All School

January 8, 2015

gphomestay’s program is partnering with Mounds Park Academy and offering an incredible opportunity to families in St. Paul and surrounding areas. If you are interested in making a positive impact on the life of an international student and live within 30 minutes of MPA’s campus, you may want to consider becoming a host family.

We are currently fielding applications for immediate student placement as well as homestay families for the 2015-2016 academic year.

Host families will receive a monthly stipend of $800 and have access to 24/7 support from our local Residential Coordinator, Marilyn Shardlow (former MPA English teacher!). Marilyn can help coordinate meeting your student upon arrival, keep you connected with the school community, and mediate any issues that might arise.

Students come with their own insurance and spending money and stay for the academic year. There are also short-term hosting opportunities available if you aren’t able to commit to an entire semester or academic year!

Do you know someone who might be interested in hosting a student? For every approved host family that lists you as a reference on their application, you will be rewarded a $150 referral bonus!

Contact us at info@gphomestay.com or (781)996-0429 for more information, or fill out our Host Inquiry Form at https://www.gphomestay.com. Marilyn Shardlow can also answer your questions: feel free to email her at mshardlow@gphomestay.com or by phone at 651-341-2983.

January 6, 2015

While cold temperatures are predicted for Wednesday, January 7^th, 2015, our regular school schedule, Panther Club, and all activities at Mounds Park Academy will remain open.

Our primary concern, as always, is the safety of our students and families. Please use extreme caution when traveling to and from school. If you choose to keep your children home because of the weather, this will be an excused absence.

If the forecast changes and conditions worsen overnight, we will revisit at 5 AM and make an announcement by 5:20 AM.

December 4, 2014

Register by clicking here.

Please join us after school on Monday, December 8th to participate in an “Hour of Code.” Hour of Code is a grassroots, international movement that aims for tens of millions of students to try an hour of coding using Code.org tutorials during Computer Science Education Week (December 8-14, 2014). Last year, its launch year, Hour of Code reached 180 countries and 15 million users, and this year’s campaign is expecting even greater participation. Our Hour of Code event welcomes all current and prospective MPA students and families and celebrates the logic, creativity, and problem solving skills that are reinforced with coding. With tutorials focused on Java Script, Scratch, and more, there will be lessons available for all ages and skill levels. Participants must register ahead of time; please see details and registration link below!

When: Monday, Dec. 8  3:30-5:00 PM  (Note: students do not need a parent/guardian to participate, but if not accompanied by one, will need to be picked up by 5:00. Any Lower or Middle School student not picked up by 5:00 will go to Panther Club/Den and associated charges will be assessed.)

What to Bring: personal earbuds/headphones, after school snack (if desired), excitement to learn!

What is provided: computer/tablet, coding tutorials

November 25, 2014

The MPA Parent’s Association invites you to celebrate Season to Share – 2014. The Season to Share is an opportunity to celebrate and share some of the cultural holidays represented during this time of year. We will enjoy winter-themed decorations in the middle school hallway and cafeteria including vignettes for the different holidays being celebrated during the Season to Share.

Steve Boese and the cafeteria staff will offer different desserts celebrating the traditions of some of these holidays between Thanksgiving and Winter Break for students on the food plan. The dates for these special desserts are December 3, 5, 10, 12 and 17. Other students are welcome to partake in these festivities as well by purchasing lunch on those days for $7.00.

And, new this is year is a special community building event. On Thursday, December 18 from 1:00 -3:15 pm, the Season to Share Committee needs volunteers to help decorate almost 500 cookies. The cookies will be frosted in the Parent Association Room (just off the cafeteria) and enjoyed by the students on Friday, December 19 during lunch. Please join us for this community-building event

Additionally, Food will be collected at the entrances and in the cafeteria for Little Kitchen Food Shelf in Minneapolis through December 19.

And, finally, on Friday, December 19, all community members (students and staff) will be invited to bring treats to share or enjoy a frosted cookie during lunch with parents managing the tables (food allergies will be addressed with some special, appropriately labeled treats).

To volunteer for any of these activities or if you have any questions, please email Maria Reamer at mariareamer@msn.com.

We hope that all will see the value and the joy of the Season to Share.

November 24, 2014

Please join us after school on Monday, December 8th to participate in an “Hour of Code.” Hour of Code is a grassroots, international movement that aims for tens of millions of students to try an hour of coding using Code.org tutorials during Computer Science Education Week (December 8-14, 2014).

Last year, its launch year, Hour of Code reached 180 countries and 15 million users, and this year’s campaign is expecting even greater participation. Our Hour of Code event welcomes all current and prospective MPA students and families and celebrates the logic, creativity, and problem solving skills that are reinforced with coding. With tutorials focused on Java Script, Scratch, and more, there will be lessons available for all ages and skill levels. Participants must register ahead of time; please see details and registration link below!

WHAT: Hour of Code

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 8  3:30 pm – 5:00 pm  (Note: students do not need a parent/guardian to participate, but if not accompanied by one, will need to be picked up by 5:00. Any Lower or Middle School student not picked up by 5:00 will go to Panther Club/Den and associated charges will be assessed.)

WHAT TO BRING: personal earbuds/headphones, after school snack (if desired), excitement to learn!

WHAT IS PROVIDED: computer/tablet, coding tutorials

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE.

November 4, 2014

Dr. Steve Kahn of Phoenix School Counseling, LLC, is the author of Insightful Parenting: Making Moments Count. MPA works in tandem with Dr. Kahn to provide counseling services for our students.

Autumn in Minnesota is beautiful and thought provoking. Leaves turn color and fall to the ground. But do the trees let go of the leaves so this can happen? Do the leaves force the separation? Is it a cooperative, joint effort, or is it resisted by one or the other? As parents, we are well aware of the eventual letting go, often visualized as the day we drive our children to college and drive home without them. Chances are they will be most ready if we have been gradually letting go for many years by then.

Parents say they hear mixed messages about what to hold onto and what to let go of. But children as young as nine or ten need real opportunities in their lives to practice making decisions, managing time and sorting priorities. This is how they develop a sense of themselves as people separate from parents and the decisions we would make for them, how we would manage their time and set their priorities. Since many years of practice will be needed and the stakes are not huge yet, it is best to begin letting go of academics as early as fourth grade (See Fading the Prompt)

On the other hand, older teenagers, if not appropriately supervised, may confront situations with life-changing ramifications. Holding on is especially important after they get their driver’s license and begin dating and driving themselves home from weekend parties. This is the time for 11:00 curfews and a parent waiting for them with a hug, a kiss and a quick olfactory check. Teenagers are more likely to stay away from alcohol, tobacco and marijuana if they know there will be a loving parent waiting at the door who might smell what they have been up to. Similarly, parents of high school juniors and seniors should continue calling other parents about parties to make sure there will be a parent home. And in our home, we should be visibly present, keep backpacks by the front door and walk through often, filling up the chip bowl.

Some leaves drift gracefully and slowly to the ground, as if they are confident of a gentle fall and a welcome reception. They seem to be meandering, enjoying every moment of the transition from connection to tree to release. Other leaves “dive bomb” to the ground as if they finally convinced the tree to let go and now finally free, hurtle themselves to a rough landing.

This is complicated and important work. Our children need us to give a great deal of thought to how and when we hold on and let go. And while there are differences from child to child, a few general themes emerge. Younger students will benefit from the freedom to make mistakes while the consequences are still small. The battle over practicing music may damage the parent-child connection more than it is worth. As college approaches, choice of friends becomes more their call than ours. After all, we won’t be at college with them. It is almost always better to have questionable decisions about friendships out of the way before our loving presence is removed. And high school students decide for themselves what sports to participate in and what courses to take.

There is nothing easy about letting go. At times, we would make a different decision than our children make and if our focus is too short-sighted we won’t be able to see beyond the immediate. It is a hard sell to convince a parent to observe their fifth-grader wasting time on a weekend before a test without intervening. To do this, one must really believe that children will grow more from being held accountable (poor grade, loss of privilege, consequence) than they would have learned from being managed, nagged and prodded into using their time better.

So perhaps it comes down to this. Children need us to let go gradually and sometimes before they are ready. And maybe the only way for us to have the strength and confidence to step back from managing our children’s lives is to maintain a long-term view. It just might be that our children will need us to be brave enough to let go gradually and often, even if it is not yet clear to us that they will float easily though that day’s demands.

October 28, 2014

The first of a series of MPA PA Parent/Teacher Education sessions. Featuring, Dr. Steve Kahn, of Phoenix School Counseling, LLC, author of Insightful Parenting: Making Moments Count.

Every day presents us with opportunities to teach important lessons. Too often we get so caught up in the day-to-day that we overlook the opportunity to help our children learn something they will be able to use for many tomorrows to come. In fact, the selection of the best parenting strategy will be affected by whether the parent is just trying to take care of the day’s challenge or use the day’s challenge for all the tomorrows to come. Please join us as Dr. Kahn shares with us his perspective on how to keep an eye on the tomorrows as you deal with what is in front of you today.

Thursday, November 6^th
3:15 – 4:30 pm
Mounds Park Academy Recital Hall
Panther Club offered Free of Charge

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To reserve your child’s free Panther Club spot please contact Kirsten Mulraney at kmulraney@moundsparkacademy.org by November 4^th. The PA proudly sponsors Panther Club spots in hopes that your schedule is free to attend this important session.

October 23, 2014

The MPA sailing team placed 3rd of 22 boats in the 2014 Art Johnson Invitational held at the White Bear Yacht Club on Oct 18th and 19th. This two day event draws sailing from across the region including teams from Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The 2 day regatta featured light and shifty breezes on the first day and strong steady winds the second day. Skipper Toby Sullivan led the team with a 3rd place finish in his division. Also contributing to the excellent finish was Josh Sullivan and Karan Jain, who finished 5th in their division. MPA sailing thanks the Visitation school for lending a sailor to complete a full team.

October 9, 2014

Have you been thinking about what an upper school education might look like for your lower school student?

Wondering how science and engineering dovetails with the arts in 21st century education?

Do you have suggestions or insights about how to best ensure our students are “entrepreneurs” who can identify problems, create solutions, marshal support and resources for them, and execute in a complex, global environment?

Do you have programmatic or extra-curricular ideas for MPA in any subject, grade level or division?

Then we have an opportunity for you!

The MPA Board of Trustees’ Strategic Planning Committee is facilitating a 90 minute focus group to discuss the MPA of today and the MPA of tomorrow on Tuesday, October 21st from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.

If you would like to be considered for selection, please contact MPA Board Co-Chair Nancy Etzwiler at nancy@etzwiler.com.

Please know that all parents will have an opportunity to participate in the strategic planning process by completing an electronic survey that will be sent to you in the coming week. Your voice and views are important as we forge the next MPA strategic plan. We invite you to join us in this journey to offer your vision and input.