October 13, 2022
from Bill Hudson, head of school
As I walk about the building each day, I see powerful signs of how the mission of MPA is brought to life and animated by students, teachers, staff, and parents. For instance, the Lower School gathered yesterday in the Family Commons to celebrate CHAMP Day, parents met on Monday to launch the inaugural Parents Association Diversity and Equity Committee, and students from across all divisions celebrated Maker Monday in the Makerspace honing their skills in designing and creating.
You may be aware that last year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Mounds Park Academy. During events throughout the 2021-22 school year, we took the opportunity to celebrate the founding ideals and mission of the school as they were lived out over the last 40 years. This summer, I was fortunate to be invited to lunch with several founders of MPA: Bob Kreischer, who, together with his then-wife Sandy Kreischer Smith founded the school; Harvey Kaplan, who deftly negotiated the lease and the eventual purchase of the school building; Karen Benz, who with her late husband George Benz, engaged and inspired other parents to philanthropically fund the school; and Jim Gardner, the founding member of the finance committee of the board whose fiscal stewardship established the school’s financial foundation.
It was inspirational to hear their stories about the successes and challenges they encountered and the joy, creativity, and passion that fueled their work. As I joined in the revelry with the founders, I shared ways in which the mission they established continues to live daily. I also became acutely aware that I, the board of trustees, and the entire MPA community, have the awesome and awe-filled obligation to advance the mission we’ve inherited for the next 40 years. The school’s mission is entrusted to us, and we have the existential responsibility to ensure the mission not only survives but thrives well into the future.
The MPA Board of Trustees has a long history of wise fiscal stewardship and developing multi-year financial plans. What is different now is that trustees are engaged in building a comprehensive long-range sustainability plan. Sustainability is defined as having the access to the resources, financial and otherwise, necessary to achieve the organization’s mission in both the short and long term. As with all independent schools, the most common challenges to sustainability include balancing tuition increases and competitive salaries, building endowment and managing debt, meeting enrollment goals, and maintaining facilities.
Tomorrow, the Board of Trustees, together with members of the school’s administration, will gather to take the first step toward sustainability planning. With the school’s mission as our moral compass, we will begin to chart a course by considering the results of several studies commissioned by the board over the last several months. For instance, Kraus Anderson, a prominent national construction company headquartered in the Twin Cities, conducted a facilities assessment and lifecycle study to project the capital improvements and deferred maintenance needs of our campus. Ian Symmonds and Associates, an industry-leading firm that services colleges and independent schools, provided a comprehensive demographic and marketing study. Finally, Rational Partners, a national management consultant in institutional economics, performed an intense data-driven deep dive analysis of our overall economic position. Our task tomorrow will be to consider the recommendations and opportunities facing the school and begin to knit them together to form a long-term economic model that will propel the school into the next 40 years.
There are certainly times when I could look into a crystal ball for a glimpse into the future. Short of a miracle, that’s not going to happen. Fortunately, we are a community of dreamers and doers. There’s no doubt in my mind that we will take the actions necessary to realize our dream for MPA in the years to come. That was true 40 years ago, and I am certain it will be for the next 40.
