February 6, 2020
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
As we approach the end of our current 5-year strategic plan, Momentum 2020, work is underway to lay the foundation for our next plan. Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees and the school’s administration, the MPA community is engaged in a conversation around our core and aspirational values that will give direction to the new plan.
As part of this conversation, students in the Upper School were recently given the opportunity to provide their feedback on a list of core and aspirational values. They were also given the opportunity to name additional values represented at MPA that were not on the list provided. Imagine my reaction when the overwhelming value Upper School students offered was “kindness.” In a world that often feels anything but kind, I am proud that students affirmed kindness as a core value. While respect is part of our mission statement, kindness is the manifestation of respect, an expression of how students consciously choose to act. I couldn’t have been prouder.
We are fortunate to have a warm, kind, welcoming, and inclusive community, characterized by kindness. It represents a deliberate outcome set forth in our current plan that prioritized the creation and implementation of character education and wellness programs across each division. It serves as just one of many examples of how Momentum 2020 has guided the ongoing, continuous school improvement over the past five years. It is customary at this time of year that I provide an update on our strategic plan and how the school is living out its mission. As you will see in this infographic, we have accomplished a great deal. While it is impossible to capture all the progress that has been made in the last year, I would like to highlight a few notable accomplishments under each of the three strategic priorities. Read More
Thank you to our generous and kind community for helping us unveil the brand new Martin Lenz Harrison Library yesterday! Martin Lenz Harrison was a member of MPA’s first graduating class. His memory and legacy will live on for generations of Panthers as they read, learn, and grow in their beautiful library.
Stop by the Family Commons during drop off time for drinks and snacks and to learn more about this year’s Spring Auction! You can ask questions, purchase tickets, and talk to the volunteer planning committee members about the event. In addition, if you bring wine, gift cards, or a silent auction item to donate, you will be entered in a door prize drawing to win one of our coveted 
The MPA Fiber Friends are currently working on a community-wide quilting project and want your masterpieces to be part of it! Bring your artistic vision and voice and be a part of something special. Anyone may be part of the community quilting. The Fiber Friends meet on Fridays from 11 AM to 12:30 PM. This group of knitters, crocheters, and textile gurus is open to all parents, alums, grandparents, students, staff, and faculty. Beginners are always welcome!
Joanne Olson, MPA’s first Lower School director, is fond of saying that MPA was born “of a dream and a shoestring.” What started as the dream of founders Bob Kriescher and Sandy Kriescher Smith, quickly became the dream of parents and educators from across the Twin Cities. Bob, Sandy, our founding teachers, board members, and parents pooled what resources they could muster to make their dream a reality on a shoestring budget that would have a lasting impact.
We’re interviewing the Makers you’ll meet at at Maker Fest 2020 on Saturday, February 22 so you can get to know them ahead of time! Debbie LaChapelle is MPA’s PreK teacher who loves to use the Makerspace to channel her students’ and her own creativity.
Don’t forget! Golden Tickets for the 2020 Spring Auction: Light Up the Night go on sale this Saturday, February 1. Only 100 tickets will be sold, and the winner will receive the live auction item of their choice! Don’t miss your chance to win one of these fabulous prizes.
Introducing a brand new opportunity for you to support MPA and potentially win one of nine incredible Live Auction items, each worth thousands of dollars at this year’s 
The 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!
Join 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!