January 27, 2022
from Mark Segal, Upper School Director
Given the recent frigid temperatures it is not hard to believe that we are deep in the throughs of Winter, yet thankfully we are also only a few short days from the start of February. The Academic Team, however, are deep into planning for the 2022-2023 school year. We are finalizing course information shared by faculty who wish to offer new courses next year and are already looking at what adjustments and modifications can be made to the highly complex upper school schedule. Within the next couple of weeks your 9 – 11 grade students will receive registration materials to use as they look ahead to registering for classes next year.
We take seriously the charge in our mission to provide a curriculum that “models intellectual ambition and global responsibility” while helping students appreciate the “joy of learning.” MPA teachers design and deliver challenging, student-centered classes that are engaging and relevant to our ever-changing society. They continually strive to develop independent, creative, and critical thinkers who engage in asking the “why” of a subject area while collaborating effectively and seeking solutions to the questions and problems that face our local, domestic, and global community.
To assist 9th and 10th grade families with the registration procedure and to provide guidance to those not aware of how we approach class registration, I invite you to join Upper School Director of Guidance Randy Comfort and me next Tuesday, February 1 at 7:30 PM via Zoom to learn more about this important annual process. This gathering will be recorded and shared in next week’s Panther Post for those unable to attend. The Zoom link for this event can be found here.
Meeting ID: 912 3422 9491
Password: MPAUPPER
It has been great having the students back on campus and look forward to seeing you walk our hallways soon, as well.
Important Information
- Quarter 2 and semester 1 drew to an end in mid-January and faculty have spent the recent weeks wrapping up their grades and comments. These grades will be available to families in PowerSchool later in the day tomorrow (Friday). Please reach out to your student’s teacher or to the upper school office should you have questions.
- In the first of a series of community building events hosted by the Parents Association and MPA, we invite you to Connecting for Understanding: An Open Dialogue about Neurodiversity this evening at 6:30 PM. Please join other MPA families as we welcome Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Dr. Jonathan Miller, for an interactive dialogue about neurodiversity and the many ways our children learn. This event will be recorded and shared for those unable to attend. The Zoom link for this discussion can be found in this edition of Panther Post.
- As a reminder, we welcomed Ms. Rachel Westmoreland recently as the Upper School and College Counseling Administrative Assistant. With more than twenty years of experience working in office administration in the real estate, marketing, and financial management industries, Rachel has been a wonderful addition to the upper school office. Please reach out to Rachel by email at rwestmoreland@moundsparkacademy.org or phone on 651-748-5544 if your student will be absent, late, or needs to be excused early from school.
- As we continue to navigate the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, we ask for your diligence in working with our Covid-19 symptom response and contact tracing team. At the first sign of symptoms, parents should complete the daily AUXS app symptom screening and/or email covid@moundsparkacademy.org. This should happen BEFORE seeking a Covid-19 test. When a negative Covid-19 test is required for student clearance, results must be provided prior to the student’s return. All symptomatic community members, regardless of vaccination status must remain at home pending those results. Thank you for your partnership. For any questions, please contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.
Looking Ahead
- Friday, 1/14: End of Quarter 2 & Semester 1 Classes
- Monday, 1/17: No Classes, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Tuesday, 1/18: No Classes, Professional Development
- Wednesday, 1/19: Start of Quarter 3 & Semester 2
- Friday, 1/28: Winter Show, 7 PM, Livestreamed from the Black Box Theatre
- Saturday, 1/29: Winter Show, 7 PM, Livestreamed from the Black Box Theatre
- Sunday, 1/30: PK – 12 Virtual MPA Admission Preview, 2-4 PM, via Zoom
- Monday, 1/31: Spring Musical Auditions, 3:30-5 PM
- Tuesday, 2/1: Spring Musical Auditions, 3:30-5 PM
- Tuesday, 2/1: 9th and 10th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:30-8:30 PM, via Zoom
- Wednesday, 2/2: Spring Musical Auditions, 3:30-5 PM
- Wednesday, 2/2: Pajamarama, 6:30-8:30 PM, Livestreamed
- Friday, 2/4: Upper School Classes DO MEET (Lower and Middle School conferences)
- Tuesday, 2/8: Senior Performances, 8-9 AM, via Zoom
- Wednesday, 2/9: 10th Grade Deep Portage Field Trip
- Wednesday, 2/9: Parent Ed–Smart but Scattered: Helping Strengthen Executive Skills in Students, via Zoom
- Thursday, 2/17: Upper School Cabaret Concert, 7:30-9 PM, location TBD
- Friday, 2/18: No Classes – Professional Development
