Lower School

MPA Robotics Teams Inspire Future Innovators

December 17, 2025

Upper School Students with a robot

From Lower School to Upper School: A Week of Code

MPA’s school-wide, week-long participation in Hour of Code was a tremendous success! Throughout the week, students across all grade levels explored computer science through a variety of interactive platforms—building characters, games, and puzzles while learning the fundamentals of coding. Hour of Code is an international initiative that aims to make computer science accessible to all learners and to spark curiosity about the ways technology shapes our world. For some Lower School students especially, this was their first opportunity to experience coding.

Robotics Teams Showcased Robots In Action

Adding to the excitement, the MPA Robotics Team hosted the first-ever Lower School Robotics Assembly. Initially founded in 2011 by former MPA teacher and Makerspace coordinator Ms. Nicole Koen. In 2014, Mr. Marc Shapiro, Upper School Physics teacher, became the coach. His leadership and student involvement have grown steadily over the past 15 years to include both Middle and Upper School teams. Each season, students collaborate with mentors to design, build, and program a robot to meet a unique set of challenges before competing with and against teams from other schools.
During the assembly, both teams showcased their robots in action, much to the delight of the Lower School audience. Using game pieces and designs from previous competitions, they demonstrated precision, creativity, and teamwork in motion.
Instructor with small robot and upper school student giving a speech
Each team is made up of subgroups that focus on design, programming, building, and operations, and students devote many hours each week during the six-week build season preparing for competition. Their dedication, innovation, and collaborative spirit exemplify MPA’s mission to combine creativity, problem-solving, and purpose in learning.

  • The Middle School team, the Gentoos, competes in the FIRST Tech Challenge, designing a robot that must fit into an 18×18-inch box.
  • The Upper School team, the MPArors, competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition, designing, programming, and building a robot weighing roughly 115 pounds.

At MPA, curiosity and innovation begin early. From coding in the Lower School to advanced robotics in the Upper School, students are encouraged to dream big, think boldly, and bring their ideas to life.

Follow the MPArors to see their progress and upcoming events:

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Then & Now: Connections To The Past And Present

December 15, 2025

Students in the Nicholson Center celebrating. From George Mills ’04

It’s hard to believe we’ve already made it to December 2025—and that winter has arrived overnight in all its cold, snowy glory. The first snowfall has always felt magical to me, and it recently brought back a memory from my eighth-grade year.

I remember being dropped off by my dad along a sidewalk that no longer exists, walking through the atrium with the blue glass—back when it was still an entrance—and being greeted by the sound of a girls’ quintet singing. It was such an uplifting way to start the day.

That small moment made me reflect on how much MPA has changed… and how much has stayed wonderfully the same. After spending several years away and now returning as both an alum and a parent, I find myself noticing the pieces of MPA that still feel familiar. For example, there’s a vase Ms. Petersen uses that I immediately recognized from Ms. Buck’s ceramics studio—now occasionally brightening the Lower School hallway.

So much life happens in these hallways, even in the small in-between moments we don’t always think about. Just the other day, I was waiting outside the band room for my kindergartner to finish a piano lesson when Marisue Gleason walked by. We ended up chatting right there in the “T” at the end of the main hallway—you know the one. It was not only fun to reminisce about being her Spanish II student back in 2001, but also to reconnect in a spot that has hardly changed at all.

MPA is full of these quiet threads that weave our past with our present—little tributes and familiar touches mixed in with all the ways the school continues to grow. If you haven’t been back in a while, I hope you’ll stop by for a visit. Take a self-guided tour or walk with one of our wonderful colleagues in admissions or development, and see what memories stir for you.

Advancing Learning For All

December 11, 2025

Two students learning while on a computer.from Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, head of school

As we approach winter break, our school days feel especially full of both celebration and meaningful learning. This time of year is filled with performances, competitions, culminating academic projects, and the excitement of new seasons for athletics and clubs. Students, faculty, and staff are working hard to finish strong before winter break, while many families navigate an active calendar of events and begin planning for the weeks ahead. Amid this energy, I find it equally important to pause and reflect on the ways our community continues to learn, grow, and support one another.

Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the inaugural Community-Wide Parents Association Meeting. With parents, caregivers, faculty, and staff from all three divisions gathered, the meeting was a beautiful reminder of the strength of our community. It also provided an opportunity to recognize the Parents Association board, their incredible efforts, and the many volunteers whose time and care have brought so many joyful moments to life since the start of the school year. Read More

Welcome To MPA, Ms. Lauren Palumbo!

December 10, 2025

Photo of Lauren Palumbo, MPA's new business office assistant. Welcome to MPA, Ms. Lauren Palumbo! Ms. Palumbo joined us on Wednesday, December 10, as a business office administrative assistant and transportation coordinator, and we are thrilled to introduce her to our community.

From what school/organization are you coming?
I am coming from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I have a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Oklahoma universities. I studied at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, and then continued at East Central University to pursue a Master of Science in human resources. I come from a long history of working for the state of Oklahoma. I was an administrative assistant and business office manager when I was employed at the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
I love the opportunity to work in a school setting, creating a safe and welcoming environment for all those who enter MPA.

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Experience MPA On A School Day!

December 8, 2025

Three boys painting STEM projects.This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the December 10, 2025 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

During your school exploration process, have you asked yourself, “What is a day in the life of an MPA student like?”

To answer all of the above and more, we want to remind you of tomorrow’s opportunity to experience life at MPA on a school day. Our PreK-12 School Day Preview this Thursday, December 11, from 8:30-10 AM, will give you that inside look at MPA and it is not too late to RSVP!

This event is the perfect opportunity for your family to see yourselves here. You will be led on a small group tour and experience the joyful learning that happens here, in and out of the classroom. In addition to exploring our state-of-the-art spaces firsthand, you will also have the opportunity to meet and engage with academic leaders–bring your questions!

RSVP below to discover something remarkable. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Admission at 651-748-5577 or admission@moundsparkacademy.org. We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP Today
How We Learn
The Admission Process

Lower School Division News December 4, 2025

December 4, 2025

A Lower School student a teacher work together to make a pie.from James Ewer, Lower School director 

As we head into our upcoming break, I want to pause and simply say thank you. Thank you for trusting me with your little ones. Thank you for the countless ways you show up, ask thoughtful questions, and partner with us. We are deeply grateful to have your family in this community.

A long break is a gift. I hope you use it to take care of yourselves and come back feeling blessed, grounded, and ready for the months ahead. A few simple ideas:

  • Protect some true “off” time. Choose a day or an afternoon when you do not schedule anything extra. Just be together. This will be my focus.
  • Read for fun. Let your child see you reading something you enjoy and invite them to curl up with a book next to you, maybe with your favorite snack. We do apples and peanut butter!
  • Get outside every day. Even a short walk or time at a park can reset everyone’s energy. Yes, even when it’s cold!
  • Talk about feelings. Ask your child what they are proud of so far this year and what feels hard. Listen more than you respond. The question I love is “What gave you the most joy today?”
  • Plan one thing you are excited about when we return. Naming it now can help children shift back to school with more ease. I haven’t decided on mine yet, but I will.

Read More

Our Promise

November 24, 2025

Explore our promise, the MPA ManifestoThis message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the November 25, 2025 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

You are invited to hear and see the spirit of our manifesto. It is an invitation to every student to be a freethinker, a free spirit, a risk taker, a right maker, a dreamer, and a doer. It is our promise to you. Explore our promise, the MPA manifesto, here.

At MPA, students are not simply learning; they are learning how to learn, how to think critically, solve creatively, and transform the wildness of their imagination into inspiration for others. They immerse themselves in the arts, explore the complexity of the sciences, and grow the roots of social responsibility as they discover who they are truly meant to be.

Our manifesto guides and reflects why we believe students like yours are made for Mounds Park Academy—their type of amazing calls for an education that awakens their senses, unleashes wonder, encourages respectful discourse, and cultivates a lifelong joy of learning.

We hope these words inspire you as much as it inspires us every day. If you have any questions or want to explore what learning looks like at MPA on campus, we invite you to RSVP for the PreK-12 MPA School Day Preview on December 11, or connect with us to schedule your personal tour.

RSVP Today
How We Learn
The Admission Process

An Opportunity To Experience MPA On A School Day

November 20, 2025

Middle School students doing science lab togetherThe school day PreK-12 MPA Preview is Thursday, December 11, 8:30-10 AM! With community members as your hosts, you’ll visit classrooms to see students and teachers in action and end the morning with an opportunity to ask any specific questions you may have. If you will be bringing a child, please do let us know.

MPA Previews are signature PreK-12 events designed to introduce you to the faculty, students, and families who make MPA the exceptional learning community that it is. You’ll hear from a variety of perspectives, be engaged in conversation, experience what a day in the life of an MPA student is like, and leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way.

RSVP today to discover why Mounds Park Academy is the #2-ranked private school in Minnesota.

RSVP Today
How We Learn
The Admission Process

You’re Shaping Tomorrow At MPA!

November 15, 2025

Two Upper School students engaged in classroom learning.

At MPA, we’re not just imagining the future—we’re building it every day in our classrooms, studios, labs, and on the playing fields.

And none of it happens without you.

This short video offers a glimpse into the wonder, creativity, curiosity, and growth happening across campus—made possible through your generosity.

As we approach Give to the Max Day, we invite you to see what your support unlocks for our students. Every gift, no matter the size, fuels our shared mission and inspires greatness.

Giving Challenges 

Get ready for some exciting giving challenges and exclusive incentives! See what your gift can unlock…

  • A $250 boost will be added to every gift from alums in the classes of 2010-2025, up to $20,000 total!
  • The grade with the highest participation wins a chance to pie their division director!
  • Leadership Circle members will receive a limited edition MPA-branded umbrella.
  • If a division has 60% participation, watch for a special surprise celebration for them.
  • Grandparent donors will be gifted a custom tote bag featuring student artwork.
  • Special unlocking challenges when we hit milestones, and much more fun to come!

When you give, you shape tomorrow. You bring learning to life. You open doors. Let’s show our students—and each other—what’s possible when a community comes together for the school it loves.

Make A Gift
Learn More About The Fall Campaign

 

You can make your gift or pledge today at moundsparkacademy.org/support or by contacting Ashley Goetzke, director of development and community engagement, at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

Join Us In Shaping Tomorrow For MPA

November 15, 2025

Two Lower School students on the MPA playground. from Ashley Goetzke, director of development and community engagement

At MPA, we’re not just preparing students for the future—we’re empowering them to shape it. That belief comes to life every day across campus, and it’s one of the many reasons MPA is so special.

Growing up, I didn’t have an MPA. What shaped me instead were the people who saw something in me, pushed me to think bigger, and believed I could make a difference. That’s why I feel such a deep connection to MPA’s mission—because here, that belief in every child is lived out daily.

You make that possible.

Teachers stay after class to check in. Coaches build character along with skill. Classrooms feel like communities where students are known and belong. Those moments happen because of your support. Read More