Lower School Archives

MPA Students Selected For Youth Art Month Student Exhibit

April 17, 2025

The MPA Art Department is very excited to share that several students were selected to participate in the 2025 MN Youth Art Month Student Exhibition! MPA is well represented in the exhibition by these Lower, Middle, and Upper School artists:

Andrew ’35
Maya ’33
Luke ’33
Evie P. ’31
Devin W. ’31
Ella B. ’31
Jenny Liao ’28
Grace Nelson ’26

With special congratulations going to our award winners:

First Place Elementary Flag Design: Ashlyn ’33
Second Place Elementary Division: Tillie ’34
Best in Show: Earl Martin ’25

The exhibit is presented by Art Educators of Minnesota and is sponsored by Blick Art Materials. We are so proud of the MPA representatives! Click here to see all the artwork of our participants.

Take A Journey Down The Yellow Brick Road

April 17, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

There’s a special kind of magic that fills our school in the weeks leading up to the spring musical. Laughter rings through the Nicholson Center, lines are rehearsed in quiet corners, musicians fine-tune their performance, and sets begin to take shape. That energy is alive and well this year as we prepare for our reimagined production of “The Wizard of Oz“—a performance that reflects not just creativity, but the heart of an MPA education.

This year, 56 students from grades seven through 12 are involved in the production as cast members, crew, and orchestra musicians. And it’s not just our seasoned theatre students who are participating. Among them are athletes, musicians, first-time performers, and students who joined simply because a friend encouraged them or because they were curious. They come from different friend groups, different grades, and different backgrounds, but theatre brings them together in a way that is powerful and transformative.

As director James Lekatz shared, “The most powerful gift theater gives is the incredible strength to create community. These students aren’t in the same friend groups, but they are coming together for this production. The audience is made up of friends, family, and strangers, coming together for one night to support students doing incredible things. Theater brings people together to experience a brief moment together.” Read More

A Celebration Of Our Community’s Cultures

April 15, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 16 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Last week, our community celebrated Cultural Celebration Day with a school-wide festival of cross-divisional activities, art, music, traditions, cuisine, and more.

The Family Commons was transformed not only into an exhibition of our community’s many cultures and heritages but also into a space for West African drum lessons, Myanmar’s New Year Festival dance, handmaking Chinese paper lanterns and Tibetan prayer flags, designing Henna body art, and learning the steps to Bhangra, an Indian folk dance. Passports in hand, visitors browsed station upon station, meeting a different person sharing their culture at each one. From Egypt to Italy and Thailand to France, we listened, we learned, and we became closer to one another through this special type of sharing that we value so deeply at MPA.

The strong sense of belonging at MPA fosters not only a welcoming and inclusive space for students and their families, but also encourages lifelong learning rooted in joy and curiosity. Cultural Celebration Day is just one example of our school being filled with the sound of laughter, music, and wonder. Read More

Cultures Come Together, Celebrate

April 10, 2025

On Wednesday, April 9, the Parents Association hosted Cultural Celebration Day, an evening celebrating the diversity of backgrounds at MPA with food, music, dance, and community.

Some of the highlights of the event were beautiful dance performances by MPA parents and students, colorfully decorated tables set up by the hosts sharing their cultures and cuisines, the ever-popular henna artist, Bilkis, Boba by Treats, and a West African drum workshop. It was wonderful to experience the energy and engagement of community members. We hope to see you all next year!

A big thank you to the Cultural Celebration Day Planning Committee, cultural booth hosts, MPA staff, MPA student hosts, and event volunteers, who all helped make this event successful.

Lower School Division News April 10, 2025

April 10, 2025

from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, April 11: New Student Enrollment Deadline
Monday, April 14: No Classes, Professional Development
Wednesday, April 16: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-8:45 AM, Family Commons
Wednesday, April 16: LS Duty-Free Lunch with Parent Volunteers, 11:40 AM-12:40 PM, Playground and Family Commons
Thursday, April 17: Coffee with the Candidate for Lower School Parents, 8-9 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Tuesday, April 22: LS/MS G4 Lunch-Up, 11:35 AM-12:30 PM
Thursday, April 24: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
Saturday, April 26: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
Sunday, April 27: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 2-4 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
Tuesday, April 29: LS Quarterly Coffee, 8:15-9:30 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library

Welcome to April! It’s hard to believe that we are almost at the end of the school year, with less than two months remaining. We’re still moving full steam ahead in Lower School. Read on for more updates!

No Classes: Monday, April 14

Please note that there are no classes on Monday, April 14. This is a day off for students and a professional development day for our teachers. Read More

The Vibrant Season Of Spring

April 10, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As we step into the vibrant season of spring, I find myself drawn to the quiet beauty and symbolism this time of year brings. The longer days, the budding trees, the chirping of birds, the honking of geese, and the first signs of green pushing through the soil remind us of the steady, hopeful rhythm of renewal. For those of us in education—and perhaps especially in the Upper Midwest where winter holds on tightly—spring is more than just a season. It is a metaphor for the growth, energy, and transformation that we see unfolding daily within our school community.

At MPA, spring invites us to pause, reflect, and celebrate how far we’ve come this year. We see this in the confidence of a kindergartner who now walks into school independently, in the curiosity of a fourth grader asking big questions, and in the thoughtful determination of a senior finalizing their post-secondary decision. These moments—large and small—mark the progress of a school year that, like spring itself, began in stillness and has blossomed into joyful, dynamic growth.

Spring also gives us the gift of perspective. Just as trees begin to leaf out again after a long winter, our students begin to show us the fruits of their learning. They take risks, solve problems, express ideas, and test out who they are becoming. These moments of discovery and stretch are not always linear—they often arrive with a mix of messiness and magic—but they are the very heart of a transformational education. And they mirror what we as adults know to be true: real growth takes time, intention, and courage. Read More

A Special Thank You From Dr. Hudson!

April 10, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

“From the depths of my heart, thank you for the extraordinary outpouring of love and support at Friday’s Gala. It was a beautiful and unforgettable evening—one that I will cherish always.

I am especially grateful to everyone who contributed to the Hudson Fund for Resilient Students. Your generosity will have a lasting impact, helping MPA students navigate unexpected challenges and continue to thrive in every way.

As I move through these final months as head of school, I look forward to connecting with many of you. Though my chapter in this role is coming to a close, please know that MPA will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2025 MPA Spring Auction: Gala of Gratitude an extraordinary success. Because of our community’s deep generosity, we raised more than $870,000 in support of MPA, including an incredible $164,565 for the MPA Fund and over $707,000 for this year’s Fund A Need, The Hudson Fund for Resilient Students. Click here to help further support the Hudson Fund!

Join Us For Family Allyship For LGBTQ+ School Community Members

April 9, 2025

Mark your calendars for an interactive workshop on Wednesday, May 14, from 6-8 PM in the Family Commons that will provide MPA parents and staff with the tools and language they need to be supportive allies to LGBTQ+ community members at MPA! This event is being hosted by MPA’s Rainbow Club and Gender Inclusive Schools. Please RSVP here!

Together, we will practice responses to challenging questions on LGBTQ+ topics and explore ways to communicate affirmation and celebration of LGBTQ+ community members visibly. Basic definitions for LGBTQ+ terms will be provided along with age-appropriate resources to facilitate positive and accurate discussions with your family about gender identity and sexual orientation at home. Read More

A Leadership Transition Update

April 3, 2025

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As we enter the final stretch of the school year, I want to take a moment to share an update on the leadership transition and the exciting road ahead for Mounds Park Academy. As many of you know, this will be my final year serving as head of school at MPA. It is a bittersweet season—filled with reflection, gratitude, and anticipation for what’s to come. Serving this community has been the greatest privilege of my professional life, and I remain deeply invested in ensuring a smooth, thoughtful, and mission-aligned transition.

Over the past several months, I have been working closely with Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, who was appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve as the next head of school, effective July 1, 2025. Having the opportunity to partner with her during this full year of transition has been a true gift. It is rare in independent schools to have this kind of intentional, overlapping leadership—and we are using it fully to MPA’s advantage.

It was good to see so many of you at the Coffee & Conversation events with Dr. Brogdon and me. For those of you who were able to attend, I hope that you saw the synergy and warmth between the two of us. You may have also viewed a video of the two of us discussing leadership and the transition. If you haven’t, please click here. Know that an additional two videos will be released very soon. My hope is to alleviate whatever anxiety the community might feel about the transition. Read More

MPA’s Leadership Transition

April 2, 2025

This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 4 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Dr. Bill Hudson and Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon have been working closely this year to ensure a seamless head of school transition in July. We’re excited to introduce the first in a series of three short films, offering an inside look at their collaborative efforts.

“One of the things, that as I’ve gotten to know you, that I appreciate most is how you view education–and there seems like there’s a lot of synergy between the two of us,” says Dr. Hudson during their conversation. “So, in your own words, if you had to explain, it, how would you? How would you capture and name it?” he asked.

“I believe that education should be, first of all, joyful,” Dr. Brogdon replied. “A day shouldn’t go by where students, faculty, and staff don’t find a reason to smile and laugh about something, be proud about something, be able to look back and say, ‘we did this together,’ in some way. I strongly believe that the educational experience for everyone should be about creating and asking questions.”

“That’s what education is all about,” Dr. Hudson agreed.

Dr. Hudson and Dr. Brogdon’s shared vision for MPA, rooted in collaboration and joy, sets a strong foundation for our future. Listen to their conversation here and stay tuned for more conversations to come!

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