Upper School Archives

April 25, 2025

We’re thrilled to share that the MPA speech team has won the state championship for the third year in a row—an incredible achievement and a perfect springboard into the national season ahead! Highlights from the state tournament include:

A new school record of 69 points, breaking our own previous best.
16 students earned individual medals, tying the school’s all-time record set in 2004.
Paul Fertig became MPA’s 50th individual state champion, the most in Class A history and third-most in Minnesota history overall.
Esteemed judge Roxy Janke, with over 40 years of experience, praised our team, saying: “I feel like I could just sit down across from them, and they would teach me everything about their piece.”

Next up: Nationals! The team will travel to Kansas City on May 15 for NIETOC, followed by a trip to Des Moines for the 100th anniversary of the NSDA. Good luck, Panthers!

Full MPA Results From State:

Paul Fertig: State Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking
Guy Schwieger and Nico Bergh: Second place, Duo
Amal Sastry: Second place, Extemporaneous Speaking
Mina Kim: Second place, Great Speeches
Nabila Artan: Third place, Original Oratory
Oslo Norcross: Third place, Informative Speaking
Rowan Mulrooney: Fourth place, Great Speeches
Alyona Vietrova: Fourth place, Poetry
Mari Minear: Fifth place, Great Speeches
Warner Reid and Hazel Reid: Sixth place, Duo
Sidd Sastry: Sixth place, Extemporaneous Speaking
Zainab Lodhi: Sixth place, Informative Speaking
Ash Klann: Sixth place, Original Oratory
Kelvyn Boddipalli: Seventh place, Humorous Interpretation

Upper School Division News April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, April 25: MS/US Robotics Team Banquet, 5-8 PM, Family Commons
Friday, May 2: US Art and Pop Fair, 3:30-6 PM, US Hallway and Commons
Friday, May 2: New Family Panther Party, 4-5:30 PM, MPA Campus
Saturday, May 3: US Prom, 8-11:30 PM, Lakefront Park, (Hudson)
Monday, May 5: MS/US Students & Screens Parent Meeting, 1:45-3 PM, Recital Hall
Tuesday, May 6: Senior Project: Empty Bowls, 4:30-6:30 PM, Family Commons
Thursday, May 8: MS/US Orchestra Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
Wednesday, May 14: MPA PA Gender Inclusive School Parent and Ally Meeting, 6-8 PM, Family Commons and Panther Center
Thursday, May 15: MS/US Band Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center

In almost three decades of working with students I would like to think that I have seen almost everything. Early in my career I helped a student who “accidentally” had a pencil stuck through their tongue and needed to convince their parent that they should see a doctor even though they believed “that the mouth heals quickly,” I got a student from their athletic practice to let them know that their parent had been in a plane crash (one that they were flying) and needed to “protect” them from the media frenzy that would soon follow the accident, and I convinced a student to hand over multiple sets of brass knuckles that were in their possession as they would not need them “for protection.” I, however, recently found myself wrapped up in and deeply affected by the four-part Netflix series, “Adolescence,” as it hit home not just as a school administrator, but also as the parent of a teenage boy.

The series was released in late March and since then, according to IMDb, has become third most watched Netflix series ever with more than 120 million views in over 80 countries. Parents of teenagers across the world are taking notice of the hard-hitting drama that offers a compelling and chilling lens into the world of male teenage identity. The series, each episode shot in one take, has garnered significant attention from educators and mental health professionals and presents an unflinching look at how young men navigate their high school years and construct their identities in today’s challenging social environment. An article in Parenting magazine this week shares, “the story is framed around online radicalization, it also forces us to confront below-the-surface things we overlook: what happens when boys are taught to hide what they feel, to bury their hurt, and to mistake detachment for strength.”

The series’ strength lies in its ability to showcase how a young adult isn’t being deliberately ignored; rather he is just flying under the radar. It explores his relationships with his peers, teachers, and the massive disconnect between Generation X parents and their Generation Alpha children. A 2022 study in Educational Psychology Review shared, “that when adults understand and acknowledge the complexity of male adolescent experience, boys are more likely to seek help when faced with emotional or social challenges.” Read More

Nurturing Cross-Age Connections

April 23, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

When I’m asked what I love most about my job, the answer comes instantly: the kids! Their joy, curiosity, and kindness infuse every corner of our campus and every moment of the school day. One of the greatest sources of that joy is the cross-age relationships we nurture here at MPA. Whether it’s a simple high-five between students passing in the hallway, Upper Schoolers reading with Lower Schoolers, or a schoolwide Pairing Assembly, these moments—both intentional and spontaneous—are among the most meaningful parts of life at a PreK–12 school under one roof.

This week’s Earth Day Pairing Assembly beautifully reflected two of our school’s guiding values: our responsibility to care for the planet and our deep belief in the power of connection across ages and stages. In so many ways, this event captured the heart of what it means to dream big and do right—to imagine a better world and then work together to bring it to life.

Earth Day is a moment to pause, reflect, and recommit to the well-being of our planet. But at MPA, it’s more than a moment. It’s a mindset. Our curriculum, our projects, and our partnerships all reflect our commitment to sustainability, stewardship, and preparing students to thrive in an interconnected world. Read More

Teaching And Learning

April 22, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 22 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

A few weeks ago, we shared the first video in our Head Of School Conversation series featuring both Dr. Bill Hudson and Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon. They continue to work together closely as the head of school transition approaches in July, and we’re thrilled to share the second video in the series where they candidly talk about their work together.

Watch “A Head Of School Conversation: Teaching And Learning” here >

Set in the Makerspace, they cover the importance of curiosity, rigor with purpose, independent thinking, innovation, learning by doing, supportive teachers, and dreaming big.

“I think about soft skills that are now the necessary skills, and we talk a lot about challenge, and being able to fail, and being able to get picked back up again by those who are around you or even yourself,” says Dr. Brogdon. “We’re not willing to explore things that might seem scary or challenging if we don’t know somebody’s going to be around or that we have the stamina within us that someone has helped us to develop to move forward.” Read More

MPA Students Selected For Youth Art Month Student Exhibit

April 17, 2025

The MPA Art Department is very excited to share that several students were selected to participate in the 2025 MN Youth Art Month Student Exhibition! MPA is well represented in the exhibition by these Lower, Middle, and Upper School artists:

Andrew ’35
Maya ’33
Luke ’33
Evie P. ’31
Devin W. ’31
Ella B. ’31
Jenny Liao ’28
Grace Nelson ’26

With special congratulations going to our award winners:

First Place Elementary Flag Design: Ashlyn ’33
Second Place Elementary Division: Tillie ’34
Best in Show: Earl Martin ’25

The exhibit is presented by Art Educators of Minnesota and is sponsored by Blick Art Materials. We are so proud of the MPA representatives! Click here to see all the artwork of our participants.

Take A Journey Down The Yellow Brick Road

April 17, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

There’s a special kind of magic that fills our school in the weeks leading up to the spring musical. Laughter rings through the Nicholson Center, lines are rehearsed in quiet corners, musicians fine-tune their performance, and sets begin to take shape. That energy is alive and well this year as we prepare for our reimagined production of “The Wizard of Oz“—a performance that reflects not just creativity, but the heart of an MPA education.

This year, 56 students from grades seven through 12 are involved in the production as cast members, crew, and orchestra musicians. And it’s not just our seasoned theatre students who are participating. Among them are athletes, musicians, first-time performers, and students who joined simply because a friend encouraged them or because they were curious. They come from different friend groups, different grades, and different backgrounds, but theatre brings them together in a way that is powerful and transformative.

As director James Lekatz shared, “The most powerful gift theater gives is the incredible strength to create community. These students aren’t in the same friend groups, but they are coming together for this production. The audience is made up of friends, family, and strangers, coming together for one night to support students doing incredible things. Theater brings people together to experience a brief moment together.” Read More

A Celebration Of Our Community’s Cultures

April 15, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 16 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Last week, our community celebrated Cultural Celebration Day with a school-wide festival of cross-divisional activities, art, music, traditions, cuisine, and more.

The Family Commons was transformed not only into an exhibition of our community’s many cultures and heritages but also into a space for West African drum lessons, Myanmar’s New Year Festival dance, handmaking Chinese paper lanterns and Tibetan prayer flags, designing Henna body art, and learning the steps to Bhangra, an Indian folk dance. Passports in hand, visitors browsed station upon station, meeting a different person sharing their culture at each one. From Egypt to Italy and Thailand to France, we listened, we learned, and we became closer to one another through this special type of sharing that we value so deeply at MPA.

The strong sense of belonging at MPA fosters not only a welcoming and inclusive space for students and their families, but also encourages lifelong learning rooted in joy and curiosity. Cultural Celebration Day is just one example of our school being filled with the sound of laughter, music, and wonder. Read More

Cultures Come Together, Celebrate

April 10, 2025

On Wednesday, April 9, the Parents Association hosted Cultural Celebration Day, an evening celebrating the diversity of backgrounds at MPA with food, music, dance, and community.

Some of the highlights of the event were beautiful dance performances by MPA parents and students, colorfully decorated tables set up by the hosts sharing their cultures and cuisines, the ever-popular henna artist, Bilkis, Boba by Treats, and a West African drum workshop. It was wonderful to experience the energy and engagement of community members. We hope to see you all next year!

A big thank you to the Cultural Celebration Day Planning Committee, cultural booth hosts, MPA staff, MPA student hosts, and event volunteers, who all helped make this event successful.

Upper School Division News April 10, 2025

April 10, 2025

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, April 11: New Student Enrollment Deadline
Monday, April 14: No Classes, Professional Development
Monday, April 14: US G11 SAT, 8 AM-1 PM, Room 150-151
Wednesday, April 16: US G10 College Counseling Parent Night, 6:30-7:30 PM, Recital Hall
Friday, April 18: US Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Nicholson Center
Thursday, April 24: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
Friday, April 25: MS/US Robotics Team Banquet, 5-8 PM, Family Commons
Saturday, April 26: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
Sunday, April 27: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 2-4 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >

As the school year enters its home stretch, maintaining student motivation and engagement is increasingly important for academic success. Research from the American Psychological Association finds that student performance often declines during the fourth quarter, confirming that “spring fever” is a true and real educational phenomenon. The Association’s findings share that “while not a legitimate medical condition, ‘spring fever’ refers to the common feeling of restlessness, decreased motivation, and a desire for outdoor activities that can affect students as the weather warms and the school year nears its end.”

I would imagine this is especially true in communities like the Twin Cities, where our temperatures have been cold, and the students and educators arrived and went home from school in the dark. With proper support, open lines of communication, and strong, trusting relationships, students can maintain their momentum and finish the school year strongly. Read More

The Vibrant Season Of Spring

April 10, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As we step into the vibrant season of spring, I find myself drawn to the quiet beauty and symbolism this time of year brings. The longer days, the budding trees, the chirping of birds, the honking of geese, and the first signs of green pushing through the soil remind us of the steady, hopeful rhythm of renewal. For those of us in education—and perhaps especially in the Upper Midwest where winter holds on tightly—spring is more than just a season. It is a metaphor for the growth, energy, and transformation that we see unfolding daily within our school community.

At MPA, spring invites us to pause, reflect, and celebrate how far we’ve come this year. We see this in the confidence of a kindergartner who now walks into school independently, in the curiosity of a fourth grader asking big questions, and in the thoughtful determination of a senior finalizing their post-secondary decision. These moments—large and small—mark the progress of a school year that, like spring itself, began in stillness and has blossomed into joyful, dynamic growth.

Spring also gives us the gift of perspective. Just as trees begin to leaf out again after a long winter, our students begin to show us the fruits of their learning. They take risks, solve problems, express ideas, and test out who they are becoming. These moments of discovery and stretch are not always linear—they often arrive with a mix of messiness and magic—but they are the very heart of a transformational education. And they mirror what we as adults know to be true: real growth takes time, intention, and courage. Read More