Lower School Archives

March 7, 2019

by Mark Segal, Upper School Director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their thoughts and reflections about life at MPA.

I recently celebrated a milestone birthday. It was one of those birthdays where AARP sends you both a birthday card and a membership card in the same envelope. It’s not hard to believe that I have now entered my sixth decade, but rather that I have been an educator for as long as I was a traditional student. Regardless, my experiences as a student are the ones that I often find myself replaying in my mind and on which I rely as I work with MPA students and my own fifth-grade son. The reality is that it is not my successes that draw me back to my childhood, but the challenges that I experienced. The times I did not meet the expectations that I set for myself or were given to me by others. Read More

New Busing Opportunities At MPA

March 6, 2019

Don’t miss out on signing up for MPA busing during the re-enrollment process in TADS! Please note that the re-enrollment deadline is quickly approaching this Friday, March 8.

MPA is excited to offer transportation options for current and prospective families thanks to a new partnership with Hill-Murray! In addition to the current routes servicing North Oaks/Roseville, Highland/St. Paul, and Woodbury, MPA will be adding a dedicated route to and from the greater Stillwater/Lakeland area!

The cost for two-way transportation under a group stop model will remain $1,300, equivalent to just $145 per month. Detailed route information can be found here. The District 622 route information will be available in August, closer to the beginning of the year. Read More

Summer Enrichment with Ms. Mastel

March 5, 2019

Calling all American Girl fans, as well as dragon, fairy and unicorn lovers! Join Lower School and Middle School Drama Teacher and Director Ms. Mastel for three summer enrichment classes during the week of June 17-21!

In the American Girl Club, students will use the American Girl stories as inspiration for this interactive class. Join us as we play games, do crafts, and create treats from various time periods in history. “What I love about this class,” shares Ms. Mastel, “is that it teaches students about history and friendship through arts and crafts, games, and even cooking.” It is for students in Grades 2-4, and will be from 10:40 AM-12:10 PM.

Imagination Station is for students in Grades 2-4, and will be held from 12:50 PM-2:20 PM. Dragons, fairies, unicorns, and other creatures from our imagination are the foundation for this fun and exciting class. From building fairy houses and writing unicorn poems, to acting out Chinese fairy tales with dragons, the sky is the limit if you use your imagination. When asked what her inspiration was behind the class, Ms. Mastel replied, “When my daughter was in kindergarten, some of her friends started a ‘fairy club,’ which I thought sounded like a lot of fun! I asked her what they did in their club and began brainstorming my own ideas and then extended it out to other magical creatures when planning this summer class.”

Last, but certainly not least, are you ready for a fun-filled week of summertime fun? Join Ms. Mastel for a water day with a slip-and-slide and sprinklers, pitching a tent and roasting marshmallows, creating a lemonade stand, and playing numerous outdoor games. If this sounds up your alley, sign up for Classic Summer Fun for Grades K-4, from 2:30-4 PM!

We’re so excited to celebrate summer in Minnesota with you. For more information and to register, visit moundsparkacademy.org/summer!

Seeking Student Voice

March 4, 2019

What does the term “student voice” mean today? Internationally recognized expert in youth voice and student engagement, Adam Fletcher relates that it goes far beyond the important work of helping students develop their own voices. The concept now implies a much deeper commitment, suggesting that educators have an ethical imperative to engage students in new ways that are vital to school improvement. With student voice integrated into the core values at MPA, even our youngest children help to significantly impact their educational environments and experiences.

MPA’s PreK teacher Debbie LaChapelle describes how her small but mighty students shape their education. One four-year-old girl, for example, requested a PreK art show like the older children have. LaChapelle picked up on the idea, credited the student with it, and shifted her curriculum to include an annual art exhibit. “I witness in my students pride, confidence, respect for themselves and others, empathy, and leadership,” she shares. “When their ideas and thoughts are accepted and validated, it illustrates to them that they matter and can make a difference.”

Kari O’Keefe provides another example of how first graders design their educational environment. “From the moment you walk into the classroom, one sees that the room belongs to the students. They have created everything from the alphabet and number line to the bulletin boards and borders. They came up with classroom expectations and labeled special areas of the space. They have a true sense of ownership as they’ve helped to create every aspect of their classroom.”

Conduits For Joy

February 28, 2019

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

It’s true. I am a voracious reader. Throughout my life, I have loved books and can think of few greater pleasures than a good one. Reading fueled my imagination and took me to places I could have never visited. Getting lost in a book and losing track of time is pure joy. For these reasons and many more, the MPA Book Festival, produced by our incredible Parents Association, is one of my favorite MPA traditions. The Book Festival began in April 2000. It was started by the collaborative efforts of parents of alumni Elaine Johnson and Karla Myers, and the library staff. It was also the year MPA librarian Nancy Lage brought in Mary Grand Pre, the illustrator of the American version of “Harry Potter.” Part celebration and part fundraiser for the library, the Book Festival symbolizes so much of what is special about our community.

When I was a child, the library was my favorite place. In the small town I grew up in, the library was an old “mansion” in the center of town. It was warm and comforting, a bit mysterious, and had a wonderful smell. It was my happy place. In college, my use of a library changed dramatically. It served more of a social purpose than an academic one. One of my first experiences of social justice advocacy was participating in a sit in at the college library over its unjust policy banning soft drinks. (Ah, youthful ignorance.) During my graduate work, I practically lived in the library. Buried amidst the stacks, I once more found my happy place. Read More

Free Food For Thought Friday

February 27, 2019

This Friday, March 1, is our third Free Food For Thought Friday! For those that are unfamiliar with what this is, it is an opportunity for parents and students who normally don’t take hot lunch to try MPA’s lunch program for free. This Friday, along with the regular menu, there will be a calzone bar with homemade calzones!

If you and your student enjoyed the experience, Middle and Upper School students can add lunch for the remainder of the school year for $430—equivalent to just $5.75 per day. Lower School students can add lunch for the remainder of the school year for $380—equivalent to just $5 per day. Contact Amanda Platson, student billing coordinator, at aplatson@moundsparkacademy.org or 651-748-5502 to do so.

Summer Enrichment With Ms. LaChapelle

February 27, 2019

Do your children like the outdoors? Are your children passionate about letters and the alphabet? If so, they should join PreK teacher Ms. LaChapelle this summer for two enrichment classes June 17-21!

The Alphabet and Beyond is “a class for students to learn or master their knowledge of the letters in the alphabet and begin to learn letter sounds,” shares Ms. LaChapelle. “In addition, students will have the opportunity to write the letters.” Join us as we refine letter recognition skills, work and review letter sounds, and review simple sight words in a fun and engaging way. Get ready to become the alphabet master! This class is for children in grades K-1, and will be held from 10:40 AM-12:10 PM.

A Little Bit of Dirt is a nature and art class. This hands-on class will explore nature and the great outdoors, use nature for art projects, and of course, spend time playing in the dirt! Let your appreciation for the great outdoors shine through! This class is for grades K-2, and will be from 12:50-2:20 PM.

Visit moundsparkacademy.org/summer to learn more about our Summer Enrichment Programs and register!

Special Guest Justice Alan Page Visits Lower School

February 27, 2019

Last week, Justice Alan Page visited the kindergarten classroom where he read his newest book, “Grandpa Alan’s Sugar Shack,” to the kindergarten and third grade classes.

After the reading, the students had a chance to ask him questions and hear about his experience as both a justice and a pro-football player.

A warm thank you to Colleen Tierney, a kindergarten mom, for making this possible! It was such a treat to have Justice Page as a visitor and have him read his newest children’s book. Thank you, Justice Page! To see more photos of his visit, click here.

Celebrating Creativity at Maker Fest 2019

February 26, 2019

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Maker Fest a success! This past Saturday, February 23, alumni, parents, students, and other members of the community came out to be Makers at the second annual Maker Fest. The woodworking group the North Star Scrollers had a woodworking station set up, as well as Jess Blue’s table where she helped attendees sew their own cloth bags. Knitting and crocheting stations, Lego spinning tops, and handmade wire dinosaurs were also among the many tables that people enjoyed visiting.

Thank you for sharing your inventions, interests, skills and projects! To see more photos from the event, click here.

Meet Ms. O’Keefe

February 25, 2019

First grade teacher

How many years have you been at MPA?
My first, first grade class is currently in ninth grade … making my career at MPA nine years!

What do you love about MPA?
I love that MPA reaches every aspect of the whole child and that they respect every child as an individual.

How does MPA nurture students who forever dream big and do right?
MPA nurtures students who forever dream big and do right by inviting students from a very young age to express their dreams, teach them that no dream is too big, and help them on a path to discover how to reach those dreams while being respectful citizens.

If you have worked at another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?
MPA has an amazing understanding of students at each educational level (Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School) and how each relates to one another. Having the span of pre-kindergarten to graduation from high school under one roof is a unique quality in a school. Read More