April 6, 2023
from Mark Segal, Upper School director
Looking Ahead
- April 13: Parent Gluten-Free Cooking with Kate Thrane, 5:30-7 PM, Peacock Teaching Kitchen
- April 14: Upper School Parent’s Association Meeting, 8-9:30 AM, Porter Conference Room (PCR)
- April 20: 8-9:15 AM, Senior Performances, Nicholson Center
- April 21: A Night of Pure Imagination, 6:30 PM, Intercontinental Hotel—St. Paul Riverfront
- April 26: MPA Cultural Diversity Day, 3-7 PM, Family Commons and Peacock Teaching Kitchen
- April 26: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center
- April 28: No Classes, Professional Development
- April 28: The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center
- May 5: New Family Panther Party, 4-5:30 PM, Family Commons
- May 6: Grade 10-12 Prom, 8-11 PM, St. Croix River Boat
- May 11: Middle and Upper School Orchestra Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
On the heels of almost half of a foot of snow last weekend, it is hard to believe that we are more than two weeks past the vernal equinox and the official start of spring. Earlier this week, Upper School students and faculty started their fourth quarter classes and began to realize that we are just over two months from the last day of school and just under two months away from graduation (you are invited to the 37th MPA Commencement on Saturday, June 3). As we all emerge from the “dark days of winter,” it is more than a coincidence that educators and parents find it more challenging to motivate students to show up and be fully engaged at school. Thankfully, over the past seven years that I have spent at MPA, I have found that this is not always the case.
According to the Resilient Educator, “some high school students struggle to maintain the motivation necessary to keep their learning a priority.” It is for this reason that teachers, administrators, and parents must work together to keep students (and themselves) motivated for the last quarter of the year. There is no question that the Spring Slide is a real thing. It is important that adults provide the space and opportunity for students to seek assistance and support. We all want to see them succeed and it is, at times, up to us to get them back on track mentally, physically, and emotionally.
GPAcalculator.net shares that students and their families should work together to make academic goals and a “pact” to hold each other accountable. This may include spending a short amount of time outside just after the school day to recenter oneself and enjoy the spring weather before starting the evening’s homework. College Solutions, a counseling service for high school students, suggests that students should find ways to work with a peer or small group as, “nothing helps keep students motivated, like being held accountable for someone else’s grade, too.” As the days become longer and the sun shines a little brighter, we all find it a bit easier to put off our schoolwork until the last minute. Challenge Success shares that students should strive to tackle their assignments as soon as possible as this will, “help them avoid the stress of having work pile up and fall behind in their classes.”
The weather report predicts that temperatures will be in the seventies by the middle of next week. I will believe this when I see it, but in case this is the truth, I am excited to cheer on MPA athletes and teams from the sidelines of their games and matches. Please, however, hold me accountable and remind me not to let the Spring Slide get in the way of the work that needs to be completed.
I look forward to seeing you on campus soon,
Mark
Important Information
- If your student will be absent, late, or needs to be excused early from school, please reach out to upper school administrative assistant Chanda Williams at cwilliams@moundsparkacademy.org.
- Please join other Upper School parents at the April Parents Association Parent Coffee at 8 AM on Friday, April 14. Learn about the recent arena scheduling for elective classes, receive information about the schedule for the remaining two months of school, and share your knowledge about the Upper School program with rising ninth-grade parents.
- The MPA Theatre Department Proudly Presents The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. April 26 & 28, at 7 PM. Enter via the Nicholson Theatre, Door 3. Tickets can be purchased via our show page.
