October 26, 2023
Thank You!
The Parents Association would like to thank everyone who donated items and participated in the Fall Staff Appreciation Week. We are grateful to our community for helping to keep our staff fed and hydrated during conference week.
Community Coffees This Weekend!
Saturday, October 28, 9-11 AM
The MPA Parents Association invites parents to stop in to a neighborhood community coffee being held throughout the Twin Cities this Saturday, October 28! Please join the one nearest to you anytime between 9 AM and 11 AM. There will be MPA table signage at each of the coffee shops so families can identify the MPA group. Stay tuned for additional locations to be added later this year.
- North Oaks: Taste of Scandinavia
845 Village Center Dr, North Oaks, MN 55127, hosted by Christine Larson - Woodbury: Dunn Bros
10060 City Walk Dr, Suite 104, Woodbury, MN 55129, hosted by Staci Banks-Hehenberger - Stillwater: You & Me Cafe
826 4th St. S, Stillwater MN 55082, hosted by Seema Anwar - South Minneapolis
4908 Washburn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410, hosted by Erika Beernink at her home - St Paul
1916 Fairmount Ave, St. Paul MN 55105, hosted by Michaela Jahnke at her home
A huge thank you to all of our gracious hosts! If you have any questions, please contact Julie Bixby at jbixbyPA@moundsparkacademy.org. We hope to see you there!
Lower School Halloween Party Volunteers
We are seeking volunteers to help out during the LS Halloween Party in the Lansing Center. Kids will enjoy games, crafts, activities, and an obstacle course. Join us for part of the day or the whole day. Sign up to volunteer here by Friday, 10/27. The LS Halloween parade will follow the party at 2:30 PM. Should you have any questions, please email msotoPA@moundsparkacademy.org.
Volunteer in the MPA Garden!
We are looking for volunteers to help with the MPA garden before the weather gets too cold. No previous gardening experience is necessary. No long term commitment is necessary either. We typically meet either Thursday or Friday mornings after drop off, but can also meet at other times as well. If interested, please contact Sara Carroll at smtanaka@gmail.com or Tenia Kalogeropoulou at tenia2@yahoo.com.
MPA Book Club with Dr. Hudson
Tuesday, November 7, 6 PM in the MPA Library
Please join Dr. Hudson and fellow MPA parents for a great discussion of David Grann’s bestseller, “Killers of the Flower Moon”. This non-fiction page-turner that reads like a novel.
“In the 1920’s, the newly created FBI took up an investigation into a string of unexplained deaths in Osage County, OK. Young FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.” Sign-Up for the Book Club.
The Community Grants Initiative
The Parents Association Community Grants Initiative provides grant-based funding for projects and programs, existing or new. The funds are available for use by student clubs and organizations, as well as for adult-led initiatives that support the mission of the MPA PA. To access community grants, interested groups must fill out an application.The application will be reviewed by the PA Board. This program is supported by the Parents Association dues, which are paid by MPA families. Instructions and the form can be found here on the Parents Association section of the MPA website.
Two New Volunteer Opportunities for MPA Parents
The Parents Association is actively seeking new members for two committees:
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee
- Panther Committee
If you are interested in topics of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at MPA this is a perfect opportunity to share your passion. The DEIB Committee will determine topics of interest and work closely with Lamar Shingles, Director of Equity and Belonging to make an impact at MPA. Last year this committee formed two Parent Affinity Groups; Neurodiversity Affinity Group and the LGBTQIA2S+ Affinity Group.
The Panther Committee is hoping for your input if you are passionate about Athletics at MPA. If you have a sporty LS student and see MPA athletics in your future this is a great place to join the team! If you have a MS student who plays club sports and you’re not sure how that translates to MPA sports, this is the spot for you. If you have an US athlete who is hoping to play their sport in college, we may be able to connect you with like-minded families. The Panther Committee will determine topics of interest and work closely with Dan Haase, Athletic Director to support MPA athletics.
Both committees will meet quarterly based on members’ schedules determined by Doodle Poll. Parents/caregivers of current MPA students are eligible for both committees.
How do you join a committee? Simply, email the PA at pa@moundsparkacademy.org with your name, student’s name/grade and reason why you want to join either/both committees. We will kick off committee activities in early November.
If you want to join but have more questions, please reach out to Christine Larson, PA Co-President at clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org or call/text at 612.251.1156.
