Mounds Park Academy

October 13, 2016

You may have noticed my absence from my post at the South Entrance during drop-off this week. As I’ve often shared before, this time is probably the best part of my day and I love connecting with students and parents each morning. I work hard to reserve that time in my calendar and there isn’t much that keeps me away. This week, however, I had to miss my morning visits with the MPA community in order to spend four days serving on a visiting team for accreditation at the Marshall School in Duluth.

Like Marshall, Mounds Park Academy is a member of the Independent Schools Association of Central States (ISACS). The purpose of ISACS is to promote the development of strong learning communities characterized by high achievements, social responsibility, and independence of governance, programs and policies. This goal is achieved through a rigorous accreditation process, targeted professional development programs, and focused support services.

From Dr. Hudson: What Problem Do You Want To Solve?

October 5, 2016

“Instead of asking children what they want to be when they grow up, we should instead ask them what problem do they want to solve,” said Jaime Casap, chief educational evangelist at Google. According to Casap, most jobs of the future haven’t been defined yet. Instead of preparing students to enter today’s workforce, we should foster a mindset that empowers students for success in a rapidly dynamic, global society.

Author Ken Bain, in his book, “What the Best College Students Do” draws a distinction between “strategic” learners and “deep” learners. Strategic learners are driven by external rewards, such as grades and honors. They often have superficial understanding of their disciplines and are rarely able to transfer that learning. Conversely, according to Bain, deep learners are driven by their own curiosity and sense of wonder. They conceive of their own education as a great adventure. They are reflective, self-directed, and autonomous. They are resilient and embrace failure. They see themselves as part of a broader learning community, and they find perspective, support, and inspiration from that community. In the long term, they are more successful—and happier.

From Dr. Hudson: Conferences for All

September 28, 2016

It has been great to see so many parents on campus for parent-teacher conferences. Ross and I were among you as well, sitting outside Mrs. Nagle’s classroom, anxiously awaiting our turn. I have been a teacher and administrator for more than 25 years and have taken part in hundreds of parent-teacher conferences. However, this was my first time as a parent in a conference about my child in the school I lead. As nervous as I was, I’m sure Mrs. Nagle was as well!

At MPA, both parents/guardians and teachers are united in a shared commitment that is focused on student growth, learning, and achievement. Families and teachers are parts of complimentary learning systems that place families as core partners in the learning process. Significant research exists that demonstrates that family involvement in education can lead to positive benefits for children and youth, such as increased school attendance, higher academic performance, enhanced social skills, and improved attitudes about school.

From Dr. Hudson: Makerspace Coming to MPA

September 22, 2016

I am incredibly thrilled to announce that Mounds Park Academy has received an anonymous donation of $500,000 to build a makerspace. A makerspace is a hands-on, creative center for students to design, experiment, build, and invent as they deeply engage in art, science, engineering, and tinkering. This very generous gift is a key element in making our MPA vision of 21st century learning a reality! It’s also a reminder that all philanthropic gifts, both big and small allow MPA to continue to grow, to transform, and above all, they truly make a difference in the lives of our students.

An advisory committee comprised of teachers, administrators, parents, and outside experts is currently being formed to work closely with the architects and builders. You are invited to be a part of the process by participating in a listening session on Thursday, October 6 from 3:30-5:00 PM in the Porter Conference Room. If you are unable to attend the session and you have ideas you’d like to share, please feel free to email them to me directly.

A Message from Dr. Hudson: Our Community

September 15, 2016

“I think I’ve learned more at MPA since school began than I ever did at my old school,” said my daughter Ari, who just started as a fifth grader. You better believe I tuned in quickly and listened deeply, both as a parent and as the head of school. “Tell me more,” I said, trying to mask my eagerness. For the next 40 minutes, as we battled traffic on our way home, Ari went on to share with me her observations after three weeks at MPA. As I listened as the head of school, I became more and more proud of our teachers and staff. As a parent, I became more and more convinced that we made the right choice in choosing MPA.

It has been said that students won’t care what teachers know until they know that they care. Ari’s teachers have taken the time to know her personally, to see her strengths, and have begun intentionally building a unique relationship with her. In turn, her motivation has increased and she has become more invested in her own education. Ari has found a home at MPA.

But strong, personal relationships are not reserved only for teachers and students at MPA—they are a hallmark of our parent community as well. It is not uncommon for parents to become friends in their own right, independent of their children (imagine that!). I recently attended a Spring Auction Great Gathering and reveled in the camaraderie among parents throughout the evening. It was clear to me that parents find a home at MPA as well.

Dream Big. Do Right.

September 8, 2016

Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words in trying to describe something very important to you? Several years ago, Mounds Park Academy launched a strategic planning process in order to chart a path forward over the next five years. A committee was formed with representation from various MPA constituent groups, including parents, alumni, students, trustees, staff, and teachers. During our work, the committee quite often returned to a very simple but profound challenge: How do we articulate the very essence of what makes MPA such a special and unique school? So many of us know the answer in our hearts but fumble at the “right way” to describe MPA.

In response to that challenge, we partnered with Friends & Neighbors in early 2016, a nationally known yet locally based, strategic creative agency to conduct comprehensive market research. The objectives of the study were to understand the attitudes and motivations of prospective families related to education, increase our understanding of the decision-making process for school enrollment, and to help all of us put into words the “why” of MPA. This was a very exhaustive and in-depth project grounded in a great deal of both qualitative and quantitative research.

Based on what we learned the refreshed MPA brand has been defined. Our brand is an authentic expression of MPA’s true story. In the words of the father of advertising, David Ogilvy, “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes.” Our identity. Our unique story. Our heart and our soul.

A Message from Dr. Hudson: Dream Big

August 25, 2016

When I was young, I had dreams about my future. I couldn’t decide whether I should be President or the Pope. Obviously, I fell short on both, but the dream served as inspiration and motivation to work hard, go to college, and pursue post-graduate work. My dream also served as a guidepost in how I saw myself and the impact I would make on the world. From an early age, I felt a responsibility to serve others and to work for justice and equity.

Given all of that, it is no surprise that I landed at MPA. In our school’s commitment to helping students discover and maximize their own unique talents and then use those talents to serve the common good, I found a home. It is important to me that our students are challenged academically and held to high standards, while also learning how to think critically and solve problems creatively. I feel incredibly proud to be at a place like MPA that welcomes, embraces, and accepts others without condition.

Head’s Message | June 9, 2016

June 9, 2016

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand, Six Hundred Minutes. How do you measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets? In midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches, in miles? In laughter, in strife? How about love? Measure in love.

Do those lyrics sound familiar? If not, they belong to the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical, Rent. Even though there is a great amount of publicity these days about the brilliance of Hamilton, Rent remains a classic, due in part to the depth of thought and feeling conveyed in both prose and music. As I was searching for a metaphor for this last edition of Panther Post, I was struck by the beauty and simplicity of the lyrics of “Seasons of Love.” I believe it is a perfect lens to evaluate what I think has been an incredibly successful academic year. Read More

Head’s Message | June 2, 2016

June 2, 2016

There was a buzz of excitement today as fourth graders headed off to the Science Museum of Minnesota. In fact, the last several weeks have been full of hands-on, active learning experiences for students across divisions. The following are just a few examples of what has taken place just in the past week at MPA.

Eighth grade Global Studies students held a mock International Summit on the Syrian refugee crisis. Each student researched a country, region, or political party and represented that position throughout intense negotiations.
Sixth graders dressed as notable figures from the American Civil War and mingled in character with peers and visitors from other divisions.
Sixth graders also weeded and planted for Loaves and Fishes’ Farm for All program. The vegetables they helped cultivate will ultimately be provided to families who otherwise would not have access to fresh produce.
Fifth graders went to Camp Ihduhapi where they worked on team- and trust-building, studied environmental issues, fished, and canoed. They were also offered several opportunities for adventure including zip lining, a high ropes course, and an early morning bog plunge.
Upper School Constitutional Law students presented current US Supreme Court cases to judges and attorneys from the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Head’s Message | May 26, 2016

May 26, 2016

This is the last week of classes for our outstanding senior class and I am truly going to miss them. Although there are many events, traditions, and celebrations leading up to graduation, this week will be bittersweet. Early in the year, I had lunch with them in small groups and I enjoyed hearing their reflections on their time at MPA and was inspired by their hopes for the future. A common theme that emerged from those lunches was that MPA not only helped them develop the gifts and talents they already had, it helped them discover gifts and talents they never knew were possible. They also spoke of the influence MPA had in discovering their own uniqueness, as well as inspiring them to embrace the same in others.

It can be challenging to get a pulse on how engaged students are with their school. The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) has partnered with Indiana University to measure student engagement through the use of the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE). This survey is taken by hundreds of thousands of students in public, private, and independent schools across the nation. The data are rich and the contrasts significant. For instance, in 2015, 60 percent of the participating students in independent schools indicated that their schools contributed “very much” to their ability to write effectively (versus 31 percent for the public school students) and 59 percent indicated the same for their critical thinking skills (verses 29 percent). Read More