Head’s Message

April 25, 2012

Yes, you!

Stop by and be celebrated on Friday, April 27. For chances are, if you’re reading this, you have volunteered at some point at MPA – and tomorrow we celebrate you! You may be one of the hundreds who come in for the myriad volunteer activities, from Lower School duty free lunch to Upper School Spring Musical cast and crew support. YOU are a CHAMP, showing daily that “character happens at Mounds Park” in the parent community as well. In fact, character begins at home and when you devote precious time from a busy schedule to help out at school, it reinforces for the students the values we stand for as a community.  

It’s what we mean by the word “modelling” in our mission statement: “…a diverse community that models intellectual ambition, global responsibility, and the joy of learning.” Young people all along the developmental continuum are always looking for models as they craft their own unique identity. And, naturally, they look to those older than them. The first grader looks up to the fourth grade conflict manager, the eight grader looks to the senior, and all of them look to the adults in their lives. They may not appear to be looking, but they are. And they’re taking notes. Anyone who has ever been brought up short by the words, “but, Dad, I saw you do that…” knows what I am talking about. “Do as I say, not as I do, ” is a cliche because it speaks, albeit ironically, to the power of actions over words. Children learn to do as we do. 

There is indeed power in our actions, which is why your generosity of time and energy is important on multiple levels. Not only do you make it so much easier for us to do all the things we do. Not only does your presence in the canoe with seventh graders bring richness of experience to our engagement with these kids. It also teaches students critical lessons about selflessness. By making a positive example.

Whether your total contribution is one hour or one hundred hours, we want to thank you. We’ll be in the Parents Association room off the cafeteria all day Friday. Come by, and let us thank you for being the positive influences you are in the life of the school. And if you are too busy with your “day” job or volunteering somewhere else, know that we are grateful for the support….every day. 

April 18, 2012

My sister was one of the lucky ones. She received a scholarship to attend a girls’ independent school near where we grew up. So she went from being an eighth grader on the sidelines watching the boys play to being a ninth grade player herself. Field hockey in the fall, tennis in the spring…just the biophysical differences alone are life altering. From passive support to active participation – legs pumping, heart racing, friends and teammates cheering you on. And as for a sense of self worth, the change is night and day. Recognition for what you have accomplished, the challenges you have overcome, the spirit of cooperation you have demonstrated and the sheer beauty of your athleticism.

Title IX became law two years after my sister graduated from high school and one key outcome of this landmark civil rights legislation was a mushrooming of financial support for girls athletics at schools, colleges and universities. Girls were becoming players in much higher numbers and at younger ages. According to Jane Helmke, keynote speaker at this week’s Athena Awards ceremony, “in 1972, 7% of prep athletes were female and today it’s 40%.” Jane is KARE 11 News Director, but when she first went to a rival station’s news division in the 70s to apply for a job as a sports producer, she was laughed out of the office by the men around the table. 

This week we watched a remarkable female athlete be recognized for her competitive spirit, for the tremendous power springing from her slight frame, for her cool under pressure and her special sense of style in play. MPA senior Amber Washington stood up to be recognized Wednesday along with 38 other amazing high school athletes from the east metro. The annual Saint Paul Athena Awards honor the top female athlete from high schools across the metro. MPA has been sending an athlete to the award ceremony since 1995. Amber made Minnesota history this year, winning her sixth individual state tennis championship.

To watch these young women make their way to the stage and to hear their many accomplishments in sports, arts, academics and service is to marvel at the change that a generation has brought for young women through sports. It is a fact of life that girls play, can play hard, play well and develop critical life skills through competition and teamwork. It’s the 40th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, a law that began with a focus on equity in employment and spread to include equity in the educational arena. Every girl who drives to the basket, or digs a volleyball out or dives to deflect a soccer goal with outstretched hands is a celebration of that victory for women, which is a victory for society. 

No, I’m not running for office on a platform against a war on women. I’m just glad I can stand on the sidelines and cheer equally for girls and boys.

April 11, 2012

“What does ‘making connections’ mean to you?” I asked some fourth graders this morning. “Friends,” said one, “making friends” said another, “family” said a third. Each year the art department selects a theme for the Lower School Music and Art Show. The musical portion is set for this evening (Thursday, April 12) but the artwork will be up for several more weeks. “Connections are….life,” said another. “Without connections…” and her voice trailed off. I heard a story on the radio one morning this week and was at a loss for an answer about something very important. The story has stayed with me.

Perhaps because he was riding his bike on the way to delivering food for a family friend. Or that after they shot him, he tried to ride away, only to collapse and die on the pavement. They shot him to get the bike, the reporter said. “The robbery took place just minutes after Patzner left his father’s house with a plate of lasagna headed for the home of a family friend who frequently gets help from the Patzners,” wrote a reporter from the Star Tribune.

What shock waves are passing through his family and friends? How is his father living with sending him on this fatal errand? Three assailants, one victim, four ruined lives, dozens of others sharing in a senseless tragedy. And why can’t I shake the image?  

I walk the halls here and wonder again how to prepare our kids for loss. Literature can be somewhat of a preparation. It can take us to the water’s edge to peer into the darkness and see the effects of loss. A few years back, I was a helper for a seventh grade literature project looking at the Civil War. Boys were reading about young teens slipping past the recruitment officers to join up, only to encounter first hand the horrors of war. (You can read about it here.) Theater can help. My first experience of a theatrical performance at MPA was of the Upper School production of J.B., a play based on the Book of Job. These young actors studied and re-lived for us  the unimaginable tragedies that befell a man and his family. The reader or audience member is invited to react vicariously, to peer into the abyss.

But once the tragedy has occured and we are in the midst of an experience like no other, cut loose from the comfortable reality of a routine day with routine challenges (I lost my keys…or, when will I have time to get all of this done?) our connections to each other are all that really gets us through. Our family ties, our friends, and classmates or colleagues.

So when you visit this amazing collection of studies about connections, look deep. Look past the lines and shapes and colors and experience the connections. Listen tonight to the music of connection. See the connections move and evolve through the dance of the young. Feel the invisible ties that bind us all. And be comforted. 

April 4, 2012

If you missed the KARE 11 story last week, you missed a chance to see how the work of parent volunteers can come together with teacher initiative to create something truly special. I’ll make sure to include a link below. This past fall, a core group of parents committed to service learning presented the first annual MPA Family Service Night. It was a huge success, creating opportunities for students and their families to roll up their sleeves and serve the community.

In the month prior, MPA faculty spent a workshop day exploring service learning, which connects key learning outcomes with projects that serve the community. While true service learning has been a feature of a number of our programs in the past, such as the public policy class or the senior service projects, this fall’s workshop created an opportunity for all faculty to look at their service projects in a new light.

One result was the Kindergarten service project featured in the KARE 11 Cool in School program last week. And when you nurture a 6-year-old’s impulse to be helpful while building critical skills at the same time, it’s win-win. It’s the beginning of a long process that culminates in our older students going off to do the amazing things they’re becoming know for. It’s a pretty simple formula: character + initiative + ability = a world changed for the better.

Enjoy the story by following this link!

March 15, 2012

To make a contribution to the Annual Fund today, click here.

February 27, 2012

When their youngest child graduates in 2018, Peter and Karla Myers will have spent 21 years as parents in the MPA family. And thanks to Karla’s efforts to create a Parents of MPA Alumni group, you can be certain that the first 21 years will be just the beginning of their active participation in our community.

Recently, Peter and Karla took a big step towards deepening their relationship with the school by committing to a legacy gift. Many established non-profits have planned giving programs that make it possible for families and individuals to include the organization in their estate planning. As we celebrate our 30th year, we are formalizing the opportunity to do just that, and Peter and Karla will be among the founding members of the 1982 Legacy Society.

For information on how you or members of your family can participate, click this link. You can hear directly from Peter and Karla about the program in this video:

February 22, 2012

Consider this: every MPA fourth grader for the last 18 years has gone through the conflict managers training featured in the video below. This means that ALL of the current 5th through 12th graders that went through fourth grade at MPA have not only been through the training but have served as conflict managers on the playground throughout their fourth grade year. Consider the culture of a school where, as a result of this one program, a high percentage of current students have had this training and experience. Consider how it permeates the day-to-day engagement between students. (And consider the impact MPA graduates from the first ten years of the program are having in their communities!)

One of the most common reasons independent school parents give for enrolling their children in one of our schools is the emphasis we place on character development. At a “conversation with the head of school” this week, that message from parents came through again loud and clear. When asked to describe areas of focus for the future at MPA, parents listed innovation, character education, technology, problem solving, responsibility, managing information, critical thinking skills, and building moral leaders. Three of those eight listed fall under the general category of character education.

This year’s new CHAMP program – Character Happens at Mounds Park – focuses on all Lower School students and integrates several elements of the MPA program that have been in place for a number of years. See the video below, and plan to come share your vision for the future at one of the two remaining conversations with the head of school: Tuesday, February 28, at 3:30 p.m. in the gallery or Tuesday, March 6, at 6:00 p.m. in the PCR. Refreshments will be provided at both events.

February 15, 2012

Yes, we’re in the heat of the year when the engines of learning are revved and there’s so much to report. Headlines: Nordic Ski Team sends record number of skiers to state…Robot Scores at Spirit Night…Panther basketball teams score victories (see below for a Spirit Night video clip)…MPA seniors spearhead a rally at the State Capitol attracting extensive media coverage…first graders lead a spirited CHAMP assembly on “self-control”…..Wow!

Faculty and staff will gather for professional workshops Friday as families head out for the four-day weekend. As my recent letter indicated, I invite all comers to join me for coffee in the Gallery at 8:30 Tuesday morning – the day we return from the long weekend. Stop in an share your ideas for for the future.

And have a great weekend!

February 7, 2012

Long ago, that is to say, last week, amazing Middle School students triumphed against great odds. Our Math Counts team took first place, and our 7th grade Quiz Bowl team humiliated several high school teams in fierce competitions.
This is their story…

February 1, 2012

I don’t know about you, but when I was in high school, I was not focused on working hard to change state laws (well, with the exception of speed limits, perhaps. But if so, it was only for the most selfish of reasons). I may have taken an academic interest in the broader theoretical issues of the public good, but school was not the place where action was encouraged, not to mention expected.

I met this week with students from Ms. Conway’s Public Policy class who are doing just that. Audrey Berdahl-Baldwin, Sydney Eberwein, Louise Edwards, and Annette Eneanya would like to see changes to a law that has to do with Minnesota state requirements regarding bullying prevention in schools. Their efforts spring from a belief that Minnesota can do better in this arena, and that hundreds of thousands of children stand to be the beneficiaries of the work they are doing. As a pure expression of good character, it’s hard to think of a better example.

Several important things are going on here. The class requires that they work in teams and identify an issue they care about, then develop an implementation plan to effect needed change. The plan must actually have the potential for succeeding, so it has to be designed thoughtfully. Eradicating bullying nationwide, for example, would be a laudable but quixotic goal. Focusing on their state’s current bullying prevention law, however, is a far more practical application of their zeal to change the culture. As they cite from their research, “13 percent of Minnesota 6th, 9th, and 12th graders are bullied regularly, once a week or more.” (For more information on MPA’s approach to bullying, click here.)

Another important lesson for these students is that they actually can change the world for the better. After this kind of experience, you know first hand that you can make a difference if you put your mind to it. And, of course, if you have the tools to do it – good communication skills, an ability to analyze a problem and develop an array of possible solutions, a good sense of your group’s ability to get things done, and the determination to work together to see it through.

Now, I promised these committed students that I would help promote an event they are organizing. Students Demanding Change (SDC) is organizing a rally at the Minnesota State Capitol to promote stronger bullying prevention at noon on February 11, 2012. For more information, email studentsdemandingchange@gmail.com or visit their Facebook event page. Please consider helping them in their efforts to make the world a better place!