Middle School Archives

November 9, 2017

This isn’t your traditional Peter Pan! Twenty-seven Middle School actors and more than 20 students working backstage have been dedicating their time in and outside of school to concentrate on even the smallest details of costume design, set construction, and more. The sold-out production is bringing the community together in creative, challenging, and hands-on ways.

Weeks ago, before anyone knew all the words to “Neverland,” Upper School students started working with Middle School students on costumes for the cast. The kind of imagination possible through this mentorship shows the strengths of our PreK-12 community.

“Our costume crew grew from five to nine people in basically a day, and a few of them are younger siblings of my friends, so it’s cool to get to know them better,” said sophomore Solie Svennevig-Brosi. “I’m excited to make an awesome show with them!”

Halloween Reflections

November 2, 2017

by Mark Segal, Upper School Director

It is hard to believe that the annual MPA Halloween Parade is the culmination of months of planning and preparation. At some point early this past summer, my fourth-grade son, Logan, began to share with me how much he enjoys Halloween. An ardent Minnesota Vikings fan, he began to think about his costume and figured out a way to meld together his favorite Vikings player (Harrison Smith) and the Vikings mascot, Viktor the Viking. It is not about the candy, he would later share, but rather about the fun costumes that students get to wear and the high-fives he receives from the “older kids” as he follows the parade route through the building.

The all-school celebration of Halloween is one of the many school wide traditions that younger students get to share with older students at MPA. Mounds Park Academy is the only independent school in the Twin Cities that offers a PreK through 12 educational and community experience under one roof. I appreciate when prospective parents ask if being in an environment of mixed-age students is beneficial. I get to share that MPA wholeheartedly knows it is and explain the many ways in which this is the case. Being in a mixed-age community allows our students to be their best selves. Our Lower School students utilize their greatest communication skills and lessons learned from the CHAMP character education program in their interactions with older students and emulate their respectful, inclusive behavior. Our Upper School students respond appropriately to the fact that they are being carefully watched by the younger students and relish opportunities to act more child-like while still modeling appropriate behavior. And those in the middle? They find great joy and meaning through interacting with their younger friends as they look ahead to becoming campus-wide leaders as older students.

Finding Balance In Today’s World

October 26, 2017

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I am having a hard time finding balance these days. I think I am pretty good at the work-home balance, but achieving a physical balance is another matter. This week, I broke a bone in my foot and one in my ankle while on an afternoon run. Even with crutches, maintaining a balance is a challenge.

Maintaining balance and achieving well-being seem to be increasingly difficult in today’s society. It is challenging for adults and even more so for our children. It is well documented that anxiety and depression are on the rise for our young people. There are a number of reasons that can be attributed to this growing problem. The pressure of academic achievement, the drive for perfection, homework, and worries about getting into the “right” college can make it difficult for young people to find balance. Social media is also partly to blame. While the data is not yet conclusive, researchers believe the use of social media and smartphones appear to be culpable for the increase in teen mental health. (Jean Twenge, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, Sept. 2017)

Many years ago, MPA initiated a very unique and innovative marketing campaign. One of the taglines was “Competition belongs in the boardroom, not the classroom.” I think it speaks to one of the most distinctive attributes of MPA. Students work hard at achieving good grades, but not at the expense of their relationships with one another and with their teachers. We have a collaborative environment where students support one another and work to achieve their personal best, not to beat their classmates.

Bring A Friend To MPA Day

October 26, 2017

Friday, December 1 will be a very special day on campus for MPA students and their friends. Those in grades three through eight are welcome to bring a same-grade friend for a day of learning and fun! This is an opportunity for you to give a gentle nudge to families who you believe would appreciate the MPA experience. Learn much more and register at moundsparkacademy.org/bringafriend.

Remind Grandparents And Special Friends To RSVP!

October 5, 2017

MPA grandparents and special friends are welcomed to a very joyful day on campus! Remind them to join PreK through 8th Grade students for a special glimpse inside the everyday life at MPA. Grandparents and Special Friends Day is Wednesday, October 18.

Registration, coffee, and treats will begin at 9 AM, leading up to programs and classroom visits throughout the morning until 11:30 AM. Grandparents and special friends must RSVP by Wednesday, October 11, by emailing GPDayRSVP@moundsparkacademy.org or calling the RSVP line at 651-748-5530. They must include their names and the names of the student(s) that they will be visiting. We can’t wait to have them on campus!

The Adolescent Brain and Growth Mindset

September 28, 2017

All parents are invited to the first quarter Middle School Parent Education Event, “The Adolescent Brain and How Brain Development Fits into Growth Mindset,” on Tuesday, October 3, from 8-9 AM in the Porter Conference Room (PCR). Our school psychologist, Dr. Jules Nolan, will be presenting on how brain development impacts behavior, and providing strategies for parents. Although the topic will be geared to Middle School-age students, any parent or caregiver is welcome to join in. Coffee and breakfast snacks will be provided by the Parents Association.

Suicide Awareness And Prevention

September 21, 2017

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this event on Thursday, October 5, 6:30-8 PM in the Recital Hall. Dr. Todd A. Savage, MPA parent and professor of school psychology at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and Dr. Scott Woitaszewski, also a professor of school psychology at UWRF, will be sharing a research- and evidence-based presentation that will further inform and equip our community regarding youth suicide awareness. They will help us all to be proactive and to understand the issue better, provide tips on what to look for in students, and give tools and resources to utilize if concerns arise. The final 15 minutes of the time together will be open for questions and answers and will allow MPA to share the resources that exist on our campus. The presentation is geared toward Middle and Upper School families; however, Lower School families are more than welcome to attend, as well. Note: This presentation will be similar to the one given in May. No RSVP needed.

We Sing. We Dance. We Laugh.

September 21, 2017

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

When I first heard that Lower School Music Teacher Mari Espeland was introducing her second graders to musician Lionel Hampton and to jazz, I had to see for myself. I thought I was going to simply observe a class, but I was drawn in as a participant, singing, dancing, and learning alongside the students. As a master teacher, Ms. Espeland wove together the basic musical foundation of rhythm and beat in jazz with a history lesson of race in America through the life of Lionel Hampton. I don’t know about the music education you received at this age, but I know this wasn’t part of mine.

I am continually amazed by the incredible music program we have at MPA. Students benefit from early and sustained music education that not only fosters a life-long appreciation for music, but engages students in making music, aesthetic appreciation, and creating beauty. Education in general, and most self-contained gifted and talented programs in particular, sacrifice time for the arts in favor of time for a narrow STEM-related curricula. I think that is a mistake and counter to good pedagogy. It also runs counter to the MPA mission.

What Are You Afraid Of?

September 14, 2017

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I am deathly afraid of heights. The higher floors of office buildings or hotels terrify me. Scary movies, too. My mother still teases me about making my father stay up with me to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street when I was home from college one summer.

What are you afraid of? Lower School students gave voice to their fears yesterday morning in the first CHAMP Assembly of the year and made plans to overcome them throughout this school year. Some responses included speaking in front of a crowd with confidence, scary movies, swimming, starting at a new school, competing at a karate tournament, and doing their best in kindergarten.

CHAMP stands for Character Happens At Mounds Park, and is the Lower School character development program. This year’s character trait is courage, defined as “facing your fears with confidence and being brave.” Nelson Mandela was used as a role model as students learned about the courage he demonstrated when he peacefully fought apartheid in South Africa.

Faculty & Staff Appreciation

September 7, 2017

Welcome back to another school year at MPA! Believe it or not, Conference week is fast approaching, September 25-28, 2017. One longstanding tradition at MPA is to provide nourishment for the 100+ faculty and staff during this week. Our faculty and staff spend extra hours at school during this week and one way to help support them is to provide food all day long. (Dinners on Tuesday and Thursday nights that week are provided by the Parents Association directly).

Contributions from families are essential! Please consider signing up for any item(s) you would like to contribute. We will be using Sign Up Genius this year. Please click here to sign up >

Items may be dropped off in the Parents Association Room in the Cafeteria on the designated day between 7:30 AM and 8 AM, or at your convenience. There is a refrigerator for perishable items. Please leave a note on any items left in the Parents Association room.

Contact Tara Matthews-Lafferty or Mary Messner with any questions. Thank you in advance for your support of MPA faculty and staff.