Mounds Park Academy

January 29, 2020

Joanne Olson, MPA’s first Lower School director, is fond of saying that MPA was born “of a dream and a shoestring.” What started as the dream of founders Bob Kriescher and Sandy Kriescher Smith, quickly became the dream of parents and educators from across the Twin Cities. Bob, Sandy, our founding teachers, board members, and parents pooled what resources they could muster to make their dream a reality on a shoestring budget that would have a lasting impact.

Sandy Kriescher Smith once shared with me that she used a small bequest from her grandmother’s estate to buy books for the new library. In the year before MPA opened, Sandy would crisscross the cities, utilizing her inheritance to purchase the books from public schools that were closing, or the inventory cast from public libraries. Little by little, she filled her garage with boxes of books so that when (or if!) the school opened, it would have a library.

Sandy’s story is just one of the many stories of our humble beginnings. MPA would not exist without the vision of the founding families and generosity of time and resources of so many. Over the years, generous gifts have resulted in beautiful campus and school community. A commitment to the school guided parents and supporters to invest in the needs of the time but also to invest in the school’s future. Read More

Maker Fest 2020: Debbie LaChapelle

January 29, 2020

We’re interviewing the Makers you’ll meet at at Maker Fest 2020 on Saturday, February 22 so you can get to know them ahead of time! Debbie LaChapelle is MPA’s PreK teacher who loves to use the Makerspace to channel her students’ and her own creativity.

What (or who) inspires you to make?
I like to learn new things and have wanted to be crafty. I sewed in junior high and my mom made most of my clothes and draperies–I guess my mom inspires me.

What do you enjoy making?
Infinity scarves, oven mitts, tissue holders, bags, baby blankets, cord keepers, placemats, and coasters.

What are the most rewarding challenges?
Doing something over and over again, not giving up, and finally getting it right. Not being afraid to make mistakes. Not being afraid to use your seam-ripper; it is your friend. Read More

See You At Pajamarama On Thursday!

January 29, 2020

Pajamarama is Thursday, January 30! From 5:45-6:45 PM, Lower School students will enjoy a short concert of their favorite Disney music, meet our musicians, and enjoy story telling in a new and imaginative way. Following the Disney performance, the children are led in interactive activities designed to spark excitement and curiosity about music. To finalize our program we will have a reading of a popular children’s book performed by a narrator while being accompanied by the MPA Upper School Orchestra. Students will receive a snack while they cozy up to hear this famous story come to life! Wear your pajamas or your comfy clothes!

Golden Tickets Go On Sale Saturday!

January 29, 2020

Don’t forget! Golden Tickets for the 2020 Spring Auction: Light Up the Night go on sale this Saturday, February 1. Only 100 tickets will be sold, and the winner will receive the live auction item of their choice! Don’t miss your chance to win one of these fabulous prizes.

Family and Business sponsorships are a great way to get your tickets for the event this year, and receive additional perks such as reserved premium seating, a free Golden Ticket, and helping to underwrite the cost of tickets for MPA teachers and staff to attend the event for free! A limited number of business and family sponsorships remain.

Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, Director of Development and Community Engagement with questions or to learn more.

MPA Girls Nordic Ski Wins IMAC Championship

January 29, 2020

Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Girls IMAC Nordic Champions, the MPA Panthers! The MPA Girls Nordic Ski team of seniors Mari Bohacek and Izzy George, juniors Katie Dahiya, Izzy Quam, Eva Benson, and Emma Cohen, freshmen Eleanore Haas, Sophia Spisak, and Margo Nightingale, eighth grader Abby B., and North Heights seventh grader Sienna S. finished first at the Conference Championship Race with a final score of 550.

The Boys Team of senior Henry Snider, juniors Ian Snider, Collin Steinberger, and Peter Manolis, sophomores Isak Nightingale and Grant Steinberger, eighth graders
David S., Eilam D., and Logan M., and seventh graders Eddie S. And Joe W. also put in great effort and finished second behind Minnehaha Academy with a score of 552.

The MPA Nordic Ski program provides students with the opportunity to learn skills necessary to compete successfully. Skiers are encouraged to achieve their maximum potential in practice and in competition–students work hard, have positive attitudes, and are the best teammates they can be. Great job to all of you, Panthers!

The Ability To Choose A New Path

January 27, 2020

The following essay is adapted from MPA Class of 2020 member Ceci Driano’s Senior Speech.

I have always been a planner. The color-coded schedules and to-do lists kind of planner. Yet somehow my life has not gone according to plan. Eighteen years in the making, I now understand that change is constant and life is not always fair, but through it all, the most important thing is how I view change when my best laid plans go awry.

I went to elementary school in rural Minnesota and loved the small-town life. I was able to walk to school and recognize a familiar face everywhere I went. I have many fond memories partaking in events that would only happen in a small town. One of my favorites was walking in the Homecoming and Glows Parades, where the high schoolers were able to ride floats for their sports team and then run back to the beginning of the parade and do it all over again with another extracurricular. Whether it was running my make-believe Screwball Café where I took real money for fake food, or playing chip-it-over the river, where I just kicked a soccer ball over the wheelbarrow in my backyard–I found a way to have fun. My imagination seemed to run wild, and as my dad liked to say, I was basically a free-range chicken. I thought I had my whole life planned out: I would graduate, go to the college down the street so I could live at home with my parents, and then I would become President. What could go wrong? Read More

A Place For Joy, Connection, And Purpose

January 23, 2020

Since returning from winter break, being on campus has been extra exciting and bustling in the brand new library! We asked MPA Librarian Nancy Lage to reflect on the first few weeks of the library being open. “Our beautiful new state of the art library is located in the heart of the school. It has exceeded all of my expectations and I’m so grateful that our entire community will now have the opportunity to enjoy it,” she said. In between flurries of classes eager to use the new spaces on campus, she had wonderful recollections to share. But if you have not been in the new space yourself, we invite you to experience it firsthand!

Do you have a favorite new library moment so far?
It’s been so rewarding to watch students, parents, and colleagues walk in the new library for the first time. Many people feel a lot of emotion. They look around and see how beautiful the new spaces are, and it gives them an overwhelming feeling of joy, excitement, and inspiration. To see the expressions on their faces is just priceless–I wish everyone could have the opportunity to see what it’s like when people walk in and see the facility for the first time. I think those emotional moments that took me by surprise are my favorite.

What are students saying about it?
I hear them say “It’s beautiful, my favorite spot in the school, awesome, I love it, it’s so bright, I love the natural light, it’s a great use of space… can I live here?!” A student recently entered the library and just stood there. When I asked if I could help her with something, she said, “I’m just looking at all the spaces and trying to decide which one I like the best!” And parents have a lot to say, too. A parent recently stopped in and said, “When I walk into the library, I feel the spirit of the school. This space is so inspiring.”

How are classes in the library enhanced?
The new library was built on doing what’s best for students. It’s a place of opportunity, a learning center where students use the best resources and technology available in a safe and nurturing environment. Not only do we have spaces for reading, research and collaborative learning, but we have a fireplace that provides warmth and comfort, individual study spaces, a vibrant and whimsical children’s room, gallery spaces for student artwork, and a brand-new display space for social studies and world language departments to share cultural projects.

Describe how you feel in the new space in three words.
In terms of how I’m feeling: inspired, grateful, energized. When thinking about the space itself: joy, connection, purpose. How it’s affecting students: imagine, explore, dream.

What are you looking forward to?
First of all, there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of students coming in to use the new spaces and resources, which is fabulous! I’m looking forward to working with students in this new facility to encourage and help enable them to become independent readers and learners. I want the whole community to benefit from all the enrichment this dynamic new library provides!

The ROI Of An Exceptional Education

January 23, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

A January 14 article published in the Washington Post reported on a study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce that found that “over the course of a career, a liberal arts education is remarkably practical, providing a median return on investment 40 years after graduation that approaches $1 million.” With the rising cost of college, it is right that parents consider the return on their investment, particularly when there seems to be a prevailing bias towards STEM, often at the detriment of the humanities or liberal arts. But the return on investment of a truly exceptional education cannot be limited only to a paycheck.

I have several books stacked on my bookshelves at home and in my office as well as on night table that are half-read. My Audible account has a cue of books I am making my way through and I’ve recently been introduced to a great app called “Blinkist” that summarizes nonfiction books in short, digestible audiocasts. My thirst for news and current events is satiated by another app, “Flipboard,” that I consume alongside my oatmeal and coffee in the morning. My thinking these days has been highly influenced by two books in particular, “Range” by David Epstein and “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek. Read More

Thank You For A Magical Middle School Cafe!

January 23, 2020

A huge thank you to everyone who made the MS Cafe possible last week. Thanks to all of our tireless parent volunteers, Sage for the wonderful food, our fantastic custodians and MPA’s faculty and staff that helped out in many ways. It was a joy-filled week for students and parents alike. Thank you to everyone who helped out, in big ways and little. It certainly takes a village to make the Cafe happen and MPA’s is the best! View photos from the magical week here.

January 23, 2020

MPA Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week is coming up, February 3-7! This week is an opportunity to show thanks and appreciation to our wonderful faculty and staff during Lower and Middle School Conference week. Please sign up to donate your time, treats or both. Thank you for showing your appreciation with us!