Lower School Archives

April 12, 2018

It’s an exciting time to be an aquatic Panther! The MPA Swim Club finished their season at the State competition last night with an abundance of achievements, spirit, and excitement for next year!

The celebrations began last week, when all of the swimmers competed in the Catholic Athletic Association Championship preliminary meet. More than 1,000 swimmers swam, and the ranks were tough: only the top 16 swimmers in each event were going to advance to the championship finals at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. By the end of the meet, MPA had several Panthers very giddy about swimming in The U’s pool!

The CAA Championship was a huge meet, but most importantly, another opportunity for these swimmers to shine. All of their hard work, determination, and progress throughout the season was exemplified in these races. On the first night, the MPA first and second grade boys medley relay won their race, and the boys third and fourth medley placed second! And at the girls’ meet, the team placed eighth overall!

What started out as a team of three in 2004 has evolved into a team of State champions. We are so proud of our young athletes and can’t wait for them to continue doing what they love. Click here for full meet results, view photos from the meets, and give our swimmers a huge congratulations!

Development Of The Athlete

April 12, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

MPA was founded on the conviction that a balance between academics, the arts, and athletics is an important part of a whole-child education and leads to success in school and in life. The balance is maintained in a number of ways, including a commitment to physical education in the curriculum and offering a robust athletic program. The key to balancing academics, the arts, and athletics is teachers, coaches, and directors who encourage students to participate in a variety of clubs, activities, and sports, and do not make it difficult for them to do so.

At MPA, we encourage students to play a variety of sports. With a no-cut policy, students have the opportunity to try different sports and learn new skills. Multi-sport participation is important at MPA and we take every opportunity to promote its value. Each sport challenges athletes in different ways and skills developed in one sport may help them in other sports. The exposure to different coaches, teaching methods, and teammates may increase their mental toughness, appreciation, and humility, which is helpful in the overall development of the athlete. Having choices helps students learn what they enjoy, and they may discover a love for a sport they had not previously considered.

The rise of specialization–when a student focuses on only one sport–is troubling and impacts the overall strength of a school’s athletic program and the physical well-being of athletes. Specialization is driven in part by the belief that it is the best path to earn a college scholarship. In reality, only four percent of athletes actually earn an athletic scholarship for college. Some in the medical field also believe that the increasing number of sports-related injuries can be tied to specialization. High school athletes who specialize in a single sport are 70 percent more likely to suffer an injury during their season than those who play multiple sports, according to a study released last year commissioned by the National Federation of High School Associations.

Join A School For Dreamers and Doers

April 5, 2018

If you haven’t yet applied, Mounds Park Academy’s regular admission deadline is coming up on Sunday, April 15. This is the date by which all documents should be received and steps completed. more information >

Our next admission event will be Breakfast at MPA on Tuesday, April 17 starting at 8:30 AM. This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet our school administrators over a casual meal and tour the campus to see students and teachers during a regular school day. rsvp >

If you have any questions or need any assistance as we approach these dates, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Admission! We are here to help families navigate the process every step of the way. We look forward to welcoming your family to campus this fall! contact us >

Lower School School Supplies

April 5, 2018

It’s never too early to get a head start on school supply shopping! MPA is offering prepackaged school supplies in Lower School once again, as a convenience to our families. In addition, next year’s Lower School supply lists have been posted under Families > Lower School Resources.

Purchase supply kits >

Lower School lists >

Summer Soccer Camp

April 5, 2018

Another awesome summer activity being offered for boys and girls in grades K-6 is Soccer Camp, June 25-28, 9-11 AM. Tim Sheehan and Mike Scinto, MPA soccer coaches and phy ed teachers, have designed a fun and challenging week of activities for all soccer players, beginner through advanced. Enhance your skills, learn something new and develop team concepts in a fun and friendly environment.

Sample curriculum: dribbling, passing, receiving, turns, fakes and moves, shooting, moving without the ball, passing combinations, individual defending, and defensive support. All campers receive individual instruction and a camp t-shirt. learn more >

Camp Invention Comes To MPA

April 5, 2018

MPA is partnering with the National Inventors Hall of Fame to provide Camp Invention June 25-29, a unique out-of-school-time enrichment experience with a science, engineering and math (STEM) focus. At MPA, this special week will be taught in the Makerspace by MPA teachers Nicole Koen and Debbie LaChapelle.

Camp Invention gives students in grades K-6 the opportunity to take risks, use creative problem solving, and develop an entrepreneurial mindset in fun and challenging ways. During the week-long adventure, students will design and build their own inventions, take apart gadgets, be part of a team, and have FUN! Also, free Panther Care is available 7-9 AM and 3:30 PM.

Arts Education: A Beautiful Gift

April 5, 2018

by Renee Wright, Lower School Director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will now find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their stories and reflections about life at MPA!

A cherished MPA tradition continues for its 37th year on April 12, 2018, when the Lower School presents its Art and Music Show. You won’t want to miss seeing firsthand the pride on the faces of our Lower School students as they present their beautiful artwork and sing and dance joyfully for family and friends.

The first Lower School Art and Music Show debuted in 1982, never missing a year after that. The early years showcased student learning throughout the school year. Starting in 1989, the shows began to focus on specific themes, thoughtfully selected by the Lower School art and music teachers each year. Earlier themes included Around the World, Songs of America, Animal Fair, Disney, A Wonderful World of Color, Muppets: A Tribute to Jim Henson, Wild West, and many more. This approach has given each Art and Music Show a fresh look and created extraordinary student excitement and engagement.

This year, the students celebrate authors and illustrators of award-winning picture books. Students have studied how stories are conveyed through art and writing. They have learned to analyze the artwork in picture books for color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value. Kindergartners have explored the colorful works of Eric Carle and Richard Scarry. First graders have learned from the creativity and imagination of Ezra Jack Keats and Lois Ehlert while second graders have enjoyed the rollicking rhymes of Dr. Seuss and the engaging characters of Lucy Cousins. Third graders have been charmed by the gentle animals of Jerry Pinkney and Jan Brett and fourth graders have explored the engaging, innovative works of Sara Fanelli, Chris Raschka, and Barbara Knutson. Books by these authors and illustrators have also been the inspiration for movement, instrument playing, and singing in music class during the year. These creative artists have served as talented role models for our students, and now the students are prepared and excited to present their own inspirations to family and friends!

Registration Is Open For Basketball Camp!

March 15, 2018

Mounds Park Academy Basketball is excited to offer our annual Panther Summer Basketball Camp held Monday, June 11–Thursday, June 14, 2018 from 9 AM–12 PM in the Lansing Sports Center. Panther Basketball Camp is open to MPA and non-MPA students alike, who are entering grades 4-9 in Fall 2018. The cost of attending is $60 per camper and includes a camp t-shirt.

Learn French Cuisine This Summer At MPA

March 15, 2018

Middle and Upper School French and Spanish teacher Ms. Johnson will be continuing her French cooking class during Summer at MPA! Ms. Johnson inherited her French cooking skills from her mother and her uncle, who was a chef in France, and we are so excited to pass them onto students this summer. They will become versed on a variety of French recipes, mastering crêpes, quiche Lorraine, mousse au chocolat, soupe à l’oignon, and madeleines. During the week, students also learn about other culinary specialties from France as well as cooking techniques.

Ms. Johnson’s session is offered June 18-22 for students entering grades K-5. This type of summer enrichment is so unique to MPA, and will motivate and nurture students’ learning, while having so much fun in the process! We’re looking forward to a fun and engaging summer! Find more information and register here.

We’re Staying In, Not Walking Out

March 13, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Our hearts have been heavy since the tragic school shooting in Florida last month. At the same time, we have been filled with hope witnessing young people around the world use their voices to ask for safer schools and less gun violence. MPA asks students to think critically and solve creatively. We ask them to dream big and do right, and that is exactly what we are seeing today’s young people do.

Having just returned from the National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference, school violence and student safety were frequent topics of conversation. Across our nation, independent school leaders agree that civil discourse, social justice, inclusion, and equity are all important aspects of the complex society in which we live and our students have an important role to play in that.

This week will bring student-organized events around the world, including a significant walkout in protest on March 14 from 10-10:17 AM. I am writing to share how MPA will approach this time and the entire week at each division level and as a PreK-12 community. As always, the safety of our students is a paramount concern and for that reason, students will not be allowed to physically “walk out” of the building at any division level. Guided by our school’s mission and core values, students, teachers, and the administrative team have come together to ensure that every student will be appropriately empowered and respected this week. Together, they are viewing this as another opportunity to inspire students to identify problems in our community and world, use their values and knowledge to address them, and develop the confidence and courage to challenge the status quo.

Upper School

Student leaders are planning a week of action in Upper School. To get the conversation started, on Tuesday, March 13, students organized a Town Hall meeting with Minnesota State Senators Mark Johnson (R) and Chuck Wiger (D). They share, “We would like to use this opportunity to facilitate a meaningful discussion between students and bipartisan policymakers about how we can work together to keep our schools and communities safe, and to hear from a variety of viewpoints on this issue.” This is an optional event that will be held in the Recital Hall from 11:30 AM-12:15 PM.

On Wednesday, March 14, instead of walking out, Upper School students organized an opportunity to stay in and participate in 17 Minutes of Action from 10-10:17 AM followed by a student-facilitated debrief from 10:20-10:30 AM. Stations in the Commons will allow students to write postcards and make phone calls to their legislators and, for those who turn 18 before November, register to vote with the League of Women Voters. This will be a time for students to share their own personal perspectives and privacy will be possible during the phone calls. The debrief will allow student leaders to share the inspiration of the event, the goal for what their peers and they hoped to achieve, and they will also hold a moment of silence to honor the lives lost in the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Classrooms will be open for students who do not wish to participate so that they may engage with the topic and each other in their own way. Time for the 17 Minutes of Action and the debrief is being made possible by an adjustment to the schedule that day. The campus will be considered closed for seniors during the walkout time.

To conclude the activities of the week, on Thursday, March 15, the Social Consciousness Club meeting will offer students a time to process the week and think ahead to how they may continue taking action.

Please note that all of these activities have been organized by Upper School student leaders. They have been exceptionally respectful of their classmates, teachers, and administrators and kept in close touch with them throughout the planning.

Middle School

This is i-Term week in Middle School, a very special time when each student is engaged in an inquiry-based, experiential learning opportunity of their own choice. Many of the i-Term classes are venturing off campus for all or part of the week and all classes have robust schedules planned. For that reason, the Middle School is not offering any activities related to this topic.

However, one Middle School i-Term class, “Social Change: Discovering Your Voice,” will attend Wednesday’s 17 Minutes of Action in the Upper School because the subject matter of the class is an appropriate fit. Students may choose to be participants or observers. In addition, this class will explore the National WalkUp Movement that calls on students to “Walk up to someone who has different views than you and get to know him/her. Walk up to 14 students and three teachers and say something kind. Honor the lives of those lost by walking up, not out.” This movement aligns well with the Middle School Mind-Person-Action character education program and is developmentally appropriate for this age level.

Lower School

The Lower School will also take a developmentally appropriate approach to the week, recognizing that this topic may be unsettling to students at this age. Ms. Wright, Lower School director, will recommend specific picture books for teachers to read aloud throughout the week to reinforce CHAMP themes such as inclusiveness, courage, responsibility, and compassion. All of these themes allow students to consider their own role in making positive change and encourage them to use their voices for good in our world.

PreK-12

Finally, I would like to share some ways that the administrative team is taking action this week. One way that MPA provides a physically safe school is by staying in close contact with our community partners and we have two examples of that planned this week:

Lonn Bakke, our School Resource Officer from the Maplewood Police Department, will attend our administrative team meeting on Tuesday, March 13 to engage in a conversation related to school safety. This will be a time for us to ask questions about our current procedures and identify action steps to continuously improve.
Shawn Conway, the Maplewood Fire Department battalion chief of operations and training, will be on campus to debrief about the gas event on Friday. While the event went exceptionally well, every opportunity to engage our emergency plan offers lessons learned and working with Chief Conway will allow us to best identify those.

I would like to close by sharing that I am exceptionally proud of the way this week is being approached here, guided by our mission and values and with a commitment to inclusion and civil discourse. Our world desperately needs more engaged, educated, and empowered citizens who are dedicated to improving it and that starts at Mounds Park Academy. Our students dream big and do right every day and will continue to do so long after this week concludes.