November 30, 2021

Whether you have errands to run or would like a night to yourself, we’ve got you covered! Drop off the kids and enjoy a Parents’ Night Out, sponsored by Panther Club! We will enjoy a pizza dinner, watch a movie (Lego Star Wars: Holiday Special, rated TV-Y7), decorate cookies and do a winter themed craft!

When: Thursday, December 9, 2021 from 6-8 PM
Where: MPA Family Commons
Who: All Lower School students welcome
Cost: $12.00 Per Child

Please return this permission slip to the Lower School office by Thursday December 2, 2021

Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures:

At 6 PM, staff will meet families at Door 1 (Lower School Main Entrance) to check in and conduct standard health checks.
Staff will then bring students to family commons for the event.
Students attending after school Panther club until 6 PM will be escorted to the event.
Pick-up will be at Door 1 at 8 PM
If you would like to pick-up your child early or need to contact us, please call 651-748-5571

Interested In Becoming A Host Family?

November 30, 2021

MPA is actively recruiting host families for both mid-year and fall of 2022 international students joining our school from around the world. This is a wonderful opportunity to open your home and your heart to another student, deepening your family’s global perspectives! For much more information, including details about the available stipend, please visit mpa.link/becomeahostfamily. Reach out to Cory Becker-Kim, international student program coordinator, at cbeckerkim@moundsparkacademy.org to express your interest and learn more.

Let’s Join Together: The Power Of Community

November 18, 2021

from Bill Hudson, Head of School

The power of community was on display the week of November 8 as we celebrated the success of our Girls Volleyball Team and their run at the state championship. I was incredibly proud of our team—the grit, tenacity, and resiliency they displayed, and the way in which they positively represented the school. I was also full of pride for the way our community came together to support the team. Students, whether they attended the game in person or watched the livestream at school, cheered loudly and proudly, and with extraordinary school spirit.

Earlier in the week, this amazing community pulled together to host a vaccination clinic, providing members of our school community and our surrounding neighborhood, the opportunity to vaccine our younger learners and boosters to adults. The clinic was emblematic of our community’s response to the pandemic: draw upon the can-do spirit of MPA and on the strength of our relationships to overcome an urgent need.

Forty years ago, a different urgency led to the founding of Mounds Park Academy. A group of parents and teachers established a shared community to provide children with a new and unique student-centered whole-child education that didn’t exist in the east metro area. Forty years of gratitude and joining together: we’ve collected quotes from community members you can access here. By joining together, that early community overcame numerous obstacles to succeed and thrive.

Our challenges today are different than those 40 years ago. In a time of rapid change and volatility, young people need stability and a safe, welcoming place to learn and grow. They need kind and caring teachers and staff who truly know them and can accompany them through uncertain times. Students deserve an education that is both challenging and meaningful, one that provides the foundation to succeed in a future with jobs that don’t yet exist.

Today is Give to the Max Day and we are nearing the end of our Fall Campaign. This year’s campaign is especially meaningful because it coincides with our 40th anniversary celebration of the founding of our school. Like the founding families, our school wouldn’t be what it is without you and your family. We have a $200,000 goal today and we need to raise $150,000 in one day to access $50,000 in bonus challenge gifts from anonymous community members. I humbly implore you to join together with other parents, trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, parents of alumni, and grandparents and make a gift to this amazing school.

Every gift of every size makes an impact. Let’s join together in support of our community! Make a gift here!

Be sure to follow along in your email inbox and social media as we share live results and unveil our special virtual Lip Sync Battle with beloved teachers, staff, and students today!

Connecting With The Parents Association

November 18, 2021

Dog Walking with Michelle
As the weather turns colder, Michelle Micks’ popular walks will move to a bi-weekly format. This December bring your dog to play, and enjoy some time walking and chatting with MPA Families. No dog required. There are 30+ acres of lovely walking to be experienced. Join us Friday, December 3 and 17, after drop off. We’ll meet at 8:15 AM outside the dog park entrance off Upper Afton Rd. Look for the red-colored doggie (Rufus). The address is: Battle Creek Dog Park, 2350 Upper Afton Rd, Maplewood, MN 55119.

The contact person is Michelle Mick, and please feel free to text or call 651-328-7312 if you can’t find us!

Upper School Parent Social
While the kids dance the night away, let’s meet for a late dinner! India Palace has agreed to stay open late for us that evening. If we can get at least 20 people to attend, they will provide dinner, coffee, tea, and soft drinks for $16 per person. Beer, wine, and lassis are available for an additional cost. Please RSVP to Staci Banks, sbhehe42@icloud.com or Venmo the cost of dinner for your party to @Staci-Banks-Hehenberger by November 28. The address is: India Palace, 8362 Tamarack Village #120, Woodbury on December 4, 8:15 -10:30 PM.

Help Create This Year’s Middle School Café
The Parents Association invites you to envision the Middle School Café. This is a remarkable opportunity to help host the event at school, get into the building to catch a glimpse of your kid and meet new parents! The Middle School Café is a program aimed at building community within the Middle School and is anticipated the week of January 24 this coming year.

We’re forming the Middle School Café planning committee now which will brainstorm ways to use the $3,000 budget allocated by the Parents Association Board. The first committee meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 17 from 10:30-11:30 AM at Panera, just before the luncheon with Dr. Milam.

If you’re interested in joining the Middle School Café planning committee and can not come on Friday, November 17 please email Christine Larson, PA Middle School Co-Lead at chrisandmatt1289@gmail.com. If you can’t commit to the committee, no worries, there will be advertised opportunities closer to the Café.

Holiday Gift Wrapping
This much loved tradition is returning! MPA teachers and staff bring in their Holiday gifts and parent volunteers wrap them. This gift of time is greatly appreciated, and will really get you in the Holiday spirit. Save the date! Monday, December 13 from 8 AM-3 PM in the Porter Conference room.

PA Lower School Co-Lead Position Open
The PA Board is looking for an additional member. The Lower School Co-Lead position is currently open. As a Lower School lead, you would be working in tandem with Michelle Mick to create community and connect people throughout MPA. Lower School Leads also attend and vote at monthly board meetings, oversee and support the Lower School PA events, and serve as conduit between families and school administration. Contact Michelle Mick at michelle_wessely@yahoo.com if you are interested.

Microfunding Grants Available
Microfunding provides funds for projects and programs, existing or new. It is open to student organizations, teachers and parent volunteers. Requests must benefit the mission of the MPA PA. Requests that are recurring from year to year are discouraged. This program is supported by the Parents Association dues, which are paid by MPA families. The PA encourages student groups to use these funds. We look forward to supporting MPA student organizations, and classrooms for many years to come. Please fully review the procedure and application forms before submitting. Applications are available here.

November 11 Middle School Division News

November 11, 2021

from Dr. Milam, Middle School Director

Panthers Advance!
It’s a great day on campus here as our Varsity Girls Volleyball Team just beat the #1 seed in the state tournament to advance to the semi-finals! We’ll be hosting another watch party tomorrow in the Nicholson Center and sending positive vibes down to the Xcel Center for another PANTHER WIN!

IMPORTANT: COVID Protocols and Symptom Response
Just a reminder that any/all symptoms through our AUXS app and/or via email to covid@moundsparkacademy.org.

Please do not email your divisional offices, directors, or teachers of an absence due to symptoms. It is important that all notifications are sent to Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, our COVID Health and Safety lead, so that you can be supported and informed of possible next steps including, but not limited to, the need to remain home, secure a negative test prior to return, and/or quarantine per CDC guidance.

7/8 Quiz Bowl Starts Now!
Quiz Bowl for the fall will be for 7th and 8th grade students. Registration is required for participation and the link was sent via email to 7th and 8th grade families. If you have questions, please reach out to Mr. Cunningham (icunningham@moundsparkacademy.org).

Colder Weather Is Upon Us, Coats Are Important!
A hallmark of the MPA experience is that we go outside to recess every day that the weather is above -15 degrees. We are also fortunate enough to have an amazing sledding hill once the snow falls. Please begin encouraging your Middle Schooler to dress appropriately for the weather, wear a coat, bring mittens/gloves/hat, and if they’d like, bring snow boots and snow pants when the time comes.

Recess is an important part of our day – it’s good for the brain, body, and soul! Students are not allowed to stay indoors for recess, so having cold weather gear is important and makes for happier kiddos!

Water Bottles–A Necessity
A full day of learning is a full day that requires water – Physical Education, academic classes, arts classes, lots of movement and activity! Students need water bottles, and they need to drink water consistently. Please send a water bottle, that can be kept at school, labeled with your students name, with them each day. We do not have cups, disposable water bottles, or any other way for student to remain hydrated!

More Middle School Parent Chats
Due to low interest, I have cancelled the Parent Chat scheduled for this evening. If you want to join us for the last one before Thanksgiving, mark your calendars for lunch at Panera Bread in Minneapolis on Friday, November 19, 11:30 AM-1PM!

It’s always fun to get together and chat with some awesome MPA Parents! Hope to see you there!

Fall Campaign @ MPA
This year’s “Let’s Join Together” Fall Campaign will kick-off on Monday, November 8th and last through November 19. During this time, we ask families to help us meet the gap between tuition and the cost of an MPA education to help ensure students, families, faculty, and staff have the resources they need. Here are ways you can help:

Spread the word! Help us to ensure other parents and community members know about this important time, where we step up and give back to support our entire community.
Mark your calendars! Give to the Max Day is on November 18. This fun day is when Panthers everywhere join together to help us reach a big goal and enjoy a fun virtual lip sync battle with teachers, staff, and students.
Give! You can contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org to learn more about how to make a pledge or a gift. You can also visit moundsparkacademy.org/donate to make your gift today. For each grade that reaches 70% participation in making a gift, students will receive a fun party!

Quarter 2–Increased Expectations and Increased Independence
As we are now firmly into the school year, and almost midpoint into Quarter 2, your student should be more independent, more able to manage themselves and their schoolwork, and balance their day-to-day activities. While we all know this year has taken us a bit longer to settle in, teachers and I have been very clear about our expectations and students can really shine if they apply themselves with clear, coherent, and consistent support from the grown-ups in their lives who love them.

IMPORTANT DATES

Nov 19-21 Middle School Show
Nov 24-26 THANKSGIVING BREAK – NO CLASSES
Nov 29 Classes Resume
Dec 8 Middle School Art Show and Grades 6-8 Music Performance
Dec 10 7/8 Winter Dance
Dec 20-Jan 2 WINTER BREAK – NO CLASSES
Jan 3 Classes Resume

Get Your Middle School Production Tickets!

November 11, 2021

Middle School drama is in full swing and the links to purchase your tickets are up and active. Don’t miss your chance to catch the one acts: The Internet is Distract – Oh Look a Kitten AND Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Middle School, running from Friday, November 19, to Sunday, November 21. Click the link to learn more and to purchase livestream tickets!Join us in our return to live theatre in MPA’s Black Box, as we stage the two comedic one-acts for this year’s Middle School production! Learn more and purchase your tickets here

November 11 Lower School Division News

November 11, 2021

from Renee Wright, Lower School Director

Trimester 1 Comes To An End November 18
Trimester report cards will be sent to you electronically through email on Monday, November 22. Report cards are a valuable tool for reporting progress, but can sometimes feel intimidating to students as well as parents. Report cards describe students’ learning progress based on grade level expectations. In addition, report cards inform parents about their child’s learning success and guide improvements. Positive communication about the report card is important and should send the message that school is important. Below you will find some tips for how to make report card time meaningful and guide your child to success.

Value the Report Card: At MPA we acknowledge that report cards do not tell the whole story about a student’s abilities, work habits, and intelligence, but they do provide critical information and evidence about a child’s academic effort and progress. The report card can be used to initiate conversations with your child or your child’s teacher.
Share the Report Card with Your Child: Meet privately with your child, without distractions and have a relaxed discussion. Sharing the report card with your child is beneficial as it provides an opportunity for your child to share his/her thoughts on school and share highlights in each subject area. Make sure to read through teacher comments with your child. These often provide additional insights and ideas for future success.
Offer Praise for Successes: Praise your child for strong effort and recognize progress. Make sure to let your child know that you are proud of his/her accomplishments.
Encourage Your Child to Self-Evaluate: Ask your child if he/she is satisfied with the grades in each subject area. This provides time to reflect on strengths and challenges.

Welcome To Holli Richgels
Lower School welcomes Holli Richgels as the new Lower School Administrative Assistant. She comes to us with much professional experience as a receptionist and admin assistant. She brings much school experience and a true love for children. If you need to contact the Lower School Office for any reason please send an email to hrichgels@moundsparkacademy.org or call her at 651-748-5562. Read more about her!

Parent and School Partnership

Reading Aloud Can Help Produce Better Readers
Most of us know the benefits of reading aloud to our children in the early years. More and more research reveals that reading aloud is important for older children too and a meaningful way for families to discuss difficult topics. Reading aloud as a family has been known to help people reduce stress, build hope, develop resilience, and bond as a family. Reading aloud can be fun and also expose children to a variety of genre such as classic novels, graphic novels, picture books, poetry, historical fiction, fiction, or non-fiction. In essence, reading aloud is not only about literacy, but also a tool for helping children and families learn to love books and even navigate the world.

Gathering The Community Together

November 11, 2021

from Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, Director of Development and Community Engagement

I was fortunate enough to join the MPA community in 2018 as the director of development and community engagement. And to top it off, my two kids fell in love with the school right along with me and joined as new students at the same time. As with many things from the pre-pandemic world, it’s hard to imagine ever being able to predict how my role would change, let alone education and all of society due to COVID-19.

I’ve loved seeing the direct impact hard work has had on our students and community:

building our new Family Commons and the Martin Lenz Harrison Library thanks to the generosity of our donors;
hosting joyful events for grandparents, special friends, extended family members, and the local community;
building a foundation for the future through legacy giving;
providing parents the opportunity to volunteer and connect with one another;
engaging alumni and parents of alumni around the globe;
and ensuring our teachers and students have the supplies they need every year through the annual fund.

None of these accomplishments would be possible without our community joining together to make them happen. For this guest spot, I initially thought I would focus on the impact our community’s giving has had. But after being fortunate enough to witness the tremendous effort of this week’s Vaccination Clinic in our building, I couldn’t think of a more perfect representation of what it means to me to be a part of this community.

The Fall Campaign Is Underway!

November 11, 2021

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Let’s Join Together Fall Campaign Kick-off last Friday! It was a wonderful time to connect, meet new friends, and celebrate the impact giving has on MPA.

Don’t forget, participation is what matters most. Our goal is to reach 70% participation for each grade. When your student’s grade reaches this level, they earn a fun “40 Minutes Free” party in honor of the school’s 40th Anniversary.

If you haven’t marked your calendars yet, don’t forget next Thursday is Give to the Max Day! Look in your email inbox soon for more details. Hint: it includes some of your favorite MPA teachers in the annual tradition of a lip sync battle!

For questions or more information, contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement, at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.

Learn more about the Fall Campaign >
Make a gift >

November 11 Upper School Division News

November 10, 2021

from Mark Segal, Upper School Director

As a child I grew up wishing I could attend a large high school where every Friday evening students, parents, and neighbors gathered at the school’s football field to cheer on home team. There was something about the thought of the community conversations that either preceded or followed the “big game.” As it turned out, I attended a smaller high school where the Friday evening football stands were often only filled with parents of players and random students. As a similar school that focuses on the whole child, MPA provides many opportunities for students to create community that extend beyond the athletic fields. Our Debate and Speech Teams are some of the most successful programs in the state, our fine arts department offers students the chance to sing, play their instrument of choice, act on stage or design and build sets for top notch productions, and our Robotics Team competes at a high level with other much larger schools around the state of Minnesota. This proves that there is more to building community than just celebrating success in athletics. The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) shares that both activities and athletic programs “instill a sense of pride in school and community, teach lifelong lessons and skills of teamwork and self-discipline, and facilitate the physical and emotional development of youth.” This statement, although not expressly written for MPA, speaks to who we are and why we offer the variety of opportunities in which students participate.

A recent study at Clemson University found that, “offering various school activities gives students a sense of belonging because it represents a social institution that offers a collective social experience for participants that can provide the context for belonging.” I have certainly seen this to be the case. There is no better example than the recent success of the Girls’ Volleyball team. At the time of writing, the majority of the Upper School community is gearing up to travel to the Xcel Energy Center Thursday morning to celebrate the team’s second appearance in the State Tournament. This unforgettably exciting journey has been the salve to the pandemic of the past 19 months. By the time you read this Thursday afternoon, the results of their quarterfinal match will be known. As much as we would like to be celebrating a victory and planning for their semifinal appearance Friday, the important take away has been the unification of the Upper School and full MPA community around this special team. Sometimes, there is far greater value in having the experience than just focusing on the winning or losing of the competition.

Go Panthers!

Important Information

This year’s “Let’s Join Together” Fall Campaign kicked-off on Monday, November 8 and lasts through November 19. During this time, we ask families to help us meet the gap between tuition and the cost of an MPA education to help ensure students, families, faculty, and staff have the resources they need. Here are ways you can help:
- Spread the word! Help us to ensure other parents and community members know about this important time, where we step up and give back to support our entire community.
- Mark your calendars! Give to the Max Day is on November 18. This fun day is when Panthers everywhere join together to help us reach a big goal and enjoy a fun virtual lip sync battle with teachers, staff, and students.
- Give! You can contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org to learn more about how to make a pledge or a gift. You can also visit moundsparkacademy.org/donate to make your gift today. For each grade that reaches 70% participation in making a gift, students will receive a fun party!
As we continue to navigate the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, we ask for your diligence in working with our COVID-19 symptom response and contact tracing team. At the first sign of symptoms, parents should complete the daily AUXS app symptom screening and/or email covid@moundsparkacademy.org. This should happen BEFORE seeking a COVID-19 test. When a negative Covid-19 test is required for student clearance, results must be provided prior to the student’s return. All symptomatic community members, regardless of vaccination status must remain at home pending those results. Thank you for your partnership. For any questions, please contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.

Looking Ahead

Thursday, 11/11: No blocks 1-3 due to Girls’ Volleyball State Tournament
- Classes resume at 12:05 PM for blocks 4-6
Friday, 11/12: Girls’ Volleyball State Tournament
- Please look for an email communication regarding program impact
Monday, 11/15: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, via Zoom (postponed from Friday, 11/12)
Thursday, 11/18: Give to the Max Day
Tuesday, 11/23: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, via Zoom
Wednesday, 11/24: No Classes – Thanksgiving Break
Thursday, 11/25: No Classes – Thanksgiving Break
Friday, 11/26: No Classes – Thanksgiving Break
Monday, 11/29: Classes Resume at 8 AM
Monday, 11/29: MPA Vaccine Clinic, 4-8 PM, on campus
Thursday, 12/2: Upper School Conferences, 4-8 PM (see email for details)
Friday, 12/3: No Upper School Classes, Upper School Conferences, 8-4 PM
- Lower and Middle School Classes DO MEET
Saturday, 12/4: Upper School Semi Formal Dance, 8-11 PM, Prestwick Golf Course

All School

Parent and School Partnership