Alumni Archives

Alumni Mentors Make Connections Virtually

January 19, 2021

The MPA Mentorship Program entered its third year with MPA Alumni being paired with a member of the senior class. The MPA Alums and seniors exchange three emails throughout the months of November and December. A survey was sent to both the seniors and alums to determine what their interests, career goals, college choice, etc. Work then began to recruit mentors who matched with the interests of our seniors. The program is proving to be successful and gain traction as for the second year in a row we had more alumni interested than seniors enrolled. Engagement continued to be at a high level and many connections were made that will continue far beyond the seniors’ last year at MPA.

This year’s alumni mentor program concluded on January 12, 2021 with a virtual networking event taking place on both Monday, January 11 and Tuesday, January 12. Switching to a virtual program proved successful for attendance with almost 90 percent of our mentors being able to participate. Mentors logged in from all over the country and the world.

A large thank you to our 63 mentors for their commitment, dedication and kindness to our seniors during this year’s mentorship program. We are grateful for your time and devotion to MPA!

If you have interest in joining the mentorship program in the next school year please contact Ashley Goetzke, Assistant Director of Development at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

MPA Legacy Society Hosts Wealth Management Presentation

January 14, 2021

MPA’s Legacy Society Committee welcomes you to join MPA alumnus Ty Johnston ’04 for a special presentation on wealth management and creative giving vehicles to benefit important causes you care about. You will learn and gain perspective on tax implications, practical steps you can take, and a variety of giving vehicles you may benefit from. Save the date for January 27, 2021 to join us at 4 PM.

Ty serves as a wealth manager, working directly with his clients to create and maintain a
customized financial plan addressing all aspects of a healthy financial life including investments, tax planning, risk management, retirement, employee benefits and estate planning. Read More

Peacefully Working Through Our Differences

January 7, 2021

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

As I was putting the final touches on my original Panther Post message yesterday afternoon, news broke of the violent protest in Washington DC and the storming of the United States Capitol. The peaceful transfer of power is a cornerstone of our democracy. In the days, months and even years ahead, our nation must engage in serious reflection of who we are as a democratic society. How long can we say, with any sense of integrity, that this is “not who we are” before we must admit that this is who we are.

However, I am an eternal optimist and believe that American democracy is resilient. To me, it makes the case that education is important more than ever. Critical thinking, nurturing student voice and agency, character development, and civic engagement and responsibility are all antidotes to discord, division, and violence. These are important attributes of an MPA education. For instance, quite organically, 40 Upper School students joined a Zoom call last night under the guidance of several Upper School teachers who provided a context for students to think critically about the unfolding events in the context of civic responsibility. Read More

A First Grader In A Rock Band?

December 18, 2020

How many seven year old kids can say they play in a band? First grader Eloise can! Through School of Rock in St. Paul, Eloise plays the keyboard, performing hits with her band like “Great DJ” by the Ting Tings and Janelle Monae’s “Dance Apocalyptic”. “I like working with a group to make music and getting to know new people and I like my teachers,” says Eloise. “They make playing music together fun! I really like learning new songs and chords. I like to find notes on the keyboard that match the song and rhythm.”

Eloise’s introduction to piano came about serendipitously. Last year, she signed up for music lessons offered by MPA senior Skylar Cernohous, a member of the class of 2020 who now attends the Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. As part of her senior service project, Skylar gave weekly 30 minute piano lessons to seven MPA students in kindergarten, first, and second grade. “My experience with music helped influence the project. I was in four music classes at MPA and spent a lot of my time with music . I’ve played the piano since I was in first grade, so I wanted to give other children the same opportunity to start young. Piano has been a huge part of my life. Read More

Top 10 Reasons For Alumni To Update Contact Information

December 15, 2020

Reconnect with former classmates
Maybe it’s been awhile! Being connected to the MPA alumni association means you’re in touch with old friends and in the know for all the biggest news from your graduating class.
Reconnect with former teachers and coaches
Did you see winning lip sync video from Mr. Thomsen and Emily Moses Thomsen ’13? It was amazing. Making sure your contact information is up to date means you never miss an opportunity to reconnect with a former teacher, administrator or coach. By the way, interested in congratulating Mr. Thomsen on the amazing winning video? Send him an email at mthomsen@moundsparkacademy.org. He’d love to hear from you!
Stay up to date on athletics
With nine teams coached by MPA alumni and 36 state championships to date, you’re going to want to stay up to date on Panthers athletics. Many of the same coaches you may have had along the way (Coach Ethier, Coach Scinto, Coach Haase, etc.) are still going strong! Follow along and celebrate their accomplishments. Read More

A Dream And A Shoestring

December 10, 2020

Thirty-nine years ago this week, 13 people from throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul gathered with Bob and Lois (now Sandy Kreischer Smith) Kreischer to articulate their shared dream of founding an independent school in the east metro of St. Paul. In his introduction that evening, Bob said, “We are aware that this could be the start of something big and equally aware that this could totally end in a month or so.” At the end of the meeting, a vote was taken to officially establish Mounds Park Academy. The Articles of Incorporation were filed on December 11 with the State of Minnesota designating Mounds Park Academy as an educational nonprofit on December 14, 1981.

Bob had been the Middle School director of Breck School and Lois was an artist. Both had a dream of a school that would educate the whole child (before the term became popular) and a different kind of college-prep program that while focused on academic excellence, was committed to helping each student reach their potential. They also knew the importance of a teacher that “enjoys and really cares about their students” and a curriculum that “best meets the individual student’s needs.”

Bob understood, and Lois knew, the integral role of the arts in developing the whole child. The early foundations of the school were built upon a diversity, the joy of learning, independent thinking, curiosity, interdisciplinary learning, developing a sense of responsibility, and global awareness. These values may not seem out of the ordinary now, but in 1981 they were groundbreaking and innovative. Read More

MPA’s Historic Debate Performance

December 6, 2020

Congratulations to the MPA debate team on a historic performance at the Classic State Debate Festival. MPA was represented by 44 students, and Mounds Park Academy received the second-place team sweepstakes award, missing out on first place by a single point. That’s an award based on the top two performances across each of the three divisions of competition–novice, junior varsity, and varsity. It’s a testament to the depth of the team.

We call the tournament the Classic Debate Championships in novice and junior varsity. In the novice division with 57 entries, the team of juniors Gavin Thorson and Sofia Cortes Weiss advanced to the octafinal round, and the team of junior Zoe Schnell and sophomore Frances Martin advanced to the quarterfinal round. In the junior varsity division, the team of sophomores Kensi Binstadt and Zaara Nayak advanced to the octafinal round, and the team of juniors Charlotte Bergh and Ruby Schwieger made it to the quarterfinal round. The team of seniors Lilly Gasterland-Gustafsson and Peter Manolis competed in the final round of the junior varsity division, and finished second to a team from Rochester Century. Read More

Meet Boys Basketball Coaches Rich Harris, Nate Bander, and Matt Bander

November 24, 2020

Meet Boys Varsity Basketball Coach Rich Harris

What was your playing career like?
I played four years in high school in Oklahoma and was the starting point guard my senior year. I then played point guard at Southwestern College, an NAIA school in Winfield, Kansas, graduating in 1996.

What coaching experience do you bring to MPA?
After finishing my college career, I stayed on for one year as a student assistant. Since, I have coached a variety of different levels of basketball and many schools. Some highlights include coaching the freshman boys team at Southeast High School in Wichita, coaching JV boys and then Varsity boys at the American School of Doha in Qatar (we went undefeated in 2011), assistant coaching girls Varsity and then boys Varsity at American School in London, coaching Middle School and High School boys at the International Schools Groups in Saudi Arabia (we went 21-4 record and won the conference championship during the 2018-19 season), and coaching girls JV here at MPA. The girls at MPA taught me compassion and commitment and I will never forget that.

What is it about MPA that makes it a great place to coach?
The kids! MPA has such wonderful students who want to succeed. Also, the faculty and staff has been very supportive. Read More

A Sense Of Urgency On Give To The Max Day

November 19, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I am a procrastinator. A proud procrastinator, no less. It’s not that I am not productive or do not fulfill my responsibilities. I’m not lazy, but I do get distracted. There always seems to be a good article to read that pops up on my newsfeed, a post on Facebook I find intriguing, a conversation to be had with a friend or colleague, or a good book to read. Oftentimes, what helps me most is a firm deadline or knowing that people are depending on me to act.

Today is a deadline of sorts as our Fall Campaign winds down and we celebrate Give To The Max Day, both in support of the MPA Fund. If you haven’t yet made a gift, I strongly encourage you to do so. I feel a particular sense of urgency this year as we together navigate the uncharted waters of the pandemic. The urgency comes as we, the school and parents, join together to ensure our children have what they need to be safe, healthy, and continue to learn and thrive. What I know is that this endeavor costs more—more people, more technology, more infrastructure. Read More

The Foote/Nelson Family Gives Peace Of Mind

November 18, 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. The Foote/Nelson Family shares the how their child grew more and more confident and comfortable, finding a home at MPA.

How did your family come to MPA?
We were looking at options for a new school for Odin and had a neighbor whose son had gone to MPA. Living in Minneapolis, it made an impression because they were willing to drive far but were so happy. That neighbor’s son became a literal rocket scientist. All of the conversations we had with them as well as Odin’s visit to MPA just seemed like a really great fit.

Our experience has been great. Odin has really transformed. He had been having a really difficult time and it had taken a big hit on his self-esteem. When he visited MPA he felt really welcomed by the students and teachers right away. He felt really supported to do the work in his class and enjoys being recognized for the work he was doing. It is a good balance for Odin – teachers pushing him to do more where they see it while also having a lot of respect for his boundaries and challenges. The biggest thing for us is seeing how the teachers are really empowered to do differentiated instruction. In our conversations with MPA’s teachers regarding past challenges Odin experienced, they listened and then shared that in some instances they may provide instruction differently for Odin and beyond that if they need to adjust, they just do. It’s made such a difference because in all of our previous conversations we didn’t feel heard. Now Odin has teachers that will overcome barriers. Read More