Head's Message Archives

December 10, 2021

After careful review of this afternoon’s forecast, we’ve made the decision to dismiss school at 1 PM today.

All of MPA’s buses will depart school shortly after 1 PM with the exception of District 622 buses. They are not able to depart until 2:10 PM and 622 riders will be cared for at MPA until then. MPA’s St. Paul and Minneapolis routes will be combined into one route. The families of our bus riders should watch for a separate email with their specific route information.

For those who do not ride a bus, Panther Club/Den/Study Hall will not be available after school today and all afterschool activities including games, practices, and meetings are cancelled this afternoon.

Please come pick up your child up at 1 PM—we will, of course, remain on campus until the last child leaves for the day, but Panther Club will not available.

Be safe on the roads and enjoy the beautiful snow!

A Deep Commitment To MPA

December 9, 2021

from Gina Wallraff, Chief Financial and Operations Officer

One Thursday per month you will see a guest Head’s Message from a member of the Institutional Advancement Team. We hope these additional perspectives will help you catch a glimpse inside the innerworkings of your school.

The Board of Trustees for Mounds Park Academy is the governing authority of the school. It has ultimate responsibility for the school’s financial stability and integrity. The board is made up of parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and other professionals. Along with Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school, I have the honor and the privilege of working with this group of dedicated people who are deeply committed to the health and vitality of the school.

Among other roles related to the mission and vision of the school, the Board of Trustees and its subcommittees, like the Finance Committee, has responsibility for the following:

determination of tuition levels;
effective financial oversight; and
realistic budgeting and monitoring of budgets.

This article aims to provide a glimpse into how the board approaches these responsibilities and the annual cycle of budgeting and tuition setting.

The annual budget process for the next academic year begins soon after the current school year starts, 10 months before the start of the next school year. First, an enrollment forecast is created. In this early stage the forecast is an estimate based on historical trends for current students leaving and new students joining. The enrollment forecast is reviewed by the Admissions team and the Head of School to evaluate the reasonableness of the estimated number of new students and projected total enrollment. Read More

Exceeding What We Dared To Dream

December 2, 2021

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

“There are four main ingredients contributing to the success of our school. First is the student body which is made up of a diverse group of individuals, each with their own strengths, talents, and enthusiasm. Second is a dedicated faculty that enjoys and really cares about students and individuals. Third is an administration that truly believes in establishing an atmosphere of support for the students, faculty, staff, and parents. Fourth is a board of trustees which is actively committed to overseeing the entire operation of this school.”

Does that sound like something you might have read in one of my recent Panther Post messages? Perhaps. Instead, they are the words of MPA co-founder Bob Kreischer in a document shared with the founding Board of Trustees of a school with no students, no teachers, no building, and no name on December 11, 1981. Yet there was a vision, what founding Lower School Director Joanne Olson described as “a dream and a shoestring with no assurance of success.” Read 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!

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.

Let’s Join Together

November 4, 2021

from Bill Hudson, Head of School

Helen Keller, one of the great American authors, activists, and advocates, said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” These are such simple, yet enlightened words, that illustrate the profound power of community collaboration. I believe, from the bottom of my heart, that schools should be epicenters of deep collaboration—among students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, and other community members.

Just this week on campus, students, faculty, and staff came together to do so very much:

Upper School physics students worked in small lab groups using a bicycle wheel to understand rotational motion by feeling it between their hands.
STEM Ed Club students created curriculum for and hosted a Nature Event for their Lower School friends.
Student Council members organized a Nitro-Ball Tournament to benefit future projects in a fun and joyful way.
Volleyball players rallied the student body to show up for them at sections and show their support in a huge way.
AP Spanish students worked in discussion groups, debating topics such as regional/cultural/religious differences, after having only been in class for two days.
Middle School students lined the hallways in small groups, using marshmallows and spoons to investigate math and science in a three-dimensional, dynamic way.
Lower School faculty Mari Espeland and Heather Mastel collaborated on their annual second grade production of “The Tales of Anansi the Spider” for the sixth year in a row.
Staff designed and implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on campus in just 24 hours, benefitting the MPA community and beyond.
Faculty and staff brought concerts back to MPA with both a successful livestream and an in-person way to engage with the Instrumental Concert.
Eighth grade faculty collaborated on the Future City project, providing an interdisciplinary approach for students designing a waste-free city 100 years in the future utilizing a circular economy.

I could go on and on, but none of the above would be possible without collaboration, connectedness, and community.

Now, its our turn to come together—literally and figuratively—to show our support of MPA and the experiences created here each day. This year’s Fall Campaign, “Let’s Join Together,” launches November 8 and lasts until November 19, culminating with our Give to the Max Day of Giving on November 18. A very special, in-person kick off, will be held outdoors on Friday, November 5, from 2-4 PM. Come to campus, come together, and celebrate the start of this very special time at MPA.

This year’s Fall Campaign is particularly meaningful because it coincides with the 40th anniversary celebration of the founding of our school. Our goal this year is to raise $350,000 to support students, teachers, and to bridge the gap between tuition and the cost of an MPA education—tuition only covers approximately 80 percent of MPA’s expenses. Your gift will ensure students, faculty, and staff have the tools, resources, and support they need to come together today and tomorrow to do so much.

I want every family, especially our new families, to know that giving at MPA takes on many forms. Every gift is valued and participation at any level is deeply appreciated. Sentiment matters more than size and we encourage every family to give at the level that is right for them.

Joining together at MPA may look a little bit different for a little bit longer, but whether we’re together in spirit or in person, we can accomplish so much. You can learn more about the Fall Campaign and what the MPA Fund supports by visiting moundsparkacademy.org/support-mpa.

Searching For A Second Home

October 28, 2021

from Natalie Waters Seum, Director of Admission and Communication

Once per month throughout the school year, a member of the Institutional Advancement team will be writing a guest Head’s Message in place of Dr. Bill Hudson’s. We hope these articles provide families with additional perspectives from throughout the MPA administrative team.

If you’ve been through the admission process in recent years, you’ll recognize this question: “What drew you to MPA? What do you want out of a partnership with a school that will help your child grow and learn?” In short, we’re asking families what they are searching for in a new school community.

In my (brief) time in admission, I’ve come to realize there are three relatively simple things that most families seek. They want their child to be:

known and understood—not just a number;
loved for who they are—not who others thing they should be; and
challenged, appropriately—not too much and not too little.

When we searched for a kindergarten for my now-junior, Henry, we were looking for those very same things. My mother-in-law, Robbie Seum, was the Upper School director at the time and it was generally assumed that MPA would be the perfect fit for our family. The sticker shock spurred us to cast a wider net and I brought her with me to every open house in the east metro. Afterward, I wallpapered my dining room walls with Post-it flip charts that detailed the pros and the cons of every school we explored. In the end, it was her wisdom—the wisdom of a trusted friend—that truly helped us make the right decision. As friends, and family in this case, our values were aligned. She knew that we were searching for Henry to be known, understood, loved for who he is, and challenged appropriately and she knew that’s what MPA offered.

Fast forward to this week and I have the privilege of thanking 33 “Robbies” for recommending MPA to a friend, family member, or colleague who completed the application process and perhaps enrolled. Along with the thank you notes are either tuition credits or refunds that range from $125 to $1,000. I’m only able to thank the current families whom we are aware of—there are so many more of you recommending MPA in your networks that we’ll never be able to properly thank, so please consider this a personal note of thanks to you.

Both internal MPA data and external research show the importance and power of these community member referrals. Internally, it continues to be the most important way families come to MPA and the primary indicator that a family will eventually enroll. Why? It is all about aligning values. People in your network have similar values as you—you are searching for similar things—and they trust your recommendation as someone who has found what they are searching for. Nielsen data shows that “92% of respondents trusted referrals from people they knew.” None of this is news to me and it’s likely not news to you either because you very likely came to MPA due to a community member referral, just like we did.

The families of our 138 new students this year are having an incredible experience according to the New Family Survey. On a scale of 1-5, they rate their transition a 4.7 on average. They rate their experience with the admission process a 5.0. On that same survey, they named 40 faculty and staff who have been particularly helpful and 30 students—what an incredibly warm and welcoming community we have!

If you would like to share MPA in your network and perhaps receive a tuition credit next year at this time, please learn how here. Or, simply reach out to me at nwatersseum@moundsparkacademy.org. Sharing your love of MPA with people who are searching is, by nature, a generous act of kindness—you are trying to help the prospective family find a wonderful school community and a second home. And I promise we will take exceptionally good care of them.

Celebrating Our Story: The 40 Years Of MPA

October 14, 2021

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

When families gather, it is not uncommon to tell stories, especially when celebrating important occasions and milestones. In my family, we not only celebrate our children’s birthdays but also the day their adoption became official, their Family Day. No matter their age or their groans, both children enjoy hearing the story of when we first met them, what our time together in Guatemala was like, about the plane ride “home,” and about the celebration with family and friends when we landed in Minnesota. Stories like these are told when milestones are celebrated serve as anchors for who we are, help shape our identity, and deepen our values.

Mounds Park Academy is in the midst of such a celebration that will span the entire school year. Together, we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the founding of this remarkable school. I’ve had the honor and privilege of spending a good amount time with both our founders, Bob Kreischer and Sandy Kreischer Smith, and have been captivated by their dreams, hopes, and passion for education that led them to found MPA. By drawing together and inspiring their friends and fellow educators, Bob and Sandy articulated a very unique and compelling mission. From our original graduating class of seven students, now to our 574 current students, every child who enters our doors benefits from the vision and commitment of those early educators, which we still draw on today.

We have been thinking of this milestone as our very own community birthday celebration. Togetherness might look and feel differently right now than if we were celebrating the 40th anniversary two years ago or even two years from now. But we hope that we can all join together to say Happy Birthday to MPA. We hope you will join in the fun, beginning with some exciting activities to safely gather–virtually and in person–in November for the MPA Fall Campaign (more details will be released soon). To share in the storytelling with you, retired faculty and staff profiles will be released in the coming weeks and months. I hope this gives you a glimpse into the many wonderful people who have made our school what it is today. Read More

Growing Through Experience

October 7, 2021

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

On Wednesday, 48 seventh graders excitedly boarded buses for a day at the Minnesota Zoo. From the outside it might look like a typical field trip, but in true MPA fashion, it is a thoughtfully crafted lesson that intentionally weaves together science, student agency, experiential learning, critical thinking, creativity, design thinking, and a dose of joy. There is a lot to unpack in that description, but I’d like to focus on just one aspect, experiential learning.

You have no doubt heard the term, “hands-on, experiential learning” sometime during your time at MPA. We use it often but have rarely explained it and its importance to learning. The concept first appeared in “Nicomachean Ethics” written in 350 BC by Aristotle, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Modern educational theorists such as John Dewey wrote about the importance of learning by doing, but it is David Kolb who developed an experiential learning theory and model. It was upon this body of knowledge that MPA developed our founding pedagogy in 1982.

Kolb defined experiential learning as “The process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.” Experiential learning recognizes that students come to school with past experience and knowledge and that the school’s job is to provide a rich learning environment that engages the students at their individual levels. Examples of experiential learning abound at all grade levels at MPA and include hands-on laboratory experiments, projects in the Makerspace, work in outdoor gardens, monarch butterfly way stations, prairie restoration, field trips, performances, and more. Read More

Coming Home To MPA

September 30, 2021

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Love Actually is one of my favorite movies. I love the opening scene of the movie, which takes place in Heathrow Airport in London. As pictures of families greeting friends and loved ones at the arrival gate are shown, the British Prime Minister, played by Hugh Grant, provides the following voiceover:

“It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there: fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”

It sounds cheesy and idealistic but I do agree that love is all around us if we are willing and able to see it. I often share that the best part of my day is greeting students at the front entrance of the school each morning. It’s somewhat like the opening scene in “Love Actually” but instead of an airport arrivals gate, it’s like the front door of a home. Home. A place of comfort, love and belonging, of family. For so many of us, MPA is much more than a building or a school. We come together around a common set of values and beliefs as well as a passionate commitment to educate the whole child. Read More