August 29, 2024
from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school
Welcome (back) to MPA and another fantastic school year!
Whether you’re a returning family or a family with one of the 103 new students joining the MPA community this year, it’s a fresh start and a new beginning for all of us.
First, I apologize for not being with you last week for Back To School Night. Instead, I was in Tucson, dropping my daughter off at the University of Arizona for her first year of college. I managed to keep my emotions in check—until we returned home, and I passed by her bedroom. The door was open, her bed was made, and her room was spotless—three things that had never been true before. After 34 years in education, helping launch hundreds of students into their futures, I knew saying goodbye would be hard. I just didn’t realize how hard.
Dropping a child off at college for the first time is a deeply emotional milestone for parents. In many ways, it parallels the experience of entrusting your child to a new school or, even for returning students, beginning a new school year. You and I are likely navigating similar emotions right now—moments that signify significant transitions in the parent-child relationship and mark our children’s growing independence. There’s also the natural anxiety about how our children will adapt to a new environment, whether it’s the magical world of kindergarten, a new grade, or the independence of college. Rest assured, our exceptional faculty and staff are dedicated to ensuring a successful transition and making a lasting impact on the hearts and minds of our students every single day. Read More
from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director 
Welcome to MPA, Mandi Wilson! Mandi started as a Pre-K teacher on August 14, and we are so excited to introduce her to our community!
We are getting ready for the 2024-25 school year and we hope that you are as excited as we are! Below you will find all of the details about each Back To School event. If you have any questions, please reach out to your 
Parents of Lifers are those who chose MPA for their children every year for all 13 years of their education. Right before they graduated from MPA, 
Kristi (Jay ’24): The opportunities he’s had across the board. I don’t think he would’ve been in a school play if he was at a different school. And selfishly, I already knew that there were outstanding teachers here–some of them that I had!–so I knew from the get-go what he was getting into and how it was going to help him flourish in school, because I feel like that’s a huge piece too–knowing how supportive and invested all these outstanding teachers are. 
Welcome to MPA, Nelle Tokheim! Nelle will be joining us as the library assistant later this fall. We can’t wait to introduce her to our community! 
Welcome to MPA, Mallory Lewis! Mallory will join us this fall as the student success teaching assistant. We are so excited to introduce her to our community!
Welcome to MPA, Dana Distad! This fall, Dana will join us as a Lower and Middle School counselor. We are so excited to introduce her to our community!
Congratulations to Eddie ’25 and Megan Snider ‘27 as the pair of Panthers punched their tickets to state during the two-day Section 4A track and field championships held on May 30 and June 1 at Bethel University! The siblings secured spots in the Class A state track and field championship meet in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter races.
