Upper School Archives

Antiracism Action Group Established At MPA

September 17, 2020

On the morning of Saturday, May 30, I awoke very early, with only a few hours of sleep and with great sadness. The explosion of anger and frustration manifesting in peaceful protests juxtaposed with the violence and destruction across Minneapolis and the nation the night before was hard for me to fathom. In the months since then, the murder of George Floyd and other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have prompted both dangerous civil unrest and peaceful protest and brought to the forefront systemic racism embedded in our society.

In my Panther Post message the following Thursday titled “Turn To The Voices Of Our Students,” I wrote about the inspiration I found in our students, particularly then-junior Salmah Elmasry. Elmasry issued a call for action, “We are in a particular position that requires us to be active and not to be reluctant. To advocate against these issues publicly. If we display any reluctance, we will only continue with the status quo and allow all of these issues to perpetuate.” I spent much of the summer struggling with my personal role in fighting for racial justice and, as leader of an institution, what MPA must do to dismantle systemic racism in our school and in our society. Read More

New Update For The AUXS Safety App

September 17, 2020

Please be sure that your AUXS Safety App is up to date! In this new update, your green daily screening pass will display within the app in addition to being sent via email.

You will see a new “pass” icon in the upper right on home screen within the app, and after completing the screening form, you will also receive an alert with link to “View Safety Pass.” Passes will only display for the current date, and the pass screen will be blank if no form was completed for the day. All email and text messages already set up will continue to be sent to you as usual.

This latest version (version 1.4) is now available on the App Store and Google Play. If your phone already has updates turned on, the update will occur automatically. Thank you!

Meet Alex Appleton ’23

September 15, 2020

How many years have you been a student at MPA?
I came to MPA in the fall of 2019 as a ninth grader.

What do you love about MPA?
I love the diversity and the classes. The teachers are so kind and supportive and truly want you to grow toward your goals and will help guide you there. I love the community and that as a tenth grader, I have the chance to be with Lower School kids or work with Middle Schoolers as they make their way toward the Upper School.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
My math teachers encouraged me to pursue my goal of jumping ahead into accelerated math. And this past summer, I finally achieved that. What started as a big dream developed into a possible goal that is now a reality. This would not have been possible if it weren’t for the support of the teachers at MPA who encouraged me to reach this goal. Not only do I now feel more confident to reach my own goals, but I am encouraged to do right by helping others reach their goals as well. Read More

Four MPA Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

September 14, 2020

Congratulations to this group of MPA seniors! Isak Dai, Ryan Ghose, Dhruv Muppidi, and Sungjoon “Sean” Park have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. They qualified based on their performance on the PSAT they took as juniors.

More than 1.6 million high school students from about 22,000 schools nationwide take the PSAT in October of their junior year. Those with the highest PSAT Selection Index scores are recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their exceptional performance. These four students were honored this fall by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, based on their scores on last fall’s PSAT.

Semifinalists proceed in the scholarship competition by submitting their academic records throughout high school, endorsements and recommendations by a high school official, written essays, and SAT® scores that confirm their prior performance on the qualifier test. If they are named Finalists, they will be eligible for National Merit Scholarship opportunities. Over 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and nearly half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship. Read More

A Message From Alumni Board Member Amanda Magistad ’12

September 14, 2020

What advice do you wish you had been told your senior year of high school? I can think of a few things I wish I had known. Like not to rush through the year, to enjoy your last summer in Minnesota and don’t overload yourself on difficult courses your first semester of college. While life has moved very quickly and senior year seems like a lifetime ago, I’ll never forget the people who gave me valuable advice and helped me pave the path to where I am today.

Now, I have the opportunity to share advice with an MPA senior through the 2020-2021 mentorship program. This will be my first year joining the mentorship program and I am looking forward to offering my perspective on senior year, preparing for college and more. The program requires a small-time commitment, that results in a positive impact on an MPA senior. Behind every successful person is a mentor who took the time to listen, offer advice, and most of all who cared. I encourage you to be that person. Make an impact and join this year’s mentorship program to help a senior navigate their final year of high school and prepare for their next adventure. To learn more about the mentorship program, please email Ashley Goetzke, Assistant Director of Development at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

MPA Talks Features Garseng Wong ’11

September 14, 2020

Meet MPA Talks speaker Garseng Wong ’11! Garseng attended MPA from grades 4-12 and went on to study Human Biology at Stanford University. He concentrated on nutrition and chronic disease management and initially thought about working as a primary care physician to continue this interest, but during his time in medical school at NYU, pivoted to psychiatry because the field afforded him more time to get to know patients deeply and personally. He is currently a resident psychiatrist at NYU and hopes to specialize in child-adolescent psychiatry, focusing his work with queer youth and young adults long-term. Get to know more about Garseng before MPA Talks on September 30 with the Q&A below!

What will we learn from your MPA Talk?
In my MPA talk, I would like to compare and contrast mental health as it is portrayed in the media and discussed in the lay public versus our conceptualizations as a profession. I hope to offer a space to discuss and de-stigmatize mental health, and introduce skills and ideas for maintaining mental health as students progress through school and develop as young, independent adults.

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?
Our society has become extremely polarized to the point where communication between people of opposing ideologies often become shouting matches without any exchange of ideas. This is worsened by the growing sentiment against evidence and the blurring of “truth.” Our students will have to become effective communicators with those who do not share their point of view in order to advance in their lives and careers, especially for those who hope to tackle our nation’s (or world’s) great challenges. I see MPA equipping students for this future by introducing them to big, controversial ideas early and asking them to consider issues from multiple perspectives. Read More

MPA 2020 Virtual Grandparents & Special Friends Week

September 10, 2020

MPA 2020 Virtual Grandparents and Special Friends Week is October 12-14, 2020! One of the most beloved events of the school year is our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and we are excited to offer a virtual week to celebrate the special relationships between our students and their grandparents and loved ones.

Due to COVID-19, campus is currently closed to outside visitors. However, we have activities planned that will make this week memorable and meaningful. Activities on Monday and Tuesday include letter writing projects to their loved ones, special videos and livestreams throughout the day, and more! Our traditional half-day on Wednesday, October 14 will now be a no classes day. This is a day for you to begin your MEA week break early and to help your students find time to spend with their loved ones!

In order for your student’s grandparents or special friends to participate virtually in these fun offerings, please click here to register them. You must register those individuals you would like to be invited to participate virtually before October 1. For questions, please contact Ashley Goetzke, assistant director of development at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

Finding Community Outside Of Our Comfort Zones

September 10, 2020

by Safa Madar, Class of 2022

Being a teaching fellow at Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC) this past summer was one of the most challenging things I have ever done but also the most rewarding. I learned so much about myself and pushed myself way outside of my comfort zone. I made lesson plans, PowerPoints, worked alongside seniors in college, and through it all, I realized that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. Breakthrough exposed me to a fantastic community filled with kind, passionate, and encouraging people who taught me so much. However, the best part was working with students. I was able to teach a wonderful group of seventh graders who truly changed my perspective on life and allowed me to grow a different kind of appreciation for my teachers.

One of my favorite memories was our seventh-grade west morning meetings. Morning meetings happened every day, where all of the students and teachers gathered for announcements and an energizer. Our energizer games and random debates we would have with the students never failed to make me laugh. Indeed the best way to start the day. Read More

All Hands On Deck

September 10, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

“All hands on deck,” barked my father when he wanted to get our attention in an emergency. Perhaps it was his years in the Navy, (although his service was on an airplane, not a ship!) but it was a frequently used phrase in our household growing up. We knew it was an imperative that necessitated that we immediately drop anything we were doing to help out in whatever way was required. As most of us do, we eventually become our parents, and I find myself using that same phrase, especially these days.

“All hands on deck” is one aspect of our COVID-19 reality. With our focus on the health and safety of our community and prioritizing students being on campus as much as possible, there is a fluidity of new and additional roles and responsibilities for faculty and staff. For example, because Lower School students are eating lunch in classrooms and their teachers need their own lunch break, I can add Lower School recess supervisor to my resume. Read More

Connect With MPA Parents On Wednesday Mornings

September 10, 2020

The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun!

Wednesday, September 16 will be a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us. Read More