Upper School Archives

October 27, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

Like many of you, the first indication of a security issue was the generalized alert I received on my cell phone yesterday morning. MPA did not receive any advance notification or information. The school is fortunate to have a very constructive relationship with the Maplewood Police Department and I was caught off guard by the notification on my cell phone. Fortuitously, MPA has a very detailed and comprehensive emergency preparedness and crisis plan and we have drilled enough times that emergency response is instinctive. We are able to quickly implement a safety and security plan with the information we have available that is also flexible so that we can adapt to an evolving crisis.

Aside from the situation on Tuesday, we had an actual medical lockdown at the end of Grandparents and Special Friends Day on October 19 and a full lockdown drill on Monday, October 17. We are required by the State of Minnesota to hold five lockdown drills each school year. Research by our own current parent, James Densley, professor, author, co-founder of The Violence Project and a national authority on mass shootings, demonstrates that despite the high-profile nature of school shootings, schools remain one of the safest places. Knowing how to respond during a crisis helps everyone stay calm, understand their role, and act as safely and efficiently as possible. Again, balance is essential between being prepared and causing anxiety about something unlikely to occur. Read More

Upper School Division News October 27, 2022

October 27, 2022

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

I find it almost impossible to believe that the end of this week draws the end of the first quarter. This is hard to grasp as I vividly remember writing my summer letter to upper school families, welcoming the thirty new upper school students, and hosting a potluck for the Class of 2023 the first week of September where we discussed how quickly this year would go. With the close of the first quarter comes several questions that I will try to anticipate and answer before they are asked.

Will students receive a grade for their quarter 1 classes? Yes and no. Students will receive grades for their quarter long, non-elective courses like English, math, science, social studies, PE, and World Language. This, however, is not always the case. There are some courses like English 11 or Honors Chemistry Lab that will have work and grades carry over into quarter two and students will receive grades for these classes at the end of the semester. Also, students will not receive grades for their elective courses. These classes are semester long and, therefore, will receive grades in January. Read More

Parents Association News & Events October 27, 2022

October 27, 2022

PA Board Meeting
Friday, November 18 at 9 AM
The next MPA PA board meeting will be open to PA members. If you’re interested in attending, email sbanksPA@moundsparkacademy.org for a zoom link and more information.

MPA at the MIA
November 20 at 1 PM
Join other MPA families to tour the Special Exhibit, Botticelli and Renaissance Florence: Masterworks from the Uffizi. The cost of the exhibition is $20.00 for adults and free for children, and the MPAPA will be picking up the cost of the guided tour.

US Parent Dinner at India Palace
December 3, 8-10 PM
Looking for something to do while your US student dances the night away? Come meet other parents and have dinner at India Palace in Woodbury! They will stay open late for us, so please come and enjoy delicious food and great company. Read More

The Power Of Connection

October 26, 2022

The following essay is adapted from MPA Class of 2023 member Justin Choi’s Senior Speech.

I’ve always feared change. There’s something about leaving everything known and entering new territories that scares me. When my family and I made a choice to move to Minnesota, I didn’t have the time to fully evaluate the process of moving to a new country, a new environment. I was on the plane to Los Angeles when I realized how much of my life was packed on a small island in Hong Kong, and in that plane seat I also realized how frightened I was. I had never even met a single person in America. I had only met my aunts and uncles when they would occasionally visit Hong Kong or the rare time we would visit America, but even then, I’d never had a whole conversation with them. I realized this was going to be the biggest change of my life, and I had no idea how to even adapt.

I landed at MSP, and I immediately felt lost. I didn’t know where I was in the country, I didn’t have any friends, I had never seen lakes, boats…farms! I felt tiny–coming from Hong Kong, where I was the same size as everyone else–felt weird. In Hong Kong, there were mountains surrounding a concrete jungle. I could walk the streets throughout the whole city and find my way home. Here, I couldn’t even get from my house to my school…and for our first year here, we lived in the apartments right by MPA! Read More

MPA Preview Sessions Revealed!

October 25, 2022

If you have ever dreamed of a way to experience life at MPA in a day, the PreK-12 Preview is the perfect opportunity to discover why you belong here. You and your entire family are warmly invited to attend the MPA Preview on Sunday, November 6 at 2 PM.

This event will provide prospective families with an opportunity to truly discover the type of remarkable hands-on learning that MPA students do each day. You will rotate among several classes taught by our expert faculty. These will be interactive, experiential sessions that are actually abbreviated versions of real MPA lessons, modified to be appropriate for all ages.

LOWER SCHOOL SESSIONS

Physical Education: Juggling Scarves
Get ready to move, play, and laugh! Students will learn the basics of juggling by using one, two, or three scarves.

The Joy of World Language
There is so much joy in world language at MPA! In this session, you will learn some fall vocabulary, sing songs, play a game, and possibly work on a small craft.

“The Fall Song:” Bringing A Poem To Life
With “actor tools”–your body, face, and voice–join us for this intro to Lower School theatre. Put these tools to work and bring a poem to life!

Makerspace Marble Roll
Ready, set, roll! This beloved fourth grade Makerspace activity requires teamwork, creativity, patience, and enthusiasm.

Food Education
Join Ms. Santiago for a condensed hands-on version of her “Edible & Educational” ISACS food education fellowship work!

Science Sort
Students will love this sorting activity with our first grade teachers. This activity will be based on a short book, and then students will sort object-possible buttons by various features such as size and color. This will be hands-on and participatory. Read More

Welcome to MPA, Chanda Williams!

October 19, 2022

We are absolutely delighted to introduce Upper School families to Chanda Williams, MPA’s new Upper School and College Counseling administrative assistant. She started her role on Wednesday, October 12.

This is who Upper School families contact with questions related to daily life on campus including attendance and you may reach her at cwilliams@moundsparkacademy.org or 651-748-5544.

Please give her a warm MPA welcome!

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Upper School and College Counseling Administrative Assistant

From what school/organization are you coming?
Crystal Farms Dairy

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I attended Anoka Ramsey College and hold multiple certifications in areas such as IT, leadership, customer service, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and more. I am coming from Crystal Farms Dairy where I was an Inside Sales/Customer Specialist/Administrative Assistant. Some of the work I was responsible for there included:

• Performing administrative duties in support of the President, HR Director, and various departments as needed.
• Training interns and part-time staff on in-office tasks and company procedures.
• Overseeing and proactively managing reception area, mailroom, office supplies, office equipment, and special office projects.
• Assisting in developing proposals, presentations, and contracts with the EEO reporting.
• Establishing and maintaining company contacts, staff personnel, and monthly expenses.
• Boosting organizational communication by developing the company’s communication portal.
• Scheduling meetings, setting up conference rooms, and coordinating workshops.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The staff is very welcoming, and the campus is awesome!

What’s your big dream?
To travel the world.

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
We enjoy giving back to the community. It started with my grandmother. She would give you the shoes off her feet and the shirt off her back.

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
I love to double dutch!

Our Mission Is Our Compass

October 13, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

As I walk about the building each day, I see powerful signs of how the mission of MPA is brought to life and animated by students, teachers, staff, and parents. For instance, the Lower School gathered yesterday in the Family Commons to celebrate CHAMP Day, parents met on Monday to launch the inaugural Parents Association Diversity and Equity Committee, and students from across all divisions celebrated Maker Monday in the Makerspace honing their skills in designing and creating.

You may be aware that last year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Mounds Park Academy. During events throughout the 2021-22 school year, we took the opportunity to celebrate the founding ideals and mission of the school as they were lived out over the last 40 years. This summer, I was fortunate to be invited to lunch with several founders of MPA: Bob Kreischer, who, together with his then-wife Sandy Kreischer Smith founded the school; Harvey Kaplan, who deftly negotiated the lease and the eventual purchase of the school building; Karen Benz, who with her late husband George Benz, engaged and inspired other parents to philanthropically fund the school; and Jim Gardner, the founding member of the finance committee of the board whose fiscal stewardship established the school’s financial foundation.

It was inspirational to hear their stories about the successes and challenges they encountered and the joy, creativity, and passion that fueled their work. As I joined in the revelry with the founders, I shared ways in which the mission they established continues to live daily. I also became acutely aware that I, the board of trustees, and the entire MPA community, have the awesome and awe-filled obligation to advance the mission we’ve inherited for the next 40 years. The school’s mission is entrusted to us, and we have the existential responsibility to ensure the mission not only survives but thrives well into the future. Read More

Upper School Division News October 13, 2022

October 13, 2022

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

I have learned over the past 28 years that October can be one of “those” months. Days become shorter, summer turns to fall (and even winter at times in Minnesota), and the first quarter of the school year rapidly is drawing to a close. This is the time of year where professional journals dedicate sections to self-care and discussion about employee morale is frequent. As I was researching items to write about, I came across an article in Time Magazine entitled, “This Professor Teaches a Class on ‘Doing Nothing.'” It’s the Most Popular One on Campus. As you may imagine, it caught my eye. The author introduces readers to Dr. Constance Kassor, an associate professor of religious studies at Lawrence University, who shares that more than 50 undergraduate students have enrolled in this course which teaches students to “relax and unplug.” Kassor suggests that “students are seeking out skills that can help them combat stress in the face of mental health challenges and a growing pressure to be productive.”

As much as I would like to believe that this and other similar issues only exist in post-secondary institutions, I know well that our students are also experiencing stress and pressure to be productive. The looming end of the quarter, college applications, social relationships, and the fear of another Covid wave has put students (and the adults in their lives) on edge.

The Journal of Affective Disorders surveyed more than 350,000 college students on 373 campuses and found that 60% of students met the criteria for one or more mental health problems, a nearly 50% increase from 2013. Previously, one of the suggestions to address mental health concerns was to find ways to connect with friends or engage in more activities. However, the Pew Research Center found that adolescents are connecting with one another and that, “nearly half (46%) of teens say they are online “almost constantly,” compared to just 24% seven years ago.” Dr. Kassor shared that during her class she asks her students to leave their cell phones outside of the classroom and to engage with their peers genuinely and authentically…without interruption. Read More

Meet William Kim ’20

October 6, 2022

What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I am a student at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University in London, Ontario, Canada (also where I currently live), studying Percussion Performance and entering my third year.

How did you get there? Where did you attend college? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
I was able to get to where I am today because of the numerous opportunities MPA and the Twin Cities provided for me. While in the Twin Cities, I got to play in the Symphony Orchestra of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies organization. I got to perform in venues such as Orchestra Hall and Ted Mann Concert Hall, mentor younger musicians in other orchestras, and tour internationally in Eastern Europe (2018). This past June, I was invited by GTCYS as an alum to come back to Minnesota to perform and tour internationally with them in Southern Italy–it was wonderful to come back and visit all my old friends and relive fond memories at MPA!

It all started for me with MPA’s ensembles, who inspired and shaped the musician I am today. While at MPA, I participated in Concert Band, Varsity and Concert Choir, and Percussion Ensemble. In addition to developing my musical abilities, each ensemble helped to develop my confidence and teamwork skills, very important skills to have when majoring in music and in life.

While in Minnesota, I also took private lessons at the University of Minnesota under the tutelage of Dr. Adam Rappel. His patience, dedication, and guidance helped to get me to where I am today, and I don’t know where I would be today without him and my MPA teachers Ms. Wantock and Mr. Habermann.

How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA inspire you to dream big and do right?
MPA’s faculty inspired me to dream big and do right by serving as excellent role models, and leading by example. Every faculty member I interacted with impacted me through their respect, responsibility, leadership, and methods of keeping us engaged and fostering learning through multiple flexible approaches that included Socratic seminars and frequent in-class discussions, a learning environment very few schools have. Given the nature of my current major (Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance), which involves a lot of performing in large ensembles and working in “teams,” MPA has given me the lifelong skills necessary to lead and collaborate with my colleagues effectively.

What’s next? Do you have any aspirations, personal or professional, that you’d like to share?
To keep learning and performing!

Essential Arts Education

October 6, 2022

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

One of my favorite times of the year is early fall, when the first round of student artwork is displayed throughout the school. Bare walls come alive with beauty, creativity, and splashes of color. With just a few weeks of the semester to cultivate ideas and build skills, I am astounded by students’ accomplishments. This year is no exception. A quick walk about the school will be rewarded with marvelous displays of shape, lines, textures, shading, and values.

I am sometimes asked why MPA considers the arts an integral part of our academic program. Shouldn’t a college-prep school focus solely on subjects such as math, science, and English? The arts are considered electives or optional in many schools, but not at MPA. Unfortunately, many schools are forced to cut art education to free up funding and make time for standardized assessments. In contrast, we firmly believe that art education is essential to developing skills, mindsets, and attributes in the whole person both during their time at MPA and throughout their lives.

Many of us are familiar with the term growth mindset. A growth mindset is a belief about the malleability of intelligence and is associated with a wide variety of positive academic outcomes, including curiosity, resilience, and improved achievement. Guided by their teachers, students see that there is more than one way to approach a problem and that every solution, when well executed, offers a unique perspective. As a result, they learn that instead of mistakes being a failure to replicate an ideal, they are opportunities to expand ideas and use the process as an opportunity to creatively problem solve. “I love the process of designing a visual challenge,” says Middle and Upper School art teacher Renee Sonka. “Preparing students to meet that challenge, and then stepping back to see the incredible variety of beautiful solutions that result from that process.” Read More