Middle School Archives

Strategic Planning From The Board’s Perspective

January 24, 2019

by Brent Peacock, Chair of the MPA Board of Trustees

In 2015, MPA launched an extensive, highly collaborative, strategic planning process. The process, which was initiated, designed and driven by a task force of the Board of Trustees and Head of School, involved and engaged 64 stakeholders from across the school community, including leadership, faculty, staff, families and, critically, students. The process was grounded in the mission and values of the school and was designed to be collaborative, comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive. It provided both a compass and a blueprint to make informed decisions in order to respond, anticipate, and proactively plan for changes and challenges ahead. Not only did the process produce a strong 5-year strategic plan (Momentum 2020), it also built trust and partnerships among its wide array of stakeholders. Read More

Maker Fest 2019: Meet Michelle Mick

January 24, 2019

We’re interviewing the Makers you’ll meet at at Maker Fest 2019 on Saturday, February 23 so you can get to know them ahead of time! If reading about Michelle’s work has inspired you to share your own, sign up here to be a Maker yourself!

What (or who) inspires you to make?

Having had a brain tumor that compromises my ability to do certain things, I find that having been told I am completely impractical–and now being able to function normally–I have an inner strength to try my hand at things that I have been told I can’t do or am no good at. I am inspired by bending down in the garden, in a parking lot, or wherever, and seeing this beautiful nature all around us. It could be as simple as this morning, with a few snow flakes coming down, and seeing them one by one land on our black truck, absolutely amazingly perfect. Or it could be sitting in the garden listening to the hum drum of the bugs in the middle of summer, and having a butterfly come and land on me and stay there for half an hour or so, or chatting with a tame blue jay!

What do you enjoy making?

I started by trying to paint butterflies on rocks, having read about the village members in Mexico selling rocks to tourists, to try and raise awareness of the Monarch butterfly. I donated the money that I raised to the Monarch lab at the U of M, and branched out by painting a swallowtail, caterpillars, hearts, you name it! I recently did a project for an MPA staff member, painting rocks and sayings, which was such an amazing thoughtful gift from the staff member to friends. Read More

Volunteer At These Parents Association Events

January 23, 2019

Last week the Gallery became New York City with the help of many, many volunteers. We want to thank everyone who volunteered, whether you donated drinks/snacks, decor, time, or ideas and hard work on the planning committees. It was so wonderful to see the entire Middle School joyfully sharing the same space! An additional thank you to Vern and his facilities staff for helping with heavy lifting and keeping our space clean, as well as Chef Doug and his kitchen staff for providing additional food, NYC style. A special thank you to MPA parent Melissa Johnson and her son Oliver (MPA class of ‘18) for helping to create our vision of NYC, from Central Park to the Food Truck to Bill’s Bodega. It truly made the Gallery a special place last week. We hope everyone had a great time. A huge thank you to Susan Knapp and Tara Lafferty too! It took lots of planning and hard work to put it all together. Kudos to both! Read More

Updated Open Gym Schedule

January 17, 2019

kids playing basketball in the lansing center

The Lansing Sports Center will once again be open most Saturday mornings this winter for MPA families and their friends. Please see below for an updated schedule of open gym dates and times.

If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about our school, this would be a great opportunity to welcome them to campus!

Saturday, January 19: 8-10:30 AM
Saturday, January 26: 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 2: 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 9: 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 23: 9 AM-12 PM

You are welcome to come and use the track, sports center and fitness center. If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Office at 651-748-5630.

Quiz Bowl Qualifies For Nationals

January 14, 2019

This past Saturday, January 12, 17 MPA Middle School students competed in the Spectrum Middle School Quiz Bowl tournament in Elk River, MN. There were some great results!

MPA A: Gabe M., Aidan H., Sophia S., and Anthony T. finished second out of 20 teams. This qualifies them for the NAQT, the National Academic Quiz Bowl Tournament, held in Chicago in May.

January 10, 2019

Registration for spring sports at MPA is now live! With options from track and field to baseball, softball, and golf, there there is something for everyone to stay active this spring. Sign up here!

Realizing Our Resolutions

January 10, 2019

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Happy new year! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful winter break spending time with family and loved ones. I appreciated a few days off plus several days of quiet, uninterrupted time in the office. The building can be eerily quiet when school is not in session and I miss the time with students and the laughter and smiles in the hallways.

I watched a lot of football over the break and was inundated with commercials promoting weight loss programs and fitness centers, all capitalizing on the new year and the resolutions many make. I made my own resolution to run more, after spending the last year recovering from a serious injury. It also wouldn’t hurt for me to lose a few pounds or so! A quick poll taken of our students today resulted in the following resolutions:

Experience NYC At The Middle School Cafe!

January 9, 2019

No plane ticket necessary! Experience New York City at the Middle School Cafe, January 14-18. The Parents Association is transforming the Gallery into the Big Apple with street food, Bill’s Bodega, Central Park, and our (slightly smaller) Statue of Liberty! Parents, come and join us for coffee and conversation each morning at 7:45 AM!

Parents are also invited to sign up for volunteer shifts during Cafe Week. It’s going to be a great time you and you won’t want to miss being a part of it!

January 9, 2019

Calling all makers, creatives, tinkerers, inventors, and crafters! Registration is now open to be a part of the second annual MPA Maker Fest.

See our community’s hard work come to life on Saturday, February 23 from 1-3 PM. Anyone is welcome to attend as a spectator (no RSVP necessary) or host a display table (sign up here)!

Participants can sign up either individually or with a group to host a display table. Participation is open to everyone in our community—students, parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to “show and tell” something that you have created and share your accomplishments. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Koen, Makerspace coordinator, at nkoen@moundsparkacademy.org.

Fostering Curiosity Through The Joy Of Learning

January 9, 2019

Learning is a lifelong process that starts the minute we’re born. Babies come into the world and immediately start learning about their surroundings. They’re innately curious and find joy in learning about the simplest things.

At Mounds Park Academy, we want our students to always remain that curious and excited about learning. One of the primary goals for teachers is to create an environment that encourages innovative, creative thinking and allows students to experience the joy of learning firsthand. Most educators agree that when children love to learn, they build resilience, patience, curiosity, and communication skills.