August 13, 2020
We hope you’ve been able to read and digest all of the information coming your way about the student experience this fall—we are working closely to ensure not only our exceptional academic program remains strong, but that we maintain the utmost attention to our students’ health and wellbeing, both at school and at home. We offer here a few more details for your planning and preparation for the start of school in just a little more than a week.
Arrival and Dismissal
As previously shared, one of MPA’s layered health and safety protocols is our plan for staggered arrivals. Families must select their staggered arrival time slot no later than 8 AM on Wednesday, August 19. Your family will receive confirmation of your staggered arrival time with additional instructions by Thursday, August 20. In order to maintain all safety protocols it is important for your family to arrive during their 15-minute window. We know this may be a sacrifice for some of you with changes to morning routines and potentially an earlier arrival time than you’re used to and we appreciate your assistance. Click here for your staggered arrival sign up and contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org with any questions or concerns.
Similar to our attention to safe and staggered arrival measures, we have also planned for how to dismiss students seamlessly and safely at the end of each day. We have partnered with Control Point technology to coordinate dismissal. This will allow us to hold students in place until you arrive and coordinate their exit from the building from their respective division and appropriate door. This is how we can keep students from unsafely congregating in hallways, reduce traffic flow, and move our after school traffic efficiently. The most important thing for you to know now is that students will be dismissed when you arrive and will need to be picked up at the same doors where they are dropped off in the morning. Just a reminder that multiple students in a family need to be dropped off at the correct door by division, as opposed to all at the same door (Lower School: Doors #1 and #2, Middle School: Doors #4 and #5, Upper School: #7 North and #7 South) Read More
Eighth grader Izzy E. has been selected to participate in the Central Zone Diversity Select Swimming Camp sponsored by USA Swimming. Each spring, USA Swimming invites 48 athletes from underrepresented populations to participate in a three-day camp program which includes pool training, motivational and educational sessions, and team-building activities. Selection is based on times swum at USA Swimming sanctioned events. Congratulations Izzy!
Consistent with the Executive Order issued on April 23, 2020 by Governor Walz that schools will remain closed through the end of the academic year, Mounds Park Academy is canceling spring sports for the 2020 season. This is not the information we hoped for. We are holding our students and their families in our minds and hearts, as we recognize the deep loss many are feeling.
Congratulations to our Panther skiers who competed in the Alpine State meet at Giants Ridge!
Meet 2019-20 Alumni Association Board member Nate Bander ’09!
Congratulations to MPA’s Alpine Skiers! The girls team placed sixth out of 17 teams and the boys team placed ninth out of 17 teams in the Section 4A Meet at Wild Mountain. MPA Senior Emma Finch, MPA freshman Margo Nightingale, and MPA sophomore Isak Nightingale have advanced as individuals and will participate at the State Meet next week at Giants Ridge. Let’s go, Panthers!
Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Girls IMAC Nordic Champions, the MPA Panthers! The MPA Girls Nordic Ski team of seniors Mari Bohacek and Izzy George, juniors Katie Dahiya, Izzy Quam, Eva Benson, and Emma Cohen, freshmen Eleanore Haas, Sophia Spisak, and Margo Nightingale, eighth grader Abby B., and North Heights seventh grader Sienna S. finished first at the Conference Championship Race with a final score of 550.
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!
Registration for spring sports is now open! Enjoy staying active and competing with fellow Panther teammates this spring with a variety of options including baseball, fastpitch softball, tennis, track & field, and golf. 
Several MPA athletic teams competed and had outstanding performances over winter break. Go Panthers!