November 14, 2024
from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director
Mark Your Calendars
- Saturday, November 16: LS PA Rainbow Club Family Fun Day, 2-4 PM, Lakewood Hills Park, White Bear Lake
- Sunday, November 17-Saturday, November 23: Fall Campaign
- Thursday, November 21: Give to the Max Day
- Thursday, November 21: Spirit Wear Day
- Thursday, November 21: Give to the Max Day Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center
- Wednesday, November 27: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break
- Thursday, November 28: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break, MPA Campus Closed, Panther Club Closed, PreK Closed
- Friday, November 29: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break, MPA Campus Closed, Panther Club Closed, PreK Closed
- Wednesday, December 4: Founders’ Day Breakfast, 7-8 AM, Family Commons
We have had an exciting past few weeks in the Lower School. At the end of October, we celebrated our October birthdays with a special birthday table in the lunchroom and a little gift for each birthday kid. On November 5, the Lower School students gathered in the library to exercise their rights to vote, making their voices heard around non-uniform Fridays. And on Wednesday November 13, the students celebrated a glorious CHAMP assembly and welcomed a special guest as they inquired into Native American Heritage Month. Next week, we have our Give to the Max assembly and two non-uniform days. Please read on for more information!
CHAMP Update: Native American Heritage Month
On Wednesday, November 13, the Lower School students enjoyed inquiring into the indigenous peoples of Minnesota. They learned that the beautiful Dakota name for our state is “Mni Sota Makoce,” or “land where the waters reflect the clouds” in the Dakota language. They learned about our school’s land acknowledgment, well-known Native Americans in the United States, and interesting books on Indigenous Peoples that we can read in our library. We were also honored to welcome MPA parent Patricia Aw-yang, representing the Wahpekute band of the Dakota tribe, as she shared with us the tradition of a jingle dance. What a wonderful way to explore and give reverence to the vast richness of Dakota and Lakota wisdom and traditions! At our next CHAMP assembly on Wednesday, December 11, we will celebrate the CHAMP attribute of inclusion. Please wear your CHAMP shirts!
Spirit Wear On Thursday, November 21: Join Us in Igniting Dreams, One Gift At A Time!
From November 17-23, we’re celebrating our community’s generosity and the power of dreams with our annual MPA Fall Campaign: Igniting Dreams, One Gift At A Time! This event allows us all to come together in support of MPA’s mission, culminating in Give to the Max Day on Thursday, November 21. We look forward to seeing our performers at our annual Lip Sync Assembly, an all-community event, at 2:20 PM. In celebration, Thursday will also be MPA spirit wear day! This year, we join together to ignite our students’ dreams of today and tomorrow. For more information or to make a gift, visit the Fall Campaign Webpage. For any questions about the Fall Campaign, please contact Ashley Goetzke, director of development and community engagement, at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.
Express Yourself Friday On Friday, November 22
The Lower School students recently voted, and their voices have been heard! I am pleased to announce that Express Yourself Fridays will now be a Lower School tradition! On the last Friday of each month, the students are welcome to wear clothing that expresses their ideas, feelings, and interests. The clothing should be school-appropriate, allowing for movement in PhyEd and on the playground, and conducive to active learning. Our very first Express Yourself Friday will be on Friday, November 22. We can’t wait to see what the children decide to wear to share more about themselves with our community.
