Lower School

September 26, 2023

Last fall, more than 1.3 million juniors in about 21,000 high schools entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Based on PSAT performance, a nationwide pool of about 16,000 Semifinalists recently were announced, which represents the highest-scoring entrants in each state (less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors).

Congratulations to Mounds Park Academy seniors Zain Ali, Maggie Banks-Hehenberger, Leo Eakin, Ian Frankel, Miles Niemeyer, and Soumya Raman, who are among these National Merit Semifinalists! These current seniors will now complete an extensive application to proceed further in the competition, providing their academic record, an essay, school recommendation, and SAT or ACT scores that confirm their qualifying performance on the PSAT.

Two additional seniors, Eilam Deinard and Ben Murr, are recognized as Commended Students in the National Merit program. Their scores placed them in the top 50,000 students nationally.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success and notes that they represent a valuable national resource, contributing to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation.

September 21, 2023

Faculty and Staff Appreciation
Tuesday, October 10 – Friday, October 13
The school year is getting into high gear and the first round of Parent/Teacher conferences is coming up. The Parents Association and MPA parents and families are continuing the tradition of donating snacks and treats to help our staff get through conferences and to show our appreciation to all MPA employees. Please consider donating a beverage or snack for Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week. Remember to adhere to MPA Peanut/Tree Nut Policy when choosing snacks. Suggestions can be found on Sign Up Genius. Thank you from the MPA Parents Association! (Contact Tara Lafferty tmattrn@aol.com for questions). Sign up here.

Volunteer in the MPA Garden!
We are looking for volunteers to help with the MPA garden before the weather gets too cold. No previous gardening experience is necessary. No long term commitment is necessary either. We typically meet either Thursday or Friday mornings after drop off, but can also meet at other times as well. If interested, please contact Sara Carroll at smtanaka@gmail.com or Tenia Kalogeropoulou at tenia2@yahoo.com to coordinate.

Volunteer for Homecoming!
Friday, September 29 – Saturday, September 30
The Athletic Department is looking for help during Homecoming Week. Whether you’re a new Kindergarten Family or Seasoned US Parent, we invite you to help our school this Homecoming. MPA needs parents and students to help run the concession stand during MS and US School athletic events. We’re also in need of help to register students at LS workshops, help students on the rock climbing wall, don the Panther Mascot costume, paint faces, and more. Upper School students can earn volunteer hours by participating. MS and LS students are welcome to work in the concession stand with parent supervision. Check it out here.

Lower School Quarterly Coffee
Tuesday, October 3, 8:15-9:45 AM
Meet the new Lower School Director, Ms. Le Varge! The LS Quarterly coffee will be held in the Gallery after drop off, from 8:15-9:45 AM.

Upper School Parent Coffee
Thursday, October 5, 8-9:30 AM
Join us for the first Upper School Coffee of the year. Talk with Mark Segal and other parents about the latest US happenings. We’ll meet in the Porter Conference Room (PCR).

MPA Parents Association Affinity Groups
As part of MPA’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, the MPA PA in collaboration with the Office of Equity & Belonging, will begin offering Affinity Groups for parents/caregivers of current MPA students. Affinity Groups help foster a sense of belonging by providing a space for parents and caregivers to connect through shared experience and shared identity. They can also offer group members affirmation, support, and a vehicle for advocacy, especially those identities and experiences which are generally under-represented or frequently misrepresented in dominant culture and discourse.

Who leads affinity groups?
Affinity Group discussions are led by parent volunteers who work closely with the PA DEI Committee and MPA staff to manage meeting logistics, support member participation and group cohesion, and provide periodic feedback and/or suggestions during scheduled MPA PA DEI Committee meetings. Parents who are interested in volunteering as a group leader can complete this form.

Who can join?
Participation in affinity groups will require that a parent/caregiver self-identify with specific affinities detailed in each group’s description. This also holds true for volunteer parent leaders.

When and where are group meetings?
Initial affinity group meetings dates/times will be scheduled at the discretion of the PA and MPA staff, and based on the availability of space. It is expected that meetings will take place at MPA or virtually when appropriate. Following initial meetings, changes to dates/times and location will be based on group consensus, while ensuring that maximizing participation remains the top priority.

How are groups created?
Affinity groups are established to meet specific needs within the MPA community. At any point, families can request the formation of a new affinity group using this FORM. All submissions for new affinity groups will be reviewed by the PA and Equity & Belonging Office and a follow-up meeting will be scheduled with the requestor(s) to learn more about the desired group. It must be determined that there is both enough interest within the community and that someone is willing to lead the group before final approval of a new group. Following approval by the PA, a new group will work with MPA staff to plan logistics for the initial meeting. Parent Affinity Group Form.