Middle School Archives

Celebrating Fine Arts Faculty Accomplishments

November 5, 2020

This week, MPA art teacher Renee Sonka and MPA theater teacher Heather Mastel were both featured and celebrated around the local and arts community for their crafts. We are so grateful to have such creative and passionate teachers in our MPA community!

Ms. Sonka’s sumi-e ink and watercolor artwork is featured in a virtual exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. This show contains over 2000 pieces, but only occurs every 10 years. View her work in the online exhibit here. Read More

Classes And Activities Cancelled November 3

November 2, 2020

Due to a water main break, all classes and activities will be cancelled tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3. We apologize for any inconvenience that this creates for your family.

We anticipate that Lower and Middle School will be able to return to their regular schedule on Wednesday, November 4 while Upper School may need to learn virtually through the end of the week due to the location of the water main break. We will update you again tomorrow based on the progress of the repair.

If you have any questions, please contact your division director or email communications@moundsparkacademy.org.

Thank you for your understanding.

Help Us Kick Off The Fall Campaign

October 29, 2020

The MPA Fall Campaign Committee invites you for a fun virtual kick-off event on Monday, November 9 from 7-7:30 PM. Hear a state of the school update from Dr. Hudson, listen to great student speakers, help us meet a special giving challenge, and celebrate the success to the start of the school year with other MPA families. The whole family is invited to attend to learn more, join in singing our school song, and if 50% of our community joins the call, we have a special challenge donation we will be eligible to receive from a generous donor of $10,000! Join us to learn more about this year’s You Give Fall Campaign, how your family can join in, and help us to build community virtually until we can all be together again safely in person. Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement with any questions at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org. Join via Zoom >

Parents Connect Wednesday Mornings

October 29, 2020

The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. We are still walking! Mark your calendars, it will be fun!

Wednesday, November 4 and November 11 will be a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot by the crosswalk and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children and furry friends are welcome to walk with us.

Future Wednesday morning walks will depend on the weather.

Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!

Traditions Reimagined

October 29, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I was at Home Depot a week or so ago with my husband Ross picking up a few materials for a home improvement project we are working on. What was supposed to be a quick trip turned out to be an adventure as he led me on a search for the plumbing aisle. Exasperated (and a little bit irritated) I asked him why this detour was so important. He said he wanted to purchase six feet of PVC pipe for Halloween. Still a bit irritated but now curious, I pressed further. As it turned out, he saw a device online constructed out of PVC pipe that delivers Halloween candy into the bags of trick or treaters while maintaining proper physical distancing. As head of school of MPA, I had to applaud his creativity and adherence to proper health and safety measures.

Like so much in our day to day lives, COVID-19 is requiring us to reimagine just about everything, including Halloween. Hardly a day goes by when a need arises to rethink a tradition, policy, practice, or program. Teachers, students, staff, and administrators have all become adept at holding fast to our traditions and values while at the same time making the necessary accommodations for health and safety purposes.

Our much beloved Halloween tradition, the Lower School Halloween Parade, is the latest example of this phenomenon. It is one of my most favorite traditions for many reasons, not least of all the joyfulness of a PreK-12 school under one roof. It is pure magic seeing the joy-filled faces of the older students and the excitement on the faces of our younger students as they parade through the Middle and Upper School hallways—and to have parents on campus to witness it. Not to fear, a virtual parade of sorts is taking place as adorable pictures of our Lower School students in their Halloween costumes are on display on the many display screens located throughout the building. I’ve seen Upper School students seated to watch the rotation in its entirety—staff too. Click here to see last year’s parade on campus and here to see this year’s virtual version. Read More

We’re Number One!

October 22, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

For most of our school’s history, MPA was considered the best-kept secret in the East Metro. Our humble beginning led to an institutional humility that while we enjoyed great success, we were a bit hesitant to say that too loud or too often. That humility was one aspect of MPA that I clearly identified with, personally and professionally. The lack of a sense of entitlement and elitism at MPA is consistent with the admonishment of my parents “to let my actions speak louder than my words.” However, when words and actions do align, people begin to take note and affirmation and recognition soon follow.

Such was the case last week when MPA received news that our school is now ranked #1 among the 62 private schools in the state of Minnesota according to Niche.com and #60 among 2,525 private schools in the United States. Many of you are probably familiar with Niche, an online, crowd-sourced review of schools, colleges, and neighborhoods. Built upon the reviews and recommendations, Niche also incorporates quantitative data in making their determinations. Read More

Thriving In Class, On Campus And At Home

October 22, 2020

At the front of her hybrid classroom, Upper School history teacher Katie Murr sits facing her physically-distant classroom of students faces, in person and on screen. Behind her, the virtual students’ faces are also projected on the whiteboard to face the rest of their peers. The room is equipped with an Owl Pro speaker and a brand new mobile screen to keep her virtual students connected in the classroom, even from home.

Though the class is physically in two places at once, the student experience remains whole. In a recent classroom discussion about the presidential and vice presidential debates, students on campus and online popcorned their way through their thoughts and questions. At each hand that was raised, Katie listed who was next in the discussion queue. “It feels ‘normal!'” Ms. Murr remarks. “It’s working, because I can still enable an engaging discussion.” Read More

Meet the Short Herring Family

October 8, 2020

Dr. Courtney Herring, pediatrician and member of MPA’s COVID-19 Community Advisory Group, and her children, Carter (grade 6) and Harper (grade 5) share how their experience is going so far this fall at MPA.

How is MPA making sure you’re safe at school?

Harper: MPA has been and always will be my favorite school. They have spent a lot of time on making sure everyone is six feet apart, wearing a mask, and sanitizing their hands. MPA has kept me educated and safe.

How is MPA incorporating the important tasks of building community and maintaining joy while still ensuring the safety of all constituents?

Dr. Herring: The task of re-opening any school during a population health crisis is daunting. The administration and staff at MPA worked tirelessly to build-in safety provisions with logistical planning required to allow our children to return to the classroom. Whereas safety is first, social development and academic delivery should not be demoted to second-level importance. MPA understood these principles and picked up the gauntlet in a way that makes all of us should proud to be part of our “Dream Big. Do Right.” family. By not losing focus, our students have been re-engaged and families supported while relationships continue to be built through in-person and virtual platforms.

Important Clarification About Virtual Grandparents & Special Friends Week

October 8, 2020

Due to our essential COVID-19 safety measures, we are unable to host Grandparents and Special Friends on campus next week or gather as a school community for any type of live performance. Instead, we are excited to offer a virtual week aimed at celebrating the special relationships between our students and their grandparents and loved ones. Read More

Not Obstacles, Opportunities

October 8, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Over the summer, a transformation took place at MPA. A little known and underutilized courtyard tucked away between the Lower School and our new Martin Lenz Harrison Library became a magical garden of discovery and joyfulness. What was grass is now a place where students can witness the growth and life, get their hands dirty, reconnect with the earth, and enjoy the bounty of fresh vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Each section of the garden is marked by hand-painted stones with the name of the plant in English, French, and Spanish. The garden is the realization of a vision shared with me by Lower School parent Michelle Mick. Together with husband Tim, children Isaac and Freya, Chef Doug, Upper School student Samantha Forgosh, Class of 2019 alum Jaeden McFarland, and grounds staff Andy and Josh, Michelle created this charming and enchanting space for all to enjoy.

Fast forward to this week when the Lower School gathered virtually to launch CHAMP for the 2020-21 school year. In case you are not familiar with CHAMP, it stands for Character Happens At Mounds Park. CHAMP is a time-honored program wherein a character trait is chosen to explore with students throughout the school year in the classroom, in special assemblies, service-learning, music, art, and drama. This year’s theme, perseverance, is particularly relevant given the challenges presented by the pandemic. Read More