Important Clarification About Virtual Grandparents & Special Friends Week
October 8, 2020
Due to our essential COVID-19 safety measures, we are unable to host Grandparents and Special Friends on campus next week or gather as a school community for any type of live performance. Instead, we are excited to offer a virtual week aimed at celebrating the special relationships between our students and their grandparents and loved ones. Read More
October 8, 2020
Since the spring, we have been hard at work planning and refining to welcome students back to campus. As we have shared all along, we know that while there is no such thing at zero risk while the pandemic continues to impact to so many, one thing has become very clear over the previous seven weeks of school: our layered approach of protective and preventative measures is working.
Thanks to our community’s diligence, we have had zero instances of community spread on campus. Some community members have been impacted by this terrible virus outside of the school hours. During the month of September, four MPA community members contracted the virus due to outside exposure to it. Our planning allowed our teams to quickly mobilize, work with the Minnesota Department of Health, and move through our 49-point flow chart that guides our contact tracing.
As a school, we are committed to ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of our community and appreciate your partnership in addressing rumors or concerns head on. It is also important to reiterate again that if you or your family has been exposed as a close contact to a case of COVID-19 connected to the school, you will hear from us immediately. This is our deep and sincere commitment to you. Read More
More Opportunities To Connect With The Parents Association
October 8, 2020
Parents Connect Wednesday Mornings
The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun!
Wednesday, October 21 will be a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us. Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!
Apple Picking
An apple picking outing to beautiful Aamodt’s Farm in Stillwater is in the works! We’ll wear masks, plus any MPA gear (lanyards would be perfect) you have, and stay physically distant and safe. Stay tuned for more details.
Two MPA Students Receive National Merit Commendation
October 5, 2020
Congratulations to MPA seniors Sean Davis and Josiah Grabanski! Sean and Josiah’s performance each earned a National Merit Competition Letter of Commendation. Commended Students place among the top 50,000 PSAT scorers of all 1.6 million students from 22,000 schools across the country who entered the 2020 competition. And as Minnesota has one of the highest minimum qualifying scores in the nation, Commendation status is a considerable accomplishment. MPA is so proud of you both!
A Virtual Visit From Secretary Of State Steve Simon
October 1, 2020
The MPA Upper School Election Club was thrilled to host Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon for a virtual discussion on voting, and for our students who are not yet old enough to vote, ways to get involved and safely participate. They also discussed unexpected obstacles faced during the unprecedented pandemic election.
Nearly 50 students tuned in on Zoom from home or from the big screen in the Upper School Commons. They came prepared with a variety of questions for Secretary Simon, such as what his office has done to encourage voter turnout. They learned that the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State recently worked to double the number of languages translated for voter education pieces, and they are currently working to find local poll workers for the upcoming election. Thirty thousand poll workers are needed for the election, and those as young as 16 are able to apply, be trained, and work to see democracy in action firsthand at the polls.
Thank you, Secretary Simon, for virtually visiting and having such an invigorating discussion on a topic our students are passionate about.
Picture Day Retake Information
October 1, 2020
Picture Retake Days will begin next week. If your student did not have their photo taken or would like a new one, be sure to get your portrait taken on one of these days! If your student is fully virtual, they may come in any time before 12 PM to have your photo taken.
Important MSHSL Update & Winter Sports Registration
October 1, 2020
Mounds Park Academy Winter Sports Registration is now live on the Athletic website. The Minnesota State High School League approved this morning that winter sports are a go for 2020-2021. Winter sports will be reduced to 70% of a normal season, 2 meets/games per week. Programs may change due to health and safety recommendations. If you have any questions please let contact the athletics office.
Start dates:
Alpine and Nordic Skiing: November 30
Boys Basketball: November 23
Boys Hockey: November 23
Girls Basketball: December 7
Schedules for each program will be reconfigured to meet the MSHSL requirements. Click here to register >
The Minnesota State High School League voted down tournament play past Sections in all Fall sports. There will be no State tournaments for the Fall season.
Connect With Parents On Wednesday Mornings
September 24, 2020
The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun!
Wednesday, September 30: Join us for a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us.
Wednesday, October 7: We’ll meet at the Farmer’s Market at Aldrich Arena at 8:15 AM. Feel free to send your favorite Farmer’s Market recipes to Kim Jakway beforehand. She’ll bring copies for everyone. The market is mostly cash, although some stalls take credit cards.
Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!
No Neighborhood Coffee This Year
Due to COVID and the difficulties of social distancing at a café, the MPA Parents Association has cancelled neighborhood coffee for this year. See you next year!
Show Your Appreciation With The PA
September 24, 2020
The MPA faculty and staff have been working double-time to keep our kids learning, connected, and safe. We want to express our appreciation in a way that honors everyone’s safety and doesn’t burden the folks we are trying to appreciate. Please sign-up here to make a thank you card for members of MPA’s faculty and staff!
You can create a card in real life and scan it, or create a virtual one. Either way, you will then send it as a PDF to Raphael Coffey at raphaelcoffey@gmail.com on or before October 11. We will print them out (one-sided, in color, on 8.5×11 cardstock), fold them once like a typical greeting card, put them in envelopes, and deliver them with a small token of appreciation from the Parents Association.
Every person plays a role in our children’s education. Please consider thanking some of the folks that we, as parents and family of students, may not come into contact with as often as our kid’s classroom teachers. We can show our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them despite our constraints!
Invite A Friend To The MPA Fall Preview
September 24, 2020
Invite a friend, neighbor, colleague, or family member to join us for MPA’s largest PreK-12 admission event, the MPA Fall Preview! Held virtually on Sunday, November 8 starting at 2 PM, this event will be a structured program that will allow prospective students and parents to get a sense of what makes MPA an exceptional place to learn and grow.
Kindly invite your friends and neighbors to RSVP in advance for this engaging program at moundsparkacademy.org/RSVP. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Admission at 651-748-5577 or admission@moundsparkacademy.org. We can’t wait to meet them!