Parents Association Archives

Parents Association News And Events April 25, 2024

April 25, 2024

Lower School Parent Quarterly Coffee
Tuesday, April 30, 8-9 AM, Library
Stop by for coffee for a chance to meet and greet before summer break!

Thursday, May 2 In Middle School

5 PM Family Dinner, MA Family Commons
6 PM MS Transition Meetings for grades 4-8
7 PM MS Vocal Concert

Join us for a MS pre-Concert Family Dinner! Grades 4-8 are invited along with families. We’ll have pizza and flatbreads, salad, and dessert from Sage, including allergy-friendly options. Please RSVP by Venmo: send $5 per person to Molly Oliver, @Molly-Oliver-7 (last four digits 4533). Be sure to note your student/family and any allergies. The deadline for RSVPs is April 27.

Upper School Parent Quarterly Coffee
Friday, May 3, 8-9:30 AM, Porter Conference Room
Joining us will be representatives of Vanke Meisha Academy (VMA), a Chinese international school located in Shenzhen, China with whom MPA has established a formal partnership. Learn more about the partnership between the two schools, share information about MPA through the lens of a parent, and gather details about the education system in China. Coffee and pastries will be served.

Middle School Parent Quarterly Coffee
New Date: Friday, May 3, 8-9:30 AM, Library
Coffee, pastries, and community. What better way to start a Wednesday! Come to connect with Mr. Paul Errickson, MPA’s incoming Middle School director.

Volunteers Needed For New Family Panther Party
Friday, May 3, 3:45-5:45 PM, Family Commons
Calling all parents! MPA would love for you to help welcome new families to MPA. On May 3, from 3:45-5:45 PM, we will be welcoming newly admitted families to campus during the annual New Family Panther Party. Volunteers are needed to meet and greet new families, inform folks of our summer events, and answer any questions families might have. We will also be selling MPA Spiritwear from our Talisman collaboration. Sign up today!

Faculty & Staff Appreciation
Tuesday, May 7
Join the MPA Parents Association as we celebrate National Teachers Appreciation Day. We will be baking cookies for all MPA staff in the Teaching Kitchen and serving the cookies during lunch. All supplies provided. Click here for details. The MPA PA: Still. In. Our. Appreciation. Era.

Summer Sporting Events
MPA x MNUFC: MN United vs. Austin FC, Allianz Field
Saturday, June 22, 7:30 PM
Get your tickets ($49 each) in our group section here! The deadline to purchase tickets is June 7.

MPA x St. Paul Saints: St. Paul Saints vs. Omaha Storm Chasers, CHS Field
Friday, July 26, 7:07 PM (fireworks to follow the game)
Purchase tickets (infield seats this year!) in our group section here. The deadline to purchase tickets is July 8.

Parents Association News And Events April 18, 2024

April 18, 2024

Get Your MPA Merch
On April 18 and 20 at the track meets, and on May 3 at Panther Party for new MPA families, you’ll be able to purchase these outstanding items.

Track Meet Concessions
The Parents Association is excited to support Athletics as MPA hosts its very own track meets this spring! MPA has not been able to host home track meets because of the condition of our track. Thanks to our generous community, we raised funds, and it was resurfaced last summer! We are hosting two track meets this spring: Varsity on Thursday, April 18 and Middle School on Saturday, April 20.

Please consider donating items for our concessions stand: sport drinks, fruits, and snacks are on the wish list. Athletes need fuel to race! Offering concessions is a standard at other meets and an opportunity to serve everyone in attendance. If you are coming to watch your athlete, we’d appreciate your help staffing the sales tables. Click here to donate items or your time. If you have any questions, please reach out to Christine Larson at 612-251-1156 or clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org. Thanks in advance for your support of Panther athletes!

Lower School Parent Quarterly Coffee: Tuesday, April 30, 8-9 AM, Library
Stop by for coffee for a chance to meet and greet before summer break!

Thursday, May 2 In Middle School

5:15 PM Family Dinner, Family Commons
6 PM MS Transition Meetings for Grades 4-8
7 PM MS Vocal Concert

Upper School Parent Quarterly Coffee: Friday, May 3, 8-9:30 AM, Porter Conference Room
Joining us will be representatives of Vanke Meisha Academy (VMA), a Chinese international school located in Shenzhen, China with whom MPA has established a formal partnership. Learn more about the partnership between the two schools, share information about MPA through the lens of a parent, and gather details about the education system in China. Coffee and pastries will be served. Read More

A Tremendous Success

April 17, 2024

Last Thursday, the Parents Association hosted Cultural Celebration Day, an evening celebrating the diversity of backgrounds at MPA with food, music, dance and community. Some of the highlights of the event were beautiful dance performances by MPA parents and students, colorfully decorated tables set up by the hosts sharing their culture and cuisine, the ever-popular henna artist, Bilkis and Boba tea vendor, Treats. It was wonderful to experience the energy and engagement from community members. We hope to see you all next year!

A big thank you to all who helped make this event a success:

Cultural Celebration Planning Committe: Fatima Khan, Erika Beernink, Mitun Gupta, Tenia Kalogeropoulou, Reema Anwar, Seema Anwar and senior, Soumya Raman

Cultural booth hosts: Moira Duverneau-Salifu and Ishmael Salifu, Jingtao Wang, Nouf Gazdar, Abdullah Hejazi, Than Zaw, Maw Maw Win, Rudy Karam, Catrin Magnusson, Evelyn Johnson, Maria Jose Johnson, Jessica Blue, Marisue Gleason, Cedar Meem, Kari and Jeffrey Kunze-Hoeg, Samah Fahmy, Mark Segal, Chanda Williams, Tara Lafferty, Mitun Gupta, Srilakshmi Sastry, Fatima Khan, Reema Anwar, Fabiola Grubhofer

MPA Staff: Cherie Honan, Lamar Shingles, Jennifer Le Varge, Natalie Waters Seum and Michael Pappas – Communications, Roy Timm and Tom Connors – Facilities Department, and Chris Pula – Sage Dining Services Read More

Parents Association News and Events April 4, 2024

April 4, 2024

Parents Association News & Events
MPA Merch Pickup Dates
If you ordered merchandise from the MPA PA and Talisman collaboration, those items are here! Pick up your spirit wear on April 4, in the Family Commons, from 3-3:45 PM. Pick-up will also be available at the Lower School Art and Music Show that same evening, again in the Family Commons. We will also have items available for pick up and purchase on April 11 at our Cultural Celebration Day, on April 18 and 20 at the track meets, and on May 3 at the Panther Party for new MPA families. If you wanted to order something but missed this round, items will be available for purchase during those pick-up times. Come check it out!

Panther Committee Meeting
Friday, April 5, 1:30-3 PM, Porter Conference Room
Are you passionate about athletics at MPA? If you have a sporty Lower School student and see MPA athletics in the future, this is a great place to join the team! If you have a Middle School student who plays club sports and you’re not sure how that translates to MPA sports, this is the spot for you. If you have an Upper School athlete who is hoping to play their sport in college, we may be able to connect you with like-minded families. The Panther Committee will determine topics of interest and work closely with Dan Haase, athletic director, to support MPA athletics. Interested parents can just come or reach out to Christine Larson at clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org.

Lower School Parents LGBTQ+ Family Group
Thursday, April 6, 1-2:30 PM
Contact Rachael Weber at rachaeleweber@gmail.com for more details.

Cultural Celebration Day
Thursday, April 11, 3-6 PM
The MPA Parents Association invites you to a Cultural Celebration event on April 11 from 3-6 PM. Enjoy sweet and savory street food from around the world and an international tea bar. Experience beautiful music and interactive folk and classical dance performances. Engage with community members who will be sharing their cultural heritage. Go home with some cool body art from an expert henna artist. Try your hand at global crafts — Greek laurel wreath making and Chinese paper lanterns. Learn how to use chopsticks. Attend a food demonstration. On offer are fun activities for the whole family! Looking to help out at Cultural Celebration Day? Sign up to volunteer! Food and drink tickets ($1 each) will be sold at the event. Zabiha, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options will be available.

Dr. Hudson’s Book Club
April 18 at 6 PM
Please join Dr. Bill Hudson and fellow book-loving parents in the MPA Library for a discussion of “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese on April 18. “The Covenant of Water” is “a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.” Sign up today to read this hotly anticipated novel by a beloved author!

Track Meet Concessions
Thursday, April 18 and Saturday, April 20
The Parents Association is excited to support athletics as we host our very own track meets this spring! In recent years MPA has not been able to host home track meets because of the condition of our track. Thanks to our generous community, we raised funds, and it was resurfaced last summer! We are hosting two track meets this spring: Varsity on Thursday, April 18, and Middle School on Saturday, April 20.

Please consider donating items for our concessions stand: Sports drinks, fruits, and snacks are on the wish list. Athletes need fuel to race! Offering concessions is a standard at other meets and an opportunity to serve everyone in attendance. If you are coming to watch your athlete, we’d appreciate your help manning the sales tables. Sign up to donate items or your time! If you have any questions, please reach out to Christine Larson at 612-251-1156 or clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org. Thanks in advance for your support of Panther athletes!

Spring Auction: Together, We Can Move Mountains
Friday, April 19
Don’t forget about the upcoming Spring Auction! Be sure to buy your tickets here. If you cannot attend in person, there are many ways to get involved! You can buy a Golden Ticket for a teacher, or you can buy a ticket to the event for a teacher or teachers of your choice. Also, the new fund-a-need will support encouraging strong executive functioning skills for all our students. Giving to that fund is a great way to support student learning and development!

Save the Date
Tuesday, May 7
The last Faculty and Staff Appreciation event of the year is coming on Tuesday, May 7, which is National Teacher Appreciation Day. More details coming soon.

Save the Date for These Summer Events
Saturday, June 22: Minnesota United FC game
Friday, July 26: St. Paul Saints game

Cultural Celebration Day Is A Week Away!

April 4, 2024

Are you ready for Cultural Celebration Day at MPA? The celebration, which will be held on April 11, from 3-6 PM in the Family Commons, is just a week away! Organized by the MPA Parents Association, the night will feature many of the different backgrounds at our school.

Cultural Celebration Day will entail sweet and savory street food from around the world, including a boba tea bar hosted by Treats, a cereal bar and Boba shop based out of St. Paul. In addition to the food from different cultures, the event aims to teach the steps to Sirtaki, a Greek folk dance, and feature a Kathak dance workshop, a classical Indian dance form, presented by the Katha Dance Theater. Other offerings include going home with some cool body art from an expert henna artist, trying your hand at global crafts such as Greek laurel wreath making or Rangoli, and learning how to use chopsticks. Speaking to community members with booths set up to share their culture and or offer samples of their cuisine is strongly encouraged! Food and drink tickets ($1 each) will be sold at the event. Zabiha, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options are available.

Looking to help out at Cultural Celebration Day? Sign up to volunteer! Please email sanwarPA@moundsparkacademy.org with any questions regarding Cultural Celebration Day at MPA!

Parent Association News March 7, 2024

March 7, 2024

Cultural Celebration Day
Thursday, April 11, 3:00-6:00 PM
Save the date for Cultural Celebration Day at MPA! Enjoy an evening of food, music and crafts from around the world.

The Parents Association invites you to be a part of our cultural showcase. Please email sanwarPA@moundsparkacademy.org to reserve a table and share your culture and heritage with the MPA community.

Dr Hudson’s Book Club
April 18 at 6:00 PM
Please join Dr. Hudson and fellow book-loving parents in the MPA Library to discuss “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese on April 18. “The Covenant of Water” is “a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.” We can get you this book in time for Spring Break reading, so sign up here today to read this hotly anticipated novel by a beloved author!

New MPA Merch
New merch is here for Mounds Park Academy!
Introducing a fresh collaboration between the MPA Parents Association + Talisman, a St. Paul-based lifestyle brand by MPA alum and parents Bethany and Dustin Branan!

Shop gear for the whole family including new tees, crewnecks, hoodies, and caps.
Preorder Online Now through March 15
Use code: SCHOOLPICKUP at checkout for pickup at MPA on April 4, or select paid shipping options for home delivery
Limited Quantities, Reserve yours today

Show your school spirit in style! Go Panthers!

Save the Date for These Summer Events
Saturday, June 22: Minnesota United FC game
Friday, July 26: St. Paul Saints game

Parent Association News February 29, 2024

February 29, 2024

Cultural Celebration Day

Thursday, April 11, 3-6 PM

Save the date for Cultural Celebration Day at MPA! Enjoy an evening of food, music, and crafts worldwide!

Would you like to be a part of our cultural showcase? Please email sanwarPA@moundsparkacademy.org to reserve a table or booth.

Join the planning committee! We would love your help choosing cultures and cuisines to feature this year. Please email sanwarPA@moundsparkacademy.org.

Save the Date for These Summer Events

Saturday, June 22: Minnesota United FC game

Friday, July 26: St. Paul Saints game

Join Dr. Hudson!

Please join Dr. Hudson and fellow book-loving parents in the MPA Library to discuss “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese on April 18. “The Covenant of Water” is “a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.” We can get you this book in time for Spring Break reading, so sign up here today to read this hotly anticipated novel by a beloved author!

Parents Association News January 11, 2024

January 11, 2024

New! Parents Association Trivia Night
Friday, January 26, 6-8 PM
Join us for a joyful evening of dinner and socializing at MPA hosted by Trivia Mafia! Compete to be trivia champions! For parents and guardians of students in PreK-12, $5 per person (adult or child), dinner from Cossetta, childcare available for grades K-6. For more details and to register, click here.

Dr. Hudson’s Book Club
Monday, February 12, 6 PM
One more announcement for our parent readers! Dr. Hudson’s Book Club will be back on February 12, 6:00 PM in the MPA Library. We will be reading “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride. Childcare will be provided. Sign up here to get your copy of the book.

Parent Volunteers Needed for Lower School Valentine’s Day Party
Please contact msotoPA@moundsparkacademy.org if you want to help organize the festivities!

Parents Association News and Events December 14, 2023

December 14, 2023

Thank You!
Thank you to all MPA community members who volunteered to wrap gifts for MPA staff on December 11. This is a beloved tradition at MPA where volunteers wrap the personal gifts of MPA Faculty and Staff, giving them the gift of time during the Holiday season. This Monday, we wrapped 229 gifts for 25 staff members! We took 0 lunch breaks and had 0 reported paper cuts. It was quite a day! Thank you again from Tara and the MPA PA!

Book Festival Success
Last week, during the 2023 Book Festival, the MPA community celebrated our love of literature in a big way! We raised money for the library, supported student literacy, and discussed so many wonderful books with each other. Thank you to our community for participating in this effort, and we would like to extend a huge thank you to our amazing volunteers who helped make the MPA Book Festival a success.

Dr. Hudson’s Book Club
February 12 at 6 PM
One more announcement for our parent readers! Dr. Hudson’s Book Club will return to the MPA Library on February 12 at 6 PM. We will be reading The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James Baldwin. Childcare will be provided. Sign up here to get your copy of the book.

Parents Association News and Events December 7, 2023

December 7, 2023

Holiday Gift Wrapping
Monday, December 11
Join the MPA Parents Association for this beloved holiday event. Give the gift of time to our staff by wrapping their gifts while also putting yourself in the holiday spirit. MPA teachers and staff bring in their unwrapped gifts; we return them wrapped and decorated. All supplies and snacks will be provided. Sign up here for one hour or more! See you in the Porter Conference Room (PCR), which is located in the Upper School above the Lansing/North entrance.

Middle School Pre-Concert Community Dinner—Last Call!
Thursday, December 14, Family Commons
The annual MS Dinner is here, and we want to welcome you and your entire family! Please join us next Thursday, December 14, from 5-6 PM before the MS Concert. A complete taco bar will be served in the Family Commons, along with beverages and dessert (allergies have been taken into account!). Please RSVP by sending $5 per person to Molly Oliver, PA MS Lead, via Venmo (@Molly-Oliver-7) or email Molly (moliverPA@moundsparkacademy.org) to make other arrangements. We need your RSVP by THIS SATURDAY, please!