Lower School Archives

January 28, 2021

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

One of the highpoints of the fall for me is spending time with our senior class talking about leadership. In a series of four seminars, I walk with them through various leadership theories as well as several definitions and metaphors. One of my favorite leadership metaphors is one I learned from a mentor many years ago.

“Leadership is being in the middle of the herd moving it roughly westward.”

I share it with them at the end of the second session and ask them to think about what it means, how it applies to leadership, and come prepared to our next meeting to discuss. The ensuing conversation is often rather lively and as we unpack the metaphor and it yields many very different interpretations:

Leaders who are too far out in front of the herd may realize too late that they are alone, having forgotten to bring others along with them.
Sometimes a leader needs to be out front to chart a bold and new path.
If a leader is at the tail end, the herd lacks direction. On the other hand, sometimes a leader needs to step back in order to consider lay of the land and craft a broader vision.
Those who lead from the middle are often better in touch with other members of the herd and can nudge them forward in a common direction.
Leaders in the middle can push and pull from within, depending on what is needed. They help others feel valued as a part of the solution as the team moves ahead.
When consensus and buy-in are required for the success of the project, leading from the middle may be best.
From time to time, a leader does need to pull back, trust in the team, in order to consider the whole to refine a vision, and allow others a chance to take the lead.

Save The Date For The 2021 Virtual Spring Auction

January 28, 2021

Save the date! The 2021 Spring Auction: The Best Is Yet To Come is going virtual! The MPA volunteer planning committee is pleased to share sponsorship packages are now available with amazing perks, at-home meal kits, and great ways to get involved and give back to the school you love. Save the date for April 16 and visit moundsparkacademy.org/springauction to learn more, purchase a sponsorship package today, or donate an auction item from our wish list!

Expect student performances, hear from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School, and other MPA community members, and bid on and win some amazing silent and live auction items. Proceeds support MPA’s educational programs, new curricular initiatives, COVID-19 response expenses, athletics programs, the arts, and so much more.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.

“Some Good News” Returns February 5

January 28, 2021

If you loved the first episode of the series “Some Good News,” created by the cast and crew of this year’s Middle School play, stay tuned for episode two on February 5!

Inspired by John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” series, the Middle School students (with Upper School students mentoring) were responsible for pitching ideas, collaborating, and writing stories, interviews, jokes, and sketches to produce four webisodes in the series. This approach allows the cast to go beyond acting, but to be involved in writing, filming, and directing.

The Middle School Theatre Department is proud to offer students and community members meaningful theater experiences year after year. Given the unique challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Middle School production is fully virtual so all community members far and wide can experience the joy of the students involved in this special project. Read More

The Strength Of MPA Is In Our People

January 21, 2021

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

“Welcome back to campus!” I said this morning as I greeted a Middle School student on their way into school. “What are you more excited about, being back together with your friends or seeing your teachers in person?” I asked. He paused for quite a while, pondering the rather unfair choice I was asking him to make. However, his response was emphatic, “Both!” Asking such a question of a Middle School student can be rather risky, but I wasn’t surprised with his response. The strong, personal relationships students have with their teachers is a hallmark of MPA.

MPA is incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional faculty who are genuinely dedicated to their students and truly committed to the school. Most teachers remain at MPA for their entire career and we all benefit from their experience and wisdom. At the same time, we’ve had teachers who experienced life transitions that took them in different directions, whether a move to a new city or sometimes experiencing a change in career. Enrollment, program changes, and external factors may also impact our faculty workforce. For instance, our COVID-19 health and safety plan led us to hire several additional teachers and teaching assistants to reduce classroom density. Read More

Save The Date For Virtual Maker Fest

January 21, 2021

Save the date for MPA’s Virtual Maker Fest! On Saturday, February 20 from 11 AM-1 PM, MPA will host a variety of community makers to showcase their projects, passions, and hands on how-to demonstrations through Zoom. Participants will be able to the presentations by visiting different breakout rooms. More event details for Virtual Maker Fest 2021 will be coming soon! Please click here to sign up as a presenter!

If you have any questions, please email Nicole Koen at nkoen@moundsparkacademy.org.

“Some Good News” Premieres Tomorrow, January 22!

January 21, 2021

The upcoming webisode series “Some Good News,” created by the cast and crew of this year’s Middle School play, premieres tomorrow, January 22 at 7 PM on YouTube! Inspired by John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” series, the Middle School students (with Upper School students mentoring) were responsible for pitching ideas, collaborating, and writing stories, interviews, jokes, and sketches to produce four webisodes in the series. This approach allows the cast to go beyond acting, but to be involved in writing, filming, and directing.

If you love and support the Middle School Theatre offerings every year, please consider making a gift that is right for you to help offset lost revenue from ticket and concessions proceeds this year. Every dollar you give will directly support the students and staff making these experiences a reality. Click here to make your gift and help us reach our goal in support of the Middle School Theatre Department. Simply add Middle School Play in your gift designation on the easy giving form. If you have questions or want to learn more about giving opportunities at MPA, please contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt director of development and community engagement at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.

Net Promoter Score At An All-Time High

January 14, 2021

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

We begin a new year with new hopes and resolutions and with optimism that the end of the pandemic is in sight. We begin a new year complete with new understandings of ourselves, our family, our society, and our values after an extremely challenging year. Our task will be to take what we have learned, put it to good use, and work for lasting change.

You may remember that in December, parents were invited to participate in our annual Net Promoter Survey. I was more than pleased with the incredibly high level of participation—a whopping 78% of our parent community completed the survey. If you are familiar with the Net Promoter Survey, you know that is commonly used in business to measure customer service. Similarly, MPA uses the Net Promoter Survey to measure parent satisfaction and solicit feedback for use in continuous improvement in order to make data-driven decisions. The survey and score is also important because word of mouth referrals are the greatest source of admission inquiries and the best predictor of new enrollment. Read More

Stay Tuned For The Middle School Play!

January 14, 2021

Stay tuned for more information about the upcoming webisode series, created by the cast and crew of this year’s Middle School play! Inspired by John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” series, the ensemble came together to produce four webisodes, which will begin airing next Friday, January 22. The Middle School students (with Upper School students mentoring) were responsible for pitching ideas, collaborating, and writing stories, interviews, jokes, and sketches. This approach allows the cast to go beyond acting, but to be involved in writing, filming, and directing.

Boeder Risner Family Featured in Lake Elmo Magazine

January 7, 2021

Check out this wonderful feature on the Boeder Risner Family in the December 2020 edition of Lake Elmo Living Magazine! Adi Boeder Risner graduated from MPA in 2002, and after meeting her husband Kyle in Colorado, returned to Minnesota so that her children could attend MPA! “We wanted Luke and Levi to attend the same K-12 (now Pre-K-12) that I attended during my childhood. We chose Lake Elmo because of the unique homes, the privacy, history, and South Lake Elmo is located right between Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul and my parents’ place in Hudson,” she says. Article by Allison Lund-Zalewski, photos by Hilda Berdie Photography. Read More

Peacefully Working Through Our Differences

January 7, 2021

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

As I was putting the final touches on my original Panther Post message yesterday afternoon, news broke of the violent protest in Washington DC and the storming of the United States Capitol. The peaceful transfer of power is a cornerstone of our democracy. In the days, months and even years ahead, our nation must engage in serious reflection of who we are as a democratic society. How long can we say, with any sense of integrity, that this is “not who we are” before we must admit that this is who we are.

However, I am an eternal optimist and believe that American democracy is resilient. To me, it makes the case that education is important more than ever. Critical thinking, nurturing student voice and agency, character development, and civic engagement and responsibility are all antidotes to discord, division, and violence. These are important attributes of an MPA education. For instance, quite organically, 40 Upper School students joined a Zoom call last night under the guidance of several Upper School teachers who provided a context for students to think critically about the unfolding events in the context of civic responsibility. Read More