Lower School Archives

Lower School Division News December 4, 2025

December 4, 2025

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.

Our Promise

November 24, 2025

This 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

The 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

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

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

Celebrate Stories In The Snow At The MPA Book Festival!

November 14, 2025

There’s “snow” place like the library! Please join us for “Stories In The Snow” at MPA Parent Association annual Book Festival on Monday, December 8-Friday, December 12, in the Martin Lenz Harrison Library!

To help us celebrate the long-standing Book Festival tradition, the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to build your child’s home library with new books they’ll dive into again and again.

The easiest way to let your child shop the fair independently is by creating an e-wallet. It’s easy to set up and easy for others to add funds. Once you create an e-wallet, you’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to Share the Fair—the giving program that supports students at our school who need help buying books. Consider participating so that no child leaves the festival empty-handed. Read More

Shaping A Future Where Curiosity, Compassion, And Courage Thrive

November 13, 2025

from Tiffany Scott Knox, chair, board of trustees

When I think about Mounds Park Academy, I’m reminded that what makes this place so special isn’t just what happens today—it’s how every moment, every act of kindness, and every gift shapes what’s possible for tomorrow.

This year’s Fall Campaign theme, “MPA, Where Every Gift Shapes Tomorrow,” captures that beautifully. Each contribution—large or small—fuels the dreams of our students and supports the incredible work of our faculty and staff. Together, we’re shaping a future where curiosity, compassion, and courage thrive.

As a parent and board chair, I’ve had the privilege of being part of the MPA community for nearly a decade. Since Alex and Ava started in kindergarten, it’s been incredible to watch how this community encourages them to take risks, lead with heart, and think deeply. That same spark shines in every student across campus. Read More

Lower School Division News November 13, 2025

November 13, 2025

from James Ewer, Lower School director

As we move deeper into the school year, I find myself feeling especially grateful for this community and for the trust you place in us every day. Your children walk through our doors with big ideas, big feelings, and a desire to be seen.

Our commitment is simple and steady. We build our decisions around their experience. How do they feel in the classroom? How are they challenged in their thinking? How are they known, affirmed, and held accountable with care?

Thank you for partnering with us, asking thoughtful questions, and standing with us as we work to make school a place where your children feel both a deep sense of belonging and a push to grow.

Peace and love,
Mr. James

Small Nook. Big Reading Wins.

Making reading fun at home is important. A great way to start this is by creating a special reading nook that your child can help design! When children have ownership over their space, they feel more excited and invested in using it. Let them choose cozy items to be in the reading space. Items like a cozy blanket, stuffed animals, special lights, bean bags, and of course, a basket of their favorite books within reach. By giving your child a say in how their reading area looks and feels, you’re encouraging a positive connection to reading and helping build a lifelong love of books!

Your MPA Journey—Here’s What’s Next

November 13, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the November 13, 2025 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Thank you to all who attended the PreK-12 MPA Preview on Sunday! Whether you had lunch and conversation with us at the Taste of Ninth Grade or experienced hands-on learning the MPA way, spending the day with each of you was wonderful. If you love what you discovered here, we encourage you to apply today.

If you’re looking to experience life at MPA firsthand, we’re excited to provide a guide of upcoming opportunities to do so! At this point in the year, families are often asking us what next steps they can take in the admission process. Consider this your quick guide to exploring MPA–now is the perfect time to check these off your school search to-do list. The best part? Your contact in the MPA Office of Admission will be your guide every step of the way. Read More

Then & Now: Speech And Debate

November 10, 2025

From Ryan Ghose ’21

Since its founding, MPA has taught students to think critically and communicate effectively—and it seems to be working! Nowhere is this excellence more evident than in MPA’s enduring speech and debate programs, where ambitious students join dedicated coaches every day of the week for practices and competitions. I got the chance to catch up with speech coaches Kari Kunze and Tanner Sunderman, and debate coach Katie Murr, to chart how the activities have evolved over the years and what their hopes are for the future of the programs.

Speech

Some quick facts about the speech team:

Team Size

2000: 7 students
2003-2008: 100 students (peak)
2025: 40 students, but most students compete in two categories (“double entering”).

Format

Most categories have stayed the same since the 90s, with the exception of:

Duo Interpretation: Introduced in 1996, two people perform an interpretive piece of any genre.
Program Oral Interpretation: The newest category, students can compile multiple pieces of writing from different mediums to tell a connected story.
Extemporaneous Speaking and Discussion: The advent of Wi-Fi has given way to online databases and the option to search the web for evidence mid-tournament.

Coaches

Many alumni have come back as assistant coaches, but the biggest shift has been a new head coach, Tanner Sunderman, who took over in 2015!

MPA continues to push boundaries in speech, competing in more national tournaments and earning its first national speech and debate association title in 2025. Additionally, Tanner Sunderman shared with me that students last year successfully presented in front of the MSHSL to change the format of Great Speeches to allow for analysis of any type of communication. Check out a tournament next year to see the impacts of MPA students’ advocacy! Read More