Lower School Archives

Then & Now: MPA’s Multigenerational Educators

October 17, 2025

“I worked at MPA for five years before Emma was born,” Deedee recalls. “When she joined our family, it was obvious only a parent could tend to her. She was ‘full blast,’ as one of her five-year-old friends put it.”

Deedee stepped away from her classroom to embrace life at home, nurturing Emma’s energy and individuality.

“When she reached school age, I was worried about how she would navigate the large class sizes and stricter rules in a public-school setting,” Deedee said. “Emma started kindergarten at MPA because we realized she needed a place where she could be feisty and still survive the adults she would encounter.”

Growing up surrounded by MPA’s mission and community left a lasting imprint.

“Being raised at MPA, Emma knew she was charged with making the world a better place,” Deedee said.

A Closer Look At The PreK-12 MPA Preview Experiences

October 14, 2025

The PreK-12 MPA Preview on November 9, 12:30-2 PM, is a signature PreK-12 event designed to introduce prospective families to the faculty, students, and families who make MPA the exceptional learning community it is. You’ll hear from a variety of perspectives, engage in conversation with academic leaders, participate in experiences led by expert teachers, and leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way.

Explore the MPA experiences to plan your day!

Lower School Homeroom Teacher Meet & Connect
Recommended for Lower School
Meet our Lower School teachers! Stop into the homeroom of the grade(s) you’re exploring to meet, connect, and ask any questions you may have for our faculty.

Reach New Heights On The MPA Climbing Wall
Open to all ages PreK-12
Belay on! The MPA climbing wall is open to all skill levels and ages. With MPA physical education teachers as your guides, you’ll receive tips and support to reach new heights. Read More

Lower School Division News October 9, 2025

October 9, 2025

from James Ewer, Lower School director

We’re fully in the swing of things now, and it’s wonderful to see our routines firmly in place. Your littles are continuing to grow, explore, and bring their incredible energy to every corner of our school.

This week, we’re celebrating conferences—a special time for teachers to share just how much they love and appreciate your children. It’s a moment to reflect on their progress, highlight their strengths, and set intentions for continued growth. We invite you to come with questions and an open heart, ready to strengthen the partnership of communication that makes our community so strong.

As always, what guides us is at the heart of everything we do: peace in how we learn and live together, and love in how we show up for one another every single day. Your children are thriving because of this foundation, and conferences are one more way we celebrate that growth and connection together.

Peace and Love,

Mr. Ewer Read More

Discover The #2 Private School In MN

October 8, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the October 8, 2025 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Last week, the Niche.com rankings were released, and we are delighted to announce that MPA is the #2 ranked private school in Minnesota! Celebrating this achievement honors our community of dedicated faculty, supportive families, engaged alumni, and curious, joyful students–an essential part of what makes MPA such a special place to learn and grow.

Being recognized as one of the top schools in the state is about more than test scores–it’s about the unique, joyful learning that students experience at MPA every day. Here, they are encouraged to think critically, act with empathy, and embrace challenges with creativity and confidence. Our holistic approach to education fosters not just academic excellence, but also the social and emotional growth that prepares students to thrive in school and in life. Read More

Growing Global Citizens

September 26, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the September 27, 2025 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

MPA nurtures dreamers, doers, and right-makers with academic knowledge that will propel them forward as change agents in the world. Our students embrace the responsibility of being global citizens by advocating for social justice, caring for the welfare of others, and promoting human equality, among other pillars rooted in respect.

“Right-making is a seed that is planted in each student and cultivated as they journey through MPA. Not only do we teach character traits like inclusiveness and integrity, we promote a do-right attitude through our actions and words while we learn and grow together. This inspires us to dream big and impact others positively at home and in the world,” Kristine Petersen, MPA Kindergarten teacher, says about global citizenship. Read More

RSVP To Experience MPA On November 9

September 26, 2025

Discover something remarkable at the PreK-12 MPA Preview on Sunday, November 9, 12:30-2 PM!

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. These events are for family members of all ages to attend together.

You’ll hear from a variety of perspectives, be engaged in conversation with academic leaders, participate in experiences led by expert teachers, explore our signature spaces, and leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way.

The Taste Of Ninth Grade

Prospective ninth graders, you’re invited to the Taste of Ninth Grade immediately preceding the Preview at 11 AM. Join us for lunch and the opportunity to learn more about MPA’s ninth-grade program. Students will engage in a hands-on, collaborative activity while parents participate in a Q&A about life in MPA’s Upper School. When this event concludes, students and families will then join the PreK-12 Preview event.

RSVP today to experience the joy and discover why Mounds Park Academy is an exceptional place to learn and grow.

School Spirit Is Everywhere

September 25, 2025

from Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, head of school

On Monday morning, I made my usual right turn from Beebe Road onto the school grounds. Seeing “We. Are. MPA.,” not only brought a smile to my face but also evoked an incredible sense of school pride. I must admit, I was caught by surprise. As a new member of the MPA community, it’s a magical experience to feel school spirit. In so many ways it felt like I was arriving home.

I do not take school spirit for granted. It doesn’t magically appear. Rather, school spirit is the energy that grows from the pride, traditions, and shared experiences left in the form of memories and artifacts from years past, and the voices and actions of those who currently move throughout the campus.

I frequently turn to my Responsive Classroom training and seek to define experiences and goals by asking: What does it look like, sound like, and feel like?

This week, school spirit looks like our students wearing themed clothing and hallways decorated with streamers and colorful posters throughout the building. School spirit sounds like our teams clapping and cheering for our Lower and Middle School students during arrival and standing in the hallway, eagerly planning for an upcoming debate tournament. School spirit feels like the surge of warmth that fills my cheeks with joy when I see students across divisions learning a school chant or reading books—together. And it’s not exclusively created by our students. I see it in the ways our faculty and staff create spaces that foster curiosity. I hear it when a family member says “I love you” to their student at the classroom door. I feel it when someone takes a minute to share with me a special moment they had learning from their colleague. Read More

Details For Fall 2025 Conferences

September 24, 2025

Dear MPA Families,

Fall Conferences will take place in person, on campus, on Thursday, October 9 from 3:30-8 PM, and Friday, October 10 from 8 AM-5 PM (no classes for students). All MPA families may schedule to meet with up to four of their student’s teachers.

LOWER SCHOOL FAMILIES
Lower School homeroom teachers will offer 25-minute conferences. Specialist conferences may be scheduled for 10 minutes per student. Families who would like to discuss more than one child with their specialist teacher(s) should set up separate conference times for each child. Families will have a chance to meet all specialists over the course of the Fall and Winter conferences. Please see the designation for sign-up for Fall Conferences below:

PreK: Music and PE
K-1: Music, PE, Art
Grades 2-4: World Languages, Drama, Technology

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL FAMILIES
Middle School and Upper School students participate in their conferences and are required to attend. Please check athletic and activity schedules before signing up. If you need private time without the student in attendance, please indicate this at the beginning of the conference. All conferences should be scheduled during conference times slotted.

Building Belonging: Routines For Joyful Learning

September 22, 2025

The start of the school year brings fresh routines, expectations, and environments for students of all ages. At Mounds Park Academy, teachers take thoughtful, research-based steps to help learners acclimate and thrive—both as individuals and as a community.

We connected with Ms. Tami Fisher, second-grade teacher, about the intentional routines, language, and classroom structures she uses to create a joyful, respectful, and engaged learning environment in these first critical weeks. The benefit of these intentional routines is that they support both students and the classroom community, fostering responsibility and a positive atmosphere.

How do you set the tone at the beginning of the year so that students know what classroom routines and habits are expected while also being engaged learners?

We use the guiding principles and practices of “Responsive Classroom,” a research- and evidence- based teaching approach. Creating community and incorporating student voices are key. In the first weeks of school, we are doing a lot of “looks like, sounds like, feels like” Y-charts. In terms of the classroom routines and expectations, I like to start with the ‘feels like’ aspect, as that helps us identify what we want and need to see and hear in order to make sure our spaces feel the way we want. We look at routines and materials with intention, never assuming we all know how to use them. We use guided discoveries and modeling as we review available classroom tools: what do we notice about them, how can we use them, how they help us learn, and how we care for them. Read More

Lower School Division News September 18, 2025

September 18, 2025

from James Ewer, Lower School director

We’re settling into the school year, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the energy and spirit your littles bring each day. As we move deeper into our routines, I’ve noticed three powerful things unfolding across our community:

First, students are rising to the challenge of increased academic rigor. They’re stretching their thinking, leaning into harder problems, and showing persistence when learning feels tough. The growth mindset on display is inspiring.

Second, friendship is alive and well. Whether it’s a kind word on the playground, a helping hand in the Family Commons, or laughs shared in the hallways, our students are actively building an inclusive community where every child belongs.

And third, our teachers are doing the same—collaborating and sharing their expertise with one another across grades and departments. This spirit of collective growth not only strengthens our team but also ensures your children are learning in a place where creativity, care, and excellence thrive side by side.