May 4, 2023
from Ann Jurewicz, Lower School director
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- May 4: Middle School Family Dinner and Rising Grade Level Meetings, Grades 4-8
- May 9: Grade 3 Field Trip to the MIA
- May 12: Grade 1 Poetry Picnic, 2 PM
- May 17: Final CHAMP Assembly for the school year
- May 19: PreK Family Music, 8:45-9:15 AM
- May 26: No Classes, Teacher Professional Development Day
- May 29: No Classes, Memorial Day
- May 31: Grade 1 drama performances and Klein’s Grade 3 performance
- June 2: Colianni’s Grade 3 and both Grade 4 drama performances
- June 3: MPA Commencement 2023
- June 6: Grade 4 Moving Up Ceremony, 2 PM
- June 7: Last Day of School—Early Dismissal 10:15 AM
We have so many wonderful events planned as we move into the Spring. We will celebrate a successful year and honor those teachers who have given so much to MPA over the years, especially Ms. Lage in the library and Ms. Espeland in music. While the end of year is full of celebration and accomplishment, it also entails a great deal of change to the well-established routines for children. Change can be difficult and trigger a lot of emotions for students. This important article from Edutopia provides tips for helping your child navigate the change coming with the end of the school year.
Grade Three Takes A Field Trip To The MIA
Thanks to Ms. Ruane, grade 3 students will be going to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on May 9 for a 60 minute tour called, “Native Americans Arts & Artists.” This tour supports the literacy unit students are doing on Native Americans: Regions and Culture. Several MIA resources have been used in the classroom prior to the trip and this will be a great opportunity for our third graders to see and engage with both historical and contemporary Native artworks. Given that we live in a city with one of the highest Native urban populations in the country, the contemporary aspect is especially important to include.
Photos for Grade 4 Moving Up Ceremony + Slideshow
We are beginning our planning for the Moving-Up Ceremony on Tuesday, June 6, 2 PM. Please mark your calendars now for this special occasion to celebrate our grade 4 students moving into Middle School!
All parents and families of our grade 4 students are asked to submit three photos of their student to be shared in the slideshow! All grade 4 students will have photos included and this is your chance to celebrate your amazing kid.
Please send three photos to ajurewicz@moundsparkacademy.org at your earliest convenience. The three photos should include one of each of the following:
- One from when they were young,
- One that captures their passion and personality, and
- One from Lower School with their friends
The sooner you send these, the sooner we can begin putting together the most amazing keepsake slideshow!
Middle School Matters: A Community Book Study
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, Dr. Jenn Milam is hosting a community book study. 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 invite you to have dinner with your family, put your feet up, pour a drink of something you enjoy, and meet us online, on the following dates at 7:30 PM, from the comfort of your living room! Please join us next time, even if you didn’t the first times—there is a great discussion, fellowship, and affirming conversation with other parents!
- Thursday, May 18, 2023: Learning and School
- FINAL SESSION—TBD: Empowerment and Resilience
We will have guest speakers and experts for each of the 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. We are 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.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 332 737 0417
Password: MSMatters!
