{"id":30043,"date":"2026-04-09T12:37:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T17:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.moundsparkacademy.org\/news\/?p=30043"},"modified":"2026-04-09T12:56:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T17:56:21","slug":"upper-school-division-news-april-9-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moundsparkacademy.org\/news\/2026\/04\/09\/upper-school-division-news-april-9-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Upper School Division News April 9, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Afrom Mark Segal, Upper School director<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we enter the fourth quarter of the school year, the pace of the school year shifts noticeably. What began in late August as a marathon of steady progress now becomes a sprint to the finish line with graduation and the last day of school less than two months away.<\/p>\n

Research on (student) motivation consistently shows that as people see themselves closer to their goal, effort and focus tend to increase. This phenomenon is known as the goal gradient effect, a concept first introduced by psychologist Clark Hull in 1932 that showed animals accelerated their behavior as they approached an established reward. A 2024 study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology confirmed Clark\u2019s hypothesis, finding that \u201cparticipants completed demanding tasks more quickly and with greater effort when they knew a reward was close.\u201d For Upper School students, the approaching end of the year brings a clear timeframe of completion with final projects, performances, quarter four final exams, and celebrations. The sense of almost being at the finish line can be energizing, but it also requires students (and educators) to be organized and channel their energy productively.<\/p>\n

At the same time, we must also realize that the final stretch of the school year is one of the most demanding periods for teenagers. Studies on academic stress reviewed in “The Journal of Child Psychiatry & Human Development” share that \u201cstudents report higher heightened levels of pressure as they approach end-of-term deadlines and assessments.\u201d With this comes the need for families to be more engaged and supportive of their students by establishing (or re-establishing) routines, bedtimes, the need for larger tasks to be broken down into more manageable steps, and maintaining the perspective that sometimes completing a task may be easier than striving for perfection.<\/p>\n

Time and attention become increasingly compressed during this \u201csprint\u201d phase of the school year. Research on adolescent time management shows that awareness of schedules and deadlines reduces the sense of overload and unwanted stress. For this reason, it is incredibly important to keep a close eye on BOTH the all-school and Upper School calendars. They are filled with performances, community events, athletic contests, and end-of-year celebrations. Regularly reviewing these calendars individually and as a family can assist students and families in anticipating what lies ahead and providing the ability to stay on top of what is scheduled as we sprint across the finish line at the end of the school year.<\/p>\n

I am excited about the many events scheduled between now and June 3 and look forward to seeing you on campus for many of them. Please do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions or if more clarification is needed.<\/p>\n

Important Information<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. If your student will be absent, late, or needs to be excused early from school, please contact the Upper School assistant, Chanda Williams, at cwilliams@moundsparkacademy.org<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  2. Prepare for the upcoming Spring Musical\u2014”Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to London seeking vengeance against the judge who framed him and ravaged his wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which he opens a new barber shop. The partnership between these two and the integration of a \u201cspecial ingredient\u201d in her meat pies has the people of London lining up. Tickets will go on sale soon for the performances:\n