Upper School

Today’s Lineup Of Panther Games

October 11, 2018

girls tennisToday is full of Panthers competing in several different sports! We’ve rounded up all of the games for you, but make sure to follow MPA athletics on Twitter and turn on Tweet notifications to receive updates wherever you are! Go Panthers!

Girls Varsity Tennis is competing today at the Section 4A individuals tournament! Good luck to Middle School athletes Khushi J. and Freya R., seniors Julia Portis, Gabby Law, and Sofia Walker, and junior Ceci Driano!

Both Girls and Boys Soccer are playing in the Section 4A tournament today! The girls face St. Paul Harding and the boys take on St. Paul Como. Both games kick off at 5 PM on the road.

It’s Conference Championship Thursday for the Girls and Boys Cross Country runners! The Panthers race at Battle Creek Park starting at 4:30 PM.

Girls Junior Varsity and Varsity Volleyball take on Providence Academy at 4:30 PM and 6 PM. This match has important connotations for the approaching IMAC Championship, with both teams in the top of the the standings!

Two Strong Weeks For MPA Debate

October 10, 2018

MPA DebateCongratulations goes out to MPA Debate! The past two weekends have been excellent for both veteran and novice members of the team.

During Homecoming weekend, 24 students participated in the competition at Eastview High School, and half of them were making their debate debuts! There were 126 teams from 15 schools that participated, and MPA left with three undefeated teams and three awards for near-perfect records! The varsity team of seniors Ellie Quam and Henry Peterson placed second with an undefeated record. The junior varsity team of sophomores Isak Dai and Ellen Vergin were the champions of 31 teams with an undefeated record. The novice team of sophomores Izzy Quam and Emma Cohen placed fifth out of 72 teams with an undefeated record as well. Three teams also won awards for 3-1 records: sophomore Hana Miller and junior Charles Grimes, sophomores Garrett Hollihan and Ryan Ghose, and sophomores Fiona Blank and Salmah Elmasry. Read More

Meet MPA Talks Speaker Laurel Schwartz ’11

October 10, 2018

laurel Schwartz at a film festival for her documentaryLaurel Schwartz ’11 is currently a multimedia producer and social advocacy student at Columbia University. “Or, [I’m] a social scientist with a track record for getting things done,” she says.

After graduating from Mounds Park Academy, Laurel attended Scripps College, where she studied American studies and media studies. She has spent the last several years work at advertising agencies and PR firms creating media both for fortune 500 brands and for social advocacy causes. Additionally, her self-produced documentary about chronic illness appeared in several film festivals last spring.

We asked Laurel several questions so that you could get to know her better prior to MPA Talks!

What do you believe will be the greatest challenge our current students will face in their lifetimes and how do you see MPA equipping them to face that challenge? 

When I graduated from high school, I knew two things: first, that I was passionate about history and social change, and, second, that creativity made me tick. What I didn’t know was that one day, there would be a job that would allow me to use my creativity to make a difference in the world. MPA is so remarkable because it is an institution that truly allows each student to find what uniquely gets them fired up in the morning and helps students imagine opportunities, solutions, and even jobs that don’t exist yet. MPA equips students to follow their curiosity for the world. Read More

MPA Cross Country At State

October 8, 2018

MPA State cross country runnersCongratulations to MPA cross country for a terrific State meet!

Junior Henry Snider finished ninth to earn a medal and all-state honors, running his personal best–16:16! Senior Matthew Bourne ran his best-ever time in his third appearance at State. Eighth grader Margo N. also ran her best-ever time at State, which was five seconds better than last year! And while this was sophomore Katie Dahiya’s first State championship, she ran a time faster than anything she had run this season.

Way to go, Panthers! See more photos and videos on the cross country blog at mpa.link/ccstate18!

What You Will See At The MPA Preview

October 8, 2018

lower school group at recessOn Sunday, November 4, at 2 PM, prospective students and their families are invited to Mounds Park Academy’s campus for its fall Admission event, the MPA All School Preview! This will be a wonderful opportunity to get to know the people and the spaces that inspire students to dream big and do right. It will be similar to an Open House in that there will be time to explore, however a formal program will also help participants get to know MPA.

Lower School (grades PreK-4) families will start with a hands-on learning experience in the AnnMarie Thomas Makerspace, the only Makerspace of its kind in the Twin Cities for students in grades PreK-12. Newly opened, this space is a contemporary and physical manifestation of MPA’s long-standing belief that learning should be hands-on, experiential, and joyful. Following that activity, parents will move to an adjacent space to hear from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School, and Renee Wright, Lower School director, about what differentiates this division, while the children continue their activity. Parents and children will come back together and then head off on a student-led tour that will include visiting with homeroom teachers and specialists in their cozy classrooms. Read More

Coffee With The Parents Association

October 4, 2018

PA coffeeThe Parents Association is trying something new, and you’re warmly invited to join! The PA will be hosting several neighborhood coffee events, where you can come and meet MPA parents who live in your neighborhood. Parents of all grades are welcome! On Saturday, November 3, your coffee hosts will be at the following locations:

JUST ADDED! Amore Coffee–St. Paul
879 Smith Ave, W.
St. Paul MN 55118
9-11am

Dunn Brothers Coffee–Minneapolis
5008 Xerxes Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55410
9-11 AM

Quixotic Coffee–Highland Park
769 Cleveland Ave S
St Paul, MN 55116
8-10 AM Read More

Invite A Friend To Our Fall Preview

October 4, 2018

middle school girls walking to classInvite a friend to visit and get to know MPA! On Sunday, November 4 at 2 PM, prospective students and their families are invited to campus for its fall Admission event, the MPA Preview! This wonderful opportunity will be similar to an Open House in that there will be time to explore, however a formal program will also help participants get to know MPA.

From hands-on learning experiences in the Makerspace to cozy classrooms visits, families will enjoy student-led tours that will include meeting MPA’s exceptional teachers, visiting the state-of-the-art Makerspace and Lansing Sports Center, and getting to know all spaces that matter most to them.

Kindly invite your friends and neighbors to RSVP in advance for this engaging program at moundsparkacademy.org/RSVP. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Admission at 651-748-5577 or admission@moundsparkacademy.org. We can’t wait to meet them!

Thank You For An Amazing Homecoming!

October 4, 2018

lower school with panther at homecomingThank you to all our athletes, parents and families, volunteers, alumni, faculty and staff, and students who made Homecoming such a success! We had a great turnout at the Fun Runs and our Lower School National Anthem singers made several of us tear up at their performances. The food trucks served good smells along with their yummy food and our athletic teams had strong, competitive showings. The community laughed, shared stories, decorated faces, grabbed fun swag, threw beanbags and frisbees, and jumped in the bouncies. The air was crisp and the sounds of fun and laughter carried from the soccer field to Lansing Center.

It takes teamwork to bring all of the marvelous fun, good food, great sports, and community connections together. Thank you, everyone, for being a part of the team! Enjoy the joyful moments with our photo collection!

Making Homework Positive, Meaningful, and Low Stress

October 3, 2018

Lower school student reading a bookby Renee Wright, Lower School Director

How do I get my child to do homework without doing it for her? What should I do if my child is struggling with his homework? How do I motivate my child to do homework? Have you ever asked yourself these questions as a parent? If so, you are not alone. Most parents of school-age children have encountered homework challenges and struggles.

Many parents believe that their involvement in homework will make a positive difference. In a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, 85 percent of parents reported that they checked in with their child to see that homework had been completed. But does helping with homework impact school success? Most experts agree that it does, however, defining the right level of parental involvement is important.

In another study, researchers Erika A. Patall, Harris Cooper, and Jorgianne Civey Robinson found that the effects on parent involvement appear to strongly be influenced by four factors:

  • the nature of the homework assignment;
  • the involvement strategy used by the parent;
  • the child’s age and ability level; and
  • the time and resources in the home.

Homework assignments that are project-based and involve in-depth research, thought, and creativity enable parents to engage in meaningful discussions and enhance parent participation. In addition, when parents use strategies that support student independence and autonomy homework support is the most beneficial. Researchers also noted that age and ability influence the amount of help required by parents. Parents report spending more time helping their elementary age children than their secondary aged children. Parents of struggling students also spend more time helping with homework.

Lower School teachers at Mounds Park Academy participated in dedicated scholarly research on homework and established an agreed upon purpose and protocol for homework. They defined the purpose of homework as giving students the opportunity to engage in focused practice to further develop skills, extend lessons, encourage critical thinking, and develop good work habits. Homework, they determined, should also serve as a communication tool between the teacher and the family.

Read More

Happy Homecoming, Panthers!

September 27, 2018

homecoming spirit weekIt’s Homecoming! Fall has arrived, campus-wide Homecoming decorations are underway, and the Panther even made a guest appearance at the South Entrance this morning.

We can’t wait for you to join us for a full day of activities and athletic events this Saturday, September 29. The day starts bright and early with our 200M Fun Run at 8:30 AM, followed immediately by our 2-Mile race. Join us in the Lansing Center for coffee and breakfast treats at the Concessions stand, hosted by the MPA Spirit Committee. Head into the Lansing Center at 9 AM to hear our 3rd and 4th graders sing the National Anthem to kick off our annual Volleyball tournament. Go back outside and warm up as you race a friend through the obstacle course bouncy house. Make your way over to the tennis courts to cheer on our Panthers as they compete against Cretin Derham Hall and Woodbury! After tennis, go to the big tent and decorate your face, get a tattoo, pick up a t-shirt, claim a frisbee, or sip from a Homecoming cup. Read More