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Upper School Division News, September 7, 2023

September 7, 2023

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Looking Ahead

Friday, September 8: Make-Up Picture Day (for those who were not photographed at Back To School Night)
- Ice Cream Social, 3 PM, South Lawn
Wednesday, September 13: Upper School Student Club and Organization Fair
Thursday, September 14: Curriculum Night, 6-8 PM, MPA
Thursday, September 21: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
Monday, September 25: No Classes, Yom Kippur
Tuesday–Saturday, September 26-September 30: MPA Homecoming Week
Friday, September 29: All School Homecoming Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Sport Center
- Upper School Student BBQ and Bonfire, 5-8 PM, Benz Courtyard
Saturday, September 30: Homecoming Events @ MPA
- Upper School Homecoming Dance, 8-11 PM, Upper School Commons
Tuesday, October 3: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
Wednesday, October 4: Class of 2024 Cum Laude Society Inductions, 7:30-8 AM, Recital Hall
Thursday, October 5: PA Upper School Parent Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, PCR
Friday, October 6: Picture Retake Day
- Senior Retreat & Dinner, 8-6:30 PM, Off Campus and MPA
Monday, October 9: No Classes, Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Wednesday, October 11: Grade 10 & 11 PSAT Testing
Thursday, October 12: All School Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences, 3:30-8 PM, MPA
Friday, October 13: No Classes, Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences, 8-5 PM, MPA

Earlier this week, I walked into a darkened first block Upper School classroom where the students sat silently. I was on “a mission” to deliver an item forgotten in a parent’s car at drop-off, and my interruption temporarily distracted the class from the task at hand—settling in for the day and the classes that lay ahead. The faculty member easily recentered the students and asked them to focus on the noises that they hear; conspicuous or inconspicuous. As a visitor to the classroom, I silently participated in this activity. I heard a door creak, a student shuffle in their chair, a locker close, and the shallow breathing of the student seated in front of me. Read More

Parents Association News and Events, September 7, 2023

September 7, 2023

Welcome to the PA, Panther Parents! Our goal is to enrich the MPA experience through community building, continuing traditions, supporting faculty and staff, and acting as a resource for all families. All MPA families are members of the Parent’s Association, and we would love to see you attend or volunteer at one of our events. We offer activities across all levels of the school community, and we want to connect with you. If you’re interested in learning more about what we have to offer, please email, PA@moundsparkacademy.org.

Upcoming Events
September 8: PA Board Meeting, 8:30 AM, PA Room at MPA
September 28: MS Coffee Talk, 8:15 AM, Porter Conference Room
October 9-13: Staff Appreciation, donation and volunteer sign-up coming soon!

COVID-19 Community Update

August 31, 2023

As you may have seen in the news or within your social circles, there has been a recent uptick in new COVID-19 infections. MPA recommends guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this school year to keep students healthy and on-campus learning as much as possible.

If your student or someone at home is experiencing symptoms or is aware of a known exposure, please follow the CDC’s guidance on masking, testing, and isolation by clicking here.

If your student or someone at home has tested positive for COVID-19, please click here for recommendations and a helpful calculator for masking and isolation. In general, if someone has tested positive for COVID-19, they should do the following:

Isolate at home through day five (counting from day 0 as the day of symptom onset or positive test).
Monitor for moderate-to-severe illness. If moderate-to-severe illness occurs, isolate for ten days.
After five days, isolation may end, but individuals should continue wearing a mask around others through day 10 OR once two negative antigen test results have been received at least 24 hours apart.

Additional details regarding exposure and steps to take after testing positive are available at the links above. In addition, please email covid@moundsparkacademy.org with any questions or concerns. If your student needs to be away from school due to illness, including COVID-19, please use the appropriate absence notification steps based on their division.

The State of Minnesota has again provided free at-home COVID-19 tests for students and school personnel this school year. If your family needs a supply of these tests, please email covid@moundsparkacademy.org to request them.

Thank you for your partnership as we work toward a safe, healthy, and happy learning community this school year!

Make Plans for Friday’s Ice Cream Social!

August 31, 2023

Friday, September
3-4 PM
South Lawn

Let’s celebrate the start of an incredible year! Make plans to join us for a beloved MPA tradition, the Ice Cream Social! This is an all-school opportunity to connect with one another, enjoy a sweet treat, and meet our new families.

Details:

A sundae bar with all of the fixings will be available for students and their families. All of the sundae bar items will be peanut and tree nut free and provided by SAGE.
JonnyPops Organic Freezer Pops will be available at a separate station for food-allergic students. This should be safe for all MPA students, but it is not guaranteed. Ingredients will be available for review by parents or can be found at the link above.
All Lower and Middle School students must be directly supervised by an adult. No Lower or Middle School student will be allowed to have a treat unless they have an adult with them.
Because any frozen treat could be messy on a bus, bus riders will be sent home with an allergy-friendly pre-packaged Enjoy Life cookie.
All students at Panther Club and Panther Den will be taken outside for a treat and supervised accordingly by Panther staff.

If you have any questions, please contact communications@moundsparkacademy.org. See you there!

Welcome Home To MPA

August 31, 2023

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

The new school year is off to a terrific start! To new families, welcome to the MPA family, and I look forward to getting to know you. To returning families, welcome back. Seeing how students have grown and matured in just a few short months is wonderful.

My spirits soared on Tuesday by the enthusiasm and energy of the first official day of school. When I arrived at school around 6:15 AM, I was surprised by the number of cars parked in the north lot. I quickly remembered that our seniors were gathering in the Benz Courtyard to celebrate the break of dawn on their last first day of school at MPA.

There was fantastic excitement on the other side of the building as students bounded into the building with zeal. Their enthusiasm was matched by parents who accompanied their children into the building and stayed for coffee and pastries sponsored by the Parents Association. It was a fantastic turnout and many told us that it was hard to leave the conversation and head off to work.

We have a longstanding MPA tradition of ending the first day of school with an all-employee meeting. I invite faculty and staff to share stories about the day and the mission moments that illustrate who we are. The joyfulness in the room was palpable. Here are a few examples of what was shared that reflect the common values we share at MPA: Read More

What Does The First Day Mean To You?

August 30, 2023

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the August 30, 2023 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

What does the first day of school mean to you? Perhaps freshly sharpened school supplies and crisp new uniforms, warm welcomes and exhilarating new friendships, discovering new interests and setting goals for the rest of the year. Every student, parent, teacher, and community member has a unique answer, yet common themes emerge. We’re full of hope, wonder, and excited curiosity about what the next school year will bring. Read More

Ready To Embrace The New School Year

August 17, 2023

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the August 2023 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Hello, August! In two short weeks, MPA students will return to campus–they’ll file in with fist bumps from Dr. Hudson, settle into their new classrooms with new teachers, and fill the Family Commons and playground while making new friendships and rekindling old ones. They will jump head first into the 2023-24 school year with a special enthusiasm that only the back-to-school season brings out in all of us. Read More

Alumni Association Welcomes New Members

August 15, 2023

As the new year approaches the Alumni Association welcomes new members. Join us in welcoming the new alumni board members!

Isabel (McKeown) O’Branski ’14

For what grades did you attend MPA?
K-12

Why did you choose to pursue a position on the Alumni Association Board?
MPA made a great impact on my childhood (being there since kindergarten!), growing up and preparation for college – I want to help keep it the great school it was for me!

In what ways do you see yourself as a supporter of MPA and its mission?
At MPA I never felt anything was out of reach, excelling in sports, pursuing your passions, achieving good grades in the hardest classes, because I was so well supported! I hope to give support to current and future students to dream big.

What are you currently doing, professionally and/or personally?
I currently work at Topgolf Callaway Brands (formerly Callaway Golf Company) as a Project Manager. I just got married in June in San Diego where I’ve lived the last 3 years, but will be moving in August to NYC with my husband and mini golden doodle.

How did you get to where you are in your career? Did you attend college and if so, where? Are there some career moves or other key experiences or relationships that have inspired you?
After MPA, I went to the College of Saint Benedict where I studied Global Business. After graduation I worked at 3M (right down the road from MPA!) in their Global Sourcing Department until moving to my current role.

How did your MPA experience prepare you for your life today? How did MPA help you dream big and do right?
MPA helped me immensely in preparation for college – I felt extremely ready for the college curriculum and professor expectations. MPA prepared me for my liberal art college since I was ready to study multiple topics, be involved in sports on top of academics, and stay well-rounded. Today, I still feel inspired to stay well-rounded, focusing on both work, my health, and relationships all at once—just as I did at MPA. Read More

Join Us For Back To School Night

August 14, 2023

We are busy getting ready for the 2023-24 school year and we hope that you are as excited as we are! We have lots of information to share, including some important changes below. If you have any questions, please reach out to your division director or the Office of Communications at communications@moundsparkacademy.org.

Thursday, August 24

New Family* Orientation & Back To School Night
*New families are considered those with students who are just joining our school plus all returning families with a student in grade 5 or 9
- 3 PM | New Family Arrival, plus all returning families with a student in grade 5 or 9
- 6 PM | Returning Family Arrival
- 6:15 PM | All-School Welcome Back Assembly
- 7:30 PM | Departure

Click here for the New Family Detailed Agenda.
Click here for the Returning Family Detailed Agenda.

School Photos During Back To School Night
Martin Lenz Harrison Library
- 4:30-6 PM | Session One
- 6:30-7:30 PM | Session Two

We are so delighted to be joining you for Picture Day this year. Picture Day with Slow Road Photo is a little different, in all the best ways! Get ready for the BEST PICTURE DAY EVER!

School pictures will be happening at Back To School Night on August 24! Click here to sign up for your student’s picture time!
If you are unable to attend Back To School Night, the second Picture Day will be September 8. Retake day will be October 6.
Lower School students will no longer be in uniforms for Picture Day.
Be sure to add hello@slowroadphoto.com to your email contacts to ensure you receive all the communications and info from us. You will hear from us directly via email on August 17.
Please feel free to check out the resources available on our website, including our Welcome Message here and Parents’ Guide here.

If you have any questions regarding Picture Day or image ordering and delivery,
please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at hello@slowroadphoto.com.

Monday, August 28

New Student First Day Of School
Includes All Returning Grades 5 and 9
No transportation available.
- 10:30-12:40 PM | New Lower School Students PreK-4. Before and after care is available for grades kindergarten through fourth grade with advance registration here. PreK before and after care is not available this day due to licensing restrictions.
- 8-3 PM | New Middle School Students, including all grade five and all new grades six through eight. After care is available with advance registration here.
- 8-3 PM | New Upper School Students, including all grade 9.
- 8-12 PM | New Upper School Students in grades 10 through 12.

Click here for the detailed agenda.
Click here to sign up for before or after care.

Download the full back to school guide here.

Welcome to MPA, Katie Roche!

August 4, 2023

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Kindergarten Teacher

From what school/organization are you coming?
I most recently taught at Carver Elementary.

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and German from the University of Notre Dame. Before becoming a teacher, I worked at the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency in Chicago. I moved home to Minnesota to raise my family and realized that teaching was my calling. I received a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Saint Thomas and have loved being in the classroom for the past 13 years! I have taught in private, public, and charter schools at the elementary grade levels. I love working with young students and inspiring them to become excited about learning!

What did you find appealing about MPA?
Do you believe in magic? Have you ever visited a place and felt a spark that made you just know you wanted to be a part of it? That’s how I felt during my visit to the MPA campus! I was so impressed by everyone I met. I knew this would be a great place to teach! I love the strong sense of community MPA has established, and the importance placed on relationships between staff, students, and families.

What lasting impact do you plan to have on MPA?
I cannot wait to help our youngest students become readers and mathematicians, discovering the world around us. More than that, I hope to instill a lifelong love of learning in them!

What’s your big dream?
Early childhood education is so important! I dream of a world where all children have access to these programs.

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
My family has a great love for musical theatre! We have all taken turns being on the stage, occasionally getting to perform together! In addition, I have been the costumer for many high school and community theatre performances. Broadway has become a favorite vacation destination!

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
I am a waterfall chaser! My family is used to rerouting adventures so that I can cross another waterfall off my list. On a trip to the North Shore this spring, I went as far as Canada to see the famous Kakabeka Falls.