February 22, 2018
Rachel Katar is a member of the Mounds Park Academy Class of 2002.
What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
My husband and I are expecting our first baby in April. I am a middle school science teacher and dorm parent for high schoolers at The Masters School in New York. My favorite part of my job is seeing students set up their own experiments to test ideas and learn more about how the world works.
How did you get there? Where did you attend college? Are there key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I took a circuitous route to become a teacher. My mother was a band director in the Roseville schools, my father taught at the University of Minnesota Medical School on occasion, and both my grandmother and my grandfather were teachers. So, naturally, I did not want to become a teacher. When I told my grandmother what I was doing for work though, she replied, “That sounds a lot like teaching to me….” During my college years at Lawrence University and St. Olaf College, I volunteered for Biology Club to teach the water cycle to elementary students. After graduating, I worked at the Science Museum of Minnesota teaching cell biology principles to high school students, so they could in turn teach over 50,000 museum visitors yearly. I then worked at the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities to manage Youth in Government, Leadership Team, and the Achievers college readiness programs. At Saint Paul Public Schools Community Education, I doubled the science and music class offerings for preschool through high school age students. I even saw Mr. Thompson (MPA faculty member) while planting native plants with students along the Keller Lake shoreline.
Bring your Panther pride and cheer on MPA on Friday, February 9 as we take on IMAC rival St. Paul Academy for Spirit Night! Students, alumni, and families from all divisions are encouraged to pack the Lansing Sports Center for an evening of basketball and school spirit! The C and JV teams play at 4:15 PM, followed by the girls varsity at 6 PM, and boys varsity at 7:30 PM. Go Panthers!
MPA alum Rose Miller ’06 received a special honor at the Animal Humane Society called the Values Award. This recognition celebrates individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the organization and exemplify the Animal Humane Society’s organizational values: be good to animals, partner with people, and lead responsibly with compassion.
MPA’s Board of Trustees is a self-generative body of about 18–22 trustees, each of whom serves up to two 3-year terms. The Governance Committee of the Board solicits, evaluates, interviews, and recommends to the full Board, for its consideration, potential candidates to serve as trustees.
Erin Law, Class of 2012, received a Crystal Pillar Award at the the Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences last weekend! The Crystal Pillar is NATAS’ highest award for student productions.
Mounds Park Academy Boys Basketball is thrilled to announce Jacob Schwartz ’09 as head varsity coach! He is taking over for Dan Haase, who moved into the role of Athletic Director after 16 years coaching basketball at MPA. Previously, Jacob coached MPA’s Junior Varsity team while also acting as an assistant coach on the Varsity bench.
Congratulations to Evan Ferlic ’15 for receiving the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the University of Minnesota Men’s Cross Country Team!
Laurel Schwartz ’11 began creating video content about chronic illness when she was just 12 years old through her work with Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Now 24, her documentary “Running Breathless” will world premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival October 21 (tomorrow!) at 12:10 PM.
Ph.D. student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MPA alum Zach Quinn ’11 co-founded Love Your Melon and is making an incredible difference in the lives of children and families battling cancer. He is one of many dreamers and doers who have passed through the halls of MPA.