Middle School

Middle School Division News December 18, 2025

December 18, 2025

A Middle School student reading her book. from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Greetings and welcome (almost) to winter break. I would like to share some of our “happy happenings” in the Middle School over the past two weeks and one exciting change we are implementing (hint: it has to do with helping our students spend less time on their screens).

We have had a lot of fun and excitement around the Middle School over the past two weeks. Last Friday, our eighth graders met with the Upper School Peer Leaders to gain valuable insight into what is waiting for them in ninth grade. Those Peer Leaders talked about the opportunities, freedom, change in social dynamics, and responsibility that awaits in our Upper school. They also gave our eighth graders tickets to the hot cocoa bar they hosted on Monday.

Yesterday, we had a Middle School meeting in which a couple of our advisories shared their Dream Big, Do Right Challenge tasks, including a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House by Ms. Phillips’ advisory and Ms. Nagle’s advisory, making slime for our kindergarten Ba Ba Boutique to sell. Some of our eighth-grade students also shared advice on mindful breathing and other relaxation techniques that students can use when feeling anxious or stressed. We ended the meeting with Ms. Meras sharing that we have decided to give the students a break from their laptops as well as from school. Read More

NEW! MPA Ski & Snowboard Club

December 18, 2025

MPA skiers at the Afton Alps We are very excited to announce MPA’s Ski & Snowboard Club for grades seven through 12 at Afton Alps! If 15 students—who don’t already have season passes—sign up, we will be eligible for Ski Club discount tickets. If we can hit our goal, lift tickets will be $39 and rentals will be $37. Click here to sign up!

We plan to go every other Friday, after school. Students and families will need to provide their own transportation. Permission forms are available for anyone who would like to coordinate a carpool.

Waivers and rental forms must be completed in advance. Please fill out these forms and either send them to Sean Andrews at sandrews@moundsparkacademy.org or drop them off in the tech office on campus.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Sean Andrews at sandrews@moundsparkacademy.org!

Join Us For MPA Family Open Gym!

December 18, 2025

A Lower School student with a basketball in the Lansing Center.

We are excited to welcome back the MPA Family Open Gym—a long-standing tradition returning for the first time since before the pandemic! Please join us on January 11, January 18, January 25, and February 8 from 1-3 PM in the Lansing Sports Center for one or more of the open gyms. Click here to register!

Important Notes:

  • Arrive between 1-1:15 PM at Door 7 on the north end of campus. Doors will be locked outside of the arrival window, and fobs will not work.
  • Please wear your MPA nametag or bring an ID to check in and receive a name tag.
  • Supervision will not be provided. Upper School students may attend on their own, but Lower and Middle School students must attend and remain with a parent or guardian.
  • More concession stand volunteers are needed. Sign up here!

We look forward to gathering together for an afternoon of fun and community. We hope to see you there!

Congratulations, MPA SAGE Dining Team!

December 17, 2025

The Mounds Park Academy dining staffThe MPA SAGE dining team has earned FARECheck Silver certification through FARE-approved Serve It Safely training, a nationally recognized mark of excellence in food allergy awareness and safety.

FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the leading nonprofit dedicated to food allergy education and advocacy, carefully reviewed and validated the training completed by our team. This certification confirms that MPA’s dining practices meet best-in-class standards for allergen safety and food service compliance!

This achievement reflects more than just a completed training—it speaks to the kitchen team’s daily dedication to creating a safe, welcoming, and exceptional dining experience for every student, faculty member, and staff member, especially those navigating food allergies. We are incredibly proud of their commitment to our community each day. Congratulations to our MPA dining team!

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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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.

Read More

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!

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Middle School Division News December 4, 2025

December 4, 2025

Middle School students painting a project.from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

I love December. I love the snow, and I don’t mind the cold too much. I love that we have sledding at recess and our annual Hour of Code week coming up. I love our Winter Concert next Thursday night and our Founders’ Day Pancake Breakfast that Friday. And I love how we send our students off into their winter break on Friday, December 19, with a day of service and fun for our fifth- and sixth-grade students and a winter carnival for our seventh- and eighth-grade students. Most of all, I love how this time of year reminds us of the progress we have made so far, and gives us the space to celebrate that learning.

One of the best ways we do this is with our Middle School Winter Concert. Next Thursday evening, December 11, all sixth- through eighth-grade students will perform in both their choir and band/orchestra groups. For parents and friends who arrive early, I encourage you to walk around the Middle School and Family Commons to see some of their amazing artwork that is on display—there has been so much inspiring work this fall! Here is more information about the concert timing and attire.

Also coming up next week, we have our quarterly Middle School Parent Coffee. At our last meeting, families were asking about the Upper School program and how we help to transition our students into the Upper School. We have asked Upper School director, Mark Segal, to join us on Tuesday morning, December 9, from 8-9:30 AM in the PCR to talk about the wonders of our Upper School and answer any questions you might have. If there’s something specific you hope for him to address or a lingering question you might have, please email me ahead of time, so I can be sure he is ready for us. 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.

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