All School Archives

Building A Path For Success Through Alumni Mentorship

January 24, 2023

After a successful Alumni Meet & Greet event, MPA seniors and alumni mentors submitted their meaningful experiences and connections formed through the MPA Mentorship Program. Community members gathered in the Family Commons and connected based on similar interests, hobbies, career goals, and college choices. See all of the photos from the networking event here!

Pairing curious and inquisitive students with adults that have experience in their field of passion is an invaluable way to provide insight. This especially applies to students seeking to get a more detailed sense of a profession, college, or industry’s nuances. William Tan ’23 explains, “this program really helped me gain new perspectives on the transition between undergrad and medical school. I also picked up many great tips to help me with college. While I have heard more generalized perspectives regarding undergrad in the past, it was nice to hear about a more focused experience regarding the career I want to pursue. Knowing I will be starting this path next year, it was nice to hear a perspective from someone who has already experienced college.” Read More

We Are Listening

January 19, 2023

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and MOST of all, love of what you are doing.” -Pelé

The recent passing of Pelé was felt around the world. He was a remarkable athlete and is partially responsible for the rise in interest and participation in soccer in the United States. He was a role model, politician, businessman, and ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations. He was also very committed and passionate about what he valued most, including ongoing growth and improvement.

At MPA, like Pelé, we strive for excellence at all times. Our dedicated faculty and staff work extremely hard each and every day, truly know their students, and are passionate about their academic, social, and emotional growth. We celebrate our successes, build upon our strengths, and strive for excellence. We are also willing to face the hard truth when we fail to meet expectations. The Net Promoter Survey, administered last month, is one of the ways we seek to engage parents and listen to their constructive criticism and take note of their commendations.

Approximately 78% of MPA families participated in the survey this year (although the numbers are skewed a bit because families were invited to take it several times if they had students in multiple divisions). According to the Net Promoter methodology, survey respondents are grouped into one of three categories: detractor, passive, or promoter. The breakdown for MPA is as follows:

Fifty-nine parents, or 16% of the survey responses, gave a score between zero and six and are considered “Detractors” or unhappy customers.
Ninety-five parents, or 26% of the survey responses, gave a score of seven or eight and are considered “Passives” or satisfied but unenthusiastic customers.
Two hundred and eight parents, or 57% of the survey responses, gave a score of nine or 10 and are considered “Promoters” or loyal enthusiasts.

Subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters yields the Net Promoter Score, which can range from a low of -100 (if every customer is a Detractor) to a high of 100 (if every customer is a Promoter). The MPA score for 2022 is 41. To put that in context, SurveyMonkey reports an average score of 32 across industries. Read More

Parents Association News & Events January 19, 2023

January 19, 2023

Snowshoe Evening at Seven Vines Vineyard: January 21, 6 PM
Last chance, we have a few tickets left! Enjoy a brisk evening snowshoe walk through Seven Vines Vineyard. Tickets are $55 per person, $110 per couple. The fee includes snowshoe rental (and help putting them on), a drink ticket for a glass of wine or fancy coffee, several rounds of Bingo with prizes, and live music. It is a great evening out! To RSVP, Venmo @Staci-Banks-Hehenberger with the name of the event and number attending in the comment line. Hope you can join in!

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week
February 2-9
The second Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week is coming up fast! Look for opportunities to donate snacks and drinks or to volunteer your time during the week of February 2-9 in the Sign Up Genius. Carts will be placed just inside the Lower School and Upper School entrances for donated items or they can be brought to the Teaching Kitchen. Evening volunteer opportunities during the LS/MS conference dinners are also available. Questions, please contact Tara Lafferty, TMattRN@aol.com. Sign Up Here Read More

Reflections From a Transformative Experience

January 18, 2023

MPA Upper School students Alex Appleton, Abdur-Rahman Lodhi, Alex Appleton, Andrea Pugh, and Ema Santibañez represented MPA at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC). The students attended this transformative gathering in San Antonio, Texas in December. Some members of MPA’s faculty and staff also accompanied the students and participated in intentional professional development concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Regina Santiago, MPA’s kindergarten teacher, shared that “It was amazingly validating and healing to be in a space with so many other folks who understand the unique experience of being an educator of color in predominantly white institutions. It meant a lot to feel support and solidarity for my whole, authentic self. It was also great to spend more time with colleagues and students in other departments and divisions at MPA that I don’t get to spend enough time with because we’re all so busy!”

The workshops and modules that were available for faculty and staff ranged from resources for employees groups of color to general education on the nuances of being an employee in independent schools. Bakari Jackson, MPA’s communications coordinator, attended the event and recounts, “Although I’m not faculty, there were so many relevant workshops for me to learn from. I gained a considerable amount of beneficial tools and insights that are serving me today in my work here. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. The time I spent and experiences I shared with my coworkers of color provided me with an invaluable sense of community that came back with me to MPA.”

While MPA employees attended their sessions, the students took part in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC). NAIS describes the program as “a multiracial, multicultural gathering of Upper School student leaders from across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles.”

MPA is proud of the students’ passion for leadership and their dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We continue to look forward to hearing about these students’ experiences and instituting the practices that they learn into our community.

January MPA Preview Sessions Revealed!

January 13, 2023

If you have ever dreamed of a way to experience life at MPA in a day, the PreK-12 Preview is the perfect opportunity to discover why you belong here. You and your entire family are warmly invited to attend the MPA Preview on Sunday, January 22 at 2 PM.

This event will provide prospective families with an opportunity to truly discover the type of remarkable hands-on learning that MPA students do each day. You will rotate among several classes taught by our expert faculty. These will be interactive, experiential sessions that are actually abbreviated versions of real MPA lessons, modified to be appropriate for all ages.

LOWER SCHOOL SESSIONS

Ukulele Jam & Puppet Problem Solving
Two of our favorite PreK activities in one! Gather around to learn silly songs strummed on the ukulele while uncovering social-emotional problem-solving skills with puppet friends.

Kindergarten Math Pizzeria
The MPA Math Pizzeria is open for business! In this lesson, the group will read a pop-up book together, then will have a chance to make “pizzas” with math and physical shapes.

A Striking Good Time
Learn and play fun striking activities that will improve hand-eye coordination and reaction time while building confidence in a variety of physical education activities that can also be played at home.

What’s the Matter? Everything! (But nothing a genie can’t fix!)
In Lower School, students learn about the wonders of science through hands-on experiences and a little bit of magic. Can four basic rules really be at the heart of all the color-changing, balloon-inflating, and hand-warming fun? Or is it magic words that make things work? Join us to explore these questions. Children who participate will need to be comfortable wearing protective goggles.

Snowflake Printmaking
After a simple introduction to printmaking techniques for young artists, visitors will create a few prints of fun winter snowflakes to take home!

Makerspace Marble Roll
Ready, set, roll! This beloved fourth grade Makerspace activity requires teamwork, creativity, patience, and enthusiasm. Read More

Executive Function: Building Skills For Success

January 12, 2023

from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School director

Editor’s Note: Periodically, you will find a guest Head’s Message here from one of MPA’s administrators. We hope you enjoy reading their thoughts and reflections about life at MPA.

As a curricularist, someone formally trained in curriculum, teaching, and learning, I am consistently in awe of the advances we make in the fields of science, the learning sciences, psychology, and sociology. Each of these disciplines and others build a fuller picture of how our brains work and how we learn—each lending something new to how we can improve the daily learning lives of young people in schools.

Take, for example, the learnings about dyslexia in the last two decades. It used to be that we thought dyslexia was simply transposing numbers and letters, which made it hard for a person to read. We now know so much more about how dyslexia presents in different brains, how it impacts brain functions like automaticity and long-term memory storage, processing time, and yes, adeptness and proficiency in reading. With this knowledge, states across our country have enacted legislation to change the way teachers are prepared, funding has increased toward educational support of language learning and reading disabilities, and learning and reading specialists are having even greater success with helping young people impacted by dyslexia develop skills that carry them well on their way to personal and academic achievement. All of that is because we learned more about the actual function of the brain!

Our understanding of executive function skills has developed similarly and more recently to bring us to a more comprehensive view of skill development, effective teaching through scaffolding, and challenges that some young people face in building these essential blocks toward positive self-regulation and independence. McCloskey and Perkins (2013) share that executive functions are not a “unitary trait” but rather are a series of cueing strategies, mental processes, and practices that direct the use of other mental constructs like perceptions, cognition, emotion, and actions (p. 9). Most important for educators, parents, and caregivers is the knowledge and very clear understanding that executive function skills are just that: SKILLS! Like pitching a baseball, kicking a soccer ball, or playing an instrument, people are not born with skills—they are learned through teaching, positive reinforcement, practice, and attention to the explicit and implicit application. Read More

Lower School Division News January 12, 2023

January 12, 2023

from Ann Jurewicz, Lower School director

Shout-Outs & Faculty Celebrations
As we move into the second half of the school year, we want to acknowledge and recognize the ongoing greatness happening from the wonderful initiatives of our MPA staff. With that in mind, the Lower School would like to recognize the following teachers:

Heather Mastel—Ms. Mastel has been accepted to the Regional Arts Teacher-Leader Network. This is a statewide multi-year leadership program specifically for arts educators to grow their leadership skills and classroom practices through a regular series of professional development.
Genevievre Colianni & Kari O’Keefe—Who facilitated our recent CHAMP assembly on Grit. Grit is the ability of students to use courage and perseverance to push through challenges and achieve their goals. Students can focus on and demonstrate Grit in the coming month and create bookmarks to remind them of the value of Grit. Thank you to Ms. O’Keefe and Ms. Colianni for their support!

Midyear Academic Performance Check-In
As we reach midyear in the Lower School, we are using Fastbridge to measure student progress and adjust instruction to achieve then greatest learning potential in each individual child. We will be sharing this data with families along with trimester 2 progress reports on Monday, February 27.

Parent Chat—Mastery Learning: Wednesday, February 8, 8:10-9 AM
I would like to invite our Lower School parents to a session on mastery learning and standards-based grading and reporting. The purpose of mastery learning is to reduce a focus on grades as a measure of student aptitude, and instead, find the areas for growth to target so that students can become their very best.

No Classes on Monday, January 16 and Tuesday, January 17
MPA will be closed on Monday, January 16, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his important contributions to civil rights and our country. On Tuesday, January 17, teachers will be engaged in professional development and given time to finalize grades and prepare for the transition to next quarter and new semester courses. Enjoy your long weekend!

“Middle School Matters”: A Community Book Study! Fourth Grade Families—You’re invited!
Middle School is a time of rapid changes, new experiences, and sometimes, perplexing encounters in a new world in which we (parents!) did not grow up! In partnership with Ms. Cooper, our school counselor, and Ms. Meras, our new Middle School Dean, I will be hosting a community book study this spring. We will do a shared reading of “Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond–and How Parents Can Help” by Phyllis L. Fagell.

We will meet four times, in alignment with the four sections of the text, via Zoom, to discuss, share, wonder, worry, ponder, and problem-solve alongside teachers, experts, and other community members the mystery and magnificence of the middle school years. We invite you to have dinner with your family, put your feet up, pour a drink of something you enjoy, and meet us online, the following dates at 7:30 PM, from the comfort of your living room! Read More

Middle School Division News January 12, 2023

January 12, 2023

from Jenn Milam, Middle School director

As we finish quarter two this week, and look toward the long weekend, we are also excited to connect with you at our Winter Parent-Teacher Conferences on February 2, 3, and 9. For families with multiple students, registration through PickATime begins tomorrow, Thursday, January 12. Registration for all families is open on Friday, January 13. Detailed instructions for sign-ups were sent via email to all Middle School parents on Monday. If you have questions or need assistance with conference registration, please contact the Middle School office or email Ms. Lassonde (jlassonde@moundsparkacademy.org).

Academic Process Monitoring
All assignments, projects, and assessments are due Friday, January 13, unless otherwise arranged with a teacher. This is the end of the quarter and an important milestone, as we are halfway through the academic year. Grades for quarter two will be available Monday, January 23, and we will begin assessing academic progress toward matriculation for next year.

Any students who are not meeting academic success benchmarks may be placed on “Academic Probation” with their academic progress being more closely monitored, as we consider re-enrollment for the next academic year. As a rigorous college preparatory school, we work diligently to ensure all students are successful. You can find MPA’s Academic Probation and Invite Back Process on our website.

Upper School Division News January 12, 2023

January 12, 2023

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

After working with adolescents and their families for close to three decades, I feel as though I am usually prepared for the circuitous path that is (high school) education. At the end of November, however, there was “buzz” about a new piece of software that was able to create and produce academic work with little or no ability to determine if the work was created by a human or a computer. This, as you can imagine, was, and remains, concerning to academic environments. Now, just two months later, this buzz has been confirmed and more is known about ChatGPT, software program and app created by OpenAI, a tech company founded in 2015 by several software designers and entrepreneurs including Elon Musk. ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence chatbot designed to generate text responses based on human-user input (questions and statements). According to HITC.com (a website created for soccer, movies, and gaming) ChatGPT has already gained over one million users since it was first launched at the end of November. According to its authors, ChatGPT “is designed to answer follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premise, and reject inappropriate requests.” Read More

A Fond Farewell

January 5, 2023

Dear MPA Community,

Author John Steinbeck said, “I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” I often think about the passion and dedication of MPA teachers as artists. Their creativity, zeal for teaching, and love of students are much the same as artists, and their impact is magnificent and long-lasting.

I’m always nervous when a long-serving teacher makes an appointment with me, fearing they will announce their retirement. Personally, I couldn’t be happier for them. Teaching is an exceptionally demanding profession, and teachers at MPA go above and beyond what is expected. They give so much of themselves, and retirement is certainly well deserved. Professionally, I’m always a little sad about losing a valuable and endearing colleague. MPA is a tight-knit community, and I am fortunate to work alongside some amazing human beings. While I do not doubt their legacy will continue under their successors’ care, I am a bit melancholy.

I want to share with you that three of MPA’s longest-serving faculty members have decided to retire at the end of this school year: visual art teacher Lisa Buck, music teacher Mari Espeland, and librarian Nancy Lage. Combined, they have served the MPA community for 105 years, and for that, we are exceedingly grateful.

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.

From 1998-2000, Ms. Buck taught overseas at the American School in Casablanca, Morocco, and then returned to MPA. While teaching, she also built her career as a potter. Ms. Buck shares, “It has been a delicate balance of commitment, hard work, and passion. I have longed for a time when I could be full-time in my own studio, and now, that is exactly what I am going to do.”

She adds, “I have given my whole-hearted self to helping students see their beautiful potential as young artists and helped to build an outstanding program.” I am deeply grateful for the vision, creativity, and passion Lisa has brought to MPA over her long service to the school. Students have benefitted from having a gifted art educator and an accomplished working artist in the same person; she will be very missed.

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.

Ms. Espeland shares, “This environment has allowed me to grow as a music educator and collaborate with colleagues to benefit students more than I could have ever dreamed possible when I began teaching at MPA in 1989. Music education has been much more than a job or even a career for me. Rather, it has been a calling.”

After 33 years of boundless passion for music and dedicated service to MPA, I have profound respect and deep appreciation for the program she built, the many, many children she has inspired, and the beauty she has brought to their lives and to MPA.

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.

Ms. Lage helped co-create the new Martin Lenz Harrison Library, ensuring that students have access to high-quality literature, the latest technology, and knowledgeable staff who are always willing to help. It opened in 2019 and has become a beloved place on campus. She shares, “The Martin Lenz Harrison Library has secured its position in the heart of the school as a place where everyone in the community feels welcome. My involvement in the co-creative design of this facility has been a labor of love. The creative process was a dream for me and a lovely legacy I leave behind as I retire.”

Ms. Lage has dedicated her life and career to fostering a joy and love of reading and creating an inviting, warm, and safe space for students to follow their interests and discover their passions. I have the utmost respect and gratitude for her work to ensure MPA students experience the joy and magic of reading.

Great schools depend on great teachers. MPA students have greatly benefitted from the longevity and experience of long-serving teachers. When teachers do leave MPA, it is most often because of life changes or retirement. In the case of Ms. Buck, Ms. Espeland, and Ms. Lage, all three began their MPA career within the first five years of our founding. When teachers leave MPA, it can sometimes feel jarring, but in reality, it is a part of life.

A recent study by the Rand Corporation reported that among all the factors that impact student achievement, the most important is a good teacher. (This is particularly true with math and science, where teachers have as much as two to three times the effect on student achievement.) “The best teacher in the world is someone who loves what he or she does, and just loves it in front of you,” said Fred Rogers. MPA teachers work hard at building personal relationships with students, helping them discover their true selves and their identities. Together, we have created and nurtured a school community grounded in multi-layered relationships and strong connections with one another.

Please join me in showing your appreciation for Ms. Buck, Ms. Espeland, and Ms. Lage by attending the annual Retirement Gathering on Thursday, May 25, at 4 PM in the Martin Lenz Harrison Library. A community invitation will follow in May, but please save the date.

Warm regards,
Dr. Bill Hudson
Head of School

PS: Their positions will be posted on our website soon—please help us find new faculty who will carry on their legacy at MPA.