February 9, 2023
from Mark Segal, Upper School director
One of my favorite movies is the 1993 comedy “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray. In the film he plays weatherman Phil Connors and continually relives (and relives) the celebration of the movie’s namesake holiday as he covers the “big story” of if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not. Throughout the movie Murray finds different ways to spend the famed day knowing that each morning he will reawaken to the same Sonny and Cher song, “I Got You Babe.” The film brings humor to the national “holiday” which dates back to 1886 in Punxsutawney, PA where it is determined if winter will continue or end early.
Many say that February is the longest short month of the year because, especially in Minnesota, we are tired of the cold and snow and are ready for the turn of the seasons. Students also experience the Winter Blues, and the Cleveland Clinic shares there are ways to address these feelings to help us feel better. According to a December 9 article found here, ”sunlight plays a big role in regulating our mood…So, when the winter months bring on gray skies, a little boost of sunshine can do our bodies and minds a world of good.” The past couple of weeks have been very cold and gloomy, but this week the temperatures have been more moderate, and the sun has been shining brightly. Students should find a way to take a break at the end of the day to get outside for some natural vitamin D. I have taken this advice and have found myself enjoying my time assisting with carpool more at the end of the day because of the sunshine.
The National Health Information Service of Scotland strongly suggests that we should be involved in daily activity. This does not need to be a physically intense activity, just something to get the body moving. Several students achieve this by walking on the indoor track at school during their lunch/recess time. It is great to see them use this time as a way to connect with their friends AND as a way to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. A Harvard University study actually suggests that “In colder temperatures your heart doesn’t have to work as hard, you sweat less, and expend less energy, all of which means you can exercise more efficiently.” Read More
Thank You!
The MPA Speech Team has recently won the tournament championship THREE times: at Mound-Westonka, Duluth, and Pequot Lakes. Twenty-five students have placed so far on the team, and MPA students won their categories a total of 28 times! The team has also shattered its previous National Tournament Qualifications Record in just one month, with a total of 16 entries (with two more months left to go). Outstanding!
Lisa Buck came to MPA in 1984 as a Middle School visual arts teacher. She co-created the MPA K-12 visual arts curriculum with founding teacher Karen Rossbach. Over time, they honed the program in depth and breadth, and Ms. Buck designed a multilevel ceramics program in the Upper School. She has taught drawing, painting, sculpture, fibers, design, printmaking, and ceramics.
Mari Espeland came to MPA in 1989 and built the Lower School music program upon the Orff Schulwerk approach. She established the Lower School Art and Music Show with Karen Rossbach and incorporated distinctly American music traditions, such as jazz, and world music through drumming.
Nancy Lage became MPA’s librarian in 1986 and has served the school for 37 years. She developed the PreK-12 library program and managed an extensive 23,000-volume book collection, 30 academic databases, and a dynamic library website to support a diverse PreK-12 curriculum. She shares, “A joy-filled part of my job at MPA has been matching students and faculty with books and resources that inspire them to think, reflect and grow.” She is well-known for being able to find the perfect next book for readers of all ages. 
from Ann Jurewicz, Lower School director
Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week
Do you have room to spare? Space in your heart for another family member? A desire to expand your family’s perspective of the world? MPA is seeking host families for international students for the 2023-24 school year.
from Bill Hudson, head of school
Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week
Allison Leopold ’16: Allison is in her second year of medical school at the University of Minnesota and loves it! She’s planning to pursue a career in addiction medicine and is most excited about her work in harm reduction, health equity, and Medicare for All advocacy. Outside of school, she has been writing/directing a play, singing in a local choir in Minneapolis, dabbling in poetry, tending to houseplants, and rollerblading about town. Allison mentions that she is grateful to be still connected to friends from MPA through traditions like annual gingerbread competitions, Shabbat reading circles, and Friendsgiving celebrations. She looks forward to the continued support from old friends near and far.
Emily Rhodes ’15: After MPA, Emily attended Grinnell College and graduated in 2019 with degrees in History and French. Not long after, she moved to England and completed an MPhil in Early Modern History at the University of Cambridge in 2020. Emily’s Master’s dissertation won the Women’s History Network’s prize for best MA dissertation. She is in the third year of a Ph.D. in early modern history at the University of Cambridge. Currently studying the public and political lives of non-elite women in 17th-century Britain and striving to tell the stories of those often overlooked in history. Emily recently published an academic article exploring how poor women navigated marital breakdowns when they did not have the money to obtain a legal separation. Emily still attributes her love of history to Ms. Conway’s class in Junior year!