Middle School

Middle School Division News, September 7, 2023

September 7, 2023

from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

  • Friday, September 8: Picture Make-Up Day
    • MPA Ice Cream Social, 3 PM, South Lawn
  • Monday, September 11-Wednesday, September 13: Grade 6-Eagle Bluff Overnight
  • Thursday, September 14: Curriculum Night, 6-8 PM
    • Informational Meeting for Grade 5 Overnight
    • Informational Meeting for Washington DC Trip (new students!)
  • Wednesday, September 20-Friday, September 22: Grade 5-Osprey Wild Overnight
  • Monday, September 25: No Classes, Yom Kippur. Register for K-8 Panther Care here.
  • Tuesday, September 26-Saturday, September 30: MPA Homecoming Week
  • Thursday, September 28: Middle School Parent Coffee, 8:15 AM, PCR
  • Friday, September 29: Middle School Homecoming Games
    • All School Homecoming Assembly, 2:20 PM, Lansing Sports Center
  • Friday, October 6: Picture Retake Day
  • Monday, October 9: No Classes, Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  • Thursday, October 12: All School Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
  • Friday, October 13: No Classes, All School Conferences, 8-5 PM
  • Wednesday, October 18: Lower and Middle School Grandparents and Special Friends Day (details coming soon!) (note: Dismissal is at 3 PM.)
  • Thursday, October 19-Friday, October 20: No Classes, Fall Break

Happy second week of school! It’s been delightful to welcome your young people back to school and our hallways are once again bustling with energy, laughter, learning, and lots of JOY!

Every other week, I will share new information, important dates, and upcoming items that require your attention. It’s always my suggestion to get out your planners and family calendars and get these items noted so they don’t sneak up on you. Middle School is a busy, busy time, and your student (and their frontal lobe!) need your assistance in keeping up with it all!

Picture Day–Make-Up Date
If you missed Back to School Night and/or having your picture taken then, please plan for your student to take their picture this Friday, September 8. Picture retakes (if you do not like your school photo) will be in October!

Middle School Study Hall
Study hall has been moved under the umbrella of Panther Programs. Students who would like to remain on campus after school to complete homework are asked to register for Panther Den. A quiet space, for working and studying, will be offered, as needed for those Middle School students interested. Read More

Parents Association News and Events, September 7, 2023

September 7, 2023

Welcome to the PA, Panther Parents! Our goal is to enrich the MPA experience through community building, continuing traditions, supporting faculty and staff, and acting as a resource for all families. All MPA families are members of the Parent’s Association, and we would love to see you attend or volunteer at one of our events. We offer activities across all levels of the school community, and we want to connect with you. If you’re interested in learning more about what we have to offer, please email, PA@moundsparkacademy.org.

Upcoming Events
September 8: PA Board Meeting, 8:30 AM, PA Room at MPA
September 28: MS Coffee Talk, 8:15 AM, Porter Conference Room
October 9-13: Staff Appreciation, donation and volunteer sign-up coming soon!

COVID-19 Community Update

August 31, 2023

As you may have seen in the news or within your social circles, there has been a recent uptick in new COVID-19 infections. MPA recommends guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this school year to keep students healthy and on-campus learning as much as possible.

If your student or someone at home is experiencing symptoms or is aware of a known exposure, please follow the CDC’s guidance on masking, testing, and isolation by clicking here.

If your student or someone at home has tested positive for COVID-19, please click here for recommendations and a helpful calculator for masking and isolation. In general, if someone has tested positive for COVID-19, they should do the following:

  • Isolate at home through day five (counting from day 0 as the day of symptom onset or positive test).
  • Monitor for moderate-to-severe illness. If moderate-to-severe illness occurs, isolate for ten days.
  • After five days, isolation may end, but individuals should continue wearing a mask around others through day 10 OR once two negative antigen test results have been received at least 24 hours apart.

Additional details regarding exposure and steps to take after testing positive are available at the links above. In addition, please email covid@moundsparkacademy.org with any questions or concerns. If your student needs to be away from school due to illness, including COVID-19, please use the appropriate absence notification steps based on their division.

The State of Minnesota has again provided free at-home COVID-19 tests for students and school personnel this school year. If your family needs a supply of these tests, please email covid@moundsparkacademy.org to request them.

Thank you for your partnership as we work toward a safe, healthy, and happy learning community this school year!

Make Plans for Friday’s Ice Cream Social!

August 31, 2023

Friday, September
3-4 PM
South Lawn

Let’s celebrate the start of an incredible year! Make plans to join us for a beloved MPA tradition, the Ice Cream Social! This is an all-school opportunity to connect with one another, enjoy a sweet treat, and meet our new families.

Details:

  1. A sundae bar with all of the fixings will be available for students and their families. All of the sundae bar items will be peanut and tree nut free and provided by SAGE.
  2. JonnyPops Organic Freezer Pops will be available at a separate station for food-allergic students. This should be safe for all MPA students, but it is not guaranteed. Ingredients will be available for review by parents or can be found at the link above.
  3. All Lower and Middle School students must be directly supervised by an adult. No Lower or Middle School student will be allowed to have a treat unless they have an adult with them.
  4. Because any frozen treat could be messy on a bus, bus riders will be sent home with an allergy-friendly pre-packaged Enjoy Life cookie.
  5. All students at Panther Club and Panther Den will be taken outside for a treat and supervised accordingly by Panther staff.

If you have any questions, please contact communications@moundsparkacademy.org. See you there!

Welcome Home To MPA

August 31, 2023

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

The new school year is off to a terrific start! To new families, welcome to the MPA family, and I look forward to getting to know you. To returning families, welcome back. Seeing how students have grown and matured in just a few short months is wonderful.

My spirits soared on Tuesday by the enthusiasm and energy of the first official day of school. When I arrived at school around 6:15 AM, I was surprised by the number of cars parked in the north lot. I quickly remembered that our seniors were gathering in the Benz Courtyard to celebrate the break of dawn on their last first day of school at MPA.

There was fantastic excitement on the other side of the building as students bounded into the building with zeal. Their enthusiasm was matched by parents who accompanied their children into the building and stayed for coffee and pastries sponsored by the Parents Association. It was a fantastic turnout and many told us that it was hard to leave the conversation and head off to work.

We have a longstanding MPA tradition of ending the first day of school with an all-employee meeting. I invite faculty and staff to share stories about the day and the mission moments that illustrate who we are. The joyfulness in the room was palpable. Here are a few examples of what was shared that reflect the common values we share at MPA: Read More

Ready To Embrace The New School Year

August 17, 2023

Two students at Panther Camp This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the August 2023 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Hello, August! In two short weeks, MPA students will return to campus–they’ll file in with fist bumps from Dr. Hudson, settle into their new classrooms with new teachers, and fill the Family Commons and playground while making new friendships and rekindling old ones. They will jump head first into the 2023-24 school year with a special enthusiasm that only the back-to-school season brings out in all of us. Read More

Join Us For Back To School Night

August 14, 2023

We are busy getting ready for the 2023-24 school year and we hope that you are as excited as we are! We have lots of information to share, including some important changes below. If you have any questions, please reach out to your division director or the Office of Communications at communications@moundsparkacademy.org.

Thursday, August 24

  • New Family* Orientation & Back To School Night
    *New families are considered those with students who are just joining our school plus all returning families with a student in grade 5 or 9

    • 3 PM | New Family Arrival, plus all returning families with a student in grade 5 or 9
    • 6 PM | Returning Family Arrival
    • 6:15 PM | All-School Welcome Back Assembly
    • 7:30 PM | Departure

Click here for the New Family Detailed Agenda.
Click here for the Returning Family Detailed Agenda.

  • School Photos During Back To School Night
    Martin Lenz Harrison Library

    • 4:30-6 PM | Session One
    • 6:30-7:30 PM | Session Two

We are so delighted to be joining you for Picture Day this year. Picture Day with Slow Road Photo is a little different, in all the best ways! Get ready for the BEST PICTURE DAY EVER!

  • School pictures will be happening at Back To School Night on August 24! Click here to sign up for your student’s picture time!
  • If you are unable to attend Back To School Night, the second Picture Day will be September 8. Retake day will be October 6.
  • Lower School students will no longer be in uniforms for Picture Day.
  • Be sure to add hello@slowroadphoto.com to your email contacts to ensure you receive all the communications and info from us. You will hear from us directly via email on August 17.
  • Please feel free to check out the resources available on our website, including our Welcome Message here and Parents’ Guide here.

If you have any questions regarding Picture Day or image ordering and delivery,
please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at hello@slowroadphoto.com.

Sign up for a picture time here.

Monday, August 28

  • New Student First Day Of School
    Includes All Returning Grades 5 and 9
    No transportation available.

    • 10:30-12:40 PM | New Lower School Students PreK-4. Before and after care is available for grades kindergarten through fourth grade with advance registration here. PreK before and after care is not available this day due to licensing restrictions.
    • 8-3 PM | New Middle School Students, including all grade five and all new grades six through eight. After care is available with advance registration here.
    • 8-3 PM | New Upper School Students, including all grade 9.
    • 8-12 PM | New Upper School Students in grades 10 through 12.

Click here for the detailed agenda.
Click here to sign up for before or after care.

Download the full back to school guide here.

Welcome to MPA, James Lekatz!

August 1, 2023

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Middle and Upper School Theater Teacher

From what school/organization are you coming?
International School of Minnesota

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I graduated in 2007 with a Theatre Arts degree from Augsburg University. Right after undergrad, I moved to London, England and completed my studies at the London International School of Performing Arts. Upon my return to Minneapolis, I worked as an Education and Access Associate at Stages Theatre Company, as well as music directed and composed many productions while on staff. I was Artistic Associate of Performing Arts at Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts where I collaborated to produce new works of musical theater with artists with and without disabilities. During Covid, I switch careers and moved fully into education. I taught music at Alice Smith Elementary and was the Head of Performing Arts at the International School of Minnesota.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The atmosphere at MPA is so welcoming and kind, who wouldn’t want to be a part of it? As schools start more and more to take away arts classes, I found it exiting to see that MPA has the arts fully woven into the curriculum. Not just theater, but all arts have a place for students. Read More

Making Wishes Come True

July 21, 2023

Molly Vergin is a rising senior in the Class of 2024, and she’s attended MPA since pre-Kindergarten. Molly is a two-time leukemia survivor, being initially diagnosed in first grade and then again in the final days of eighth grade. She’s just over two years out from a bone-marrow transplant and continuing her volunteer work with Make-a-Wish. MPA Seniors complete a service project as the culmination of their community service, and we’re happy to share some information from Molly with the MPA Community.

From Molly:
As I am approaching senior year (hard to believe!) I am beginning to work on my senior service project. For this project, I am continuing to work with an organization very close to my heart, Make-A-Wish Minnesota. As part of this, I will be leading a team at the Make-A-Wish Walk for Wishes on Saturday, August 5 at 10 AM at Minnehaha Regional Park. As most of you probably know, Make-A-Wish grants wishes for children with serious illnesses. The Walk for Wishes is a 5K with the goal of raising awareness for Make-A-Wish and funding future wishes. As a Wish Kid myself, I’ve seen the transformative impact that Make-A-Wish has on the children and families they serve, mine included.

In 2014, my wish was granted—to travel to LA to meet the cast of my favorite show, one I spent many hours in the hospital watching, The Amazing Race. My wish gave me something to look forward to–bringing me joy and excitement in a really rough time. The wish also helped bring our family together when our world had completely changed. I have volunteered and spoken for Make-A-Wish for the last eight years and I can say I am thrilled to support the organization through this year’s Walk for Wishes, and I hope that some of you would like to join me. There are two ways to do this—by visiting the Make-A-Wish Minnesota Walk for Wishes website, you can donate to a team participating in the walk and/or join us to participate in the walk. My team is named Team Molly, and my goal is to raise $5000 dollars for Make-A-Wish. This is a great opportunity to fund wishes for more children, and any amount helps!

  • If you would like to walk with us on Team Molly, registration for the walk is $25. You can do that here. (This will take you to the Team Molly page. You choose the “SIGN UP” button which begins the registration process.) That $25 goes directly to Make-a-Wish MN, and it also gets you a t-shirt.
  • If you are interested in making a donation, you can use this link. Donate to Make-a-Wish through Team Molly. (You will see a yellow “DONATE NOW” button near the top and/or a pink “DONATE” down next to Molly’s name).

Thank you so much to everyone for helping make Wishes come true for kids facing serious medical challenges. All donations go directly to Make-a-Wish MN to help fund future Wishes. In the photo included, I just learned my Wish had been granted. In the second, my sister Ellen ’21 and I are posing with the host of The Amazing Race, Phil Keoghan.

Welcome to MPA, Michael Claver!

July 17, 2023

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Middle School Music and Vocal Teacher

From what school/organization are you coming?
Saint Paul Public Schools

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I earned my undergraduate degree in vocal music education from Millikin University. After graduating in 2015, I taught middle and high school choir in northern Illinois. In 2018, I made the trek north, and began teaching with Saint Paul Public Schools. While working with Saint Paul Public Schools I taught K-5 general music, and 6-8 band, choir, and general music. I hold a graduate degree in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
Initially, MPA’s strong sense of community stood out to me. At MPA, everyone is supported and everyone belongs. The prospect of joining such a tight-knit community was really exciting. As I learned more about the wonderful work being done at MPA, I was delighted to find a community dedicated to doing right by students. From a focus on equity to a dedication to arts education, I am so excited to be a part of a community that values the holistic development of a person.

What lasting impact do you plan to have on MPA?
As a music teacher, I hope to give students tools to creatively find their voices. Music is a beautiful vehicle for self-expression. Through our work in music, I aim to give students the tools to grow into thoughtful, expressive, and authentic individuals.

What’s your big dream?
My big dream is to write a musical! This summer, I plan on making some headway toward this dream.

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
I have so many passions! I love singing, and getting a chance to share my voice with others. I am passionate about equity within education, and finding ways to develop equity within the spaces I manage. Also, I have a deep commitment to learning and growing. I love exploring new and unfamiliar topics!

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
I love theatre! Throughout my life, I have worked on more than 50 theatrical productions.