All School Archives

January 19, 2017

Students in grades four through 12 are invited to campus on Saturday, January 28 from 1–3 PM in the Lower School lab (room 133) to learn how to build a mobile app from start to finish. MPA parent, Gunnar Peterson, and seventh grader, Soren Peterson, will lead the class. No coding experience is necessary.

We will work with MIT’s App Inventor coding tools to develop real Android apps that you can install and run on Android devices. You can build mobile apps that send text messages, use GPS, play games, or any other function available on a smartphone. While not required, please bring a new or old Android phone or tablet if possible. Learn more and register!

Birthday Boxes Bring Lower Schoolers Together

January 19, 2017

On Wednesday, the CHAMP assembly celebrated the culmination of the Birthday Box service project—a Lower School tradition that has grown and evolved over many years. Students worked in mixed-age groups to decorate the boxes and make cards, and boxes were then packed with items such as small toys, cake mix, frosting, candles, and books. The items in each Birthday Box were selected by faculty members with change donated by Lower School students. The boxes will be sent to Emma’s Place, a local Maplewood residence that helps women and children “get healthy and get ahead.” See more images from this important work here.

Head’s Message: Witnessing History With Our Freethinkers and Right Makers

January 19, 2017

By Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

It is rare that we have an opportunity to be a part of history. On Friday, I will be with 43 Upper School students witnessing the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Our road to Washington D.C. had its genesis in the Upper School Election Club and has been in the works for nearly a year. No one could have predicted the outcome then, but along the journey, MPA students have learned a great deal about themselves and their place in the world. While it hasn’t been an easy road, they have debated ideas, sought understanding, grappled with difficult issues, and explored the privilege and responsibility that comes with citizenship. Students have wrestled with the balance between respectful discourse and passionate advocacy for social justice and the common good.

MPA Artists Recognized in MN Scholastic Art Awards

January 19, 2017

Congratulations to six MPA artists whose work has been recognized in the 2017 Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards!

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the longest running, most prestigious competition and largest source of scholarships for creative teenagers in the United States. The Awards program was created in 1923 by Maurice R. “Robbie” Robinson, founder of Scholastic Corporation, and has been administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers since 1994. It has an impressive legacy and a noteworthy roster of past winners including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, and Joyce Carol Oates and many others.

Invite a Friend to Pajamarama!

January 13, 2017

Mark your calendars for the annual Pajamarama on Thursday, January 26! The evening will begin at 5:30 PM for current families. Children will enjoy crafts and activities, a Disney-themed orchestra concert performed by Upper School students, storytime with milk and cookies, and more…all in the comfort of their jammies!

New this year, this event will include prospective families who are interested in Lower School at MPA. Please invite your friends, neighbors, and colleagues!

No registration is necessary for current families. Prospective families may RSVP and find more information here.

Parents Association Cultural Celebrations Update

January 13, 2017

Chinese New Year “Spring Festival” Luncheon

The Parents Association would like to extend a warm invitation to all MPA friends and families to join us for the next Cultural Celebration. Celebrate the Year of the Red Rooster with your student during their normal lunch hour on Thursday, January 26 and experience a special Chinese New Year menu created by Sage. There is no cost to celebrate, but please email to RSVP, including your name, your child’s name, and grade, so we can plan accordingly.

Passover

Please help create the next and final Cultural Celebration, focusing on the Jewish holiday Passover! If this is a special time for your family and you would like to share with the community, email your name, student’s name and grade to let us know your interest. The Passover Celebration is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 14 from 3:10–5 PM.

Please contact Christine Larson or Amanda Campbell, Parents Association Co-Presidents, via email if you have any questions.

Thought Leadership from MPA Talks

January 12, 2017

Thank you to all of the families who attended MPA Talks last night—in particular, it was wonderful to see so many students on campus to hear the thoughtful presentations. If you were not able to attend, please find the presentations here. If you or someone you know would be interested in presenting at next year’s event, please contact LaTasha St. Arnault, Director of Development and Community Engagement, via email.

Welcome to the Family!

January 12, 2017

MPA is delighted to have added five new employees to the family since Welcome Home was published! Pictured above, left to right: Jolene Catudio, Panther Club Assistant; Emily Jaques, Theatre Technical Director; Russell Purdy, Extended Day and Summer Program Coordinator; Michelle Blankenship, Communications and Marketing Coordinator. Not pictured is Ger Lee, Student Billing Coordinator and Accounts Payable. Welcome to MPA! We’re so happy you’re here!

Sharing Spanish Skills

January 12, 2017

Sra Gleason’s Spanish 5 and Señor Witt’s third-grade Spanish classes have been getting together on a regular basis to benefit both ages. With a focus on monsters and Latin American legends, both classes shared stories, plays, and games to further their skills in comprehension and speaking. Even though vocabulary was different for each class, everyone benefited from the presentations and conversation practice. Find more photos of these growing friendships here.

Election Club in the Washington Post

January 12, 2017

Students in Election Club made a list of questions they’d ask President-elect Donald Trump during his first press conference. Examples include:

Given your acknowledgement of Russian attacks on private U.S. email servers, acts that are considered by many to be clear violations of U.S. sovereignty, why do you still think a commitment to improving relations with Russia is justified?
How will you direct appointees to the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to handle questions and policies regarding climate change?
In your first 100 days in office, what specific steps will you take to be a “president for all Americans”? Specifically, how will you engage with constituent groups that continue to voice strong concerns about the direction of your policies?
What will your administration do to combat the spread of “fake news”?

Another one of their poignant questions was mentioned in the Washington Post’s Daily 202—what the Post calls “a must-read morning briefing for decision-makers.” Read the full article here.