May 16, 2019
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School
It is hard to put into words how I feel about coming to school each day. I am incredibly fortunate to work with amazing people who inspire me by their professionalism and by their character. They are kind and caring people who love their area of expertise, their craft, and most certainly, the children they teach. MPA English teachers indeed love literature, but they also love engaging students in the exploration of the most fundamental questions about humanity and meaning. Our math teachers undoubtedly enjoy the intricacies of the relationships of numbers, but they also love awakening the curiosity and problem-solving abilities of their students. The very best teachers do not teach math, or science, or art. They teach students.
Whether by retirement or life changes, we will say goodbye to several of these remarkable MPA educators in a few short weeks. Most of us have left jobs behind because we were dissatisfied with working conditions, or because we were bored or underappreciated. Rather than leave MPA behind, these educators move toward new chapters in their lives. While it is difficult to bid farewell to them, I do so with gratitude for the mark they have had on this community and with joy for what lies ahead of them.
Congratulations to the MPA Girls Softball Team for winning the 2019 IMAC Conference Championship! This is the first championship title to be won by MPA’s softball team in school history. This year’s team composition has been tremendously successful, as it features a variety of grades and even a few players from Gentry Academy, who MPA has a co-operative partnership with this year. There are two seniors, four juniors, six eighth graders, and three students from Gentry Academy. All the players showed a commitment to the team from the beginning, such as eighth grader Siri S., who chose to play on MPA’s team along with her traveling softball team.
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School, Mounds Park Academy
After his performance at March’s US Nordic Skiing Junior Nationals race in Anchorage, AK, freshman Isak Nightingale was one of just 40 youth nordic skiers invited to the US Skiing National U16 Nordic Camp this July at the College of St Scholastica in Duluth. The camp brings together the top U16 Boys and Girls talent from across the country for a week of intensive training and education as one of the first steps towards the US Skiing national team development pipeline. Congratulations, Isak!
Congratulations to sophomores Ryan Ghose and Livia Wooldridge on placing 19th in the Nation in the Duo Interpretation Speech category at NIETOC! Duo Interpretation is an event where two competitors create a performance taken from comedic or serious literature, and interpret it without looking at or making physical contact with each other. Ryan and Livia performed Stephen King’s “IT,” receiving high regards from their judges at the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions, or NIETOC for short. Unlike other national tournaments where qualification depends on success at one tournament, NIETOC requires students to demonstrate competitive excellence the entire season in order to qualify, making it difficult to gain acceptance. Schools of all sizes, including some with enrollments of up to 3,000 students, were represented. Great job, Ryan and Livia! Go Panthers!
MPA Track and Field traveled to Blake for the IMAC relays on Thursday and had a number of terrific performances. Notable results for the girls team include 10th grader Katie Dahiya placing third in the 1600m run with a new personal best time of 5:39.78, now eighth best all time at MPA. In the 1600m medley relay, the team of seniors Gabby Law and Sofia Walker, junior Catherine Moore and eighth grader Greta M. (Gentry Academy) placed third with a time of 4:42.20, now ninth place all time at MPA. In the 4x100m relay, the team of junior Catherine Moore, ninth grader Ella Fruchterman, and eighth graders Zoe M., and Greta M. (Gentry Academy) placed third with a time of 53.64, now seventh of all time at MPA.
As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in honor of the national initiative, each weekday throughout the month at MPA there are activities, discussions, and presentations surrounding the topic of mental health. The month’s awareness events are focused on Upper School students, and are spearheaded by Ashley Cooper, Middle and Upper School counselor. While Ms. Cooper created the calendar of daily events, she shared that a lot of what she planned were direct requests from students.
Our volunteers are hard at work putting the finishing touches on the 2019 Spring Auction—Once Upon a Time! It’s not too late to get your tickets to this fun, entertaining, and important event in support of MPA. We’re so thankful for all of the hours that so many of our MPA community members have put in to make this year’s event our best yet.
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School