Summer Registration Is Open!

summer campers in science campWe are pleased to be offering an expanded summer program with a larger choice of academic programs, enrichment classes, athletic clinics, full and half day Panther Camp, and much more for students of all ages! As always, our goal is to provide our participants with the highest quality program in the context of a safe and healthy environment.

Register at moundsparkacademy.org/summer. All Lower School classes and camps are currently open for registration. More Middle and Upper School options will be added in the coming days.

If you have any questions, please contact Russ Purdy, extended day program coordinator, at 651-748-5571 or rpurdy@moundsparkacademy.org.


Virtual Maker Fest Is Saturday, February 20!

Amelia Dickson's digital artworkWe are so excited for Virtual Maker Fest 2021 this weekend! On Saturday, February 20 at 11 AM, join us on Zoom as community makers to showcase their projects, passions, and hands on how-to demonstrations. Participants will be able to view the presentations by visiting different breakout rooms, ask questions, and discuss with our guest presenters. We are looking forward to seeing you there to celebrate our creative community!

Join via Zoom >
Meeting ID 913 0516 4223
Passcode: makerfest

Discover MPA Student And Maker Amelia Dickson
We interviewed MPA student and passionate maker Amelia Dickson so you can get to know her ahead of time! Don’t miss her Virtual Maker Fest presentation on Zoom Saturday, February 20 at 11 AM! Discover Amelia’s artwork and learn more about Virtual Maker Fest >


Seeking Host Families For International Students

two international students in the makerspaceDo you have room to spare? Space in your heart for another family member? A desire to expand your family’s perspective of the world? MPA is seeking host families for international students for the 2021-22 school year. For one exceptional prospective Middle School student in particular, we are seeking a current family to host her.

Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has created for our new international students, they are truly finding great success, experiencing near-daily “firsts,” and loving their MPA journey. Between the adults in their school and home lives, our students feel supported, nurtured, and loved while living so far from their families. This is vital to their success and the strongest testament to everything our MPA host families and staff do to care for our international students. Read More


MPA At The Harvard Speech Tournament

Ryan in the QuarterfinalsMPA Speech participated in the Harvard Speech Tournament for the first time this weekend, and the team’s run went all the way to the Quarterfinals! Senior Ryan Ghose made it out of preliminaries, into Octafinals, and into Quarterfinals in a preview of this year’s National Tournament. The category in which he made it to Quarterfinals is Humorous, and he was also next out in Dramatic Interpretation. Seniors Salmah Elmasry and Emma Cohen also competed, placing in the top half of their fields of more than 300 other students.

Students from approximately 450 schools and 46 states competed. In Ryan’s Octafinal and Quarterfinal, he competed against students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida all the way to James Logan High School in California. He finished thirteenth overall. Congratulations to our team!


We Are In Good Hands

Kindergartners gifting Dr. Hudson a scarf by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I was pleasantly surprised Tuesday by a visit from Ms. Petersen’s kindergartners who presented me with a very nice MPA blue scarf. As we sat on the floor together in the hallway outside my office (six feet apart, of course!), they shared that they are spreading kindness throughout the school this month. The scarf was an act of kindness to thank me for my efforts to safely open school this year. As one of them put it, “You were a great leader and protector,” in the classroom.

For many, the future looks grim. Some people have lost faith in our society and feel hopeless and helpless. However, when so much seems to be outside of our control, I believe we must seek aspects of our lives we can control. Taking action now on something that will have a positive impact in years ahead can help us move through those feelings of hopelessness. In the midst of uncertainty, for instance, investing in the education of our children is essentially an act of hope and kindness.

Over the years, many MPA families and alumni have expressed their faith and confidence in the future by making a planned or estate gift to the school. These types of gifts might include making MPA the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan, creating a charitable gift annuity, or most simply, by making a bequest through your will. There are many ways you can designate a future gift through your estate planning. Contact the Development Office to learn more about what options might work best for you. Read More


Upcoming Parent Education Event

middle school student playing an orchestra instrumentSave the date for this upcoming  grades 7-12 Parent Education Event. The Upper School Parents Association is virtually hosting a parent education event on Monday, March 1, from 7-9 PM. This session will cover ways to work with children during this period of social distancing, the lack of being able to socialize, issues with too much social media, depression caused by isolation, lack of social normal activities, and other concerns parents are currently facing. More details and a Zoom link will be communicated when they are available. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

 


Math League Going To State For Third Consecutive Year

student doing a geometry problemThe MPA Math League team had their final meet of the regular season on Monday. The top scorers were senior Sean Park with 10 points, junior Leo Yu with eight points, sophomore Anthony Troullier with seven points, senior Steve Min with seven points, senior Amit Manicka with six points, and junior Amy Xiang with five points. The team earned 20 points on a challenging team round, thanks in part to sophomore Qiya Zhang solving a really tough geometry problem with less than a minute remaining!

The team finished the season third in the state in class AA and 15th in the state overall among schools from all three classes. In our division, individually, Sean Park finished 4th for the season, Leo Yu finished 11th, Anthony Troullier finished 12th, Lareina Gu finished 19th, and Amy Xiang finished 20th. The team will earn an invitation to the state tournament for the third consecutive year.


Important Traffic Safety Reminders

South entrance of MPAIt is MPA’s number one priority to provide the safest campus environment possible for you and your children. This takes on new meaning during the 2020-21 school year, but we’d like to share some important traffic safety reminders too. Please share this information with all of the drivers in your home, in addition to others who may provide transportation for you. Thank you very much in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Drive-Thru Lanes
We realize it can be a frustrating time in the morning and afternoon as students unload/reload all of their things for the day and that many drivers are in a hurry to get to work or an evening commitment. We’d like to ask, in the interest of safety, courtesy, and efficiency, that drivers refrain from pulling in front of another car or “leap-frogging” to the front. To make the process as efficient as possible, please pull up all the way to the crosswalk to allow for maximum space in the drive-thru lanes.

Entering and Exiting the Car
Children should only be allowed to enter and exit the car from the right/curb side in the drive-thru lanes. If you need to exit the car to help your children in or out, please do so with caution. Additionally, if you decide that you need to park in a lot during drop off and/or pick up, please take extra precaution to ensure your child is safe and uses the appropriate crosswalks to enter the building. Read More


Maker Fest 2021: Amelia Dickson

Amelia DicksonWe’re interviewing the Makers you’ll meet at Maker Fest 2021 on Saturday, February 20 so you can get to know them ahead of time! If reading about the Amelia’s work has inspired you to share your own, sign up here to be a Maker yourself!

What (or who) inspires you to make? 
I find a lot of inspiration from other artists around me and my own experiences in life. My own struggles inspire me as well to create worlds and things that don’t exist in order to escape the world around me.

What do you enjoy making?
I spend a lot of my time creating characters and environments through illustration and model making!

What are your favorite materials and mediums?
Throughout my time as a growing artist, I have made it a goal of mine to experiment with every medium I can, but my favorites are definitely digital illustration, painting, using polymer clay, and drawing with a classic graphite pencil.

If you could make anything imaginable with no restrictions, what would you make?
I would love to learn how to make fantasy prosthetics for costumes and movies. I love to create things that are fictional but seem real! It takes me into an entirely new world. If I could, I would create an entire environment full of fictional but realistic models.

Amelia Dickson's digital artworkWhat music do you listen to while you work?
My favorite music to listen to as I work is definitely movie soundtracks including The Lord of the Rings and How to Train Your Dragon. My top five songs on my Spotify wrapped last year were all songs from the How to Train your Dragon soundtrack… It’s just so good!

How has the MPA Makerspace impacted your abilities?
Because of COVID-19, I haven’t had many opportunities to use the Makerspace over the last year, and I definitely wish I could have used it more! There are so many incredible tools in the space that can transform ideas into reality. Sometime in the future, I would love to use the laser cutter more to print illustrations into wood and other materials.

Don’t miss Amelia’s Maker Fest presentation on Zoom Saturday, February 20 at 11 AM!

Join via Zoom >
Meeting ID 913 0516 4223
Passcode: makerfest


Peer Leaders Creatively Make Connections

peer leaders gathering via zoom with middle school studentsWithout being able to gather together this year as they usually do, Upper School Peer Leaders have been creatively connecting with their seventh and eighth grade groups virtually. They met for the first time last week, splitting into groups based on interests, like current events, STEM, social change, and study skills. In the books and movies group, led by seniors Emmet Tanzer-Tragatsch and Ishika Muppidi and sophomore Lucy Cowen, students got to know each other and make connections through their favorite genres, types of media, and what’s trending on Netflix right now.

Peer Leading is based on the belief that teens provide the first source of support for each other. At MPA, the Upper School Peer Leaders are trained to listen, reach out, maintain confidentiality, and be there when needed. Peer Leaders are also trained to know how to access other resources when necessary.

“I remember having my own Peer Leaders when I was in seventh grade, and how even just that interaction with an Upper School student helped me feel more comfortable around them, Ishika recalls. “I believe one of the most critical skills Peer Leaders has taught me is how to interact, communicate, and relate to others around me, essentially teaching me different ways to manage various relationships.” Read More