Join Us For Open Gym At MPA

girls basketball in the lansing centerThe Lansing Sports Center will once again be open most Saturday mornings this winter for MPA families and their friends. If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about our school, this would be a great opportunity to welcome them to campus!

Saturday, January 25, 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 1, 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 8, 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 15, 9 AM-12 PM

You are welcome to come and use the track, sports center and fitness center. If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Office at 651-748-5630.


Invite A Friend To The MPA Preview This Sunday

students working on a robotThe MPA Preview is this Sunday, and we would love to have your friends and neighbors on campus with us! Please extend our invitation for the MPA Preview on Sunday, January 26 at 2 PM. Visitors will see what’s possible when students are inspired to dream big and do right at MPA! This event will allow families to truly experience the joy of learning that our students do each day by rotating among hands-on, experiential lessons taught by expert faculty. Between lessons, they will join student and parent ambassadors for an opportunity to see our state-of-the-art facilities.

Please have them RSVP here!


Join Us For MPA Maker Fest 2020!

students and maker at maker fest 2019Join us for MPA Maker Fest 2020 on February 22 from 1-3 PM in the AnnMarieThomas Makerspace and Family Commons, where you can either host your own table or come as a spectator! Maker Fest is free is open to everyone–students, parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, friends, family, and more!

You can sign up here to share your Maker talents, either individually or with a group to have your very own display table at MPA Maker Fest. This is the perfect opportunity to “show and tell” something that you have created and share your accomplishments with the community. We can’t wait to see your creations!

Contact Nicole Koen at nkoen@moundsparkacademy.org with any questions.


MPA At The Future Cities State Competition

the MPA team at the future cities state competitionCongratulations, Middle School Panthers, for placing fifth at the Future Cities State Competition and earning Honorable Mention! They also took home the following awards: Best Model, Safe Drinking Water Award, Most Environmentally Friendly Powersource, and Rookie of the Year.

Future City starts with a question—how can we make the world a better place? Middle school students imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue. Way to go, Panthers!


January 17 Afterschool Activities Cancelled

Due to the weather, all afterschool activities including games, practices, and meetings are cancelled this afternoon, Friday, January 17. School will remain in session until our regular dismissal time at 3 PM.

All buses will run as usual unless you hear from your division director directly.

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.

Please stay safe and warm and enjoy the beauty of the snow!


Share Your Passion At Maker Fest

Makers at MPA Maker Fest 2019Do you love to craft, create, tinker, and make? Join us on February 22 from 1-3 PM for Maker Fest 2020! Sign up here to share your Maker talents, either individually or with a group to have your very own display table at MPA Maker Fest. This is the perfect opportunity to “show and tell” something that you have created and share your accomplishments with the community. Maker Fest is free is open to everyone–students, parents, grandparents, alums, faculty, staff, etc. We can’t wait to see your creations!

If you have questions, please contact Ms. Koen at nkoen@moundsparkacademy.org.


Say “Thanks!” With The Parents Association

middle school social studies class discussionMPA Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week is coming up! Save the date for February 3-7. This week is an opportunity to show thanks and appreciation to our wonderful faculty and staff during Lower and Middle School Conference week. A SignUp Genius link will be coming soon, where parents can sign-up to donate drinks and/or help the week of the event.  Thank you for showing your appreciation with us!


Friendships And Connections Through Alumni Mentorship

Dorothy (Schilling) Tiernan '02 and Grace Holloway '20The MPA Mentorship Program entered into its second year with MPA Alumni being paired with a member of the senior class. The MPA Alum and seniors exchange three emails throughout the months of November and December. This year was wildly successful with more alumni interested in the program than we had seniors. Mentees and mentors were matched based on interests, hobbies, career goals, college choice, etc. It was clear from the first email exchange that having the mentorship program based upon similar common interests has been yielding more quality relationships. The Mentorship Program concludes with a Networking Event held at MPA with Alumni and Parents of Alumni networking with the Class of 2020. Unfortunately, due to MPA alumni living all over the world they are not always able to attend. Therefore, they take opportunities to connect in person outside of the Networking Event.

“MPA has such a unique fabric of experience and I’ve found it really fun to learn about someone else in this shared space, where I feel like I understand so much about where this student has come from—this academic environment and their academic development, and in a small way, have also been a part of their experience, and through it all, discovering all of these individual, remarkable talents that each student has, and the extraordinary qualities that are unique to them,” said Dorothy (Schilling) Tiernan ’02. “With every email, I am so impressed at what these students are thinking, asking, and doing.” Read More


Alumni Back At Home

alumni on campus for the winter socialThanks to college winter break and those traveling back for the holidays to spend time with family, we were excited to welcome so many alumni back home on campus at MPA. A variety of events occurred in the last month including basketball games, tours, and reunions. Read on to learn more!

Thanks For A Joyful Community Caroling!
Thank you to the MPA alumni who returned to campus for our annual holiday caroling! We love having you back to join us for this special tradition. Enjoy photos of the beautiful caroling here.

Alumni Basketball Game
There were 25 alumni, representing ten graduating classes, who joined current basketball players and coaches for the annual alumni game on Saturday, December 21 in the Lansing Sports Center at MPA. Boys Varsity Basketball head coach Jacob Schwartz ’09 shared, “It’s always good to have former players back on campus. The alumni game is a great way to reconnect and it’s something we all look forward to each year. Our overall turnout has been very encouraging, and we hope to see more alumni come back in the future.” Read More


Alumni Award: Calling For Nominees!

alumni association award 2019The Alumni Association is looking for nominees for the MPA Alumni Association Award. Do you know an alum who is dreaming big and doing right? We want to hear about them. The MPA Alumni Association Award is intended to honor alumni of outstanding talent pursuing their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations, while embracing the spirit of MPA’s commitment to community and social outreach. They should be real-world examples for both current students and alumni to dream big and do right. Nominations are due April 1, 2020.

Please include the nominee’s name, email, and a brief explanation of why you believe they should receive the MPA Alumni Association Award (250 words or less). Send all nominations to alumni@moundsparkacademy.org.