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Lower School Division News February 24, 2022

February 24, 2022

from Renee Wright, Lower School Director

CHAMP Service Project
At our CHAMP assembly on February 23, second graders shared the book, “The Power of One,” by Trudy Ludwig and reminded us that we can each make a difference in our community. As Ludwig says in the final lines of her book, “Acts and words of kindness DO count, and it all starts with ONE.” The CHAMP birthday bag service-learning project during the month of February inspired our students to generously support Emma’s Place, a local shelter, and make a difference. Individually students donated coins, and birthday items so children at the shelter would have the opportunity to celebrate their birthday.

Collectively, our students raised $1,287.26 and met their goal to make 60 birthday bags. Our students also donated 59 cake mixes, 40 frosting mixes, 27 boxes of candles, and 5 containers of sprinkles. Their generosity will enable children at Emma’s Place to feel loved and special on their birthday when they receive a special birthday bag. Each birthday bag will include a toy, books, game, and items to make a birthday cake. Lower School student decorated birthday bags for these items and made birthday cards to wish the children at Emma’s Place a very happy birthday.

Report Cards Are Available To Parents Monday, February 28
Second trimester report cards will be emailed to parents on Monday, February 28. Lower School teachers have worked hard to give you a comprehensive snapshot of your child’s work in the classroom. I suggest setting aside time to review the report card keeping in mind that the purpose of the report card is to share students’ academic progress based on learning expectations and standards for each grade level. The report card also provides insights into your child’s work habits, social skills, and emotional growth. Take time to recognize your child’s strengths and acknowledge growth. Look for areas that challenge your child and need further attention and practice.

Our teachers believe it is necessary to share all or part of the report card with your child based on his/her/their developmental level or grade level. Make reviewing the report card together a celebration of all that has been accomplished thus far in the school year. Set goals together for areas of improvement and get a plan for how to reach these goals. If you or your child have questions or need additional information don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher. Read More

Meet Retired Faculty Member—Maureen Conway

February 24, 2022

Position while at MPA
Upper School Social Studies Teacher

How many years did you work at MPA?
30? You’d have to check. I think I started in 1983 and left in 2014. I was never any good with numbers…..

What do you miss most about MPA?
Watching young people struggle to understand the forces that made their world and witnessing their emerging determination to shape their future. It was heartbreakingly beautiful. Never surrender, you wonderful people!

What have you been up to since leaving MPA?
I vaguely remember a brief window between retirement and COVID. I believe it was filled with amazing grandchildren, family and friends, fabulous trips, an ill-fated but on-going crusade to master the French language and a menacing orange presence.

MPA Afterschool Activities Cancelled February 22, 2022

February 22, 2022

Due to the weather, all afterschool activities including games, practices, and meetings are cancelled this afternoon, Tuesday, February 22. School will remain in session until our regular dismissal time at 3 PM.

All buses will run as usual. The only exception are students who ride the District 622 buses and those families have been communicated with directly. Please know that MPA’s bus lines may be running late due to road conditions and traffic.

Panther Club and Panther Den will remain open until all children are picked up; however, families are encouraged to arrive as quickly as possible after 3 PM so that staff may travel home. Middle School study hall is cancelled.

Please drive safely and take good care.

A Peek Into The MPA Robotics World

February 22, 2022

from Marc Shapiro, Upper School science teacher and robotics coach

If you’ve been in the Lansing Sports Center recently, you’ve surely seen the large wooden structure on Court 4. Maybe you even saw Michael Wilke ’16 working on it. The curiosity some people had about the structure made me overcome my reluctance at sending all employee emails, in order to compose this description of what the MPA Robotics team is about.

FIRST Robotics is an international organization headquartered in New Hampshire. It has four levels, starting with FIRST LEGO League (FLL) for elementary schoolers, all the way up to FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for high schoolers. At MPA we have only an FRC team. Per capita, Minnesota has one of the highest participation rates in the U.S. There are more FRC teams in Minnesota than varsity hockey teams!

Each year, we are given a new “game” and a limited amount of time to create a robot to play the game. The robot must be designed, built, programmed, wired, and tested under strict constraints. A new robot is built every year; the game changes so much that there’s nothing from the previous year that is useful, other than possibly a drive chassis. With their batteries and bumpers, robots can weight up to 150 pounds. Teams are aided by adult mentors who are volunteers from the community, but the students have ultimate responsibility for designing, building, and operating the robot. Students can go the technical route and learn about building, coding, electronics and controls, computer-aided design, or using a CNC router, or several of these. They can also choose the non-technical path and work on such things as fundraising, marketing, outreach, and social media. Our team has Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and a still-under-renovation website. We are like a small business, and have to raise all our operating funds; our budget for this season is $24,000. Read More

Get Your Tickets To MPA’s Spring Auction

February 17, 2022

Friday, April 22, 2022
A’bulae | 255 6th St E, St Paul, MN 55101

The 2022 MPA Spring Auction: Let’s Dream is your chance to build community with fellow parents and raise funds in support of students and teachers. After years of joining together virtually, we can’t wait to safely be together in person to celebrate our students and school! Enjoy delicious cuisine, a hosted bar, live music, games, and both live and silent auctions.

Purchase tickets & learn more here.

We also need your help to ensure our silent auction is another great success! Contact us here anytime to learn more about our auction needs. Click here to view the 2022 Wish List.

Join us to dream big and celebrate all that we have accomplished together!

Take An MPA Art Crawl

February 17, 2022

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I am thrilled to see parents in the halls of MPA once more—we’ve missed you! With Omicron infections on a downward trend and our high vaccination rates, we have been able to open the school once again for parents. On my way back to my office after morning door duty on Monday, I happened upon three parents who had been enjoying time walking through the halls. In particular, they mentioned to me how impressed they were with the beautiful art our students have created that is on display throughout the building. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t stop to admire and enjoy it as it is one of the things I love most about MPA.

I was recently reading through the open-ended responses from the parent satisfaction survey administered in December and one comment caught my attention. In it, a parent questioned the requirement of art and theater in Middle School. I certainly respect the perspective of parents and realize that every child will not always enjoy the arts. I also know the importance of the arts in our mission and the long-lasting impact it has on students. An incredible amount of research has been conducted over the last decade on how music positively affects the brain and cognitive development.

For instance, one study found, “Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts education can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork.” Another study by a 15-year literature review done by the NEA found, “A growing body of evidence suggests that at virtually every stage of life, the arts can foster openness to novelty, encourage connections to people, places, things, and concepts, and promote the ability to take multiple perspectives, among other positive outcomes.” Read More

Maintaining Vigilance

February 10, 2022

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

“This is going to be bad. Really bad,” I said to myself as I listened to a podcast on my drive home from school late one night two years ago. It was in early January that a colleague of mine who works with international students first told me about an outbreak of new flu virus occurring in China, but the details were sketchy. I was desperate to learn more and somehow came across a podcast that went into great detail about the seriousness of the new strain—and I was deeply concerned. And scared, if I am honest. There was a lot I did not know two years ago but I knew the strength of our community.

It is hard to believe it has now been two years and yet it seems like just yesterday. I could only imagine then the implications of the pandemic and its effect on all our lives. It has taken an academic, social, and emotional toll on our community and yet we have persevered and deepened our resiliency. I am proud of our students and grateful for the trust and partnership of parents. Read More

Lower School Division News February 10, 2022

February 10, 2022

from Renee Wright, Lower School Director

Thursday, February 10 is the 100th Day of School
Can you believe we have reached the 100th Day of School? That is certainly something to celebrate! One hundred days smarter and full of new learning experiences, hands-on activities, new friends, and exploration across many subject areas make these days extra special! All LS students will run under our 100th Day banner at recess to share their excitement. Kindergarteners will spend time doing 100-themed math and literacy activities. They will write 100 words, play the 100 tally marks game, eat 100 snacks, and have a dance party and joyfully dance and jump for 100 seconds. It will be a day to remember!

Valentine’s Day in Lower School
Lower School students are encouraged to wear valentine colors on Monday, February 14 in honor of Valentine’s Day. The colors for the day will be red, pink, white, or purple. (We will allow jeans on the bottom!) This will remind everyone that Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate friendship, love, kindness, and compassion.

We are extremely grateful that our MPA Parent Association will be presenting each Lower School student with a special treat bag. Sadly, our beloved annual party put on by the Parent Association will not take place this year due to COVID restrictions. We will have a special valentine story during Monday Morning Meeting from Ms. Lage and Ms. Petrich!

Classroom teachers will plan valentine activities in classrooms to make sure everyone experiences valentine joy and inspiration.

End Of Trimester 2 On February 18
It is hard to believe it is nearly the start of the final trimester of the school year. Trimester 2 ends February 18. The end of the trimester is a time to assess goals, student progress, social interactions, and work habits. Updates on progress and feedback come to you through a conversation during our winter parent-teacher conferences and through the LS report card. The report card will be sent to you via email on February 28. You may notice fewer comments on the report card this marking period due to parent-teacher conferences being held these past two weeks. However, if the report card prompts questions or concerns, make sure to contact your child’s teacher. Connecting with teachers and strengthening the partnership is essential in your child’s education. It brings us such joy to be part of your child’s educational journey. Your investment in your child’s education is honorable. Our teachers work hard every day to help your child DREAM BIG and DO RIGHT!

Changes To COVID Protocols
You should have received information from the Communications Office outlining the changes that are being made to COVID protocols. Most changes will be implemented next week starting on Monday, February 7. One very excited change you read about in the communication is the return to eating in the MPA Commons for grades K-4. PreK students will continue to eat in their classroom until further notice. We will stagger the return of grade levels to the Commons according to the schedule below. Parents should continue to order their student’s lunch for the next two weeks. Please note that students will be making lunch selections on their own once they return to the Commons. Continuing to order your child’s lunch for the next two weeks will allow us some flexibility if we need to made adjustments. Starting February 28, you will no longer need to order lunch through Sage Dining. Read More

Middle School Division News February 10, 2022

February 10, 2022

from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School Director

Together We Tube!
The Middle School Parents’ Association and I are beyond thrilled to share with you the details of our upcoming tubing adventure at Badlands Snow Park. This event on Friday, February 25, reimagined from our previously known Middle School Café, is an epic opportunity for you to join us – for us to be together! This is an event for the entire Middle School community for an afternoon of fun, food, and fellowship. Please read details at the end of this issue of News & Notes and make plans to attend.

NOTE: If your family elects not to participate and you do not wish for your student to tube, you will need to plan to pick-up your student from school no later than 1 PM on the day of the event. Middle School teachers, staff, and school personnel are all attending the event!

iTERM 2022–Update
Currently, iTERM 2022 is still “on” and planning for field trips, community outings, guest speakers, and awesome experiences is underway. We continue to monitor all things on the COVID front and will adjust as needed. Your student’s iTERM leaders will begin sharing details of their week, outings to look forward to, and invitations to participate/volunteer as driver, participant, cook, or fun-loving participant!

Grade 5 Music Share–Thursday, February 17 @ 2:20 PM, Recital Hall
The new date for the awesome music share event is Thursday, February 17. We will welcome parents and guests to the performance from 2:20-3 PM.

Our amazing Grade 5 musicians are thrilled to share all their musical talents with you in our annual fifth grade music share. We will showcase the band, orchestra, and choir/drumming ensembles. Music has been such a gift this year and our students are so excited to perform for you. This concert will be their first of many in the years to come. We would love your attendance but understand that the timing may be difficult for some families. We will offer a livestreaming option that will be sent in an email to you with a link and code before the concert starts.

Upcoming Music Events:

5-12 Band Concert: May 19
5-12 Orchestra Concert: May 12
5-8 Vocal Concert: May 5

If you have questions, please feel free to reach to one of our amazing music teachers!

NOTE: Per our new health and safety measures, guests are welcome on campus while masked. Please enter through Door 1 or Door 7 and sign-in. We also ask that you remain mindful about monitoring COVID symptoms and if you, or guests, are experiencing any symptoms of illness, that you forego the on-campus performance and view from the livestream. Read More

Upper School Division News February 10, 2022

February 10, 2022

from Mark Segal, Upper School Director

I find it funny that although I have worked in the education field for more than a quarter of a century, I find parenting my own child challenging at times. Even though I have had hundreds of conversations about homework completion, technology usage, and grades, it somehow is different when the subject of the conversation is my own flesh and blood. Because of my role, I often know more than a “regular” parent does so my wife takes much of the responsibility of holding our son accountable for his actions and behaviors. Don’t get me wrong, I weigh-in, but find greater success not playing the “I know the real story” card.

Since early in his childhood, my wife and I have worked hard to instill the importance of being honest, even when it could lead to a negative consequence, in our son. This is, as we all know, much easier said than done. Even though we are all born with a natural sense of honesty, not telling the truth is a quick and often used defense mechanism. Realizing as we grow up that being dishonest allows us to avoid punishment, we instinctively twist the truth, at times, worried only about the consequence should we actually tell the truth.

In a recent blog post by noted author and academic, Angela Duckworth, she shares that, during the pandemic ripple effects of anxiety and stress may seem like a license to prioritize our wants and needs over our oughts and shoulds.” She goes on to explain that due to these feelings and until the crisis is over, it is okay to “cheat a little on homework and exams.” As you may imagine, as a school administrator I found the need to read, and re-read, this sentence and dive more deeply into this belief.

Unfortunately, there is research that verifies that this is happening. A recent article in the International Journal for Educational Integrity finds that negative emotions may, indeed, increase student occurrences of plagiarism and cheating. The studies show that, the challenges of education can be stressful, anxiety-producing, and sometimes depressing for students” and that these emotions may influence them to participate in academic misconduct.

Our hope at MPA is that when students experience these feelings that they double down on being honest not only with others, but also with themselves. Duckworth explains, “in these challenging times, we cannot underestimate the influence of stress on every aspect of behavior, including honesty.” At MPA we always strive to Dream Big. Do Right. and there is no better way to do this than to hold fast to the idea of being honest, even when it may be easy to take a path of less resistance.

As you know, one of the strong tenets of MPA is the relationships we build with students and families. It is for this reason that we ask you to have conversations with your students, as we do, about their academic honesty. We realize that in today’s world, with most answers literally at our fingertips, some may find it difficult to not let academic dishonesty occur; especially given the stresses we all have been experiencing over the past two years. Read More