Olivia is a member of the MPA Varsity Choir while Pahwa and Maggie sing in Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. We wish them the best!

MPA Parents Association News And Events

December 1, 2021

Thank You!
A big thank you to all those who, over the past six weeks, have shared their Saturday afternoons at MPA helping to clear the ponds and surrounding areas. We began with the area off Larpenteur Avenue and finished with Mr. Thomsen’s area near Upper School. Your help was so appreciated, and really benefited both areas. A hearty and much appreciated thank you!

Thanksgiving Pie Giveaway
Right before the Thanksgiving break, the MPA Parents Association continued the tradition of distributing pies to all MPA employees. A big THANK YOU to our faculty and staff appreciation volunteers, Sage, and the MPA development team for acting quickly to make this happen. There were 130 pies distributed!

Parents Connect: December Walks with Dogs
Join Michelle Mick for two Fridays in December, December 3 and 17, for a walk in a local dog park. Bring your dog or not, we’ll meet at Battle Creek Dog Park, a lovely, big, off-leash dog park with 35 acres at 8:15 AM. Parking is off Upper Afton Road, in the parking lot next to the dog park. Look for Michelle and her dog Rufus (pictured), near the entrance of the dog park. Read More

December 2 Lower School Division News

December 1, 2021

from Renee Wright, Lower School Director

Are you curious about what happens on some Monday mornings in Lower School? Lower School students participate in a Monday Morning Meeting twice each month. This past week Lower School students gathered for a meeting on Monday as we came back together after Thanksgiving Break. The meeting was a wonderful way to reconnect as a community and set the tone for a productive week. Here are some agenda highlights from our meeting:

We got our brains and bodies working together during “Brain Dance” as we mindfully moved to the song “Experience” by the Italian composer, Ludovico Einaudi.
During “Who’s Who at MPA?” we learned about our new Lower School Administrative Assistant, Ms. Holli. We found out that she is a musical theatre major and has been in over 45 musical productions. She truly enjoys singing and dancing on the stage. She is a lovely and caring person and welcome addition to the Lower School Office!
Our Kindergarteners presented a special video message to the song, “My Own Two Hands” during “Student Splash.” They shared how they use their own two hands to make a difference in our world when they care for their pets, recycle, plant a garden, play with a baby sister, learning new things, and reaching out to others.
During the “Joyful Journey” we honored all Lower School students with November birthdays by singing the birthday song. We also welcomed a new fourth grader to our school. This was extra special for all of us!
Two third graders received CHAMP Awards for consistently using CHAMP behavior and showing high integrity through words and actions. We strive to recognize CHAMP behavior on our campus.
During “Word Wizard” a fourth grade Word Wizard was quizzed on two past words of the week. These words were baffled and haphazard. Next, students were introduced to our new word for this week, impeccable. It is rewarding to see Lower School students using these words in their daily writing.
The meeting ended with the singing and signing of the School Song to show school spirit and send students off with a positive feeling about school. Go Panthers!

Lower School Parents’ Night Out Event

November 30, 2021

Whether you have errands to run or would like a night to yourself, we’ve got you covered! Drop off the kids and enjoy a Parents’ Night Out, sponsored by Panther Club! We will enjoy a pizza dinner, watch a movie (Lego Star Wars: Holiday Special, rated TV-Y7), decorate cookies and do a winter themed craft!

When: Thursday, December 9, 2021 from 6-8 PM
Where: MPA Family Commons
Who: All Lower School students welcome
Cost: $12.00 Per Child

Please return this permission slip to the Lower School office by Thursday December 2, 2021

Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures:

At 6 PM, staff will meet families at Door 1 (Lower School Main Entrance) to check in and conduct standard health checks.
Staff will then bring students to family commons for the event.
Students attending after school Panther club until 6 PM will be escorted to the event.
Pick-up will be at Door 1 at 8 PM
If you would like to pick-up your child early or need to contact us, please call 651-748-5571

Interested In Becoming A Host Family?

November 30, 2021

MPA is actively recruiting host families for both mid-year and fall of 2022 international students joining our school from around the world. This is a wonderful opportunity to open your home and your heart to another student, deepening your family’s global perspectives! For much more information, including details about the available stipend, please visit mpa.link/becomeahostfamily. Reach out to Cory Becker-Kim, international student program coordinator, at cbeckerkim@moundsparkacademy.org to express your interest and learn more.

Meet Alumni Board Member, Hena Vadher ’13

November 23, 2021

Introducing Hena Vadher ’13

For what grades did you attend MPA?
K-12 (“lifer!”)

Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
To promote an equity/justice-based lens in a place that served a formative role in my growth

In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
A critical assessor of, and huge advocate for, the ways MPA supports all of its students to learn, grow, and succeed on their own terms.

What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I am a reader, poor and injury-prone runner, and aspiring generalist. Outside of how I enjoy living, I was recently working in disaster relief program implementation for New York City over 8 million residents with the American Red Cross as a disaster Response Manager. I oversaw the program, which included cash and sheltering support, for clients displaced due to disaster.

How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I studied International and Area Studies at Washington University in St. Louis interested in pursuing a humanitarian career, inspired by my time interning with UNHCR—the UN’s Refugee Agency—in Geneva, Switzerland. After graduating, I was lucky to learn and grow at Breakthrough Twin Cities in St. Paul before relocating to New York City and eventually beginning my role with the American Red Cross.

How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
MPA prepared me to ask questions, prioritizing critical reflection on what and how to ask. I don’t—and can’t—know everything. But, feeling comfortable asking questions and demonstrating vulnerability in that respect goes a long way in better understanding your context (both in personal and professional spheres) and discerning a path toward “doing right.”

What’s next? Any aspirations – personal or professional – that you’d like to share?
I’m currently thinking quite a bit about how I enjoy engaging with my career and am putting intention toward growing in analytic and written communication skills.

What do you to see happen during your time on the Alumni Association Board?
As always, I hope to continue to learn and grow–and support the same for a formative community in my life.

Please share your favorite MPA story.
Thirteen years is a long time for “favorites.” But, I’m so proud to tell stories about how my school encouraged political engagement and thought. I’ll never forget Ms. Conway cancelling our Constitutional Law class the day the Minnesota House voted on whether to legalize gay marriage, asking us all to be present for history at the Capital. That day, she prioritized that sometimes learning comes from living. After the House passed the measure she explained, “In five years, there will be teenagers who won’t remember a time when they couldn’t marry the person they love.” Unforgettable.

Meet Zaara Nayak ’23

November 18, 2021

Zaara has been an MPA student for six years.

What do you love about MPA?
I love MPA’s culture of inclusivity and its commitment to diversity. I also love my teachers and how they encourage me to be an independent thinker.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
At MPA, I truly feel there is no limit to what I can accomplish. MPA has provided me with many leadership opportunities. For example, I recently re-established the Upper School student-run newspaper as I felt students needed a platform to cultivate community culture.

Why do you believe your teachers teach the way they do?
Hands-on, experiential learning is a key part of teaching at MPA because it teaches us how to think, not just what to think.

If you have attended another school, how has your experience here been different?
Compared to the schools I’ve previously attended, MPA’s small class size has allowed teachers get to know me, my strengths, and challenge me accordingly.

What would you tell another student your age considering MPA?
You won’t regret coming to MPA! It’s one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.

In what ways has MPA prepared you for life beyond school?
MPA has taught me to think critically and independently and how to apply classroom learning to solve real world issues.

What’s your big dream?
Regardless of what career I pursue, I hope to meet the needs of our community and leave the world a better place.

Let’s Join Together: The Power Of Community

November 18, 2021

from Bill Hudson, Head of School

The power of community was on display the week of November 8 as we celebrated the success of our Girls Volleyball Team and their run at the state championship. I was incredibly proud of our team—the grit, tenacity, and resiliency they displayed, and the way in which they positively represented the school. I was also full of pride for the way our community came together to support the team. Students, whether they attended the game in person or watched the livestream at school, cheered loudly and proudly, and with extraordinary school spirit.

Earlier in the week, this amazing community pulled together to host a vaccination clinic, providing members of our school community and our surrounding neighborhood, the opportunity to vaccine our younger learners and boosters to adults. The clinic was emblematic of our community’s response to the pandemic: draw upon the can-do spirit of MPA and on the strength of our relationships to overcome an urgent need.

Forty years ago, a different urgency led to the founding of Mounds Park Academy. A group of parents and teachers established a shared community to provide children with a new and unique student-centered whole-child education that didn’t exist in the east metro area. Forty years of gratitude and joining together: we’ve collected quotes from community members you can access here. By joining together, that early community overcame numerous obstacles to succeed and thrive.

Our challenges today are different than those 40 years ago. In a time of rapid change and volatility, young people need stability and a safe, welcoming place to learn and grow. They need kind and caring teachers and staff who truly know them and can accompany them through uncertain times. Students deserve an education that is both challenging and meaningful, one that provides the foundation to succeed in a future with jobs that don’t yet exist.

Today is Give to the Max Day and we are nearing the end of our Fall Campaign. This year’s campaign is especially meaningful because it coincides with our 40th anniversary celebration of the founding of our school. Like the founding families, our school wouldn’t be what it is without you and your family. We have a $200,000 goal today and we need to raise $150,000 in one day to access $50,000 in bonus challenge gifts from anonymous community members. I humbly implore you to join together with other parents, trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, parents of alumni, and grandparents and make a gift to this amazing school.

Every gift of every size makes an impact. Let’s join together in support of our community! Make a gift here!

Be sure to follow along in your email inbox and social media as we share live results and unveil our special virtual Lip Sync Battle with beloved teachers, staff, and students today!

Connecting With The Parents Association

November 18, 2021

Dog Walking with Michelle
As the weather turns colder, Michelle Micks’ popular walks will move to a bi-weekly format. This December bring your dog to play, and enjoy some time walking and chatting with MPA Families. No dog required. There are 30+ acres of lovely walking to be experienced. Join us Friday, December 3 and 17, after drop off. We’ll meet at 8:15 AM outside the dog park entrance off Upper Afton Rd. Look for the red-colored doggie (Rufus). The address is: Battle Creek Dog Park, 2350 Upper Afton Rd, Maplewood, MN 55119.

The contact person is Michelle Mick, and please feel free to text or call 651-328-7312 if you can’t find us!

Upper School Parent Social
While the kids dance the night away, let’s meet for a late dinner! India Palace has agreed to stay open late for us that evening. If we can get at least 20 people to attend, they will provide dinner, coffee, tea, and soft drinks for $16 per person. Beer, wine, and lassis are available for an additional cost. Please RSVP to Staci Banks, sbhehe42@icloud.com or Venmo the cost of dinner for your party to @Staci-Banks-Hehenberger by November 28. The address is: India Palace, 8362 Tamarack Village #120, Woodbury on December 4, 8:15 -10:30 PM.

Help Create This Year’s Middle School Café
The Parents Association invites you to envision the Middle School Café. This is a remarkable opportunity to help host the event at school, get into the building to catch a glimpse of your kid and meet new parents! The Middle School Café is a program aimed at building community within the Middle School and is anticipated the week of January 24 this coming year.

We’re forming the Middle School Café planning committee now which will brainstorm ways to use the $3,000 budget allocated by the Parents Association Board. The first committee meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 17 from 10:30-11:30 AM at Panera, just before the luncheon with Dr. Milam.

If you’re interested in joining the Middle School Café planning committee and can not come on Friday, November 17 please email Christine Larson, PA Middle School Co-Lead at chrisandmatt1289@gmail.com. If you can’t commit to the committee, no worries, there will be advertised opportunities closer to the Café.

Holiday Gift Wrapping
This much loved tradition is returning! MPA teachers and staff bring in their Holiday gifts and parent volunteers wrap them. This gift of time is greatly appreciated, and will really get you in the Holiday spirit. Save the date! Monday, December 13 from 8 AM-3 PM in the Porter Conference room.

PA Lower School Co-Lead Position Open
The PA Board is looking for an additional member. The Lower School Co-Lead position is currently open. As a Lower School lead, you would be working in tandem with Michelle Mick to create community and connect people throughout MPA. Lower School Leads also attend and vote at monthly board meetings, oversee and support the Lower School PA events, and serve as conduit between families and school administration. Contact Michelle Mick at michelle_wessely@yahoo.com if you are interested.

Microfunding Grants Available
Microfunding provides funds for projects and programs, existing or new. It is open to student organizations, teachers and parent volunteers. Requests must benefit the mission of the MPA PA. Requests that are recurring from year to year are discouraged. This program is supported by the Parents Association dues, which are paid by MPA families. The PA encourages student groups to use these funds. We look forward to supporting MPA student organizations, and classrooms for many years to come. Please fully review the procedure and application forms before submitting. Applications are available here.