Lower School Division News January 16, 2025

Two Lower School students looking through a microscope. from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director 

Mark Your Calendars

  • Monday, January 20: No Classes, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • Monday, January 20: Panther Club Closed
  • Monday, January 20, PreK Closed
  • Tuesday, January 21: No Classes, Grading & Professional Development
  • Tuesday, January 21: Panther Club Closed
  • Tuesday, January 21: PreK Closed
  • Wednesday, January 22: MS G4 to G5 Transition Parent Meeting, 8-9 AM, Family Commons
  • Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Thursday, January 23: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting, Check Email For Link
  • Friday, January 24: LS PreK to K Transition Parent Coffee, 8:15-9:15 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
  • Friday, January 24: PA Family Trivia Night, 6-8 PM, Family Commons
  • Wednesday, January 29: January Uniform Sale, 8 AM-3:30 PM, Atrium
  • Wednesday, January 29: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-8:45 AM, Family Commons
  • Thursday, January 30: January Uniform Sale, 8 AM-3:30 PM, Atrium
  • Friday, January 31: Returning Family Re-Enrollment Agreements Sent
  • Friday, January 31: January Uniform Sale, 8 AM-3:30 PM, Atrium
  • Thursday, February 6: LS Duty-Free Lunch with Parent Volunteers, 11:40 AM-12:40 PM, Playground and Family Commons
  • Thursday, February 6: LS/MS Evening Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
  • Friday, February 7: LS/MS Conferences, 8 AM-3 PM

Welcome back to the Lower School, and welcome to 2025! I trust that you’ve had a restful and rejuvenating winter break and are enjoying seeing your children back in the thick of learning at school. Even amidst freezing temperatures, things are heating up as we explore new units and concepts. Read on for more updates on some exciting events and important reminders!

Winter FastBridge Assessments: January 15-24

All kindergarten students will engage in the FastBridge assessment for reading and math with learning specialist Mrs. Ross from January 15-24. Students in first through fourth grade who are currently in intervention groups for reading, writing and/or math will complete FastBridge assessments for the subject(s) in which they are receiving intervention. Your child’s results will be shared with you at Winter Conferences.

PreK to Kindergarten Transition Parent Coffee: Friday, January 24

To support our PreK families, we warmly invite the parents of our youngest learners to the Library on January 24 from 8:15-9:15 AM to meet the kindergarten teaching team, learn more about the MPA kindergarten program, and get any questions answered about the next step in your PreK children’s journey. All PreK families are welcome to attend, even if your child will enjoy another year in our PreK program! Kindergarten faculty Ms. Katie Roche and Ms. Kristine Petersen along with Ms. Jennifer Le Varge and Ms. Jennifer Jasinski are excited to collaborate with you! If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director, at jlevarge@moundsparkacademy.org. Read More


Announcing The Hudson Fund

Dr. Hudson greets a Lower School familyfrom Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As I prepare to step away from my role as head of school at Mounds Park Academy at the end of this school year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey this community has taken together. It has been my deepest honor to serve this extraordinary school, to walk alongside students, faculty, and families who inspire me every day with their strength, compassion, and determination.

When the Board of Trustees kindly asked how they might celebrate my tenure, my thoughts turned not to recognition but to the students who represent the heart of MPA’s mission. It is in their stories—of resilience, courage, and triumph over adversity—that I have found my greatest
fulfillment. Warren Buffet once said, “Tell me who your heroes are, and I’ll tell you how you’re going to turn out.” Truly, students are my heroes, and I am incredibly grateful that the board knew me well enough to establish and work with me to initiate the Hudson Fund for Resilient Students.

This endowed fund embodies our shared commitment to ensuring that every student, regardless of the challenges they face, has the opportunity to thrive at MPA. Whether overcoming personal, academic, or socio-economic barriers, these students exemplify the values we hold dear: perseverance, dedication, and the belief that education has the power to transform lives. Read More


The Remarkable Value Of A MPA Education

Head of School, Dr. Bill Hudson smiles at a studentfrom Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As we approach the midpoint of this academic year, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for entrusting us with your child’s education. Returning to school after a long break can be tough for anyone, especially our students, but it was wonderful to see the excitement and joy on the faces of our students on Monday. The privilege of partnering with you to nurture, challenge, and inspire your children is one that I cherish deeply. Today, I invite you to reflect on the extraordinary value of a Mounds Park Academy education and the enduring impact it has on our students, families, and community.

Although we are in the depth of winter, we are already hard at work planning for the 2025-2026 school year. Our outstanding admission team is hard at work fielding inquiries from prospective families and guiding them toward enrollment. In just a few weeks, we will begin the re-enrollment process for returning families. At their January 27 meeting, the MPA Board of Trustees will approve a preliminary budget for the upcoming school year by setting tuition and determining compensation for faculty and staff. This is a challenging task because the decision is made on an enrollment forecast of both new and returning students. However, it is important for parents and guardians to know tuition before re-enrolling, which allows the school to offer work agreements to teachers before spring break. Read More


MPA Experiences At The January 26 Preview

Two middle school students coding with sphero We’re thrilled to offer six MPA experiences at the PreK-12 MPA Preview on January 26, 2025! These are formatted for your family to completely customize your time at the event and take part in the hands-on, joyful learning MPA students do every day. In this casual format, you can explore as many sessions as you’d like and switch to a different one at any time. As you explore our classrooms, interact with students and faculty, and experience firsthand our approach to learning, you’ll discover what makes MPA a spectacular place to learn and grow.

Lower School Homeroom Teacher Meet & Connect | Recommended for Lower School
Meet our Lower School teachers! Stop into the homeroom of the grade(s) you’re exploring to meet, connect, and ask any questions you may have for our faculty.

Reach New Heights On The MPA Climbing Wall | Open to all ages PreK-12
Belay on! The MPA climbing wall is open to all skill levels and ages. With MPA physical education teachers as your guides, you’ll receive tips and support to reach new heights.

Behind The Scenes Of “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery” | Open to all ages PreK-12
Go behind the scenes of “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery” with the cast and crew of the show! You’ll get to tour the set, peek at the makeup and costumes, meet MPA theatre faculty, and explore the magic of our Black Box Theatre. Read More


Warmly Welcoming 2025

Upper school students working together writing on the boardThis message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the January 8 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

The new year has arrived, and MPA’s office of admission is both reflecting on what went well in the past year and dreaming big about what else we can work on as we embark on the next.

Ask around the MPA community, and you’ll hear a recurring theme of our school’s warmth and welcoming, family-oriented atmosphere. We are a close-knit community of students, parents, and educators who believe that everyone thrives when we are inclusive, collaborative, and having fun together. Read More


The Importance Of Play

PreK students dancing togetherWhen parents are just beginning to explore early childhood and kindergarten programs for their children, many questions are at the forefront of their minds. Will their child be safe and nurtured but also challenged? At MPA, the answer would be ‘yes’ to these questions. However, parents also question what institutes the proper amount of academic rigor for five to six-year-olds and ask what this rigor should look like in kindergarten.

Mounds Park Academy, one of the top two private schools in Minnesota and one of the nation’s top STEM schools, serves students PreK through 12th grade and features both a PreK and a kindergarten program that deeply believes that play is, in fact, one of the most important components of a successful early childhood and kindergarten program.

Benefits of Play in Child Development

In Suzanne Bouffard’s book “The Most Important Year,” she discusses best practices for the earliest years of school. She explains that successful early childhood programs follow the research, which states “very clearly that children learn through play and this notion that you have to choose between play and academic learning is a false dichotomy.” She writes, “One study showed that you can give children building blocks and let them build whatever they want. Or you can give children building blocks with a goal–to build a landing pad for a helicopter, for example. In both cases, everybody ends up having fun and learning something, but the kids who had a goal actually used richer vocabulary, especially around spatial skills and building concepts.” Read More


Lower School Division News December 19, 2024

LS WPfrom Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director 

Mark Your Calendars

  • Friday, December 20: Caroling with the Madrigal Singers, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni, 7:30-8 AM, Family Commons
  • Monday, December 23-Friday, January 3: No Classes, Winter Break
  • Tuesday, December 24-Thursday, December 26: Panther Club and PreK Closed
  • Wednesday, December 25: MPA Campus Closed
  • Wednesday, January 1: MPA Campus Closed, Panther Club and PreK Closed
  • Monday, January 6: Classes Resume
  • Wednesday, January 8: LS CHAMP Assembly, 8:15-8:45 AM, Family Commons
  • Wednesday, January 8: HeadSpace: Meeting Our Educational Promise Through A Competency-Based Approach To Education, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting Via Zoom

And just like that, another calendar year has almost finished, and a new year is on the horizon. The Lower School has been buzzing with activity as we count down the days left in December.

Semesterly Reports
As announced last school year, the Lower School has made the move to semesterly report cards for our students. The report cards will be sent home each January and June. Semester 1 report cards will be emailed to families on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. We look forward to sharing the progress that each child has made so far and identifying some areas of growth that students will focus on through the rest of the academic year.

Winter Break
MPA’s winter break will kick off on Saturday, December 21, until Sunday, January 5. School will resume on Monday, January 6.

CHAMP Assembly: January 8
At our next CHAMP assembly on Wednesday, January 8, we will celebrate the CHAMP attribute of integrity. Please wear your CHAMP shirts! Read More


This Season Of Light

HeadsMessagefrom Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As I was greeting parents last Thursday before our Middle School band, orchestra, and vocal concert, Middle School science teacher Courtney Nagle excitedly invited me to see the lights her students had strung in the science garden. It was magical. As darkness descends earlier and earlier and the weather turns increasingly dreary and colder, light, in all its beauty and forms, is both a comfort and a promise.

As we embark on our two-week winter break, we are reminded of the power and symbolism of light during this season. Across many traditions—Christian, Jewish, Kwanzaa, Hindu, Wiccan, and Muslim—light serves as a unifying symbol of hope, renewal, and joy. Whether through the glowing candles of Advent, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, the luminous diyas of Diwali, or the guiding light of understanding and reflection in other spiritual practices, light brings warmth and connection to our shared humanity.

At Mounds Park Academy, light takes on a unique meaning. It reflects our mission as educators and our commitment to lighting a fire within each student. This metaphor captures the very heart of education—not as the passive transfer of information, but as a force that ignites curiosity, inspires passion, and nurtures a love of learning that endures for a lifetime. Read More


Nominations Sought for School Committees and Board of Trustees 

NomsWPEach year, the Governance Committee of MPA’s Board of Trustees identifies, considers, and invites a small number of people within the MPA community to become new trustees. In soliciting and evaluating nominees, the Board seeks to match the board’s needs with the nominees’ professional and leadership skills and broad personal, cultural, and experience backgrounds. Before becoming trustees, many members first served in various capacities at MPA, such as on school committees, committees of the Board, in the Parents Association, or in other volunteer positions where they have been able to demonstrate and share their capabilities, personal experiences, and leadership skills.

The Board continuously seeks to broaden the diversity of experience and background of its membership. In addition, this year, it seeks to identify, among other things, those with professional capabilities in development, facilities, the arts, HR and personnel management, finance, education, and strategic planning. If you know someone who might be a strong candidate for the board or other school committees, or if you are interested, please submit a simple nomination form. The Governance Committee of the Board will be reviewing and vetting nominations during January and February and bringing a slate of candidates to the full Board for consideration at its spring meeting.

A detailed explanation of the Board’s work and a description of the Board’s active committee’s work can be found on the Board of Trustees MPA webpage.

Feel free to contact Board Vice-Chair and Governance Committee Chair Jeremy Drucker ’97 at Drucker.Jeremy@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Please complete this form to nominate yourself or someone else.


Head of School Transition

HeadMessagefrom Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

Many well-meaning people have asked me if I am looking forward to retirement or what it’s like to celebrate the last Founders’ Day. In all honesty, I don’t think about retiring all that much or my remaining days as MPA’s head of school. Many years ago, early in my career at another school, I worked with a long-serving teacher who had a clock that worked backwards, telling him how many days, hours, and minutes he had until he could walk out the door. I remember feeling sad for him and I made a promise to myself, then and there, that I would never put myself in that position. I feel as engaged today as I did when I walked into the school for the first time 12 years ago.

It is natural to feel some uncertainty and anxiety during a change in leadership, but I want to assure you that the process of welcoming our next head of school is unfolding with great care and intention. It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon over the past six months. MPA is fortunate that Dr. Brogdon is close by this year, serving as interim head of school at Groves Academy. We’ve been meeting regularly since the summer, building trust and thoughtfully planning this transition.

I’ve shared many times with colleagues that the more time I spend with Dr. Brogdon, the more I like her, personally and professionally. We share a common set of beliefs and values about education and leadership. I’ve come to appreciate her deep respect for MPA’s mission, her thoughtful approach to leadership, and the wealth of experience she brings to MPA. Her commitment to listening, learning, and working collaboratively with our students, parents, faculty, and staff ensures a bright future for MPA. Without a doubt, I believe that Dr. Brogdon is the right person to lead MPA in its next chapter, and I am committed to ensuring her success.

While Dr. Brogdon continues her work as interim head of school at Groves Academy this year, we are balancing her current responsibilities with opportunities to integrate her into our community. Over the coming months, you will see more of her at MPA events, concerts, and meetings, as she begins to deepen her connections with students, employees, and families. In fact, if you attended the Middle School concert tonight, perhaps you had an opportunity to say hello and extend a warm welcome to her.

I approach each day at MPA as a gift. I am excited each day as I drive to school, and I feel a profound sense of purpose and gratitude as I drive home, no matter how long my day has been. To work with amazing colleagues who care deeply about their students and their vocation inspires and energizes me regardless of how tired I may be. I enjoy getting to know our parents, grandparents, and volunteers who give me strength and resolve through a shared belief in the value of the transformative power of education to change lives and the world. And finally, to encounter joyful, curious, caring students and know I am playing, even a very small way, a role in their growth and development brings joy even on the coldest, cloudiest Minnesota day.

Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your commitment to this extraordinary school. I have no doubt that the best days of MPA lie ahead.