All School Archives

September 26, 2025

Discover something remarkable at the PreK-12 MPA Preview on Sunday, November 9, 12:30-2 PM!

MPA Previews are signature PreK-12 events designed to introduce you to the faculty, students, and families who make MPA the exceptional learning community that it is. These events are for family members of all ages to attend together.

You’ll hear from a variety of perspectives, be engaged in conversation with academic leaders, participate in experiences led by expert teachers, explore our signature spaces, and leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way.

The Taste Of Ninth Grade

Prospective ninth graders, you’re invited to the Taste of Ninth Grade immediately preceding the Preview at 11 AM. Join us for lunch and the opportunity to learn more about MPA’s ninth-grade program. Students will engage in a hands-on, collaborative activity while parents participate in a Q&A about life in MPA’s Upper School. When this event concludes, students and families will then join the PreK-12 Preview event.

RSVP today to experience the joy and discover why Mounds Park Academy is an exceptional place to learn and grow.

School Spirit Is Everywhere

September 25, 2025

from Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, head of school

On Monday morning, I made my usual right turn from Beebe Road onto the school grounds. Seeing “We. Are. MPA.,” not only brought a smile to my face but also evoked an incredible sense of school pride. I must admit, I was caught by surprise. As a new member of the MPA community, it’s a magical experience to feel school spirit. In so many ways it felt like I was arriving home.

I do not take school spirit for granted. It doesn’t magically appear. Rather, school spirit is the energy that grows from the pride, traditions, and shared experiences left in the form of memories and artifacts from years past, and the voices and actions of those who currently move throughout the campus.

I frequently turn to my Responsive Classroom training and seek to define experiences and goals by asking: What does it look like, sound like, and feel like?

This week, school spirit looks like our students wearing themed clothing and hallways decorated with streamers and colorful posters throughout the building. School spirit sounds like our teams clapping and cheering for our Lower and Middle School students during arrival and standing in the hallway, eagerly planning for an upcoming debate tournament. School spirit feels like the surge of warmth that fills my cheeks with joy when I see students across divisions learning a school chant or reading books—together. And it’s not exclusively created by our students. I see it in the ways our faculty and staff create spaces that foster curiosity. I hear it when a family member says “I love you” to their student at the classroom door. I feel it when someone takes a minute to share with me a special moment they had learning from their colleague. Read More

Parents Association News And Events September 25, 2025

September 25, 2025

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to donate a perishable snack to nourish our faculty during autumn conferences in early October. New items have been added to supplement the dinner we will provide faculty. Your generosity is appreciated!

As you finalize your family’s conference schedule, please consider volunteering to help set up or clean up for the conference dinner on Thursday, October 9, and/or keep our snacks replenished during the day on Friday, October 10. Guidance will be provided, and it only takes a few minutes to refill items and tidy up. Thank you MPA parents and caregivers for your hospitality!

SEPTEMBER GRADE-LEVEL SOCIAL GATHERINGS
Hosted by MPA PA Grade Reps

On-Campus

PreK families are invited to attend Homecoming festivities together on Saturday, September 27. We will meet on the playground from 9-10 AM for coffee, treats, and playtime. We will then walk over to the family-friendly Homecoming activities that will include face painting, bounce houses, and Touch a Truck.

Off-Campus

Grade 2 families are gathering on Sunday, September 28 from 9-11 AM at Madison’s Place Playground in Woodbury.
Grade 7 families are invited to attend an off campus gathering on Saturday, September 27. We will meet at the pavilion at West Park in White Bear Lake for some food, visiting with other families, games, and beach time.

Details For Fall 2025 Conferences

September 24, 2025

Dear MPA Families,

Fall Conferences will take place in person, on campus, on Thursday, October 9 from 3:30-8 PM, and Friday, October 10 from 8 AM-5 PM (no classes for students). All MPA families may schedule to meet with up to four of their student’s teachers.

LOWER SCHOOL FAMILIES
Lower School homeroom teachers will offer 25-minute conferences. Specialist conferences may be scheduled for 10 minutes per student. Families who would like to discuss more than one child with their specialist teacher(s) should set up separate conference times for each child. Families will have a chance to meet all specialists over the course of the Fall and Winter conferences. Please see the designation for sign-up for Fall Conferences below:

PreK: Music and PE
K-1: Music, PE, Art
Grades 2-4: World Languages, Drama, Technology

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL FAMILIES
Middle School and Upper School students participate in their conferences and are required to attend. Please check athletic and activity schedules before signing up. If you need private time without the student in attendance, please indicate this at the beginning of the conference. All conferences should be scheduled during conference times slotted.

Lower School Division News September 18, 2025

September 18, 2025

from James Ewer, Lower School director

We’re settling into the school year, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the energy and spirit your littles bring each day. As we move deeper into our routines, I’ve noticed three powerful things unfolding across our community:

First, students are rising to the challenge of increased academic rigor. They’re stretching their thinking, leaning into harder problems, and showing persistence when learning feels tough. The growth mindset on display is inspiring.

Second, friendship is alive and well. Whether it’s a kind word on the playground, a helping hand in the Family Commons, or laughs shared in the hallways, our students are actively building an inclusive community where every child belongs.

And third, our teachers are doing the same—collaborating and sharing their expertise with one another across grades and departments. This spirit of collective growth not only strengthens our team but also ensures your children are learning in a place where creativity, care, and excellence thrive side by side.

Middle School Division News September 18, 2025

September 18, 2025

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

As we make our way through September, the routine of school has started to settle in. Students are learning how to manage their homework and take on assessments and projects in their classes. Habits such as writing assignments in our planners and checking in on Schoology for things that might be missing start to be developed and reinforced. And, our faculty and our students are starting to get to know each other much, much better.

One of the best ways we do that in the Middle School is through our fall orientation trips. For our fifth-, sixth-, and eighth-grade students, three nights away at an environmental/outdoor education center is part of the fall routine. Just yesterday, I helped to load our fifth graders and all of their stuff, including their teachers, onto a bus as they headed out to Osprey Wilds. These trips are an essential way for us to get to know our students, and for them to get to know their peers and their teachers on a whole new level. Sharing meals and bunkrooms together helps to create bonds that are more challenging and take much longer to form here at school. Supporting a classmate (or teacher) as they navigate their own fears—be it up on a ropes course or getting really close to a porcupine—gives them even more to bond over and gives us invaluable examples of learning outside our comfort zones.

One of the ways in which our parents have gotten to know us better is through all of the events and programs that we offer in the fall. We loved welcoming you to campus for Back To School Night in August, and we were thrilled to have so many return to school during our Curriculum Night event the other week. With nearly 70% of our students represented by someone from their household, our faculty felt honored to share their classrooms with folks as they walked through their child’s schedule. We also greatly appreciate all the feedback and helpful suggestions for next year. Read More

Upper School Division News September 18, 2025

September 18, 2025

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

In today’s world, whether on the sidelines of a game, in the carpool line, or online via email or text, it can feel easier to share frustrations with a friend than to address the concern directly with the person involved. Yet one of the most valuable lessons we can model for our children is the importance of speaking to someone rather than about them. Direct, respectful communication not only strengthens relationships but also builds the foundation of trust, collaboration, accountability, and a sought-after partnership in our school community.

Research consistently shows the power of this practice. A study in the “Journal of Social and Personal Relationships” found that indirect communication, such as gossip or side conversations, often intensifies conflict instead of resolving it. Popular psychologist Dr. Brené Brown shares, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” This is a practice that we at MPA are working on as we realize that speaking openly, even when uncomfortable, shows respect and creates space for genuine understanding.

This lesson is especially important for upper school students, who are still developing the social and emotional skills they will carry into adulthood. A study in the “Journal of Adolescent Development” found that teenagers who practice direct communication with peers and adults demonstrate higher emotional intelligence and better conflict resolution skills. When students see adults model this behavior, they are more likely to approach challenges with courage, compassion, and problem-solving rather than avoidance or blame. Read More

Parents Association News And Events September 18, 2025

September 18, 2025

Call For Volunteers On Homecoming Friday! We are looking for more volunteers to join our faculty and staff appreciation event on Friday, September 26! Celebrate Homecoming Week by welcoming faculty and staff to the Peacock Teaching Kitchen as the Parents Association serves healthy snacks and desserts over the lunch hour.

We are seeking four to six volunteers for each time period. Join for an hour or spend midday meeting other MPA parents while showering gratitude on our MPA faculty and staff!

Upcoming Opportunities To Join In

Tuesday, September 30: Middle School Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, MPA Gallery
Wednesday, October 1: Upper School Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Porter Conference Room

Congratulations, MPA National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Students!

September 18, 2025

More than 1.3 million high school juniors nationwide took the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), beginning their journey into the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. From that group, about 16,000 students—representing the top one percent of seniors—were recently named Semifinalists.

We are thrilled to share that three MPA seniors, Thomas Dickson, Mina Kim, and Liam Kimmerle, are among this group and have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists! To advance further in the competition, they will now submit an application that includes their academic record, an essay, a school recommendation, and qualifying SAT or ACT scores.

In addition, Boyd Mayfield was honored as a Commended Student, placing among the top 50,000 students nationwide.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation highlights these students as a valuable national resource—future leaders whose academic talent will advance excellence in education and beyond. We couldn’t be more proud of Thomas, Mina, Liam, and Boyd for their incredible achievements!

An Update From Zachari Wetz ’99

September 15, 2025

I attended Mounds Park Academy from 1995 to 1999 (9th through 12th grade). After MPA, I earned a degree in elementary education from the University of St. Thomas. I also studied American Sign Language at the College of St Catherine.

I own Pas de Deux Dance Studio in Falcon Heights, MN. We offer ballet classes and performing opportunities for ages three through adult. Like most dance studios, we have an annual spring recital. We also kick off the holiday season each year with a full-length story ballet on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. We rotate between four different ballets: our take on the classic “Nutcracker” ballet, an original fairy tale combining ballet and Irish dance in “The Enchanted Forest,” our version of “A Sleeping Beauty,” and a look at what goes into putting on a ballet production in “Backstage Nutcracker.”

Our dancers also have opportunities to participate in dance competitions, perform in a dance festival in Disney World, and this year dance alongside professional dancers as the youth cast of Classical Arts Entertainment’s “Swan Lake” when it comes to Minneapolis.

The most rewarding part of owning Pas de Deux is the community that has formed at the studio. The dancers have become like family, with many classes spending time together outside of the studio, the parents enjoying socializing as families, and dancers creating connections across different age and ability levels. It is also rewarding to watch the dancers grow up at the studio. The majority of dancers start lessons between the ages of three and seven, so I get to watch them go from being the “littles” learning how to follow directions and doing things like kissing the mirror, to the “bigs” as they take on leadership roles in the studio and become role models for the newest group of littles.

Owning a dance studio has its own unique set of challenges. As a business owner, I am involved in web design, marketing, scheduling, finances, and communications. I also teach classes, choreograph dances, direct performances, and mentor student interns. Like most businesses, my biggest challenges were in 2020 and 2021 with the ever-changing restrictions caused by COVID. We moved classes to Zoom during the various stay at home orders (silver lining—dancers can now join class via Zoom when they’re sick,) and had a variety of unique performance experiences as we navigated theater restrictions—an outdoor performance, a videotaped performance for “on demand” viewing instead of a live audience, and mini recitals with reduced capacity audiences.

Although I didn’t officially start my studio until 2006, Pas de Deux Dance Studio has its roots in my time at MPA. One of my projects to earn community service hours for graduation was teaching a summer ballet class through St Paul Community Education. By the time I graduated from MPA, I had a small group of dancers who returned to my classes each summer. I continued the program through and past college for a total of 10 summers, ending in August of 2006, with the studio opening that September.

A variety of experiences at MPA have influenced me as a studio owner. Participating in the spring musicals as a member of the chorus has influenced how I use background characters to help set the scene in my story ballets. Art classes developed skills in peer critiques, which I pass on to my dancers. One of my 2025 graduates recently mentioned how much doing peer critiques in ballet helped her in school. Because she was used to giving and receiving feedback from a young age in ballet, she welcomed similar feedback and the opportunity to grow from it in school, while many of her school classmates disliked peer critiques.

When I’m not teaching, choreographing, or working on the administrative side of the business, I enjoy Irish dancing, traveling, and reading.

There are a variety of ways to support Pas de Deux Dance Studio:

Take a class. We offer trial classes so dancers of all ages can make sure the studio is a good fit before committing to the season.
Come see one of our performances. Our studio production of “Backstage Nutcracker” will be on Saturday, November 22, at the Ives Auditorium in Bloomington, MN. Tickets will be on sale in October. You can get more details here.
If you are attending “Swan Lake” at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis on November 18, register your tickets with the studio. We get credit for all tickets registered with us. Simply send your seat information to studio@pasdedeuxdance.com.
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