Middle School Archives

April 5, 2018

If you haven’t yet applied, Mounds Park Academy’s regular admission deadline is coming up on Sunday, April 15. This is the date by which all documents should be received and steps completed. more information >

Our next admission event will be Breakfast at MPA on Tuesday, April 17 starting at 8:30 AM. This will be a wonderful opportunity to meet our school administrators over a casual meal and tour the campus to see students and teachers during a regular school day. rsvp >

If you have any questions or need any assistance as we approach these dates, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Admission! We are here to help families navigate the process every step of the way. We look forward to welcoming your family to campus this fall! contact us >

Summer Soccer Camp

April 5, 2018

Another awesome summer activity being offered for boys and girls in grades K-6 is Soccer Camp, June 25-28, 9-11 AM. Tim Sheehan and Mike Scinto, MPA soccer coaches and phy ed teachers, have designed a fun and challenging week of activities for all soccer players, beginner through advanced. Enhance your skills, learn something new and develop team concepts in a fun and friendly environment.

Sample curriculum: dribbling, passing, receiving, turns, fakes and moves, shooting, moving without the ball, passing combinations, individual defending, and defensive support. All campers receive individual instruction and a camp t-shirt. learn more >

Camp Invention Comes To MPA

April 5, 2018

MPA is partnering with the National Inventors Hall of Fame to provide Camp Invention June 25-29, a unique out-of-school-time enrichment experience with a science, engineering and math (STEM) focus. At MPA, this special week will be taught in the Makerspace by MPA teachers Nicole Koen and Debbie LaChapelle.

Camp Invention gives students in grades K-6 the opportunity to take risks, use creative problem solving, and develop an entrepreneurial mindset in fun and challenging ways. During the week-long adventure, students will design and build their own inventions, take apart gadgets, be part of a team, and have FUN! Also, free Panther Care is available 7-9 AM and 3:30 PM.

Please Note A Calendar Change

April 5, 2018

The date of the Middle School Art Show Opening and the 5-12 grade Band Concert has been moved from Thursday, May 17 to Wednesday, May 16. The times remain the same, with the opening at 6 PM and the concert at 7 PM. Our apologies for this necessary change to the calendar!

Meet Mr. Habermann

March 21, 2018

Middle and Upper School music teacher and choir director

How many years have you been at MPA?
Eighteen years as the choir director. I was hired by Barb Bradley to vocal direct and accompany the musicals in 1996. I have been walking MPA halls for nearly half of my life!

What do you love about MPA?
The joy, positivity, passion, and drive exhibited by faculty, staff, and students.

How does MPA nurture students who forever dream big and do right?
We instill in our students the idea of possibility. What can we do now? The world is at your fingertips. Why not dive in and experience all that you can?

If you have worked at another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?
You can be yourself at MPA. Your uniqueness is celebrated. You are important and have something to “bring to the table.” It is like a choir … everyone’s voice is important and we want to hear what you have to say (or sing, in my case!).

What would you tell a parent considering MPA?
You will be jealous of your children’s education!

In what ways are you preparing students for life in the 21st century?
In choir, we are a community. What one person does affects not only you, but the whole. We may be independent thinkers, but we are interdependent beings. Music-making teaches discipline, perseverance, creativity, and the importance of deep listening. Read More

Registration Is Open For Basketball Camp!

March 15, 2018

Mounds Park Academy Basketball is excited to offer our annual Panther Summer Basketball Camp held Monday, June 11–Thursday, June 14, 2018 from 9 AM–12 PM in the Lansing Sports Center. Panther Basketball Camp is open to MPA and non-MPA students alike, who are entering grades 4-9 in Fall 2018. The cost of attending is $60 per camper and includes a camp t-shirt.

Learn French Cuisine This Summer At MPA

March 15, 2018

Middle and Upper School French and Spanish teacher Ms. Johnson will be continuing her French cooking class during Summer at MPA! Ms. Johnson inherited her French cooking skills from her mother and her uncle, who was a chef in France, and we are so excited to pass them onto students this summer. They will become versed on a variety of French recipes, mastering crêpes, quiche Lorraine, mousse au chocolat, soupe à l’oignon, and madeleines. During the week, students also learn about other culinary specialties from France as well as cooking techniques.

Ms. Johnson’s session is offered June 18-22 for students entering grades K-5. This type of summer enrichment is so unique to MPA, and will motivate and nurture students’ learning, while having so much fun in the process! We’re looking forward to a fun and engaging summer! Find more information and register here.

Congratulations To MPA Mathcounts!

March 15, 2018

What an exciting weekend for our Middle School Mathcounts teams! The team finished 21st at State overall!

Our top individual finisher was Leo Y. (8th grader) in 42nd place. Chloe A. (8th grader) was 74th, Griffin J.(7th grader) was 95th, and Skyler B. (8th grader) was 122nd. Everyone seemed to enjoy the experience and the challenge!

A warm congratulations to the team and to their coach, Mr. Ethier!

Hello From i-Term!

March 15, 2018

From the looks on their faces in all of the photos, i-Term week has been amazing for MPA Middle Schoolers! They’ve been near and far all over the map, spending the week immersed in learning things completely new to them through hands-on projects.

i-Term courses this year range from the intricacy of dramatic stage make-up to dog sledding, and these unique opportunities all embody MPA’s mission of thinking independently and learning joyfully. Some students will come home with the newfound knowledge of how to cook Puri or where to find the best tostadas in the Twin Cities. Some students will have created their own computer app and galaxy-ready rovers. Some have met and befriended our alumni who dream big and do right beyond MPA. Some will return with adventurous stories of the rainforests in Costa Rica.

These impressionable young minds are out in the world, exploring inquiry-based, experiential learning beyond the classroom. That is the nature of i-Term. Take a look at some of the fun so far and make sure to visit our Flickr page for ongoing updates!

MPA Upper School Week Of Action

March 15, 2018

At 10 AM on March 14, across every time zone in the country, students walked out of schools and classes to demand attention to school safety and gun legislation. When the clocks on our campus struck 10, the Lansing Lobby did not flood with students rushing to walk out. Instead, the Upper School Commons filled.

It has been a historic week at MPA that the Upper School students will surely never forget. They have exhibited the kind of responsibility, dedication, and action that we are proud to have at our school. The week of action was organized completely by Upper School student leaders.

To get the conversation started, on Tuesday, March 13, students organized a bipartisan Town Hall meeting on our campus with Minnesota State Senators Mark Johnson (R) and Chuck Wiger (D). “We would like to use this opportunity to facilitate a meaningful discussion between students and bipartisan policymakers about how we can work together to keep our schools and communities safe, and to hear from a variety of viewpoints on this issue,” they shared.

Then on Wednesday, equipped with calling stations, postcard templates, and the League of Women Voters, Upper School students took 17 Minutes of Action. They wrote and called their legislators and they registered and committed to voting. Some of the Middle School i-Term classes that were on campus at the time also came to witness and understand the Upper School’s 17 Minutes of Action. They were even motivated to take action themselves.