Middle School

Student Council Winter Clothing Drive

December 10, 2020

The Student Council is hosting a winter clothing drive in a contactless drop-off to collect warm winter coats and clothing for families in North Minneapolis. Similar to when you’ve picked up school supplies from the North Entrance, you will be able to drive up with your donations and drop them off without getting out of your car. After placing them in your trunk, a volunteer will pick your donated winter clothing with gloves and a mask. To contribute, please drop-off your materials at one of the following times:

Monday, December 14 from 4-5 PM
Tuesday, December 15 from 5-6 PM

Thank you for donating and for your support!

MPA Founders’ Day Cupcake Recipe

December 9, 2020

Happy Founders’ Day! Continue celebrating MPA’s birthday at home with the delicious Founders’ Day vanilla cupcake recipe. These are the cupcakes that were distributed to Lower School students and baked during the virtual Middle School baking show to celebrate! Thank you for the recipe, Chef Doug!

Cupcakes

Equipment needed: Measuring cups, large mixing bowl, pastry blender or two large forks, small mixing bowl, measuring spoons, wire whisk, rubber spatula, cupcake pan, paper/foil muffin cups, flour sifter

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 Cup of Sugar
  • 3⁄4 Cup softened butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 1⁄2 cups flour
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1⁄2 cup milk

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Introducing Pantherpedia!

December 3, 2020

Lower school at a CHAMP AssemblyWe are excited to introduce Pantherpedia, a fun new feature where we define one word that’s unique to MPA! If you have a word or phrase that you want defined, let us know and we’ll feature it in an upcoming Pantherpedia entry!

CHAMP Program [tʃæmp prəʊɡræm]⁠⠀
Noun: The CHAMP (Character Happens at Mounds Park) Program is MPA’s Lower School character development program in which a character trait is chosen every year for students to explore in their homeroom classrooms, in special assemblies, in service-learning, and in music, art, and drama classes. PreK through fourth grade students come together for a monthly CHAMP assembly to learn about character traits such as friendship, cooperation, compassion, respect, self-control, responsibility, inclusiveness, courage, mindfulness, and integrity. In addition, service learning is embedded in the CHAMP program and in the classroom, culminating in the fourth grade conflict manager program. Students learn the importance of giving back and helping others in ways that are integrated in the classroom curriculum. Our CHAMP curriculum has made a difference at MPA. Students strive to apply the character traits they’ve learned in school to their own lives.

Three MPA Teams Going To State Future City Competition

December 2, 2020

Rowan M. researching for future citiesBecause the annual Middle School Future City Competition is completely virtual this year, MPA students had a preliminary in-school competition to determine the top three teams going to state this year. The outputs are the same–a 1500-word essay in collaboration with their English class, a physical model of the city, and a presentation. However, the problem that students must solve changes every year. This year, students had to design and build a city of the future on the Moon. “This is the toughest problem I have seen in years,” Mr. Milam said.

Students had to research the Moon’s resources, how to travel to and from the Moon, and how to sustain life on the Moon. They developed many innovations in indoor farming, transportation, mining on the Moon, production of water and air, city infrastructure, and housing.

The three winning teams that are representing MPA at the State Competition are Annika B., Annika D., Zoya, and Navreen; Rowan, Lucia, Camdyn, and Sylvie; and Olivia, Lucy, Zainab, and Ava. We’re cheering you on, Panthers!

Celebrating The Holidays Safety

November 19, 2020

Be Safe Be Smart Be KindAs we’re sure you saw, Governor Walz announced yesterday a month-long pause to help curb the spike in COVID-19 cases that Minnesota is currently experiencing. In addition to suspending organized sports, the order bans indoor and outdoor social gatherings, discourages travel, closes bars and restaurants (except for takeout, delivery, or walk-up service), and closes fitness centers and entertainment venues. Click here for the full order.

In order to do our part, help slow the spread, and ultimately return to dial stop two on January 20, we urge all MPA families to follow this order diligently. Gathering with family members outside your household is a very high risk activity. Travel is discouraged as well. If you do plan to travel, please report it to covid@moundsparkacademy.org.

Thank you for joining us in helping slow the spread. We hope you enjoy the holidays while being safe, smart, and kind. And, as always, report any COVID-19 symptoms, exposures, or cases to covid@moundsparkacademy.org.

MPA Fall And Winter Athletics Update

November 19, 2020

Panther volleyball players on the courtYesterday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz released Emergency Executive Order which initiates restrictions/a pause on all organized youth and high school sports beginning Friday, November 20. These restrictions directly impact all Minnesota State High School League fine arts and athletic programs that are in-season (volleyball) or projected to start (alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, basketball, and hockey). The restriction remains in effect through Friday, December 18. More specific MPA athletic program information will be forthcoming as we learn more from the Minnesota State High School League.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Dan Haase, athletic director, via email.

A Sense Of Urgency On Give To The Max Day

November 19, 2020

lower school student building in the makerspaceby Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I am a procrastinator. A proud procrastinator, no less. It’s not that I am not productive or do not fulfill my responsibilities. I’m not lazy, but I do get distracted. There always seems to be a good article to read that pops up on my newsfeed, a post on Facebook I find intriguing, a conversation to be had with a friend or colleague, or a good book to read. Oftentimes, what helps me most is a firm deadline or knowing that people are depending on me to act.

Today is a deadline of sorts as our Fall Campaign winds down and we celebrate Give To The Max Day, both in support of the MPA Fund. If you haven’t yet made a gift, I strongly encourage you to do so. I feel a particular sense of urgency this year as we together navigate the uncharted waters of the pandemic. The urgency comes as we, the school and parents, join together to ensure our children have what they need to be safe, healthy, and continue to learn and thrive. What I know is that this endeavor costs more—more people, more technology, more infrastructure. Read More

The Foote/Nelson Family Gives Peace Of Mind

November 18, 2020

The Foote/Nelson FamilyDuring the Fall Campaign, we are excited to share stories from our community about the impact the school has made on their children and their family. The Foote/Nelson Family shares the how their child grew more and more confident and comfortable, finding a home at MPA.

How did your family come to MPA?
We were looking at options for a new school for Odin and had a neighbor whose son had gone to MPA. Living in Minneapolis, it made an impression because they were willing to drive far but were so happy. That neighbor’s son became a literal rocket scientist. All of the conversations we had with them as well as Odin’s visit to MPA just seemed like a really great fit.

Our experience has been great. Odin has really transformed. He had been having a really difficult time and it had taken a big hit on his self-esteem. When he visited MPA he felt really welcomed by the students and teachers right away. He felt really supported to do the work in his class and enjoys being recognized for the work he was doing. It is a good balance for Odin – teachers pushing him to do more where they see it while also having a lot of respect for his boundaries and challenges. The biggest thing for us is seeing how the teachers are really empowered to do differentiated instruction. In our conversations with MPA’s teachers regarding past challenges Odin experienced, they listened and then shared that in some instances they may provide instruction differently for Odin and beyond that if they need to adjust, they just do. It’s made such a difference because in all of our previous conversations we didn’t feel heard. Now Odin has teachers that will overcome barriers. Read More

Shift To Dial Stop Three

November 13, 2020

lower school student playing at recessa message from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
November 13, 2020

Last spring, when learning shifted to virtual, I made a promise to this community: We will all come together, as Panthers, and be our best—our most innovative, our most engaging, our most creative, our most kind, and our most hopeful, all the while prioritizing the community’s health and safety.

That’s exactly what we’ve done. And we’ve seen great success because of it. We have had no on-campus transmission. Our health and safety protocols are working. Internally, things are strong and stable, in large part because we have come together, as Panthers. Unfortunately, the external COVID-19 metrics that we monitor closely have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Projections indicate that there is no relief in sight.

In partnership with the administrative team and members of the Community Advisory Group, I have made the difficult decision to proactively transition our community to dial stop three: PreK on campus, K-4 on campus in cohorts, 5-12 in virtual school. Read More

Plan The Work, Work The Plan

November 12, 2020

ninth grader racing their mousetrap carby Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I benefitted from the guidance of a mentor whose mantra was, “plan the work, work the plan”. The constant drumbeat under his leadership helped me develop an appreciation for strategic thinking and long-range planning. Along the way I learned the necessity of looking ahead and the discipline required to achieve progress. Without an end in mind, as Alice learned from the Cheshire Cat, any road will suffice.

Mounds Park Academy has a long history of strategic planning designed to advance the mission of the school and to meet the emerging needs of students in an evolving and increasingly globalized society. Setting the vision of the school and establishing strategic direction are among the most important responsibilities of the MPA Board of Trustees. Our most recent plan, Momentum 2020, guided the MPA community through the last five years and came to an end last May. Momentum 2020 has been instrumental in setting forth a direction and providing strategic priorities that led to the incredible success and growth we’ve enjoyed over the last five years. Read More