All School Archives

April 7, 2019

The MPA Speech Team won the MSHSL Section 4A Speech Tournament on Friday, April 5 with more than double the points of the second place team. Congratulations to our Panthers and their incredible coaches!

Finalists and state qualifiers are:

Beldaja Jama – 1st place in DISCUSSION (going to the MSHSL State Tournament)
Kaija Kunze-Hoeg – 3rd place in DRAMA (going to the MSHSL State Tournament)
Chloe McClusky – 4th place in DRAMA
Hana Miller – 5th place in DRAMA
Ryan Ghose and Livia Wooldridge – 1st place in DUO (going to the MSHSL State Tournament)
Carly Peacock and Tyler Schelle – 3rd place in DUO (going to the MSHSL State Tournament)
Garrett Hollihan – 1st place in EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING (going to the MSHSL State Tournament)
Read More

MPArors Advance To World Championship

April 4, 2019

This past weekend the Robotics Team, MPArors, competed in the MN FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Robotics Competition! The team placed second overall out of 60 teams, and will be moving onto the FIRST Championship in Detroit at the end of April, where there will be teams participating from all over the world.

They had a wonderful group of fans who stayed throughout the day to watch, among which was Sarah McFarland, MPA parent and international student program coordinator. “There were so may wonderful things to see and experience such as watching the team learn and grow from their mistakes, seeing the students in action working together toward a common goals, hearing the pride in mentors’ voices and seeing the sparkle in their eyes,” she shared.

Some MPA alumni and founding team members were also in attendance, cheering on the MPArors and offering their support. Among the MPA alumni present was Sirid Kellermann ’88. Sirid was a FIRST FRC Judge Advisor, whose job it is to coordinate the 30-judge team and ensure they are able to do their jobs successfully. “The MPArors truly reflected the ‘gracious professionalism’ spirit of FIRST Robotics,” said Sirid, “FIRST is about so much more than building a quality robot that performs well in competition. It’s also about the agile problem-solving, teamwork, and collaboration with other teams for the benefit of all. The MPArors can be proud of being a well-rounded team that checks all of these boxes. I encourage them to build on their success and strive even higher in the coming years—I’ll be there cheering them on again next spring!”

Congrats, MPArors! The MPA community and Coach Shapiro are so proud of you!

Gifts From All Ages

April 4, 2019

Two second grade students, Isaac and Thomas, were recently inspired to raise money to donate to Together, We Dream: The Campaign For MPA.

Thomas proudly brought in his hard-earned $10 donation because he is so excited about the improvements to our school and wanted to be a part of them. He said, “At the groundbreaking, I heard you were trying to raise $5 million. After I went home and thought about it, I decided I had ten dollars that I needed to donate to the construction.”

Isaac’s mother, Michelle, shared that during spring break, Isaac collected trash throughout his neighborhood in exchange for a little bit of money from her. She said, “He really wanted to contribute to the current campaign having seen his classmate Thomas do the same thing with his pocket money.”

When one gift inspires another, big dreams can come true. Thank you, Thomas and Isaac!

Invite A Friend To Be Curious With Us!

April 3, 2019

Do you have a friend, colleague, or neighbor who would love MPA? Invite them to MPA’s Early Childhood Curiosity Day on April 26! It will be a fun morning with activities that include a singalong, a story walk, play time in the Makerspace, and much more.

Our Early Childhood Curiosity Day is a very special event is for families who are interested in MPA’s PreK or kindergarten program. Visitors will join us as we explore curiosity and literacy in conjunction with the release of the latest Curious George seek-and-find book. At MPA, we learn by doing and this event is no exception. Activities will include a story walk, singalong, and seek-and-find fun in addition to diving into Curious George’s most recent story.

For more information and RSVP, see moundsparkacademy.org/visit, email admission@moundsparkacademy.org, or call 651-748-5577. Come be curious with us!

Math League Finishes Second In State

March 14, 2019

$MPA Math League$ Congratulations to the MPA Math League for finishing second in the state in Class A in the state tournament! Minnesota Valley Lutheran finished in first place and Breck finished in third place.

“I am really proud of how our team performed at the state tournament,” comments Coach Ethier. “Everyone on the team contributed to their second place finish, and everyone contributed to their success during the season.”

Coach Ethier also shares that it wasn’t too many years ago that they had trouble fielding a team of eight to compete at the meets, and that this year they had 11 different students who were part of the scoring team in at least one meet, and 18 students who came to most of their meets. “It’s been great to see the growth of our Math League program over the years,” says Ethier.

Juliana Wu, a senior and co-captain of the team, shares similar feelings. “This is the highlight of my senior year,” she said, “It was the first time in four years we went to state. Our team is awesome this year; we work really hard and all share an interest and a passion for math.”

Congratulations Math League and Coach Ethier!

March 14, 2019

Registration is open for Summer Panther Sport Camps!

Basketball lovers, join Jacob Schwartz ’09, MPA alum and Head Varsity Basketball Coach, as he and the assistant coaches emphasize shooting, ball handling, and fundamentals! Mounds Park Academy’s Panther Summer Basketball is excited to offer our annual Panther Basketball Camp. With more than 50 campers attending last year, we are expecting another tremendous camp. This camp is open to MPA and non-MPA students alike, who are entering grades 4-9 in Fall 2019. MPA students are encouraged to invite a friend! Read More

Spring Sailing For MPA

March 12, 2019

from Toby Sullivan ’19, sailing captain

Spring sports have begun! Of course, you have all the normal sports to choose from, but here at MPA students in grades 7-12 also have something different—sailing. Did you know that we have been one of the top teams in the state recently? Did you know that we race locally, regional and nationally? Did you know that sailing is a co-ed sport?

If you are looking for a sport that has life-long potential and is tons of fun, come join the MPA Sailing Team. You do not have to know how to sail—we will teach you everything you need to know to be able to be part of our team.

Sailing is a two-season sport. You can sail in the fall or the spring or both. Practices are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at White Bear Sailing School (carpools are arranged) and races are on Saturdays at various locations. Practices and races are loose so if you cannot make one, it’s ok. If you don’t want to commit right away, come and try out three practices for free. We’ll get started after spring break.

If you have questions or want more information talk to senior Toby Sullivan (tsullivan19@moundsparkacademy.org) or team advisor and MPA math teacher Ms. Sullivan (wsullivan@moundsparkacademy.org).

Career Speakers Needed & Appreciated

March 7, 2019

High school students in class We are seeking volunteers to speak with our Upper School students to share information about their jobs, and the stories of their career preparation and paths. MPA 10th graders recently completed Myers-Briggs assessments to tie in with their current general career interests. Next we hope to give them the chance to hear from people in fields that might hold interest for them. While all students in the Upper School are invited to participate, 10th graders will be attending as a required part of their advisory program.

Our first event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 11:30 AM-12:10 PM (taking advantage of lunch/advisory meeting time). However, we envision expanding this program in the future, so even if you can’t participate on this date, please let us know of your interest and we will keep you posted on further developments and opportunities to be involved.

Spring Auction Sponsorship Opportunities

March 7, 2019

Become a sponsor of the 2019 Spring Auction! There are many different sponsorship levels, including Community Sponsor, Host Sponsor, and Family And Friends Sponsor. Community Sponsors receive two complimentary tickets to the gala, two complimentary tickets to the Private Sponsor Pre-party, the company name and/or family name on auction program, on-site recognition, website recognition, and help cover the cost of two teacher tickets.

Auction sponsors receive special recognition on the website and printed materials and are invited to the exclusive pre-party, where they will have special access to the silent auction, great gatherings, and games. Sponsors also support Mounds Park Academy’s faculty and staff by allowing us to provide them with complimentary tickets to the event Read More

Your Gift Matters

March 7, 2019

by Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, Director of Development and Community Engagement

I grew up in rural Nebraska. Despite often wishing for more and to have anonymity that isn’t often found in small communities, I didn’t realize how much I missed that sense of belonging until our family found MPA last fall. Since then, I’ve experienced the joy of being a part of this tight-knit community of dreamers and doers. Through Together, We Dream: The Campaign for MPA, I’ve had the chance to talk with many supporters who’ve shared why they give. They often cite the impact their gift has on the school, and how they hope to make a difference in the lives of their children, and the entire community. Just as it is in most communities, giving here is both deeply personal and meaningful. Read More