April 7, 2022
f
rom Mark Segal, Upper School Director
During the past week I have had the opportunity to speak with families who had a child accepted to MPA next year. Some of them are current MPA families and already have children on campus, and many will be new next fall. I love hearing their unbridled joy emanate through the speaker of the telephone as they talk about their happiness for their children and their family. This reaction made me think about how our students and faculty look at the joy experienced on campus.
At MPA the joy of learning is one of the six tenets of our mission statement. It is not just something that we hope our community experiences, but rather something that we thoughtfully and intentionally expect of our faculty and students. As I think about this, I wonder how we measure one’s joy of learning.
My guess is that it is not through the width of a student’s smile, or the decibel levels of laughter coming from a classroom, but rather from the intangible sense that we as educators and parents innately have.
As I think about this, I “measure” the joy of learning when seeing a gaggle of seniors gathered in the Hart Commons working together while huddled around a challenging AP Calculus problem, witnessing a group of juniors leaving their American Studies class discussing the “This American Life” podcast that they listened to, noticing sophomores sharing information about a peer critique in their Photography class, or eavesdropping on freshmen reminding each other to take care of their mental health as they learned in their health class. These genuine and authentic conversations between students about things they learn in class gives me great joy. The happiness that emerges from this community fills me with deep gratitude for the students and the incredibly talented faculty members who teach them.
There is no question that the joy of learning at MPA is palpable. In reality, maybe I need to be okay with the fact that not all things centered around education need to be objectively measured. I am so excited for our new students and their families to experience this joy on their own and find their own way to measure the joy that is felt at MPA.
I look forward to seeing you on campus soon.
Important Information
- Save The Date
We’re excited for the 2022 MPA Spring Auction: Let’s Dream, which will be held on Friday, April 22 at A’bulae in Lowertown. This is an opportunity for our entire community to gather safely together and celebrate the year. The event will feature an amazing meal, fun games and prizes, and the chance to bid on and win wonderful auction items, all in support of the MPA community. The event raises more than $200,000 in support MPA students, staff, and teachers.Sponsorship packages and tickets are available now! We’re also in need of a variety of auction items including gift cards, baskets, experiences, and more! No donation is too small. Click here to view the 2022 Wish List. - The Book Festival is underway, and the Committee is looking for donations of gently used books and music. Donation carts will be setup at the North and South entrances from March 24-April 15 for convenient donation drop-offs. Thank you, in advance, for your contributions to this wonderful event. I urge you to participate either with the purchase of new books from our vendors (Valley Books and Usborne Books) or by perusing the used book sale which will be daily during the course of the Book Festival. Please also listen several talented upper school students who recorded on demand readings and videos for the Book Festival (information can be found in the Book Festival Stories Schedule email sent at 7 PM on April 5).
- Quarter 3 grades are in the process of being finalized and will be available to upper school families in PowerSchool early next week. Please do not hesitate to contact your student’s teacher or the upper school office should you have any questions.
- If your student will be absent, late, or needs to be excused early from school, please reach out to Rachel Westmoreland by email at rwestmoreland@moundsparkacademy.org or phone on 651-748-5544.
Looking Ahead
- Tuesday, April 12: MPA Town Hall, 7 PM, Family Commons
- Thursday, April 21: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Nicholson Center
- Friday, April 22: MPA Spring Auction: Let’s Dream, 6:30-10:30 PM, A’bulae
- Wednesday, April 27: Grandparents and Special Friends Day, 12:30-2:30 PM
- Thursday, April 28: Spring Musical–Anne of Green Gables, 7 PM, Nicholson Center
- Friday, April 29: No Classes, Professional Development
- Friday, April 29: Spring Musical–Anne of Green Gables, 7 PM, Nicholson Center
- Tuesday, May 3: MPA Town Hall, 7 PM, Family Commons
- Friday, May 6: New Family Panther Party, 4-5:30 PM, MPA Campus
- Saturday, May 7: Grade 10-12 Prom, 8-11 PM, Off Campus
