Lower School Archives

Maker Fest 2019: Meet Michelle Mick

January 24, 2019

We’re interviewing the Makers you’ll meet at at Maker Fest 2019 on Saturday, February 23 so you can get to know them ahead of time! If reading about Michelle’s work has inspired you to share your own, sign up here to be a Maker yourself!

What (or who) inspires you to make?

Having had a brain tumor that compromises my ability to do certain things, I find that having been told I am completely impractical–and now being able to function normally–I have an inner strength to try my hand at things that I have been told I can’t do or am no good at. I am inspired by bending down in the garden, in a parking lot, or wherever, and seeing this beautiful nature all around us. It could be as simple as this morning, with a few snow flakes coming down, and seeing them one by one land on our black truck, absolutely amazingly perfect. Or it could be sitting in the garden listening to the hum drum of the bugs in the middle of summer, and having a butterfly come and land on me and stay there for half an hour or so, or chatting with a tame blue jay!

What do you enjoy making?

I started by trying to paint butterflies on rocks, having read about the village members in Mexico selling rocks to tourists, to try and raise awareness of the Monarch butterfly. I donated the money that I raised to the Monarch lab at the U of M, and branched out by painting a swallowtail, caterpillars, hearts, you name it! I recently did a project for an MPA staff member, painting rocks and sayings, which was such an amazing thoughtful gift from the staff member to friends. Read More

Volunteer At These Parents Association Events

January 23, 2019

Last week the Gallery became New York City with the help of many, many volunteers. We want to thank everyone who volunteered, whether you donated drinks/snacks, decor, time, or ideas and hard work on the planning committees. It was so wonderful to see the entire Middle School joyfully sharing the same space! An additional thank you to Vern and his facilities staff for helping with heavy lifting and keeping our space clean, as well as Chef Doug and his kitchen staff for providing additional food, NYC style. A special thank you to MPA parent Melissa Johnson and her son Oliver (MPA class of ‘18) for helping to create our vision of NYC, from Central Park to the Food Truck to Bill’s Bodega. It truly made the Gallery a special place last week. We hope everyone had a great time. A huge thank you to Susan Knapp and Tara Lafferty too! It took lots of planning and hard work to put it all together. Kudos to both! Read More

Updated Open Gym Schedule

January 17, 2019

kids playing basketball in the lansing center

The Lansing Sports Center will once again be open most Saturday mornings this winter for MPA families and their friends. Please see below for an updated schedule of open gym dates and times.

If you know a family who might be interested in learning more about our school, this would be a great opportunity to welcome them to campus!

Saturday, January 19: 8-10:30 AM
Saturday, January 26: 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 2: 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 9: 9 AM-12 PM
Saturday, February 23: 9 AM-12 PM

You are welcome to come and use the track, sports center and fitness center. If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Office at 651-748-5630.

Realizing Our Resolutions

January 10, 2019

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Happy new year! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful winter break spending time with family and loved ones. I appreciated a few days off plus several days of quiet, uninterrupted time in the office. The building can be eerily quiet when school is not in session and I miss the time with students and the laughter and smiles in the hallways.

I watched a lot of football over the break and was inundated with commercials promoting weight loss programs and fitness centers, all capitalizing on the new year and the resolutions many make. I made my own resolution to run more, after spending the last year recovering from a serious injury. It also wouldn’t hurt for me to lose a few pounds or so! A quick poll taken of our students today resulted in the following resolutions:

January 9, 2019

Calling all makers, creatives, tinkerers, inventors, and crafters! Registration is now open to be a part of the second annual MPA Maker Fest.

See our community’s hard work come to life on Saturday, February 23 from 1-3 PM. Anyone is welcome to attend as a spectator (no RSVP necessary) or host a display table (sign up here)!

Participants can sign up either individually or with a group to host a display table. Participation is open to everyone in our community—students, parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty, staff, and more. This is the perfect opportunity to “show and tell” something that you have created and share your accomplishments. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Koen, Makerspace coordinator, at nkoen@moundsparkacademy.org.

Invite A Friend To MPA’s January Admission Events

January 9, 2019

Invite a friend to visit and get to know MPA! We are hosting two wonderful admission events in January–the Middle and Upper School Preview and Pajamarama!

On Sunday, January 27 at 1 PM, prospective Middle and Upper students and their families are invited to campus to preview MPA! This is a fantastic opportunity to explore our school and help participants get to know MPA.

On Thursday, January 31 from 5-7:30 PM, is Pajamarama! This beloved event at MPA welcomes prospective Lower School families to campus for an unforgettable evening of games, music, community, and pure joy! Take a closer look at the joy of Pajamarama with MPA Orchestra Director Leah Abbe Bloem’s insight and experience.

Meet Isaac ’29

January 9, 2019

What do you love about MPA?
My favorite part of MPA is playing with friends, especially in phy. ed. class. Mr. Sheehan is my teacher and he is always nice. He’s just a fun person. I also love math because I use my whole brain and I work together with my friends.

How do you dream big and do right at MPA?
Dream big and do right means being nice to my friends. I make sure to give (my best friend) a hug every morning when I see him, and he gives me a hug.

What would you tell a friend considering MPA?
MPA is a very fun place because you have everything you need. You have friends, you have a really good hot lunch, you have a big playground, you have lots of books in the library. The library is a place I really like because I love books, especially books about football. I also really like Ms. Espeland’s music class and Ms. Mastel’s drama class. I really can’t pick which of those I like best because I like them both so much.

Fostering Curiosity Through The Joy Of Learning

January 9, 2019

Learning is a lifelong process that starts the minute we’re born. Babies come into the world and immediately start learning about their surroundings. They’re innately curious and find joy in learning about the simplest things.

At Mounds Park Academy, we want our students to always remain that curious and excited about learning. One of the primary goals for teachers is to create an environment that encourages innovative, creative thinking and allows students to experience the joy of learning firsthand. Most educators agree that when children love to learn, they build resilience, patience, curiosity, and communication skills.

Preview the Joy of MPA at Pajamarama

January 3, 2019

by Leah Abbe Bloem, Orchestra Director

Pajamarama is pure joy at its finest! This year’s event will be once again combined with the Lower School Admission Preview and held on Thursday, January 31. The evening will begin at 5 PM for prospective families and 5:45 PM for current families.

This Mounds Park Academy original event is a concert created by Upper School orchestra students for Lower School students and their families. The creative endeavor gives Upper School students a chance to entertain and engage with the younger children with unabashed delight. They get to remember what it was like to be a little kid, hearing an orchestra for the first time, in such a welcoming, happy, and fun atmosphere.

Celebrating the MPA Community
We are very fortunate to have pre-kindergarten through high school students all on one campus, which builds a strong sense of community that feels like home. The Upper School orchestra students learn the music and plan a carnival with the understanding that the performance is not about them, but rather what they are giving to, and sharing with, the broader community.

The strong connection between Upper and Lower School students is evident every day at MPA, including at this event. Each student is kind and supportive of one another. At the event, the little ones are encouraged to try games again and again until they win, with cheers from the older students. Even those waiting in line will tell their peers in front of them to try again if they didn’t win the first time.

Experiencing the Joy of Musical Performance
Pajamarama is important because it gives the Upper School students a chance to look past the technical side of music education and experience the joy of sharing a musical performance. It also provides the opportunity for the orchestra students to really consider who their audience is and create an experience for them. The Upper School students learn about games and music that they may not even know in order to make each and every audience member feel valued and celebrated. They enjoy having the chance to give back to a school and community they love so much. Read More

Board of Trustees Seeking Nominations

January 3, 2019

MPA’s Board of Trustees collaborates with the Head of School to guide the school’s strategic direction, to protect its mission, to support the school’s development efforts and to safeguard the school’s financial stability.

Nominations for Trustees
We are pleased to share that the Governance Committee of the Board is launching its annual process to identify potential trustees.

If you, or someone you know, could be a strong contributor to the MPA Board of Trustees, please provide the name of your nominee and a short description of their experience and background, directly to Zoe Dickson, Trustee and Governance Chair, MPA Board of Trustees at zdickson1@mmm.com.

In addition to strong leadership skills, nominees will bring a broad diversity of experience and backgrounds, and a passion to advance the mission of MPA. Areas of desired professional experience include: finance, accounting, investment, banking, business, communications, construction, education, law, governance, scientific training, the arts, IT, human resources, strategic planning, development, marketing, and community service, among others.

Trustees serve up to two three-year terms, participating in MPA Board meetings five to six times a year, in addition to participating in standing committees.