MPA Gains In Stock Market Game

MPA Middle School students participated in the Stock Market Game MPA Middle School students Mason M., Noah H., Louis S., and Emilia M., participated in the Stock Market Game throughout the school year, ending with an awards ceremony for their success! Mason, Noah, and Louis took first place with an ending portfolio of $116,381.17, and Emilia took second place with an ending portfolio of $113,754.96!

Both teams were ranked against other teams in Minnesota ranging from seventh to ninth grade. The ceremony highlighted how it is so important for communities to be financially literate, especially at a young age. Way to go, Panthers!


Your New Parents Association Executive Board!

MPA kindergarten classThank you to those of you who voted for your new Parents Association Executive Board. The following slate was approved and will begin leading the PA and serving its families on July 1, 2018: Kim Jakway, President; Seema Anwar, President-Elect; Meredith Forgosh, Secretary; Barry Madore, Treasurer; Ginnie Peterson, Grade Representatives Lead; Russ Purdy, Upper School Division Lead; Susan Knapp and Tara Lafferty, Co-Middle School Division Leads; Tiffany Scott Knox, Lower School Division Lead.

In addition, a special thanks to those who are leaving the Parents Association Executive Board for their service this year, and, in many cases, for many prior years: Wendy Cusick, President; Cari Simonson, Secretary; Tricia Hutton, Treasurer, Christine Larson and Heidi Nelson, Co-Lower School Division Leads, Amanda Campbell and Elizabeth Esch, Co-Upper School Division Leads.


Congratulations to MPA Quiz Bowl!

2018 quiz bowlCongratulations to MPA Quiz Bowl on a fantastic season! On May 26 and 27, freshmen Isak Dai, Ryan Ghose, Hana Miller and Peter Manolis competed at the High School National Championship Tournament for Quiz Bowl. They played in 10 total matches and had a finished record of 5-5, and one of their last matches of the season came down to a buzzer beater on the very last question.

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Upper School Percussion & Woodwind Concert

US woodwind ensembleOn Friday, June 1, the Upper School Percussion and Woodwind Ensembles will be performing their annual end-of-the-year recital! You’ve never seen or heard anything like it! It will be a mix of classical and crazy, as the Woodwind Ensemble will be performing a multi-movement work by Beethoven, while the Percussion Ensemble is going completely non-traditional. Please join us at 6:30 PM in the Recital Hall for this incredible way to wrap up MPA’s concert season! In the meantime, please enjoy this Throwback Thursday to last year’s performance!


Volunteer With MPA This Summer!

MPA at MSP maker faireThe MPA Office of Admission is excited to be a part of several fun summer events around the Twin Cities, and we are looking for volunteers to help us share MPA! MPA will be at the MSP Mini Maker Faire and Grand Old Day this weekend, the Twin Cities Pride Festival, and also hosting a Twin Cities Mom’s Blog Community Heroes event here at MPA! Volunteers can sign up here on a first come, first served, basis. Thanks so much for considering and we can’t wait to see you this summer!


“10 Ways To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse”

zombiesMiddle School students have been hard at work preparing for their upcoming show, “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse!” The show is a comedy by playwright Don Zolidis, whose one-acts and shows have been performed by students all over the country. Get excited and preview photos of the show here!

The show is Friday, June 1 at 3:30 PM in the Black Box Theater at MPA. Tickets are free and the run time is 35 minutes. This is a performance put on by nine fifth and sixth graders, as well as more Middle School students working backstage, that you do not want to miss!
Please contact Lower and Middle school drama teacher Heather Mastel if you have any questions!


Class Of 2018: Pranay Somayajula, Woodbury, MN

Pranay '18As the 2017–18 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2018!

In what grade did you come to MPA? 7th

How did you come to choose the college that you did? I realized that for my interest in politics and political science, the best place for me to be is Washington, D.C. Because of its location, George Washington was clearly the right college for me.

What are you most excited about as you embark on your college experience? I’m really excited for the opportunity to be in a bigger environment and interact with students from a diverse array of experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints.

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Class Of 2018: Annika Ide, Hudson, WI

Annika Ide '18As the 2017–18 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2018!

In what grade did you come to MPA? I came to MPA in kindergarten and I’ve loved it ever since. I had two older sisters who had attended MPA since before I was born, so this school has always been a big part of my life. When I was a baby, my mom used to stand me up on her lap in the car while we waited for my sisters in the lower school pick-up line. I would wave to kids and teachers (many of whom still work at MPA!). My family has been a part of MPA for 22 years.

How did you come to choose the college that you did? My sisters both attended UW Madison, so it’s always been on my radar as an option. It came down to the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon and UW Madison. In the end, I couldn’t pass up being a Badger!

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Constitutional Law Goes To Court

Constitutional Law Goes To CourtOn Wednesday, May 23, seniors in the MPA Constitutional Law class headed to the Minnesota Judicial Center to present arguments on current U.S. Supreme Court cases to panels of judges from the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Filling four courtrooms in the building, each group of seniors presented their case for 30 minutes, including 15 minutes for both sides of the argument, similar to the way cases are truly argued before the Supreme Court. Each group has been working on one of six cases that the Supreme Court heard during this term.

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Talking To Children About Violence

Our hearts are heavy at MPA regarding today’s school shooting in Texas. Resources for the best way to talk to your children can always be found at moundsparkacademy.org/mentalhealth under “Violence.” In addition, find a new piece from the National Association of School Psychologists here.

Please also refer to this Head’s Message article from February, “Connect Deeper, Hug Longer, Remain Steadfast,” for information regarding safety measures, appropriate crisis planning, and preparedness training that we take very seriously at MPA.