Head’s Message

December 15, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

Nearly every day, I see a flurry of activity on the treetop outside my office window. It seems to be the place for several female cardinals to congregate. While less showy than the male cardinal, they have a beauty of their own. Somewhere along the line, I heard that cardinals are a sign of our loved ones that have died. I take solace in that idea and think of my dad. Whenever I spy a cardinal, I am reminded of my dad’s unconditional love for me and how he patiently accompanied me on my journey toward a better self.

The cardinals outside my window also remind me of the poetry of Mary Oliver. Her book, “Red Bird” begins and ends with poems about, what else, red birds. In the first poem, “Red Bird,” the poet is grateful that …

“Red bird came all winter
Firing up the landscape
As nothing else could.”

The fiery red of the cardinal against the snowy whiteness of winter can be startling. It can jolt me out of the day-to-day drudgery of the cold and wet weather to see anew the beauty of winter. In the final poem of her book, “Red Bird Explains Himself,” Oliver shares with us that the purpose of the red bird is “to be the music of the body” because our bodies need “a song, a spirit, a soul.” The red bird has been sent “to teach this to your heart.” Read More

November 3, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

It is nearly impossible not to notice that pumpkin spice has overtaken the grocery aisles. According to NielsenIQ data, pumpkin spice products accounted for more than $231 million in sales over last year, 27% higher than the year before. Someone even noticed a sign at a service station offering pumpkin spice oil changes. While I am not a fan of anything pumpkin spice flavored, it does serve as a reminder of fall and the season of gratitude. It won’t be long before many families and friends gather for Thanksgiving and share with one another. In the midst of passing the gravy and turkey, we will share all the reasons we are grateful this year.

As we move into a season of gratitude, our annual fall fundraising drive launches this Monday, November 7, and continues through Friday, November 18. Give to the Max Day is Thursday, November 17, and includes our own special tradition of a faculty and staff lip sync competition and all-school assembly.

Our fall campaign theme, “Forward Together,” represents the momentum we are experiencing as we come together as a community, both metaphorically and literally. After two and one-half years of isolation, separation, and distancing, our building is full again with parents, grandparents, friends, and special guests, adding even more joy to an already joyful school community.

Last Friday was a good example. If you don’t know, MPA has had a longstanding tradition of Lower School students parading through the halls of the school in their Halloween costumes, much to the delight of Middle and Upper School students who take a break from their studies to join in the celebration. Students, faculty, staff, and parents line the hallways to smile, wave, and applaud the Lower School students. I can never decide what I appreciate more—the faces of the young students on parade or the older students cheering them on! Read More

October 27, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

Like many of you, the first indication of a security issue was the generalized alert I received on my cell phone yesterday morning. MPA did not receive any advance notification or information. The school is fortunate to have a very constructive relationship with the Maplewood Police Department and I was caught off guard by the notification on my cell phone. Fortuitously, MPA has a very detailed and comprehensive emergency preparedness and crisis plan and we have drilled enough times that emergency response is instinctive. We are able to quickly implement a safety and security plan with the information we have available that is also flexible so that we can adapt to an evolving crisis.

Aside from the situation on Tuesday, we had an actual medical lockdown at the end of Grandparents and Special Friends Day on October 19 and a full lockdown drill on Monday, October 17. We are required by the State of Minnesota to hold five lockdown drills each school year. Research by our own current parent, James Densley, professor, author, co-founder of The Violence Project and a national authority on mass shootings, demonstrates that despite the high-profile nature of school shootings, schools remain one of the safest places. Knowing how to respond during a crisis helps everyone stay calm, understand their role, and act as safely and efficiently as possible. Again, balance is essential between being prepared and causing anxiety about something unlikely to occur. Read More

October 13, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

As I walk about the building each day, I see powerful signs of how the mission of MPA is brought to life and animated by students, teachers, staff, and parents. For instance, the Lower School gathered yesterday in the Family Commons to celebrate CHAMP Day, parents met on Monday to launch the inaugural Parents Association Diversity and Equity Committee, and students from across all divisions celebrated Maker Monday in the Makerspace honing their skills in designing and creating.

You may be aware that last year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Mounds Park Academy. During events throughout the 2021-22 school year, we took the opportunity to celebrate the founding ideals and mission of the school as they were lived out over the last 40 years. This summer, I was fortunate to be invited to lunch with several founders of MPA: Bob Kreischer, who, together with his then-wife Sandy Kreischer Smith founded the school; Harvey Kaplan, who deftly negotiated the lease and the eventual purchase of the school building; Karen Benz, who with her late husband George Benz, engaged and inspired other parents to philanthropically fund the school; and Jim Gardner, the founding member of the finance committee of the board whose fiscal stewardship established the school’s financial foundation.

It was inspirational to hear their stories about the successes and challenges they encountered and the joy, creativity, and passion that fueled their work. As I joined in the revelry with the founders, I shared ways in which the mission they established continues to live daily. I also became acutely aware that I, the board of trustees, and the entire MPA community, have the awesome and awe-filled obligation to advance the mission we’ve inherited for the next 40 years. The school’s mission is entrusted to us, and we have the existential responsibility to ensure the mission not only survives but thrives well into the future. Read More

September 29, 2022

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

Is there a cliff involved? It’s a question I frequently ask myself or my husband Ross. It comes from MPA’s former school psychologist, Steve Kahn, and is one of the best pieces of parenting advice I have ever received. In fact, it came up over this past weekend when Ross had reached a point of frustration with our 16-year-old daughter. He was venting over her making time for soccer, friends, and her boyfriend but not for her behind-the-wheel driving experience. “At this rate, she’s never going to get her license!” he exclaimed. Calmly, I looked at him and said, “Is there a cliff involved?”

My article last week focused on forging a strong parent-school partnership and I wrote about parenting being demanding, lonely, and hard. It’s hard to find the balance between allowing our children to have agency and to make their own choices without overparenting, micromanaging them, or preventing them from failing. This is particularly difficult when it comes to school. Many of us have a hard time keeping school performance and homework in perspective.

You’ve heard me say a number of times that parental engagement plays an important role in academic success. Researchers Wendy Grolnick (Clark University) and Eva Pomerantz (University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign) analyzed decades of research on parent involvement and found that it is “an important and necessary ingredient in children’s academic adjustment” and can contribute to student motivation, engagement, and learning. Studies have found that this is especially true when parents’ role is affectively positive (showing joy, love, and satisfaction helping their children) and when it promotes children’s autonomy.

Many years ago, when I was conducting research for my dissertation and when learning management systems such as Schoology were first introduced, I interviewed a ninth grader who bemoaned the fact that his parents often knew before he got home for school that he didn’t turn in an assignment or was called to the principal’s office. “Geez,” he said, “I don’t even get a chance to take care of it myself before I get in trouble at home.” Sound familiar?! Read More

September 22, 2022

from Bill Hudson, head of school

It was wonderful to see so many of you over the past week! We had a fantastic turnout at the New Parent Dinners, Curriculum Nights, and Homecoming. I enjoyed the many engaging conversations I had, the strong community spirit, and the beautiful stories about how well the school year has started. The strong partnership between families and the school is something I think is quite unique about MPA. This partnership is crucial for student success, built upon trusting relationships, open and transparent communication, and shared values. Perhaps now, more than ever before.

Parenting is demanding. Because of the VUCA world we live in, research shows that today’s parents are spending more time on child-rearing activities than ever, with mothers spending an average of 104 minutes a day tending to children in 2012 versus only 54 minutes in 1965. Unfortunately, the added time spent with their kids has meant sacrificing their own sense of social fabric, as adults are increasingly unaffiliated and uninvolved with other adults.

Parenting is lonely. Studies found that more than one-third of adults 45 and older felt lonely in 2020, a number that jumped to 71% when it came to Millennials. Adults today report a significant decline in the number of close relationships with friends, neighbors and coworkers and a decrease in involvement in houses of worship.

Parenting is hard. The complexities of child-rearing in today’s world, along with the increasing anxiety many parents are experiencing because of rapid societal change, a racial reckoning, political discord, economic volitivity, and a public health crisis, have left parents feeling acutely vulnerable. Many parents look to schools as a source of stability in this time of uncertainty. Read More