All School

May 1, 2013

Mounds Park Academy was chosen as one of only 240 schools nationwide to achieve Gold Level Status in the 2013 MATHCOUNTS Club Program! This is MPA’s 5th Gold Level Status in the past six years. The MATHCOUNTS Club Program is a math enrichment program designed to inspire excellence, confidence and curiosity in U.S. middle school students.

According to a letter from Kristen Chandler, Deputy Director and Program Director, “Achieving Gold Level Status is an impressive accomplishment requiring hard work and dedication; the students in the math club at Mounds Park Academy successfully completed a total of six rigorous math challenges throughout the school year. Our math challenges contain creative problems aligned with the middle school math curriculum and are designed to promote critical thinking.”

Congratulations to all MPA MATHCOUNTS math club members and coach Dan Ethier, on this achievement. Mounds Park Academy’s MATHCOUNTS math club will receive a Gold Level trophy and banner to display at the school.

2012-2013 MPA MATHCOUNTS math club members are:

Abdullahi Abdullahi (7th)
Salman Aden (7th)
Amanda Baumgart (8th)
Ian Beauchane (7th)
Bryan Boehnke (7th)
Brendan Connolly (8th)
Declan Dahlberg (7th)
Alexandra Esch (7th)
Isaac Esch (8th)
Thomas Michael FitzGerald (7th)
Eleanor Galicich (8th)
Molly Gardner (8th)
Abigail Goodno (7th)
Nicholas Guiang (7th)
Rosalind Haas (7th)
Violet Haas (8th)
Katherine Hands (8th)
Olivia Hawley (7th)
Devin Hill (7th)
Charles Kramer (8th)
Anthony Kuba (7th)
Ley, Sarah (7th)
Lukas Lindgren (8th)
Rachel Lindrud (7th)
Peter Millerhagen (8th)
Kelly Myers (7th)
Will Olson (8th)
Aidan Perrault (8th)
Sylvia Rani (8th)
Chad Sardi (8th)
Pranay Somayajula (6th)
Jesica Springer (8th)
William Thao (7th)
John Townsend (8th)
Teja Upadhyaya (8th)
Sumner Wu (7th)
Benjamin Yoch (7th)

April 30, 2013

Mounds Park Academy sent three teams to compete in National Academic Quiz Tournament’s  (NAQT) Middle School National Championship Tournament. It was held on April 27-28 in Chicago, Illinois. 96 teams from 37 states competed in the tournament. These MPA teams qualified via two tournaments in the Twin Cities earlier in the school year. We had some great results this past weekend:

The  A Team – Cole Staples (8^th), Charlie Kramer (8^th), Aidan Opatz (8^th), Jack Indritz (8^th), and William Amendola Bye (8^th) – finished 7^th out of 96 teams. They were the highest placing team from Minnesota. This was the highest finish by an MPA team in a National Quiz Bowl Tournament!

The B team – Amanda Baumgart (8^th), Ryan Guggenheim (7^th), Kate Van Hecke (7^th), Nick Samsel (8^th) –  finished 53^rd out of 96, and just missed the playoff round.

The C Team – Travis Mudge (7^th), Sumner Wu(7^th), Paige Indritz (5^th), Pranay Somayajula (7^th), Teja Upadhyaya (8^th) – finished 51^st out of 96 and also missed the playoffs by one match.

In addition Kate Van Hecke (7^th) won the “Top Rising Player” Award at the tournament. She was the top player not currently in 8^th Grade.

These Quiz Bowlers should be very proud of the preparation and hard work they have put in this year.

– Wade Peterson
MPA Quiz Bowl Coach

April 29, 2013

The MPAror Robotics Team attended their first FIRST National Competition April 24-27, 2013, in St. Louis, MO. An estimated 20,000 spectators, team members, and mentors attended the event, and teams from all around the world competed for many awards and honors. The MPArors played a total of eight matches, winning two in their division. Our climbing robot scored points during almost every match. The experience was incredibly inspiring because students were rewarded for their innovative ideas in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Witnessing hundreds of teams coming together for this one purpose was amazing. Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway and founder of FIRST, and Black Eyed Peas member, will.i.am, addressed the students on a couple occasions, commending both students and mentors for their accomplishments. 

We had a vey special visitor on Thursday night! Dr. Jeff Suzik, our new Head of School, stopped by Team 3926 pit area to check out our robot and meet the team. Thank you, Dr. Suzik, for taking the time to visit the MPArors!

Participating in this event was an honor! MPA recognizes these students for their efforts during the FIRST National Competition:

Ninth graders Connor Olson of Woodbury, Mike Wilke of Maplewood, Amin Mahamoud of St. Paul, 11^th graders Brendan Boyle of Woodbury, Brock Bigalke of Stillwater, CJ Kramer of St. Paul, Sam Wilson of Mahtomedi, and Ryder Marsden of St. Paul, and 12^th graders Sean Springer of Shoreview, Alex Grabanski of Hudson, and Vince Thao of St. Paul. Sixth graders Will Kramer and Jordan Grabanski also attended, providing support for their older sibling and for the team!

I would like to extend a special thank you to the following mentors and parents who helped to organize the trip, drive students to and from the competition, and provide support for the team: Steve Olson and Diane Gobran, Dana Boyle, Aaron Koen, Joy Danielson, Sue Wilke, Jeff Kramer, and Jon Tomaszewski.

Lastly, we would like to thank Dan and Heidi McKeown, who financially supported the team, covering our entry fee into the competition. This gesture of financial support made it possible for the MPArors to even consider accepting the invitation to the competition. Your generosity is appreciated McKeown Family!

The MPArors success at Nationals was a team effort! Several team members were not able to attend Nationals for various reasons and we would like to recognize their efforts throughout the season as well! Michelle Galbavy of Stillwater (10^th grade), Angela Gerdts of Minneapolis (11^th grade), Collin Hill of Vadnais Heights (9^th grade), Jack Holter of Roseville (11^th grade), Betsy Krenkel of St. Paul (12^th grade), Riley Lannon of Woodbury (9^th grade), Jake Levesque of Stillwater (12^th grade), Liam Lu of Woodbury (11^th grade), Schuyler Rosefield Woodbury (12^th grade), Jamie Sobalvarro of St. Paul (11^th grade), Megan Wright of Afton (11^th grade), Megan Zhao of Stillwater (11^th grade), Margaret Lee of St. Paul (11^th grade), and Theo Honda of Oakdale (9^th grade).

Check out a video recap of the 2013 National Championship Competition in St. Louis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNGzTg53zDY

For pictures from the event, please check out the MPArors website. Pictures are found under the media link. (Note: Photos will be posted a few days after this is published.)

We are already recruiting for next year. If you are a student who wants to be on the team, please send me an email! The team is open to students in 9th-12th grade. We are also looking for engineering mentors. If you know someone who may be interested, please send them my way. There are many opportunities to be involved over the summer too! It is never to early to join our team.

Go MPArors!

– Nicole Koen

April 23, 2013

Mounds Park Academy will be sending three teams to the NAQT Middle School National Championship in Chicago on April 27-28 in Chicago. The teams qualified based on “Top-2” performances at tournaments in December and April. Go Panthers!

The teams are as follows:

A Team

Cole Staples (8^th)
William Amendola Bye (8^th)
Jack Indritz(8^th)
Aiden Opatz (8^th)Charlie Kramer (8^th)

B Team

Amanda Baumgart (8^th)
Nick Samsel (8^th)
Kate Van Hecke (7^th)
Ryan Guggenheim (7^th)
Theo Janke-Furman (8^th– will not be competing due to a role in the Spring Musical)

C Team

Travis Mudge (7^th)
Sumner Wu (7^th)
Pranay Somayajula (7^th)
Teja Upadhyaya (8^th)

April 18, 2013

Interested in being a host family for an exchange student next year? Host families are needed for several exchange students who will be attending MPA for the 2013-2014 school year. This is an excellent opportunity for families to enhance their global perspective by opening their homes to these exceptional students. Please contact Renette Stinson in the Admission Office for details if you are interested. Thank you!

April 11, 2013

Dear Families,

Summer@MPA is here! We are excited to offer another season of fun learning experiences during the 2013 summer! Please take a look at some of the wonderful classes and camps we have to offer. We are confident we have something for every child!

Our summer program was born from a desire to fuel the same intellectual curiosity that is nurtured at MPA during the school year. Each Summer@MPA class and camp offers high-quality instruction, whether in academics, sports or artistic endeavors. Our excellent teachers and staff create a caring, active and fun environment in which children are free to explore and learn.

We offer specialized classes open to all age students during the weeks of: June 17-21, June 24-28 and August 12-16.  Full Day classes run from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and costs $400 per week (four classes per day except where noted).  Half Day classes are offered in either Morning (9:00 AM to 12:10 PM) or Afternoon (12:50 PM to 4:00 PM) and costs $200 per week for each session (two classes per day per session).  During the three weeks of Summer@MPA, students enrolled in Summer@MPA classes can also use before and after care at no extra charge.  Extended day is open at 7:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM.  Extended day is not available for students participating in our licensed PK program. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Summer@MPA is proud to offer some wonderful NEW or improved programs for the summer of 2013!

• Camp Invention is a week long summer enrichment program partnering with Mounds Park Academy for 32.5 hours of programming designed to challenge students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities through inquiry-based, hands-on activities. This program is open to students entering grades 1-6.  Enrollment is through Camp Invention at the attached link: Students must register through the camp invention site: campinvention.org or by calling 1-800-968-4332.
• Summer@MPA also includes MS Adventure Weeks running throughout the summer, open to students entering grades 5-8 including CSI Week and Outdoor Adventures!
• Please look for NEW class offerings, including drama, arts, academics and more!
• The Summer@MPA classes and application are online with TADS.  New families will need to create a new login with TADS to begin the application process.  You will be considered registered and financially responsible for payment at the time of submitting the application.  Payment will not be due until classes are confirmed on or after May 15.  You will be sent a billing agreement for signature and asked for payment during that time.

Panther Camp is a separate application process, but also online with TADS.  Again, new families will create a new login.  Panther Camp is open to students entering grades KG-6 next fall. We provide theme based educational experiences including field trips, weekly swimming lessons at the Maplewood Community Center, and loads of hands-on learning activities to enrich and engage your student throughout the summer.  Panther Camp runs from June 10 through August 23, with the exception of the three weeks that we offer summer enrichment classes: June 17-21, June 24-28 and August 12-16.

Please free to call or email me if you would like additional information, or if you have questions regarding our summer programs. We hope you can join us for an exciting summer!

Sincerely,

Kirsten Mulraney
Summer Programs Coordinator, Mounds Park Academy
651-748-5571
kmulraney@moundsparkacademy.org

April 5, 2013

Congratulations to the Mounds Park Academy Speech Team. They won the Sub-Section tournament held at MPA on April 4! The final tally was 131 points for MPA and 41 points for the second place team, Christ Household of Faith.

Students advancing to the Section Tournament on April 9 at Belle Plaine are:

Aaisha Abdullahi
Phil Acito
Ellen Colton
Ingrid Dai
Marguerite Devens
Lizzy Ehren
Matt Ehren
Logan Erickson
Harry Finch
Ryley Found
Joey Hammer
Maddy Honda
Munira Khalif
Trevor Killeen
Shailagh Lannon 
Tom Loving
Rebecca Millberg
Emily Mudge
Aniket Naravane
Laura Nicholson
Ailie Olson
Jenny Portis
Hodan Saeed
Emma Stacy
Kendra Stone
Pa Chia Thao
Hena Vadher
Allison Leopold and Riley Lannon
Kip Hathaway and Aaron Hathaway
Andrew Grant and Billy LeMire

April 4, 2013

Dear Families,
I am pleased to inform you that Mounds Park Academy’s Summer Program has been approved to participate in a grant program through the Office of Higher Education in the state of Minnesota.

The Summer Academic Enrichment Program will provide stipends on a first-come, first-served basis, to cover all or a portion of the direct cost to the student for attending Summer@MPA during the summer of 2013. To qualify for this grant, students must:
Provide me with documentation to verify that the student’s family qualifies for free or reduced lunch per the guidelines.

Students in grades 7-11 will also need to provide documentation that the student has earned at least an overall “C” average or its equivalent for the most recently recorded academic term (semester/ quarter/ trimester) or have earned at least a “C” average or its equivalent for the most recently recorded academic term in the academic subject area  of the camp or classes.

New summer 2013 – Students must apply for a stipend covering the cost of enrichment at Summer@MPA from the Office of Higher Education directly through me. I must enter student’s information on a secure website. If you choose, you can either make an appointment to sit with me while I apply for your student online, or you can send me your student’s information via email, or in a document delivered to me. All information will be disposed of in a secure way once the application is completed.

If you are interested in applying for this grant, please contact me as soon as possible. Funds are limited. Once you are approved, I will notify you and you can register your child for classes of his/her choosing.

If you wish to check out the website explaining the grant, you can do so here.

April 3, 2013

The MPA FIRST Robotics team has been preparing for the North Star Regional Competition for several months. The MPAror’s (pronounced emperors), along with 180 other MN FRC teams, and more than 2,000 teams worldwide, were given the same challenge: design, build and program a robot in six weeks. Considered “the varsity sport of the mind,” FIRST robotics is a natural way for MPA students to participate in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.  Off-season efforts include:  marketing, website design for the team site, Team3926.org, community outreach, sponsorship, and recruitment of students and mentors. This past weekend, the North Star Regional event took place at the University of Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena. 

Each team had a 10×10 “pit” area, which the MPArors marked with a large banner sporting the names of all their sponsors and our school’s name. 

This event not only celebrated technology, engineering, innovation and hard work, but also brought students together to work in alliances through Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition, two terms created by FIRST. The MPAror’s competed valiantly with their beautiful robot, which at one point climbed to the second level of the pyramid. The team was appreciative of all MPA fans who came to cheer the team on, dressed in bright turquoise and waving their specially designed “Robo-Hankies”.

See more photos here. (Photos by Nicole Koen, MPArors advisor and MPA faculty member, and Michael Wilke, MPA 9th grader and Robotics team member.)

Links of interest:

FRC Team 3926 ~ The MPAror website

About the game Ultimate Ascent

About FRC

April 3, 2013

The Mounds Park Academy Board of Trustees is delighted to welcome Jeff Suzik, Ph.D., as MPA’s next head of school. Dr. Suzik is an accomplished and innovative educator, school leader, and community-builder who will join the MPA community this July after five years as the assistant head of school at Mary Institute & St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS), a preK-12 independent school of 1,250 students in suburban St. Louis.

“Dr. Suzik’s expertise, creativity and passion for excellence have all contributed to his outstanding reputation across the country,” said Robin Brooksbank, chair of the MPA board of trustees. “He is an engaging, collaborative and savvy leader who comes to us with proven business acumen and an academic vision that fits perfectly with MPA’s mission to think independently, communicate effectively and act with respect and integrity in a diverse community.”

Dr. Suzik graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Gustavus Adolphus College and received his master’s and doctorate degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He was awarded the E.E. Ford Fellowship for Aspiring Heads of School, the Goldman Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching and was named a university teaching fellow at Carnegie Mellon’s Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence.

As Assistant Head of School at MICDS, Dr. Suzik led department chairs and division directors in the articulation and alignment of curriculum across the school’s 14 grade levels and three divisions. He oversaw the work of 14 direct reports, including college counseling, international programs, service learning, diversity, summer school, extended day, student support services, and technology. Before joining MICDS, Dr. Suzik held a number of faculty and administrative positions at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh.

“MPA’s commitment to intellectual ambition, global responsibility and the joy of learning strongly reflects my personal educational philosophy,” said Dr. Suzik. “I’m looking forward to working arm-in-arm with the entire MPA community to further establish the school as the place to be and become — an empowering environment in which students, through academic challenge and self-discovery, can truly discover who they are.  MPA’s exemplary program helps students develop their passions while preparing them for college and for life.”