Mounds Park Academy

May 14, 2020

A note from the MPA Yearbook Staff

We hope your families are well and thriving as much as possible in the midst of challenging circumstances. The end of the year is approaching and we are looking forward to celebrating with as much “normalcy” as possible. We are excited to put together our traditional slideshow, but the yearbook staff needs your help to capture the craziness of this spring!

Please email the Yearbook Staff photos of your child participating in virtual school or activities related to life during “Stay at Home Minnesota.” Any submissions are greatly appreciated! Stay tuned for information regarding yearbook distribution and the assembly plans!

Students Vote To Name Ms. Murr’s New Kitten

May 13, 2020

Giving a nod to her Upper School history curriculum on voting rights and the importance of voting, Ms. Murr had her Upper School history class vote on the name of her new kitten! They settled on the name Jackie, for Jackie Kennedy. So cute!

Mental Health Awareness Month Activities With MPA

May 13, 2020

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Ms. Cooper, Middle & Upper School Counselor, shared that mental health is “the quality of one’s social, psychological and emotional well-being. It directly impacts every aspect of our life, including how we think, feel, behave, and connect with others. Everyone has mental health. When our mental health is good, we have the flexibility to cope with life’s challenges.”

Throughout the month of May, we will be exploring various parts mental health by participating in a new activity each day. The activities include Mindfulness Mondays, gratitude journaling, introducing healthy routines, art projects, and more. There will also be mental health lunch talks hosted via Zoom on different topics each week.

Reach out to Ms. Cooper at acooper@moundsparkacademy.org for the full monthly calendar and Zoom links!

MN Secretary of State Visits Upper School History Class

May 13, 2020

Seniors in the 21st Century Global Issues elective were lucky to hear from Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon about cybersecurity in elections. Secretary Simon discussed issues ranging from potential attacks on election infrastructure to state versus federal control over elections to how to hold elections in the context of a public health crisis. Students were able to ask a range of questions, putting their own learning and research to the test. We appreciate the work of public servants like Secretary Simon.

MPA Partners With Local Booksellers For Virtual Book Festival

May 12, 2020

We’re thrilled to partner with the beloved independent shop Valley Bookseller for our Virtual Book Festival! As “Stillwater’s gathering place for everything book-related,” Valley has been a neighborhood favorite for more than 25 years.

Valley is offering some new and exciting titles, including “Brave Enough” by local athlete Jessie Diggins, “A Map Into the World” by Kao Kalia Yang, and “Hike” by Pete Oswald. They are also donating 10% of all sales back to MPA, and all orders must include “MPA” in the notes section when placing the order so they can track them for the donation.

Books will be shipped via the USPS: Priority Mail costs $7 and arrives in just 2-3 days after books arrive in their store. Media Mail is only $4 and will take 5-7 days. Learn more and order today at mpa.link/valleybookseller!

Class of 2020: Txuj Ci Yang

May 11, 2020

As the 2019–20 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2020!

In what grade did you come to MPA?

I came to MPA in 9th grade.

How did you come to choose the college that you did?

I came to choose St. Catherine’s due to an overnight I attended in the fall! I was looking for a college with a supportive academic environment just like MPA. Upon my overnight at St. Kate’s, I experienced just that. The prospective students and the current students there were absolutely amazing. We clicked instantly. I was able to see how the current students interacted with each other and how much fun they had while still helping each other with their work. I also encountered dozens of amazing individuals who shared the same passion for learning and had wished for everyone around them to succeed!

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience?

I am most excited about branching out and meeting new people with different insights! I am not much of a talker, but I adore listening to people’s stories. I believe that they reveal their beliefs and dreams. Being able to listen to new people passionately talk about what they hold dearly to them inspires me daily to work harder in order to aid them in their path to success. Read More

Makerspace Mondays Are Back

May 11, 2020

Makerspace Mondays are back by popular demand! Join Ms. Koen for virtual Makerspace Mondays, every Monday from 3:30-4:15 PM. Use this information to log into the meeting via Zoom.

Meeting ID: 996-5197-0166

Password: make

Nick Gardner ’15 Debuts Kernza® Perennial Grain

May 11, 2020

Nick Gardner ’15 is one of just three employees at Perennial Pantry, a small startup, but he is helping to bring about big changes to the world of sustainable agriculture.

On May 4, Perennial Pantry debuted Kernza® Perennial Grain, a grain in the wheat family. Kernza is a perennial, which means it can be left in the field for several years without needing the annual tilling that damages topsoil and leads to erosion and nutrient losses. Kernza develops deep root systems that help sequester carbon, filter water, and keep continuous living cover on the land, creating a habitat for pollinators, song-birds, and wildlife. Kernza is designed to be climate positive, meaning that growing it doesn’t just have a net zero carbon footprint, but actually fights climate change by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Nick has been heavily involved in the Kernza project. He has conducted product research, done mathematical modeling, written web content, and edited promotional videos. He also built a grain separator and dehuller himself (with the help of his dad’s shop) using open source plans and his own design work, saving the startup tens of thousands of dollars.

“I’ve been doing a lot of dehulling, cleaning, and milling tests,” he says, noting that grain distributors like Perennial Pantry can be a forgotten part of the supply chain. “Processing grain and flour takes a lot of work! It’s hard enough with something like barley or wheat, but Kernza is so new, and it’s been bred with ecosystem services and taste in mind, not uniformity.”

Nick is also involved in baking research and familiarizing himself with Kernza in order to communicate most effectively with chefs, bakers and brewers. “I love working at Perennial Pantry–every day is something new. One day I’m fine-tuning settings on our processing equipment or doing research to develop best practices. The next day, I’m communicating the amazing potential of perennial agriculture to journalists, consumers, friends, or just about anyone I can reach. I have a lot fun.”

Perennial Pantry has partnered with nationally known organizations including the Land Institute in Kansas and the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative to launch Kernza. They are bringing necessary agricultural products to consumers in a just manner while also communicating the impact that perennials can have on sustainable and climate positive supply chains in agriculture.

Nick earned a double major in Environmental Justice and Mathematics at Williams College and is thankful that much of what he’s doing has roots in what he learned at MPA, and in college. His work with Perennial Pantry combines his lifelong interest in environmental sciences with a passion for doing right. “MPA encouraged excellence in a lot of things. Of course I loved math and science, but what I learned in social studies and fine arts comes into play on a daily basis too.”

“One day I’m choosing a color palette for a new advertisement, and the next I’m using mathematical modeling to predict the carbon impact that 1 million acres of Kernza could have over time,” Nick says. “I’ve felt very thankful for my work ethic and the diversity of my education. And it began at MPA.”

Learn more Nick’s work with Kernza at the Perennial Pantry website and on YouTube!

Parents Association Book Festival Goes Virtual

May 11, 2020

Find all of the details you need for the Virtual Parents Association Book Festival here!

A Message From The Parents Association

The MPA Book Festival is a beloved tradition and the Parents Association is looking forward to making it possible virtually!

The annual Book Festival provides our MPA community with opportunities to participate in reading activities, purchase great books, and support our local booksellers. The MPA Library will use the donations from the booksellers to purchase books for teachers, for the classrooms, and the Library. It’s so important in our MPA community to support one another and our extended community. That’s why this year the MPA Library will also donate books to Breakthrough to support their summer literature program. Let’s help spread the joy of reading!

As in years past, you may purchase books from Valley Bookseller and Usborne Books. Since our event is online this year, you have the ability to purchase any books available through their distributors—bonus! You can even purchase a gift certificate for a teacher—double bonus!

If you have any questions, please contact Erin Dimopoulous, Parents Association Book Festival chair, at erin.dimopoulos@gmail.com.

Valley Bookseller Online Ordering Information

Please use this link to Valley Bookseller with information exclusively for MPA.

Valley Bookseller will donate back to us 10% of all sales! Orders must include “MPA” in the notes section when placing the order so they can track those orders for the donation. Books will be shipped via the USPS: Priority Mail costs $7 and arrives in just 2-3 days after books arrive in their store. Media Mail is only $4 and will take 5-7 days.

Usborne Books Online Ordering Information

Please use this link to Usborne Books with information exclusively for MPA.

Usborne Books will donate back to us 50% of all sales! Books will be shipped from the Usborne warehouse. The cost of shipping is $6 up to $75, then 8% of the order after that.

Book Festival Special Events
In addition to the opportunity to shop for and purchase books 24/7, we have something fun scheduled each day of the week for MPA families and students alike …

Monday, May 11
12 PM: Facebook Live with Usborne Books watch >
6:30 PM: Lower School Story Time led by Middle School students (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)

Tuesday, May 12
11:30 AM: Lower School Story Time led by Middle School students (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)
Facebook feature of Valley Bookseller read >

Wednesday, May 13
12 PM: Facebook Live with Breakthrough watch >
6:30 PM: Lower School Story Time led by Middle School students (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)

Thursday, May 14
11:30 AM: Lower School Story Time led by Middle School students (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)
3:30 PM: Carly Ciarrocchi Presentation (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)
Be engaged by Carly Ciarrocchi, a performer, writer/creator, producer and musician. Her mission is to invite audiences of all ages and collaborators of all kinds to play, investigate, and bounce. Her work is grounded in joy, curiosity, and resilience.
6:30 PM: Lower School Story Time led by Middle School students (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)

Friday, May 15
1 PM: Lower School Get Caught Reading Event (please see Sunday’s email to join via Zoom)
Lower School students will gather for a Zoom meeting from 1-1:30 PM. We will put students in breakout rooms to share the book they are reading. Next, students will curl up and read. We ask parents to take a photo of their child reading and submit it to communications@moundsparkacademy.org and we will create a collage.

Wednesday, May 27
7 PM: Virtual Book Club
Upper School students and Panther parents from all divisions are invited to leave your screens for a bit, travel to France as World War II wanes, and meet two of the most courageous and endearing characters in literature. Join us to read the novel “All the Light We cannot See” by Anthony Doerr in the recently launched a book club for all Upper Schoolers and now extended to a parent edition. Get your copy of the book during the Book Festival and join us for lively discussion on May 27. Student discussions will be at 2 PM and parent discussions will be at 7 PM. Join our Schoology group for more information and other reading suggestions. Access code: K7T6-DD2D-5FWJH

Supporting Our Community
MPA’s Library is thrilled to be partnering with local nonprofit Breakthrough Twin Cities for this year’s Book Festival! This partnership will support Breakthrough students by providing books for their summer literature experience. Breakthrough Twin Cities offers a six-year college access program to highly motivated, yet under-resourced students and families in the Twin Cities. With a campus housed at MPA and several MPA Alumni teaching fellows, we are proud to work closely with BTC to help provide books to their students. Learn more at breakthroughtwincities.org.

If you have any questions about this year’s Virtual Book Festival, please contact Erin Dimopoulous, Parents Association Book Festival chair, at erin.dimopoulos@gmail.com.

The Annual MPA Book Festival Goes Virtual: May 11-15, 2020!

May 7, 2020

We are excited to partner with Valley Bookseller and Usborne Books for the annual MPA Book Festival—Virtual 2020! The MPA Book Festival is a beloved tradition sponsored by the MPA Parents Association, and we are looking forward to making it possible virtually. As always, the proceeds from the Book Festival sales (10% of sales from Valley Bookseller and 50% credit of total sales from Usborne Books) support local bookstores, MPA teachers, classrooms and library. New for this year, proceeds will also provide books to Breakthrough Twin Cities to support their summer literature experiences. Breakthrough is the amazing college access program that operates at MPA on Saturdays and throughout the summer, to support highly motivated, yet under-resourced students and families.

Throughout the week of the Book Festival, there will be special events including author readings, Middle and Lower School book pair-ups, Book Festival partner highlights, and more! And although we are disappointed that we cannot hold the Book Festival in person, there is a silver lining. MPA families are not limited to what the sellers bring to the school or what they have on store shelves; any book that is available through their distributor can be part of the Book Festival. Read More