Alumni Archives

Integrating STEM & A Liberal Arts Curriculum

December 5, 2024

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

It was wonderful to see so many families at the annual Founders’ Day Pancake Breakfast! The joyfulness and communal spirit are living testimony to the founding vision of Mounds Park Academy (MPA). Decades ago, Bob Kreischer and Sandy Kreischer Smith, alongside founding board members, established MPA with the belief that education could be both joyful and academically challenging and they purposely grounded the school’s pedagogy in a progressive, whole-child, liberal arts curriculum.

Next week, MPA will join thousands of schools worldwide in celebrating the Hour of Code, a movement introducing millions of students to computer science through one-hour coding activities. Rather than limiting our students to just one hour, MPA will host a week-long celebration of coding and STEM-related activities, demonstrating our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and hands-on learning. The following are just a few of the activities planned for next week:

Lower School students will engage in programming activities during Tech and Library time throughout the week, including time with Upper School computer science class students and Upper School Makerspace class students.
Middle School students will be experimenting with fun STEM and coding-related technology such as the Spero Bolt, Makey Makey, Scratch Labs, and Micro:Bit during B-day advisory classes.
In Upper School, ninth-grade students will learn coding by using Sphero Robotics during seminar time. They will also have access to the arcade games created by computer science students.

At MPA, STEM encompasses science, technology, engineering, math, computer science, coding, robotics, engineering and design, digital literacy, and the Makerspace. Our approach is comprehensive and empowers students across grade levels to explore, create, and apply knowledge in practical, meaningful ways. By integrating STEM into our liberal arts curriculum, we ensure that students are equipped with technical expertise, critical thinking skills, and ethical reasoning, preparing them for both the challenges of today and the unknown opportunities of tomorrow.

STEM within a liberal arts framework aligns perfectly with MPA’s mission of fostering a whole-child education. Technology has become an integral part of modern life, influencing communication, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and the arts. Understanding STEM principles allows students to navigate and shape this dynamic world. At the same time, MPA’s liberal arts curriculum broadens students’ perspectives, cultivating critical thinking, creativity, and ethical awareness. Together, these disciplines prepare students to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

One of the most compelling reasons for incorporating STEM into a liberal arts curriculum is its ability to enhance problem-solving skills. At its core, STEM at MPA is about addressing challenges through logic, creativity, and innovation. Students learn to break complex problems into manageable parts, design algorithms, and test solutions. These problem-solving skills transcend the classroom, equipping students to apply them to real-world scenarios across disciplines.

STEM at MPA also complements the goals of a liberal arts education by fostering critical thinking, creativity, and ethical reasoning. Coding, for example, challenges students to think analytically and refine their approaches. Simultaneously, STEM at MPA is deeply creative, enabling students to design digital art, create games, or build apps that bring their ideas to life. Importantly, a liberal arts framework encourages students to consider the ethical implications of their work. Topics such as data privacy, artificial intelligence, and digital equity are interwoven into the curriculum, ensuring students not only excel technically but also think deeply about the societal impact of their innovations.

STEM at MPA also empowers students as innovators. By learning to code, design, and build—and spending time in the AnnMarie Thomas Makerspace—students transform from passive consumers of technology into active creators. This empowerment fosters entrepreneurship, enabling students to launch their own projects, businesses, or social initiatives. Whether designing a user-friendly app, developing a new product, or solving a real-world problem, students learn to take their ideas from concept to reality. This process cultivates resilience, creativity, and a sense of agency—qualities essential for success in any field.

STEM at MPA is not treated as an isolated discipline but as an integral part of the broader liberal arts curriculum. For instance, eighth-grade students participate in the Future Cities Competition, where they design and build a model of a sustainable city. This project involves engineering principles, research, essay writing, and presenting their work to judges, exemplifying the interdisciplinary connections STEM fosters. Such projects demonstrate the relevance of STEM across areas of study and deepen students’ appreciation for its role in addressing complex challenges.

The benefits of STEM at MPA extend far beyond technical proficiency. By engaging in STEM, students develop essential skills in collaboration and communication. Many projects require teamwork, teaching students how to work effectively with others and leverage diverse perspectives. STEM also emphasizes the importance of explaining technical concepts clearly, ensuring students can communicate ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences. These skills are invaluable in a world where collaboration and communication are key to success.

Finally, STEM at MPA fosters digital literacy, a critical skill in the 21st century. Students learn how technology works and gain insights into its societal implications. They navigate the digital world responsibly, protect themselves from cyber threats, and critically evaluate the role of technology in their lives. This digital literacy not only prepares students for college and careers but also empowers them to be informed, engaged citizens.

Integrating STEM into Mounds Park Academy’s liberal arts curriculum is about more than preparing students for jobs in a technology-driven world—it’s about preparing them for life. By combining technical expertise with creativity, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning, MPA ensures students are equipped to lead, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to society. As technology continues to evolve, MPA graduates are prepared to be thoughtful, compassionate, and visionary leaders.

Calling Alumni And Parents Of Alumni Musicians!

November 18, 2024

from James Lekatz, Middle and Upper School drama teacher and director

For those of you who were involved in the arts at MPA, the fall was full of excitement. As you grabbed our instruments, opened your scripts, or massaged your clay, you knew magic was in store. This week, the Nicholson Center will be filled with music as band, orchestra, and choir start their concert season. In November, the Middle School play, “Little Women” will open. Walk around the school, and you will see the walls covered in kindergarten to 12th-grade artwork. MPA vibrates with art! We are so lucky to have the arts as one of the main tenants of the school. MPA believes in the transformative power of the arts and arts education, a counter and radical mentality to the world we live in. We are looking forward to seeing alumni in the audience for these vital moments of joy.

As the arts are always pushing us forward, I am looking toward the spring. This is my second year at MPA, and I have seen the show posters around the garden level. What high school produces “Candid,” “Anyone Can Whistle,” and “Marat/Sade”? How were these productions able to take place? How big were those orchestras? I have met a handful of MPA alumni, and some of your favorite memories of MPA include the musical. I have heard wonderful stories of community, transformation, and sometimes regret for not starting sooner in the department.

This year’s musical is The Wizard of Oz, and here is where you come in. While you will not be in a costume on stage, we are looking to grow our orchestra pit. If you are a musician who plays an instrument, would you like to join us? Would you consider sitting side by side with current MPA students, filling out the sound of that iconic score, and sharing your joy of the arts with us?

Please contact Hannah Lawson, orchestra director, hlawson@moundsparkacademy.org or James Lekatz, Middle and Upper School drama teacher and director, at jlekatz@moundsparkacademy.org to learn more.

A Message From Alumni Board Member Kevin McQuade ’07

November 18, 2024

As I see my two-year-old daughter Rory bounce to music (usually to Taylor Swift or Pitbull, to be honest…) in our living room, I’m transported back to MPA’s band room, where Ms. Goucher and Ms. Wantock challenged us to stretch beyond our comfort zones with both the technical music selection and the style of play. Those years of playing taught me more than just musical notes—they instilled a deep appreciation for the joy of creative expression and the rewards of patient practice. Now, as a parent, I find myself drawing on these lessons, encouraging my daughter to explore, create, and persist even when things don’t come easily. It’s because of generous giving during the fall campaign (as well as donations year-round) that students from around the school are able to try, tinker, and hone their skills with a number of musical instruments not available at many schools around the country.

Beyond the arts, my time with educators like Ms. Murr and Mr. Vergin shaped my approach to raising a compassionate human being. Their dedication to fostering empathy and understanding across socioeconomic differences continues to influence how my wife and I guide my daughter. Whether we’re sharing toys at the playground or meeting new neighbors, I hear echoes of their teachings about compassion, kindness, and inclusivity. It is to that end that my wife and I specifically contributed to continue the momentum of the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning. As someone who struggled to learn via traditional experiences, particularly in later Middle School and early high school, this mission resonates and, I believe, will enhance the educational journey of many of MPA’s best and brightest.

MPA’s nurturing environment showed me that education extends far beyond textbooks and test scores. As a consultant supporting the federal government (and coach at a gym on the side), the ability to learn about, excite, and build relationships with people from around the world keeps me motivated and open-minded to a variety of perspectives and opinions. I believe the ability to listen, understand, and engage with viewpoints other than your own is critical in today’s society, regardless of your focus area(s).

Today, I’m grateful for the foundation laid during my years at Mounds Park Academy. The school’s commitment to developing well-rounded, thoughtful individuals shapes not only my life and parenting philosophy but also my hopes for my daughter’s future—that she too will grow up to be curious, kind, and eager to make a positive difference in the world. I hope you and your families feel equally as appreciative of MPA’s philosophy and help support continued and impactful initiatives across the school. Please join me in igniting dreams, one gift at a time!

Igniting Dreams

November 14, 2024

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

When I was in middle school, I had a paper route. One advantage to having a paper route was that I had a lot of time to think, and I often dreamed of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had it down to two options, and as I tossed a paper on each home’s front porch, I alternated between the two: “President, or Pope, President, or Pope…” Like pulling the petals off a daisy, I hoped my future would become clearer with each paper. While my dream was not ultimately realized, I was fortunate to have a number of teachers who encouraged me along the way, igniting other dreams for the future.

As we move through this vibrant season of learning, growth, and discovery, I am asking for your partnership in something truly meaningful: our annual fall giving campaign, taking place from November 17 to November 23. This year, our theme, “Igniting Dreams, One Gift at a Time,” captures our vision and commitment to fostering the potential within each MPA student.

Our theme this year also captures the powerful impact of each individual contribution. Every donation, no matter the size, plays a role in fueling students’ aspirations and helping them achieve their dreams. Each gift acts as a spark, collectively building a foundation of support that enables students to explore their passions, grow academically, and develop into compassionate, engaged individuals.

A Message From Kethan Dahlberg ’14

October 22, 2024

School is back in session, students are back in classrooms, and it’s the perfect season to reflect as a community on how the time we spent on campus led us to where we are today. As MPA alum, we have experienced firsthand the power of a faculty, staff, and community dedicated to helping students discover and develop their passions and dreams.

It is in this spirit that you are invited to join us for the 2024 MPA Fall Campaign: Igniting Dreams, One Gift at a Time. With your support, we can ensure faculty and staff have the tools and resources they need to ensure students keep dreaming.

As I’m starting out my new career in law, I am constantly reminded of the impact MPA had on my dream to one day join the legal profession. There are the social studies and history classes—from the Parade of States to Ms. Conway’s famous lectures on Civil Rights and the Cold War—that sparked my interest in American government, politics, and foreign affairs. There are the speeches and projects—from Chaucer recitations to mock oral arguments at the Minnesota Supreme Court—that helped me hone my research and public speaking skills and develop a curiosity for constitutional interpretation. And there are the early mornings and late nights—from chamber choir rehearsals to meets running past midnight out on the track—that taught me the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and the benefit of having caring peers who are just as focused on pursuing their dreams as they are in supporting you achieving yours. At work, while helping clients achieve their goals and navigate novel legal challenges, I find myself drawing upon my experience as a panther and am always grateful to MPA for its role in igniting my dream from an early age. Read More

A Message From Tim Koerner ’03

September 17, 2024

“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back,”—Wendy Wunder, ‘The Probability of Miracles’

I remember leaving the MPA campus on June 4, practically locking up the building ourselves after a festive kindergarten graduation party at the playground. My graduate and I drove straight to Valleyfair for the day, and our family carried on exploring and engaging with new experiences all over the map across a fulfilling (and exhausting) three months away from MPA.

Then, suddenly, it was time to return.

We now find ourselves back on campus, reconnecting with treasured MPA friends and faculty, forging new connections to those who will become equally as important to us in the months and years ahead, with Wendy Wunder’s astute observation ringing true.

Beth Larson ’08, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

Launched in 2023 as a way to celebrate MPA’s rich athletic tradition, MPA is proud to announce the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees: the 2006 State Golf Team; Beth Larson ’08, alum athlete; Daniel Ethier, teacher and coach; and Mike Scinto, teacher and coach. Please take a moment to read about Beth Larson ’08!

What was your greatest accomplishment in during your time as an athlete at MPA?
Winning the state doubles championship twice with my partner, Amber Washington, and winning the team state championship.

How did your time at MPA shape your future?

Being a student-athlete while simultaneously being deeply involved in music helped me develop a well-rounded set of interests that I continue to pursue today.

In what ways did the school support you during your time at MPA?
I learned so much about myself and the role that I wanted to play in the world. MPA helped me understand that I want to devote my life to giving back and improving a world that has privileged me with many gifts.

Who at MPA had the greatest influence on you?
It is hard to choose just one. Ms. Wantock for always supporting me, and helping me and teaching me valuable life lessons through music; Ms. Conway for pushing me to make a difference and enact lasting positive change on those around me; and Mlle Ruud for introducing me to Senegal and the wonders of the Francophone world.

What is something about you or your time at MPA that few people know?

After an 8-year hiatus from softball, I started back up as a member of a Canadian softball team in Dakar, Senegal, which participated in the annual West African Invitational Softball Tournament. I now play on several championship recreational slowpitch teams in Baltimore, MD, and on numerous USTA tennis teams that have competed nationally.

Mike Scinto, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

What was your greatest accomplishment in your 38 years as a coach and physical education and health teacher at MPA?
I was hired at MPA in 1987 to teach Physical Education and be the brand-new girls varsity soccer coach. My task as the varsity coach was to begin a new program that had not previously existed. It was a very exciting time and very challenging too. I was honored to be the person they chose and wanted to share my passion for the game that had meant so much to me growing up. I enjoyed working with so many students/athletes and coaches over the years that were very dedicated and put their heart and soul into the program. I worked with many great people who contributed to the success of the program from the beginning of my tenure until the end.

What is your happiest memory of your time at MPA?
Winning the Section 4 Soccer Championship in 2002 and qualifying for the state tournament! After losing some tough semi-final games the previous two years, we finally made it to the section final against a powerful Simley High School that had been pretty much unbeatable the previous two years. Our kids were super prepared and motivated for the game and we ended up winning 1-0 in a great game. It was very exciting for the team, parents, and coaches! On our bus ride home, the boys soccer team was also in the section final against St. Thomas Academy and ended up winning on penalty kicks. (We found this out because someone on our team had what was called a cell phone and got a call from her parents, who also had a son on the boys team). So, both MPA teams qualified for the state tournament which was very much a highlight for our school.

What is one piece of advice that you would share with MPA athletes?
If you want to be great at a specific sport, you have to train and practice each day like it’s a game (no days off). Because of the work they put into practice, they are fully prepared. Once the game begins, they are on “auto-pilot” because this is the way they practice each day–it truly becomes a habit for them. The best players I have ever coached have been motivated to work hard at practice to improve themselves which raises the level of their teammates too.

In what ways did the school support you during your time at MPA?
I had so much support in the early years of MPA! People like Bob Kreischer (Head of School) and Bill Henry (a parent of two in the early 90’s) really made an impression on me. Those two individuals would send me hand written notes to encourage me in those early years that were not always easy. Both were so good at seeing what we were really doing was playing beyond the scoreboard. It wasn’t about wins and losses; it was about developing relationships with students/athletes and applying the life lessons you learn through sports.

What impact do you hope you had on others at MPA?
When it comes to athletics, my hope is that all students/athletes who played for me had a fun high school sports experience in either soccer or softball. When they get older, they will probably not remember all the games they played or what their season record was, but they will remember if they had fun. My hope is that I was a positive teacher, role model, and contributor to many life lessons students/athletes learn while competing in athletics that are carried into their adult lives.

Daniel Ethier, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

What was your greatest accomplishment in your 29 years as a teacher and 24 as a coach at MPA?
Hopefully, having a positive influence on the many students and athletes I have worked with. I have probably taught or coached close to a thousand students and athletes in my 29 years of teaching and 24 years of coaching. If I have had even a little positive influence on each of them, that adds up to a large positive influence on the world.

What is your happiest memory of your time at MPA?
The 2008 Boys Cross Country Team qualifying for state. That moment when they learned that they had qualified for state was so incredibly joyful. They had worked so hard for that moment and it was incredibly satisfying to see them realize that audacious goal.

What is one piece of advice that you would share with MPA athletes?
Success in cross country, like success in anything, requires challenging yourself consistently over a long period of time. There are no shortcuts. And the only way to see what you are ultimately capable of is to commit and make the journey.

In what ways did the school support you during your time at MPA?
The success of the cross country team over all these years was never just my doing. I worked with great assistant coaches who made it possible to have every runner doing a workout that was right for them. Our athletic directors (Joe Kordosky and Dan Haase) always made sure we had the resources we needed and took care of a lot of details like fees and buses so I could focus on the coaching. Especially during COVID, Dan Haase had to do a LOT of extra work to allow our athletes to be able to do their sports.

What is something about you or your time at MPA that few people know?

It is really an accident that I got into running at all. In ninth grade at Cleveland Junior High, a friend asked if I was going out for track. I didn’t know what track was! But I signed up. A few days before our first meet, the coach said there were five of us,including me, who had not signed up for an event, and there was nobody signed up for the 4×200 relay or the 800-meter run. He said the five of us would sprint down the block and the first four would be the relay and the fifth would do the 800. I was fifth. The 800 went pretty well for me. During our last meet, the Johnson High School cross country coach approached me and got my info. And that is how I got into running and coaching.

2006 State Golf Team, 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee

September 13, 2024

The 2006 MPA Boys Golf Team, coached by Tom Cotter and Greg Lundgren and led by senior captain Peter Kieselbach, seniors Peter Croonquist and Mike Anderson, and ninth graders Will Lage, Tom Hammer, and Matt Caswell, achieved a remarkable 7-3 record in the highly competitive Tri-Metro Conference. Their journey to victory was defined by key wins over strong opponents such as Concordia Academy, St. Anthony, Blake, St. Paul Academy, DeLaSalle, St. Bernard’s, and St. Agnes. In a thrilling Tri-Metro Conference Championship, MPA triumphed by a one-stroke margin over Breck and SPA, securing the conference title.

Building on their regular season success, MPA’s dominance extended into the postseason, where they claimed a Subsection victory by an impressive 7 strokes, followed by a Section Championship win with a commanding 10-stroke lead. Their momentum carried them all the way to the MSHSL state tournament, where they captured the prestigious state team championship.

“I have many happy memories from my time at MPA, however, my favorite has to be when we won the state tournament during my senior year,” said Michael Anderson ’06. “It was a magical season. We were not the favorites to win, but we put everything together at the right time in the sub-section, section, and state tournaments.”

In addition to the team’s triumph, Peter Croonquist showcased his individual ability by winning the state individual championship, further cementing the 2006 team’s legacy as one of MPA’s finest.