All School Archives

November 12, 2020

In the spirit of sharing, the Parents Association is starting a recipe exchange. We’re all cooking a lot more and are sharing some of our favorite recipes to try and enjoy throughout winter! This first week we’re focusing on Diwali. More details will be provided in next week’s Panther Post.

A Recipe for Diwali
This weekend, many of our Indian friends will be celebrating Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Celebrations include decorating the house with lights, lighting firecrackers in the evening, exchanging gifts and eating delicious food and desserts. One sweet delicacy that is synonymous with Diwali is Kaju Katli. MPA parent Seema Anwar has graciously provided an old family recipe from her mother-in-law for this delightful dessert.

Kaju Katli

Ingredients: cashews, sugar, water, and butter, ghee, or coconut oil. (Optional: rose water or saffron strands) Read More

The Baldwin Family Gives Hope

November 9, 2020

During the Fall Campaign, we are excited to share stories from our community about the impact the school has made on their children and their family. Heidi and Ryan Baldwin, two of our Lower School parents have seen the belonging their girls Audrey and Anna have experienced since joining MPA.

How did your family come to MPA?
We came to MPA because our older daughter Anna was at a different school for her PreK years, and it was not the right fit for us. She was experiencing some bullying and we did not feel supported in the response from the school to keep her safe and protected. At that point, we started the search to look for a new school for our family. When we visited MPA, it felt like home. When we met with teachers, administration, and the staff, we knew it was the right fit for us and that proves to still be correct today. MPA works so well because of its mission, vision, culture and values. These aren’t things we just say, they’re things that everyone at our school stands behind, lives, and breathes. Read More

Important COVID-19 Update

November 5, 2020

Our entire community continues to thrive and work together to safely remain on campus during these challenging times. Thank you for your continued diligence in prioritizing health and safety at MPA during this pandemic.

We are pleased to report that we continue to have zero instances of community spread on campus. As was shared during last month’s Panther Post, we had just four instances of MPA community members contracting the virus due to outside exposure. During the month of October, just two MPA community members contracted the virus, and again, all outside of the school walls. Read More

Middle School Athletics Update

November 5, 2020

Middle 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

November 5, 2020

This 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

November 2, 2020

Due 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

October 29, 2020

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

October 29, 2020

The 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

October 20, 2020

Our 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

October 19, 2020

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.