All School

October 14, 2015

Its has been a couple of very busy weeks at Mounds Park Academy. This week, we hosted Dr. Will Grundy, NASA scientist and lead investigator of the New Horizons mission to Pluto for a presentation to grades 2-12 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, we welcomed over 200 guests for our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day concert and celebration. Though different, both events are windows into what makes MPA such a unique and special place.

I was very impressed with how well versed our students with the Pluto mission. Their questions were insightful and the students asking them were both curious and confident. Dr. Grundy was impressed and enjoyed meeting our students and teachers. His presence caused quite a stir and by the number of autographs he signed, he was treated more like a rock star than a scientist. Only at MPA!

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October 8, 2015

Have you ever considered the value of a really good question?

“What if we put wheels on it?” led to the rolling suitcase.
“What if Morse code could be adapted graphically?” led to the creation of the bar code.
“Why did my candy bar melt?” led to the invention of the microwave oven.

According to Warren Berger, author of “A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas” questions are more valuable today than answers. “As society’s collective knowledge grows and becomes more accessible through technology, no individual can possibly keep up with all the knowledge available” writes Berger.

I’m sure Dr. Will Grundy knows this very well. Dr. Grundy, a Lowell Observatory Planetary Scientist and co-investigator on NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper belt, will be speaking to MPA students next Tuesday. Innovators like Dr. Grundy know the power of questions and that creativity and persistence overcome failure. They also know that the path to discovery is less like a straight line and more like a treasure map.

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October 1, 2015

“When the rubber hits the road.”

Like most dads, my father had a number of sayings that he would turn to in giving me advice. You probably know what I am talking about because it would usually result in me rolling my eyes and bracing myself for a lecture. One of those sayings was, “when the rubber hits the road.” It was always in the context of talking about values and integrity, when character is tested by an actual circumstance or situation.

Every organization has a mission statement. Most just hang on a wall or grace a website. It is a rare occasion when a mission statement is actually tested. The Mounds Park Academy mission states: Read More

September 24, 2015

On most mornings, as I stand at the front door of the school greeting students, I see ninth grader Siri hand-in-hand with PreK student Connor as they make their way up the sidewalk from the bus drop-off lane. Though they are not related, Siri has taken it upon herself to ensure Connor finds his way to his classroom each day. It is obvious Connor adores Siri and seems always to be sharing, with great gusto, the wisdom of a four-year old. I suspect the feeling is mutual as Siri smiles and patiently listens to all he has to say. Read More

September 17, 2015

I still remember the days when I would leave school with fingers caked with chalk dust. I celebrated when the old filmstrip projectors gave way to VCRs and Betamax video cassettes. Yes, I’m that old.

Technology in support of learning has changed a great deal in the last 30 years since I first started teaching. It has helped educators push boundaries to deepen student learning and provide opportunities to broaden our student’s experiences. Our new virtual classroom, funded by donors at the Best of MPA, is an excellent example. Read More

September 10, 2015

There has been so much in the news as of late regarding Kim Davis, the County Clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky, and her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. As parent, I’ve had a difficult time explaining the conflict to my children. “Why are people so mad?” asked my nine-year-old daughter. It has been a teachable moment as I’ve struggled to help her understand the power of perspective. For me, the challenge is to refrain from making positive or negative comparisons about an individual’s beliefs, and also how to gain a deeper understanding of one’s own perspective by understanding how another understands their own perspective.

At Mounds Park Academy, we pride ourselves on teaching kids how to think, not what to think. While that applies to the accumulation and application of knowledge, it also applies to… Read More