Upper School Archives

May 16, 2018

As spring arrives and the 2017-18 school year begins to wind down, we are excited to welcome at least three and up to seven new international students to MPA next year from China, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam!

Some of these students come to us after one year in an American public school under their belts, while others will be arriving from their home countries in August, stepping foot on our campus for the first time.

As we prepare for their arrival in August, we are looking to expand our pool of host families in order to make the best pairings and happiest homes for all.

Mounds Park Academy will actively support the student and the host family through the entire MPA experience including:
• orientation for host families and students;
• continuous support for families and students;
• quarterly activities for families and students;
• English as a second language (ESL) and academic support;
• college application and preparedness counseling; and
• a $9,000 room, board, and transportation stipend to the host family (made possible by the MPA International Program’s tuition and housing fees).

Students Discovering Their Voices

May 10, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Monday mornings are generally a flurry of meetings at Mounds Park Academy. Both the Lower School and the Upper School begin the week with division-wide meetings intended to keep the respective community informed, share what is happening in the classroom, celebrate milestones and important achievements, and build community. Monday morning meetings also give voice to students and intentionally invite engagement into the life of the school.

Invite A Friend To Lunch At MPA!

May 10, 2018

On Tuesday, May 15, at 11:30 AM, MPA will host the final admission event of the 2017-18 school year–Lunch At MPA! Invite a friend, neighbor, colleague, or anyone you know who shares your educational values. We can’t wait to meet them!

Guests are invited to campus during a regular school day to meet school administrators over a casual meal and tour the campus to see our students and teachers in action.

Parent Resources For “13 Reasons Why”

May 3, 2018

On Tuesday, May 15 from 6-7 PM in the Recital Hall, MPA student support staff will host an information night for grade 7-12 parents regarding the upcoming second season of “13 Reasons Why,” which is stated to be released on May 18, 2018.

The evening will include conversation and resource sharing for parents in preparation for the release of the show. “13 Reasons Why” is a Netflix series that has prompted significant controversy and concern among parents, educators, and mental health professionals. The show depicts a central character who dies by suicide, leaving behind 13 tapes for different people in her life who affected her negatively. Mental health professionals have expressed concerns that the show fails to make any mention of the underlying mental illness that is present for the vast majority of young people. Furthermore, the show has received intense criticism for romanticizing suicide. The show also fails to adhere to “Recommendation for Reporting on Suicide” guidelines developed for media outlets by prevention specialists who discourage describing suicides in graphic detail.

Students are welcome to attend the informational gathering as well.

May 3, 2018

Now is the time to get excited about 2018 MPA fall sports and register now! Please note that there are new opportunities for students going into grade five!

MPA believes athletics complement the academic experience, provide balance to our students’ lives, and foster school spirit. We offer one of the broadest prep-school athletic programs in the Twin Cities with first-rate facilities. MPA coaches are teachers, and the fields are extensions of the classroom. Athletics at MPA encourage students to participate, engage, and dream big. Through this, student athletes develop commitment, character, perseverance, initiative, leadership and teamwork! With options including cross country, volleyball, tennis, and soccer, we are so excited for another outstanding fall season!

Sign-up for fall sports here!

2018-19 All State Choir And Band Honors

May 3, 2018

We have so much to celebrate in Upper School! Congratulations to the students who were selected for the 2018-19 All-State Choir and Band programs!

Jordan Akers, Solveig Svennevig-Brosi, Gabby Law, and Julia Portis were selected to be members of the 2018-19 All-State Choir. Jordan, Solveig, and Gabby will sing in the All-State Mixed Choir while Julia will represent MPA in the Soprano-Alto Choir. They will spend a week at St. Olaf College making music with some of the best high school musicians across the state this summer. Lauren Vilendrer and Lance Go were selected to be members of the 2018-19 All-State Band program! Lauren will join the All-State Symphonic Band and Lance will join the All-State Jazz Ensemble. They will participate in the All-State music camps this summer, rehearsing under a guest conductor with outstanding local high school musicians. Bravo to everyone! MPA is so proud of you!

2018 Athena Award Recipient

May 3, 2018

Congratulations to MPA Senior Abby Goodno for receiving the Athena Award! An outstanding multi-sport student athlete involved in basketball, soccer, and softball, Abby was honored for her athletic achievements at the MPA Upper School Monday morning meeting and at the annual St. Paul Area Athena Awards ceremony.

The award is named after Greek goddess Athena, known for her wisdom and skills, and thus the Athena Award honors female high school seniors for their athletic achievements. Dedication, confidence, achievement, and motivation are all taken into consideration when choosing a recipient. We are so proud of Abby for representing MPA with all of these traits!

Volunteer With MPA This Summer!

May 3, 2018

The summer is almost upon us! The Office of Admission is excited to be a part of several fun summer events and we are looking for volunteers to help us share MPA. We will be at the MSP Mini Maker Faire, Grand Old Day, and the Twin Cities Pride Festival. Volunteers can click on this link to sign up on a first come, first serve, basis. Please let me know if you have any questions and we’ll see you this summer!

Thanks For An Amazing #ShareMPAMonth!

May 3, 2018

Thank you for sharing your love of MPA throughout all of April! We received more than 100 reasons why you love MPA and are elated to see all of the things that makes our community special and impactful. Because of how many replies you sent, we will be sharing them periodically on MPA’s social media, so keep an eye out for yours! For now, enjoy a few to share the joy:

“I love how caring and thoughtful the teachers are.” – Lia S.

Teaching Students to Make a Difference

May 3, 2018

by Erica Brewinski ’96, Middle School Director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will now find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their stories and reflections about life at MPA!

“You can change the world.” When I think back on my education at MPA, these are the words that always come to mind. Maureen Conway, retired Upper School history teacher, repeated them to her students so many times that no one could doubt that we had the ability to shape the future for the betterment of the world around us. After graduating from MPA, I put these words into action by creating a new program in which Brown University students were paired with developmentally disabled adults in the Providence community so that the latter could learn and practice important life skills. While the rest of my college friends volunteered in pre-standing programs or, more likely, didn’t bother with service at all, I felt both empowered and compelled to take action to address a need that I knew would make a difference. MPA provided me with the skills, courage, creativity, and perseverance necessary to create something from scratch, including programming, budgeting, advertising, locating and working with a large number of community partners, and more in a place where I could no longer rely on family and friends for help. It also guided me to choose a career in education, since I could think of no better way to make a difference than by guiding the next generation.