Mounds Park Academy

September 9, 2020

What did your journey look like from Chicago to MPA?
We moved to Minnesota from Chicago in 2019 for an exciting career opportunity and to explore a new state, having raised our family in the city for 12 years and then moving to the suburbs.

As a new family to the area, what made you choose MPA over the abundance of other educational options in the Twin Cities?
MPA spoke to us and to our children instantly. Having attended both private/independent and public schools previously; we appreciate the combination of academic rigor and whole child approach. Our children are well rounded with many interests and we wanted to continue to instill in them a joy of learning, an appreciation for the arts, and varied sports and recreational options while also challenging them academically. MPA was immediately our first choice (among many outstanding options) and we could not be more pleased with how much our children love it!

What would you tell another family relocating to the Twin Cities?
Do your homework, know what you want nearby and how you plan to live—and then call us! The Twin Cities are varied and there are many wonderful areas to live in. It took time and patience and we even had to commute for work for nearly a year, but in the end it worked out—especially finding MPA and seeing how much joy the school and community has brought to our family.
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Looking Forward To Homecoming 2021

September 3, 2020

One of the annual traditions our community has enjoyed celebrating is the MPA Homecoming festivities, which had been scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2020. Due to our ongoing focus on health and safety given the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as limits on social gatherings and visitors on campus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s activities. We will miss the joy, laughter, and sense of community shared by all during Homecoming, but look forward for new ways in the coming weeks and months for current families and alumni to celebrate our Panther Pride. Look for our chance to celebrate together again during Homecoming 2021!

Parents Association Kick-Off & Connect Events

September 3, 2020

The MPA Parent’s Association is hosting Kick-Off Zoom meetings next week. Come join us to learn about who we are and what we do. Meet members and your grade reps. We’re looking for your ideas and your help as we continue to brainstorm how best to strengthen our MPA community this year.

We have three sessions set up, one for each division to help focus discussions. The Friday session (Lower School focus) is purposefully scheduled longer to allow the second hour to be open for anyone to join for a general discussion. We look forward to seeing you at one or all of the sessions! Read More

Guidance For Wearing A Mask At School

September 3, 2020

Scientific evidence from public health experts, the MN Department of Health, and the CDC indicates that risks to students and staff can be kept low if schools adhere to strict control measures, including wearing a face mask.

The mask should fit snugly to cover the nose bridge, mouth, and chin and should not gap on the sides.
The mask should stay across the nose without slipping down. If it slips regularly, the fit isn’t quite right.
Masks should be made of tightly-woven cloth such as higher thread count cotton and 2-3 layers thick.
Ensure the mask fits around the ears, but isn’t too tight. Straps shouldn’t twist—if they do, the fit isn’t quite right.
Masks should be washed daily, so multiple masks are recommended to have on hand at home, and your student should arrive to school with two masks each day: wearing one, and an extra on hand.
Watch a helpful video on mask-wearing >

Traffic Safety Reminders

September 3, 2020

It is MPA’s number one priority to provide the safest campus environment possible for you and your children. This takes on new meaning during the 2020-21 school year, but we’d like to share some important traffic safety reminders too. Please share this information with all of the drivers in your home, in addition to others who may provide transportation for you. Thank you very much in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Distracted Driving
Parents and students are asked to refrain from using cell phones (hands free or otherwise) while driving on campus, especially when children are present. This helps us all to be aware of the children moving around us and keep the traffic flow steady and uncongested.

Please Slow Down
Keep your speed at or below 10 MPH, depending upon the time of day and the area of campus. This is particularly important near crosswalks. Read More

On Being Kind

September 3, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

What is the first word that comes to mind that begins with the letter K? Ask any MPA kindergarten student and they will quickly tell you, “Kindness!” I had barely left my post at the front door Monday morning when a kindergartner presented me a bouquet of Black-eyed Susans from our own school garden. Several weeks ago, an MPA parent sent me a handwritten note in the mail thanking me for my leadership after noticing I looked like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders during one of our Town Halls. New sixth grade student, Ari R., gushed about how nice everyone is at MPA, especially the teachers, on his first day of school.

Watching the news these days or the postings on social media can be depressing. We are confronted with images and stories of violence, civil unrest, vitriol, and discord. One could believe that our world is bereft of kindness and goodwill in this time of crisis. In reality, we often fail to notice or celebrate the daily occurrences that advance the idea of humanity’s innate goodness. A visit to the site of George Floyd’s murder this summer brought tears to my eyes. The outpouring of kindness overwhelmed me as I observed donations of everyday supplies that filled sidewalks and bottled water and food was offered freely. Read More

Meet MPA Parent Chrissy Snider

September 2, 2020

What do you love about MPA?
I love the encouragement to try new things, the support through hard times, and a community that truly cares for each other and the world.

What initially attracted you to MPA?
Our oldest son Henry was struggling and his old school had given up on him. He needed a fresh start, a small setting and a place that embraced the whole child. Our children are no longer struggling. After being at MPA, they are thriving, and that’s especially true for Henry, who graduated from MPA this past spring. He entered MPA with no confidence in himself academically, socially or athletically, and look at him now! A state champion, confidently heading to the college of his dreams with a close knit group of friends that support and cheer for each other.

How is your child encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
All four of my children who have attended MPA and very different with unique gifts. Each of them feel encouraged to be their own individual selves and celebrated for their talents. They are challenged at school, but because of MPA, they have the confidence to put in the effort to persevere through the challenging coursework and ask for help when it is needed. For example, Henry’s Track and Field coach Bev Docherty had a lot to do with his success. Henry had a hard time running the 400m and 800m. Read More

Tips & Tricks For New Protocols

August 27, 2020

Arrival & Dismissal
We anticipated that this first week would be a little challenging and we are so grateful for everyone’s support and kind words! Internally, we are tweaking our processes and looking for opportunities to enhance the experience. We anticipate that it will get easier each day. Please know that every faculty, staff, and admin team member is available to assist students and make it as easy as possible for families! Let’s be safe, smart, and kind!

Here are some helpful tips and tricks …

Please have the “green pass” email ready to show staff when you arrive. If you choose to park you will need to show your green pass to the staff as you walk your student to the door.
If you have students in multiple divisions, you need to drop off and pick up each one at their designated door (Lower School: Doors 1 and 2, Middle School: Doors 4 and 5, Upper School: Door 7).
For arrival and dismissal, Lower School families should enter the drive thru off Larpenteur Avenue—this is the lane to the east that goes in front of Doors 1 and 2 (east driveway). Note there is no left-hand turn into this lane in the afternoon. Middle and Upper School families should enter the parking lot off Larpenteur—west driveway—and proceed toward the applicable door.
Dismissal will begin at 3 PM for students who will be picked up by families.
Please have your child’s/children’s first and last name and grade on a sheet of paper highly visible to the sidewalk for dismissal. This will significantly speed up the process.
Staff will be signaling teachers in waves to ensure physical distancing of students.
Students will be exiting the same door that they entered.
If families choose to park in the parking lots they will need to wait until all the drive up lanes are clear before their child will be dismissed. We encourage all families to enter the drop off line rather than park.

Relationships Matter

August 27, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Yesterday was amazing! After months apart, it was heartwarming to welcome our students to a new school year, in person. Excitement and joy were evident throughout the day, from drop off to dismissal. Although there were no hugs due to our health and safety measures, I observed an abundance of virtual hugs, pretend high fives, and no-contact fist “bumps.” As someone who worked in an empty building for the last six months, the joy and laughter emanating from our students lifted my spirits and soothed my soul.

In the midst of a pandemic and opening school in a wholly different way, it’s comforting to see that this crisis isn’t driving people apart, it is bringing them together. As a part of my summer reading, I was struck by the timeliness of “Humankind: A Hopeful History,” a new book by historian Rutger Bregman. Bregman set out to prove “that humans are hardwired for kindness, geared towards cooperative rather than competition, and more inclined to trust one another than distrust one another.”

Bregman posits that, at our core, humans are decidedly good. In fact, is the very trait of friendliness that gives us an evolutionary advantage over other species. One of the most fascinating insights from modern anthropology and biology is that human beings have been selected over the history of our evolution to be friendly. Throughout history, it was actually the friendliest among us who had the most kids, and so had the best chance of passing on their genes to the next generation.

Looking Beyond Our Walls

August 27, 2020

by Emma Cohen, MPA Class of 2021

I had the good fortune to work with Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC), a local organization closely partnered with MPA, this summer. Breakthrough is a challenging academic enrichment program for highly motivated, under-resourced students, where all the teachers are high school and college students.

I had heard about Breakthrough from a few friends who worked as teaching fellows a previous summer and their enthusiasm for the program was what initially encouraged me to apply. As I learned more about the program, I saw connections between what I loved about my own education and a community at Breakthrough that emphasizes student’s authenticity, encourages them to drive their own learning in the ways that work for them, and allows them to pursue what they are curious about. In other words, from what I had heard, Breakthrough fostered an environment that was appealing to me as a student—the kind of environment my teachers had created for me—so I was thrilled and grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of creating that for other students.

Despite being a small school, my teachers at MPA have always forced me to look beyond our walls to the larger community I am a part of. By teaching material that is relevant and emphasizing its applications to today as well as creating a classroom in which student curiosity and passion lead the conversation, my teachers have encouraged me to understand my education as a tool meant to be used for impact and change while empowering me to do so.