Lower School Archives

August 25, 2022

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Middle and Upper School visual arts teacher

From what school/organization are you coming?
Woodbury Leadership Academy / St. Croix Prep

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I hold a B.A. in Fine Art. I have worked for the past 17 years in the South Washington County School District as a community ed. art teacher, for levels K-Adult. I have designed a curriculum that both pleases students and follows state art standards.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
MPA has a wonderful community and is known for its outstanding academics and development of the student holistically.

What’s your big dream?
To see my daughters prosper in a diverse and equitable world.

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
We are passionate about travel, art, music, swimming, golf and various felines. We feel strongly about giving back and volunteering at school, and spend on average 20 hours a month volunteering.

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
We have traveled to many countries and love to share our experiences.

Welcome to MPA, Mary Dunkel!

August 25, 2022

What position will you be holding at MPA?
School nurse

From what school/organization are you coming?
Before being a stay at home mom, I was a LSN for the Minneapolis Public Schools.

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I received my BSN degree and PHN certification from Metropolitan State University. I have worked as a hospital nurse, a home care nurse and a Clinical Nurse Manager for the HealthEast care system (now Fairview). Finally, I was a LSN for the Minneapolis Public schools before staying at home to care for my children.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The first time I walked into MPA I was amazed by the nurturing environment and warm atmosphere MPA creates.

What’s your big dream?
My big dream is to live long and stay healthy enough to enjoy grandkids!

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
I have always been the type of person who enjoys helping others, challenging situations and solving problems. Likewise, I have a strong passion for education. This is why I love the role school nursing because I believe that healthy children are better learners.

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
A “fun fact” about me is that I am the mother of twins.

Welcome to MPA, Jackie Lynch!

August 19, 2022

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Substitute Teacher

From what school/organization are you coming?
Minneapolis Japanese School

Tell us about your education and past experience.
Originally from Japan, I studied abroad at the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota for my Bachelor’s Degree (2000), and earned my Master’s in Early Childhood Education from the University of Sheffield in England (2008). I relocated to Japan in 2001 and had extensive experience teaching PreK classrooms, leading teams, and directing international schools. I moved back to Minnesota in 2015 and have been a lead teacher at Minneapolis Japanese School since 2018.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
Walking the halls and exploring the website, I was struck by the positivity, inclusion, and diversity of the students, staff, and curriculum. There is an energy within the MPA community that I want to experience and contribute to. Read More

Welcome to MPA, Ryan Klein!

August 17, 2022

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Third Grade Long-Term Substitute

From what school/organization are you coming?
Breakthrough Twin Cities

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I attended Cretin-Derham Hall for high school, and then George Washington University in Washington, DC, where I studied human services and social justice. I worked with Jumpstart, an early literacy program for students in underserved preschools, my entire time at GW. Each summer, I came back home to the Twin Cities to work with Breakthrough, an educational equity nonprofit that operates out of MPA and helps prepare middle and high school students for college. I also spent a year working with N Street Village, a nonprofit that works with women experiencing homelessness in DC.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The strong sense of community was really clear to see even as an outsider. Everyone seems to know and care about one another. MPA seems very thoughtful and intentional about the overall experience they provide for students, and is always trying to make it even better. I also really appreciate the emphasis on students’ whole selves through academics, the arts, and athletics. Read More

Welcome To MPA, Samantha Sanchez!

August 17, 2022

Samantha Sanchez

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging

From what school/organization are you coming?
I worked at a very small community college in New Jersey and am completing my Master’s degree at NYU.

Tell us a little bit about your education and past experience.
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Black Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and led efforts in higher education reform to increase access and the holistic achievement of minoritized students, which began my professional career in both DEIB and education. After working in K-12 with neurodiverse students and for a private corporation leading community empowerment and equity efforts in urban planning, I decided to pursue my Master’s degree in Sociology of Education at NYU–both so I could fulfill a lifelong dream of living in New York City and to further my research pursuits.

What did you find appealing about MPA during the interview process?
My education philosophy and research foci are centered in the holistic development of students, so it was beautiful to see so many people dedicated to developing the whole student and practicing education models that center student needs. I also found myself in a (virtual) space with people I felt incredibly comfortable with and could sense how fundamental community formation is at MPA.

What’s your big dream?
I have dreams of buying a farm, own lots of animals (we have five dogs now!), and growing a majority of the fruits and vegetables we consume.

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
My family is incredibly passionate about just that–family! We seize every opportunity to be together and spend quality time with one another. These days, that often looks like a group FaceTime where all you can see is all of our foreheads (I have no idea why we all FaceTime that way) and gatherings at our family home. The last big family outing we had was some months ago at Disneyland for my nephew’s first birthday!

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
I am originally from California! The rest of my family currently lives in Southern California and my fiancée is originally from the Bay (Northern California), but she and her family moved to Minneapolis some time ago…which is what initially brought me here!

What’s Happening To MPA’s Pond?

July 13, 2022

If you’ve been on campus lately, you’ve probably noticed something different about MPA’s pond–and not just the seasonal algae. This summer, the pond is adorned with trucks, cranes, bulldozers, gravel, and boulders. We have an exciting update about all of this action and commotion around our beloved outdoor learning lab.

MPA has a long-standing partnership with the Ramsey-Washington Watershed District. Several times per year, they visit our Upper School biology and environmental science classes for lessons regarding the health, importance, and sustainability of water. Many of these lessons use our campus pond as the source of their research and data collection. This summer, we are ecstatic to be continuing our work with them to embark on improvement project for our campus pond, supported by the Watershed District themselves. One of our amazing alumni, Andrea Wedul ’95, is the architect who designed this renovation for us. With the help of Andrea, the Watershed District, and the vibrant ecosystem of the pond, this initiative will enhance a signature space at MPA to become a more advanced and accessible outdoor classroom.

Currently, the renovation crew is removing a row of parking spaces from the west lot to install filters and extend the growth of native plants in that area. This will help protect our pond from harmful runoff throughout every season. We are still in the early stages, but are loving the progress taking shape right before our eyes! See the action for yourself here!

Summer At MPA Artists

July 5, 2022

What do you get when you throw spin art, bracelets, fidget spinners, slime, and other crafting activities into a camp and mix it all with a big helping of art history? Snapology’s awesome new Craft Design Maker Camp! Throughout last week, Lower School students learned about some of art’s greatest minds, as well as created some fun STEM-focused take-home projects and activities. One of the most favored activities of the week was building magma-filled volcanoes. The camp has a perfect balance of creativity and STEM-based assignments that prompt young artists to expand their creative comfort zones while developing essential hands-on and problem-based skills.

Host Family Experiences: Ms. Stacy

June 30, 2022

Parent of alumni and fourth grade teacher DeeDee Stacy shares her experience hosting Lyndon Lyu ’20.

How did hosting an international student impact or change your family?
Having an international student in our home enriched our understanding of another culture first hand, and taught us that extending ourselves to those who need a place to live garners many rewards. The laughter, gratitude, and love that our student brought into our home resulted in an ongoing relationship that feels like family.

Do you have a special memorable moment you experienced while hosting your student?
There are countless memories worthy of sharing, because seeing MPA and Minnesota through the eyes of a new comer was delightful. When our student entered our home for the first time, he went into the living room and and twirled around, saying, “Thank you for letting me live here. I just love this house!” At the end of his first year here, when he learned that as a junior he might not have the same Lower School buddy, our student asked if he could write notes to the young student to let him know how much he enjoyed their time together. The connection to the community was obvious in so many ways. Read More

Calling All Host Families

June 24, 2022

Dear MPA Community,

Do you have a desire to expand your family’s perspective of the world? A room to spare? Space in your heart for another family member? MPA is seeking host families for three international students for the fall of 2022.

MPA and schools like MPA that have international student programs have struggled to find families willing to host since the beginning of the pandemic. We have three outstanding Upper School students (one male, two female) without homes yet and we are in great need of your help.

All have studied in the United States previously, for a year or more. Among them you will find a student who is an award-winning mathematician and pianist who plays in subway stations and nursing homes, a student who is passionate about oil painting and chemistry, and another who enjoys ceramics and track and field. All three are disappointed in the education systems they have been in and are looking for MPA’s approach to rigor with purpose and joy. All three are fluent in English, strong students, and have a desire to be part of a family here.

How Can You Help?

Volunteer to host. Find many more details below. Note that a $9,000 stipend is provided for room and board.
Share this opportunity on social media. Find a Facebook post here and a LinkedIn post here. Share widely and often!
Email your network, neighborhood, and/or colleagues. Reach out to communications@moundsparkacademy.org and we will send you an email that is ready to forward.
Put a lawn sign in your yard. Do you live on a well-traveled street in the Twin Cities? If so, email communications@moundsparkacademy.org and we will deliver a host family recruitment lawn sign to your home.

As you and your family consider hosting, please review the MPA Host Family Recruitment Flyer and Host Family Application.

STIPEND

A 10-month stipend of $9,000 will be directly deposited in equal installments of $900/month on the first of each month for the previous month, September through June.
An early installment of $500 will be deposited on August 1 in preparation for your student’s arrival; the remaining $400 will be deposited on September 1.

TRANSPORTATION

Host families are responsible for providing transportation to and from school and school-related activities.
Host families will work with their student in scheduling rides for social events.

MEALS

All international students will receive the MPA school lunch. Host families and students do not need to pack lunches.
Host families are responsible for providing two meals on all weekdays and three meals on all weekend days.

We hope you’ll consider opening your hearts and homes to one of our international students! Give it some thought, and if interested, please reach out to me for additional information and/or to begin the process of becoming a host family. I would love to have a conversation with you!

Thank you so much for considering,

Cory Becker-Kim
International Student Program Coordinator
Advanced Language and Culture Teacher
cbeckerkim@moundsparkacademy.org

Welcome To MPA, Hannah Smith!

June 22, 2022

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Assistant Director of Admission, Lower School

From what school/organization are you coming?
I worked at Como Friends prior to being a full-time stay at home parent.

Tell us a little bit about your education and past experience.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. After graduating I worked in various fields from management to patient care at children’s hospitals. I was able to find my true passion for non-profit work while working at Como Friends, the fundraising arm for Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul. It was at Como Friends that I realized my desire to work with the good intentions of the human spirit while developing meaningful relationships.

What did you find appealing about MPA during the interview process?
MPA emits a sense of hope for the future of our world while expecting respect and true communication in ways that are difficult to come upon, let alone practice in our current world. These feelings and expectations were present during every aspect of the interview experience, with every panel member, and each thought-out question and conversation. The entire process was thoughtful which is a genuine reflection of MPA and their approach to learning. Read More