“Peter Pan” Across Disciplines

students sewing together crocodile costumeThis isn’t your traditional Peter Pan! Twenty-seven Middle School actors and more than 20 students working backstage have been dedicating their time in and outside of school to concentrate on even the smallest details of costume design, set construction, and more. The sold-out production is bringing the community together in creative, challenging, and hands-on ways.

Weeks ago, before anyone knew all the words to “Neverland,” Upper School students started working with Middle School students on costumes for the cast. The kind of imagination possible through this mentorship shows the strengths of our PreK-12 community.

“Our costume crew grew from five to nine people in basically a day, and a few of them are younger siblings of my friends, so it’s cool to get to know them better,” said sophomore Solie Svennevig-Brosi. “I’m excited to make an awesome show with them!”

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Declan Dahlberg Signs With U of M

Declan signing letter for University of MinnesotaMounds Park Academy is proud to announce that senior Declan Dahlberg signed with the University of Minnesota’s Track and Field and Cross Country Teams. An exceptional student athlete, Declan was accepted to the University’s College of Science and Engineering.

“I’m extremely excited to start this new chapter of my academic and athletic career next fall, and I’m honored to do it at the University of Minnesota. In the end, the combination of my interactions with Coach Plascencia, the boys on the team, and the school in general made this an easy choice. I’m extremely grateful to my high school coaches, Dan Ethier, Jerry Slater, and Bev Docherty, my parents, and my teammates and friends for helping me get to this point. I could not have achieved any of this without all of their support,” said Declan.

Declan is a two-time state champion (1600m in Track and Cross Country as a junior). He also finished second twice (3200m in Track as a junior and Cross Country as a senior). He is a seven-time state qualifier and seven-time All State Honoree between Track and Cross Country. Remarkably, he was part of both of the two closest finishes in Cross Country State Meet history.

Outside of athletics, Declan is an exceptional student and volunteer. He is an academic All State Recipient with a 3.98 Cumulative GPA, making honor roll every semester of high school. Declan was one of 14 members of the MPA Class of 2018 to be inducted into the National Honor Society on October 12, 2017. His selection was due to his exemplary commitment to service, leadership, character, and academics, tenants of NHS and Mounds Park Academy. He writes the weekly Run, Write, Repeat Blog for running website MileSplit MN.

Interested in pursuing medical school after college, Declan volunteers in the emergency room at St. John’s Hospital and does melanoma research with Professor Timothy Lyden at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls specifically related to the 3D modeling of melanoma tumors.

He is a highly skilled percussionist, pianist, violinist, and choral member, exemplifying the balance between academics, arts, and athletics that students find at Mounds Park Academy.

Click here to see more photos!


Can We Count On You?

Gifts of all size are an affirmation of your commitment to MPA. It sends a powerful message to the students, faculty, staff, and the community that MPA is an institution worth supporting, that the work we are doing to prepare our future leaders to dream big and do right has an impact on our world, and that you know how valuable participation truly is in the Fall Campaign. Thank you!

We all love a pizza party! Your class can join the celebration of giving! Participation is what really makes the difference! Classes that reach 70% participation via their families’ giving will then receive a free pizza party! Also, mark your calendars for the Give to the Max Day Lip Sync Assembly on Thursday, November 16. We can’t wait to see you there!Click here to make a gift


Cross Country Qualifies for State

Cross Country team photoThe Boys Cross Country team finished second at the Section 4A Championship Meet to qualify for the State Cross Country Meet. Team members are Matthew Bourne, Tanner Kozen, Isak Nightingale, Henry Peterson, Henry Snider, Sumner Wu and defending Class A State Champion Declan Dahlberg. Seventh grader, Margo, finished fourth in the Section 4A Girls Race and also qualified for the State Meet! The MSHSL State Championship is on Saturday, November 4 at St. Olaf College. Margo runs in the Class A Girls Race at 1 PM and the Boys Team runs in the Class A Boys Race at 2 PM. Go Panthers!


Student Artwork Chosen For Juried Exhibition

The Mounds Park Academy Visual Art Department is pleased to share the students selected to be included in the annual invitational juried exhibition at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Fairbault October 26-November 13. Each school invited may enter ten works of art. Of the ten MPA entered, nine pieces were juried in and two received awards.

Alex Esch, senior, received a first place award for her photo, titled, “Small Girl in the Big City” and Siri Vorvick, junior, received an honorable mention for “Piano”. See both below along with all of the other artwork selected for this show. Congratulations!

Click on the image for a full-size view. 


Lower School Halloween Parade

Upper School students watching Halloween paradeFamilies are invited to attend this tradition on campus! Lower School students parade the halls, much to the delight of their older audiences! It’s never easy to tell what age is most joyful! Join us in the halls on Tuesday, October 31 at 2:30 PM. Please note this time change from when the calendar was printed.


Doubles Tennis Off to State

Four girls at tennis tournamentCongratulations to Rachel Lindrud/Sofia Walker and Annika Ide/Gabby Law who represented MPA deep into the Section Finals in Doubles Tennis. Rachel and Sofia took second in the Section and will advanced to the State Tournament and Annika/Gabby took fourth place. The competition was strong and all four players left it all out on the court. This is the first time since 2011 that MPA has had a team in the State Tournament. Go Panthers!

Update: Sofia Walker and Rachel Lindrud had a strong showing at the State Tennis meet at Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center on Thursday. In their first match vs Minnewaska the Panthers won 7-5, 6-0. As they advanced in the state doubles tourney they played a very strong Litchfield team that went to three sets. In the end, the Panthers lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Please congratulate Rachel and Sofia on great season!


All State Second Team

Student on soccer fieldSenior Captain Nicholas Guiang was named to the Minnesota High School Soccer Coaches Association All State Second Team at the MSHSSCA All State Banquet on Sunday at the River Centre in St. Paul! A four-year varsity starter, Guiang tallied nine goals and seven assists this season, both tops on the team. He led the Panthers to the Section 4A Quarterfinals. He is the second member of his family to be named to the All State Second Team—his older brother Eric ’14 earned All State Second Team in 2013. Read more about this family in MPA Now, arriving in homes in early November.


Bring A Friend To MPA Day

Three girls on playgroundFriday, December 1 will be a very special day on campus for MPA students and their friends. Those in grades three through eight are welcome to bring a same-grade friend for a day of learning and fun! This is an opportunity for you to give a gentle nudge to families who you believe would appreciate the MPA experience. Learn much more and register at moundsparkacademy.org/bringafriend.


Recycle Items To The Makerspace!

student playing in the maker spaceThe Makerspace is in need of supplies for a variety of projects! Please do not purchase supplies, but if there is something you have at home that you no longer need, consider donating it to MPA. Please see below for examples.
  • paper tubes
  • plastic caps (small plastic odds and ends)
  • metal jar lids
  • corks
  • googly eyes
  • pipe cleaners
  • scrapbook paper
  • shoe boxes
  • beads
  • felt
  • larger pieces of fabric
  • acrylic paint
  • thread
  • scrap wood (no longer than 6 feet long)
  • LEGOs
  • small metal trinkets or found items (old or mismatched jewelry, toys, keys, door handles, keychains, figurines, gears, etc.)
  • Duct tape
  • Command poster strips and hooks
  • double-sided tape
  • colored electrical tape
  • Velcro
  • packing tape
  • sponges
  • sand paper
  • sanding sponges
  • hot glue sticks
Please drop donations off in the Development Office. If you are dropping off wood, please bring directly to the Makerspace. Thank you for helping us imagine and create!