Middle School Athletics Update

middle school girls passing a basketballMiddle School Basketball
The Mounds Park Academy athletic department has made the decision not to play Middle School basketball in the Catholic Athletic Association (CAA) this winter due to health and safety concerns. Our athletic department will provide Middle School Students in Grades 5/6 and 7/8 an opportunity to train and play in co-ed in basketball setting. Scheduled sessions are in line with students who are on campus for the hybrid learning.

These training and playing sessions will be supervised by the coaches of these programs. All of these programs will be held after school from 3:30-4:45 PM. Health screenings will occur prior to participation. Masks must be worn during these training sessions. Please bring a water bottle with your name on it. All student pick-ups should be made from Door #7 of the Lansing Sports Center. Click here to register for these opportunities.

Middle School Swimming
The Mounds Park Academy athletic department has made the difficult decision to suspend club swimming for students in grades K-8 for the 2020-2021 season. Health and safety concerns around COVID-19, lack of available pool time due to density control, and transportation issues have prompted this difficult decision. We look forward to welcoming our young swimming Panthers back to the pool in the 2021-22 school year!

If you have questions, please contact the MPA Athletic Director, Dan Haase via email at dhaase@moundsparkacademy.org.


Celebrating Fine Arts Faculty Accomplishments

Ms. Sonka. teaching artThis week, MPA art teacher Renee Sonka and MPA theater teacher Heather Mastel were both featured and celebrated around the local and arts community for their crafts. We are so grateful to have such creative and passionate teachers in our MPA community!

Ms. Sonka’s sumi-e ink and watercolor artwork is featured in a virtual exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. This show contains over 2000 pieces, but only occurs every 10 years. View her work in the online exhibit here. Read More


Classes And Activities Cancelled November 3

Photo of north entrance of school from fieldDue to a water main break, all classes and activities will be cancelled tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3. We apologize for any inconvenience that this creates for your family.

We anticipate that Lower and Middle School will be able to return to their regular schedule on Wednesday, November 4 while Upper School may need to learn virtually through the end of the week due to the location of the water main break. We will update you again tomorrow based on the progress of the repair.

If you have any questions, please contact your division director or email communications@moundsparkacademy.org.

Thank you for your understanding.


Help Us Kick Off The Fall Campaign

The MPA Fall Campaign Committee invites you for a fun virtual kick-off event on Monday, November 9 from 7-7:30 PM. Hear a state of the school update from Dr. Hudson, listen to great student speakers, help us meet a special giving challenge, and celebrate the success to the start of the school year with other MPA families. The whole family is invited to attend to learn more, join in singing our school song, and if 50% of our community joins the call, we have a special challenge donation we will be eligible to receive from a generous donor of $10,000! Join us to learn more about this year’s You Give Fall Campaign, how your family can join in, and help us to build community virtually until we can all be together again safely in person. Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement with any questions at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org. Join via Zoom >


Parents Connect Wednesday Mornings

lower school students harvesting the gardenThe Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. We are still walking! Mark your calendars, it will be fun!

Wednesday, November 4 and November 11 will be a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot by the crosswalk and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children and furry friends are welcome to walk with us.

Future Wednesday morning walks will depend on the weather.

Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!


Garseng Wong ’11 Shares His Knowledge On MPA Talks

garseng wong's MPA Talks on mental healthOur Virtual MPA Talks last month featured Garseng Wong, an MPA Class of 2011 alum and a passionate mental health advocate. He is currently a resident psychiatrist at NYU and hopes to specialize in child-adolescent psychiatry, focusing his work with queer youth and young adults. In his MPA Talk, he discussed mental health, skills and ideas for maintaining it, and how to address the stigma around it. Watch Garseng’s full MPA Talk here.

We are looking for additional MPA Alumni who want to share their passions and stories with the MPA Community. Contact alumni@moundsparkacademy.org if you are interested.


Freethinker Friday: Making Relocations Work

Join us live on Facebook Friday, October 23 at 12 PM for “Freethinker Friday: Making Relocations Work.” Relocations can be complicated. There are many moving parts as families transition their lives somewhere new, sometimes with little notice. Finding a warm school community is one of the most important factors in a successful relocation. Mounds Park Academy has become a premier destination for families relocating to the Twin Cities because of its welcoming, inclusive, and globally connected community. With 3M, Ecolab, The University of Minnesota, Medtronic, Boston Scientific and many other corporations and nonprofit organizations nearby, MPA welcomes numerous transplants from across the United States and around the world.

Whether you are moving within the Twin Cities, from a different state, or from a different country – there’s a lot to learn! Hear from three MPA families, representing all three divisions, who have recently relocated to the Twin Cities, and learn how they successfully navigated the trials and triumphs of relocation.


Important Clarification About Virtual Grandparents & Special Friends Week

lower school student with their special noteDue to our essential COVID-19 safety measures, we are unable to host Grandparents and Special Friends on campus next week or gather as a school community for any type of live performance. Instead, we are excited to offer a virtual week aimed at celebrating the special relationships between our students and their grandparents and loved ones. Read More


Important COVID-19 Update

lower school student doing morning screeningSince the spring, we have been hard at work planning and refining to welcome students back to campus. As we have shared all along, we know that while there is no such thing at zero risk while the pandemic continues to impact to so many, one thing has become very clear over the previous seven weeks of school: our layered approach of protective and preventative measures is working.

Thanks to our community’s diligence, we have had zero instances of community spread on campus. Some community members have been impacted by this terrible virus outside of the school hours. During the month of September, four MPA community members contracted the virus due to outside exposure to it. Our planning allowed our teams to quickly mobilize, work with the Minnesota Department of Health, and move through our 49-point flow chart that guides our contact tracing.

As a school, we are committed to ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of our community and appreciate your partnership in addressing rumors or concerns head on. It is also important to reiterate again that if you or your family has been exposed as a close contact to a case of COVID-19 connected to the school, you will hear from us immediately. This is our deep and sincere commitment to you. Read More


More Opportunities To Connect With The Parents Association

Michelle Mick and Doug in the new gardensParents Connect Wednesday Mornings
The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun!

Wednesday, October 21 will be a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us. Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!

Apple Picking
An apple picking outing to beautiful Aamodt’s Farm in Stillwater is in the works! We’ll wear masks, plus any MPA gear (lanyards would be perfect) you have, and stay physically distant and safe. Stay tuned for more details.