January 26, 2023
from Jenn Milam, Middle School director
Welcome to the Second Semester!
As we have officially made our way through half of a school year, I am pleased to share that you can now download your student’s grade report from Schoology for first and second quarters. We also look forward to discussing your student’s progress at Parent/Teacher Conferences on Thursday, February 2, Friday, February 3, and Thursday, February 9. If you missed the registration for conferences, you may reach out to teachers with whom you would like to visit to see if they have any available openings!
Middle School Snow Tubing Outing—Thursday, February 16
For our newest cherished tradition for our Middle School community, we will load buses with all Middle School students and leave MPA at 2 PM and head to Badlands Snow Park (772 Kinney Rd, Hudson, WI 54016) for an afternoon of sledding and tubing fun! This event is meant to be an all-community outing, a chance to have fun together, and share the joy of living in the snowy north. Siblings and parents are encouraged to join us at the park!
Our Parent’s Association and MPA partner to provide the cost of admission to the park and transportation. A food truck (cheese curds and philly cheesesteak sandwiches!) and the park snack bar will be open for cash purchases for hungry kids! Please send $10-15 with your student for the day to purchase food.
Registration
We’d like parents to meet us at the Snow Park for fun and fellowship and will ask that students begin departing at 4:45 PM. If you cannot meet us at the park, your student can return to MPA, via bus, and you can meet them at 5 PM, at school to go home. Please indicate your additional ticket needs and transportation plans here!
Additional Guests and Tubers
All family members are encouraged to attend! The Parents Association is sponsoring the cost of MS students to tube. Guardian adults and sibling guests are welcome to tube from 2-4:45 PM at $15 per guest.
Please pay for your additional tubers:
- by Venmo to @Christine-Larson-31 (picture is our family dog). Be sure to write your family name and student grade(s) in your submission.
- send cash/check written out to Christine Larson, PA Co-President with your student to the MS office, be sure to write your family name and student grade(s). Please register your additional guests no later than Monday, February 13.
Food and Snacks
The Badlands Snowpark concessions will be available for students to purchase “concession type” items. In addition, there will be a food truck on site for additional hot food items. Please bring cash for your snacking desires.
Volunteers Are Needed
We appreciate your interest in helping and need adult volunteers before, during and after our snow tubing date. Click the link to see options.
We hope you’ll join us and enjoy the best part of Minnesota winters!
iTERM 2023
iTERM 2023 is the week just prior to Spring Break – February 27 through March 3! All courses have been assigned and teachers are beginning to plan, prepare, book field trips, secure community activities, and build courses that are sure to ignite new passions and engage the imagination! Please begin to look to Schoology pages for updates, “get-excited” notices, and information about your student’s iTERM course. Additionally, all iTERM course fees have been added to your TADS billing account. If you have questions, please reach out to the Middle School office.
NOTE: During iTERM week, Middle School study hall is not offered. Please plan for your student to sign-in to Panther Den or prepare for pick-up at 3 PM.
Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY)—Summer Enrichment Opportunities
Do you have a high potential, high achieving and intellectually curious 8th – 11th grade students? This might be a great opportunity for you! The Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY) program offers 30 unique courses in STEM, Humanities, and the Fine Arts, and is an excellent exposure opportunity to post-secondary opportunities. Need-based financial aid is available.
If you are unfamiliar with Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY), they are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1967 to provide academic enrichment opportunities to gifted and talented students. The high school program is held at Macalester College and draws students from all over the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, the United States, and the world.
You may contact Erica Brewinski, Executive Director, for more information, at (651) 243-2221 or by email at erica@mity.org.
Middle School Matters: A Community Book Study—You’re invited!
Middle School is a time of rapid changes, new experiences, and sometimes, perplexing encounters in a new world in which we (parents!) did not grow up! In partnership with Ms. Cooper, our school counselor, and Ms. Meras, our new Middle School Dean, I will be hosting a community book study this spring. We will do a shared reading of Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond–and How Parents Can Help by Phyllis L. Fagell.
We will meet four times, to align with the four major sections of the text, via Zoom, to discuss, share, wonder, worry, ponder, and problem-solve alongside teachers, experts, and other community members the mystery and magnificence of the middle school years. We invite you to have dinner with your family, put your feet up, pour a drink of something you enjoy, and meet us online, the following dates at 7:30 PM, from the comfort of your living room!
- Wednesday, February 22, 2023 (Values and Integrity)
- Thursday, March 23, 2023 (Social Skills)
- Wednesday, April 19, 2023 (Learning)
- Thursday, May 18, 2023 (Empowerment and Resilience)
We will have guest speakers and experts for each of the four sections of the text and will share our own personal journey in raising spirited, well-balanced, resilient, kind, and good humans.
You can purchase the book in any format of your choosing, and in whatever way you’d like. Here are a few options:
or you can check it out at your local library!
You can also just drop in for a listen, join the conversation, and build community. I am hoping with a later evening gathering time, and the flexibility of ZOOM, that we’ll have the opportunity to connect and grow our community in a way that makes space for the various family and scheduling demands we all juggle.
Meeting ID: 332 737 0417
Password: MSMatters!
Basketball Schedules, Ski Races, and More!
With the unpredictability of weather and winter illness, it’s important that you bookmark the basketball and winter sports activity schedules. As a reminder, you can access all MPA weekly sports schedules (practices, games, and races) here.
If you have questions or concerns about any athletic team or event, please reach out to dzimmerman@moundsparkacademy.org.
Be well. Take care of one another. Stay warm!
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- January 26: Rising Upper School Meeting for 8th Grade Families, 6-7 PM (PCR)
- January 27: Winter 7/8 Dance, 7-9 PM, Family Commons
- February 2: LS/MS Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
- February 3: LS/MS Parent Teacher Conferences, 8 AM-4 PM, LS/MS
- No ClassesUS classes in session (regular day)
- February 9: LS/MS Parent Teacher Conferences, 3:30-7 PM
- February 10: Winter 5/6 Dance, 6:30-8:30 PM
- February 16: All Middle School Snow Tubing, Badlands Snow Park (2-5 PM)
- February 17: Professional Development Day, No Classes
- February 20: President’s Day, No Classes
- February 21-24: SnoDaze Week
- February 27-March 3: iTERM 2023
- March 6-17: MPA Spring Break
- March 20: Classes Resume
