November 9, 2023
from Mark Segal, Upper School director
Mark Your Calendars
- Monday, November 13: 11th Grade Mock ACT Testing, 11:30-3 PM, MPA
- Thursday, November 16: Give to the Max Day Lip Sync Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Center
- Thursday, November 16: Grade 10 Parent Meeting, 6-7 PM, Recital Hall
- Thursday, November 16: Upper School Vocal Concert, 7:30-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
- Friday, November 17: 9th Grade Bring-A-Friend to MPA Day
- Monday, November 20: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
- Wednesday, November 22: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break
- Thursday, November 23: No Classes, Thanksgiving Holiday Break
- Friday, November 24: No Classes, Thanksgiving Holiday Break
- Thursday, November 30: Upper School Conferences, 3:30-8 PM, MPA
- Friday, December 1: No Upper School Classes, Upper School Conferences, 8-5 PM, MPA
- Saturday, December 2: US Semi-Formal Dance, 8-11 PM, Maplewood Community Center
- Monday, December 4-Friday, December 8: MPA Book Festival
- Wednesday, December 6: Founder’s Day Breakfast, 7-8 AM, Family Commons
- Wednesday, December 6: Class of 2028 Feed Your Mind Dinner, 6-8 PM, Family Commons
- Thursday, December 7: Upper School Parent Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, PCR
- Friday, December 8: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
- Tuesday, December 19: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
- Tuesday, December 19: Class of 2028 Parent Coffee, 6:30-7:30 PM, MPA
- Wednesday, December 20: MPA Caroling, 7:30-8 AM, MPA
- Thursday, December 21-Tuesday, January 2: No Classes, Winter Break
- Wednesday, January 3: Classes Resume
A few weeks ago, my family and I celebrated one of many traditional Upper School “rites of passage” when our son received his driver’s permit. We anxiously awaited the envelope addressed to him from the State of Minnesota that contained his permit card, which would give him the permission necessary to get behind the wheel of our car and drive. When it arrived, however, I must admit that I was surprised by what I saw. It wasn’t that his picture had more of a smirk than a smile or that he had decided to be an organ donor like his parents, but rather my focus was on the difficult to read “signature” displayed at the bottom of the card. I have known for quite some time that his penmanship was similar to what patients once saw at the bottom of a doctor’s prescription pad, but I was a bit taken aback by what I saw.
In a recent Washington Post article, author Gina Rich shared that “handwriting is a fine motor skill that isn’t innately learned; it needs to be taught and practiced.” As I thought about this quote, I realized that handwriting is a timeless and fundamental skill that plays a critical role in the process of learning and mastering material. This was a hard reality for me as MPA has for decades been a one-to-one laptop school where academic technology has played an important role in the education of students. While technology has, and will continue, to make vast strides in education, there are compelling reasons to advocate and find time for students to use handwriting as an essential tool in their learning process.
According to a study referenced in a 2020 issue of Science Daily, handwriting has multiple benefits and creates brain connections that can’t be easily replaced. The authors share, “the use of pen and paper gives the brain more ‘hooks’ to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain, which in turn, opens the brain up for learning.” The act of handwriting promotes a deeper understanding of the material and challenges students to synthesize the information they are learning to extract the most important points. This, as one may imagine, allows for a greater understanding of complex subjects. Paula Heinricher, a presenter for Learning Without Tears, shares that, “handwriting encourages a slower and more deliberate thought process, which can lead to better critical thinking and problem-solving skills.” These are characteristics we strive to impart to every MPA student.
I am not naïve enough to think that due to these findings MPA will collect and recycle each of the MacBooks our students use. I have, however, recently seen more teachers ask their students to use pens, pencils, and paper to take notes and write first drafts of essays and assignments. Combining the strengths of both handwriting and technology can provide a comprehensive and effective approach to learning and mastering materials in an increasingly digital age.
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 the Upper School office via clarson@moundsparkacademy.org.
- Class of 2026 Parents & Guardians – Please join Mark Segal and Jay Dean next Thursday, November 16 at 6 PM for a grade level meeting for tenth grade parents. We will discuss the February Deep Portage trip, review Upper School programmatic materials, discuss academic expectations, and the ongoing school/family partnership. We will meet in the Recital Hall and will end the meeting in time for families to attend the choral concert scheduled that evening.
- Second quarter upper school conferences are right around the corner. They will take place 3:30-8 PM on Thursday, November 30, and 8-5 PM on Friday, December 1. For these conferences, there will be no upper school classes held on Friday, December 1, yet regularly scheduled Lower and Middle School classes will be held that day. Similar to the first set of conferences, Upper School students participate in their conferences and are required to attend. A communication was sent to Upper School families earlier this week with conference registration information.
