Lower School Archives

January 13, 2022

Parent Education Night
Save the Date for a Zoom Parent Education Night! January 27, 6:30-7:45 PM, please join MPA families to learn about neurodiversity in our school community.

Attention Middle School Panthers and Parents
The annual Middle School Café is going tubular this year! Stay tuned and get excited. While we can’t unveil all the details just yet (sorry!), we can say, SAVE THE DATE, Friday, February 25th from 2:30-5:30 PM.

January Walks with Dogs
Join Michelle Mick Friday, January 14 for a walk in a local dog park. Bring your dog or not, we’ll meet at Battle Creek Dog Park, a lovely, big, off-leash dog park with 35 acres at 8:15 AM. Parking is off Upper Afton Road, in the parking lot next to the dog park. Look for Michelle and her dog (Rufus), near the entrance of the dog park.

For your GPS, the address is: 2350 Upper Afton Road, Maplewood, MN 55119. The contact person is Michelle Mick, and please feel free to SMS or call 651-328-7312 if you can’t find us!

Microfunding Grants
Looking for Microfunding for your club or classroom? It’s not too late to apply for these PA grants. Please send your applications to Natalie King, our micro-funding chair at natalieking10414@gmail.com. Applications can be found here.

Meet The Ruane Family

January 10, 2022

How many years have you been part of the MPA community?
Just this one!

What do you love about MPA?
We love how well the faculty and staff have truly gotten to know our children in just a few short months. The small class size has been a wonderful fit for all of our children. Both of our kids in the Lower School feel seen, known, and loved in their classrooms. Their teachers have been able to design goals and opportunities around their specific needs. Our Middle Schooler has been given the opportunity to explore a plethora of new opportunities this year, which has been wonderful. Overall, we just feel like our kids are in very good hands when we drop them off everyday!

What initially attracted you to MPA?
We love that MPA encourages our children to develop and explore multiple interests simultaneously. The strong triad of an education rich in academics, arts, and athletics really drew us towards MPA. Read More

Innovating Our Future

January 6, 2022

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Happy new year! I hope that you and your family had an enjoyable break, spending quality time with friends and loved ones.

It was journalist and author William Vaughan who said, “An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” I suppose I am neither as I was in bed by 10:30 PM on New Year’s Eve. However, I do consider myself an optimist and while as a family we experienced tremendous loss in 2021, I do recognize the many good things that happened. As head of school of Mounds Park Academy, I am grateful that we were safely in-person and on campus for the majority of the year. The dedication and hard work of our amazing faculty and staff, a strong partnership with parents, and the resiliency of our students are certainly to be celebrated.

A new year brings new beginnings. A new year holds promise and opportunity. As a school, we begin the year with a new strategic plan, 2024ward. The new plan builds upon our former plan, Momentum 2020, and captures the energy to embrace the future with opportunity and enthusiasm. Strategic planning is one of the most important responsibilities of the MPA Board of Trustees.

Planning began in early 2019 by a constituent represented task force commissioned by the Board but was halted by the pandemic in the spring of 2020. Instead, the focus of the Board of Trustees and administration shifted from long-range strategic planning to the development a comprehensive scenario analysis and effort to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Given the demand on the school’s fiscal and human resources necessary to successfully navigate the ongoing pandemic, the board and head of school agreed to embark on an alternative, abbreviated approach. Read More

Parents Connect: January Events

January 6, 2022

January Events

We are looking forward to connecting with MPA families in 2022! Upcoming events and opportunities to look forward to include Family Education Evenings, All-School Sno Daze activities, Lower School Valentine’s Day party, and Middle School Café. Keep your eye on the Panther Post for sign-ups and opportunities to volunteer!

January Walks with Dogs

Friday, January 7 and 14, join Michelle Mick for a walk in a local dog park. Bring your dog or not, we’ll meet at Battle Creek Dog Park, a lovely, big, off-leash dog park with 35 acres at 8:15 AM. Parking is off Upper Afton Road, in the parking lot next to the dog park. Look for Michelle and her dog (Rufus), near the entrance of the dog park.

For your GPS, the address is: 2350 Upper Afton Road, Maplewood, MN 55119. The contact person is Michelle Mick, and please feel free to SMS or call 651-328-7312 if you can’t find us!

Parent Winter Walk at 7 Vines

January 28, 5:45-9 PM, $55. Come enjoy a winter evening and snowshoe walk with other MPA Parents at 7 Vines Vineyard in Dellwood, MN! Ticket Price includes snowshoe rental (with help putting them on!) for a walk around the vineyard lit by twinkling candlelight ice luminaries, a complimentary beverage (mulled wine, kombucha, fancy coffee), four rounds of Bingo for prizes, s’mores, cocoa, and cider. 7 Vines will have exclusive pricing on food and wine that evening, as well. Attendance is limited to 100, and the Parents Association has reserved some spots for this event, but it does sell out. Please let us know if you are interested in joining in the fun by January 10. Contact Staci Banks, sbhehe42@icloud.com, or Venmo the cost of the tickets to @Staci-Banks-Hehenberger. Unfortunately, tickets are not refundable.

Charting Our Path Forward

December 16, 2021

from Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

As we approach the end of the calendar year, the song “Auld Lang Syne” will be sung at New Year’s Eve gatherings, a related song by Dan Fogelberg from 1980 will be repeatedly played on Sirius/XM radio, or folks will sing along at the finale of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I’ve never quite been able to remember, let alone pronounce, the words to the song, “Auld Lang Syne.” Nor can I carry a tune, for that matter. And yet I find the meaning behind the lyrics and music particularly poignant this year.

Just a year ago, there was great hope and optimism that the strife of 2020 would give way to a better year. And yet, in so many ways, it seems as though we are in nearly the same place as a year ago. It is clear to me that we will be battling with the virus for quite some time and working through its aftermath. Over the last year, we have faced both joys and challenges, managed hopes and anxieties, experienced growth and endured hardship, suffered isolation and celebrated community, persevered and remain mired in an all too familiar place.

There is much to be learned by reflecting upon our individual and collective journey over the past year. All of us—students, parents, teachers, and staff—are re-learning what it means to “do school,” how to be in relationship with one another, and the values that hold us together. All the while with masks on our faces and risk mitigation measures that sometimes have the unintended consequence of keeping us apart. Read More

Lower School Division News December 16, 2021

December 16, 2021

from Renee Wright, Lower School Director

Holiday Greetings
There is no time more fitting than the holidays to say thank you for your partnership in educating your child/children. I reflect gratefully on what an amazing Lower School we have at MPA all because of our wonderful students and families. Thanks for all you do at home to support your child’s educational journey as you communicate with teachers, guide your child through homework tasks, and contribute your time and resources to help our Lower School thrive and grow. On behalf of our entire Lower School faculty and staff, I wish you a warm and happy holiday season and a new year filled with much happiness, joy, and peace.

Winter Break (December 20-January 2)
Winter Break is a time to have some fun as a family! Spend time together baking cookies, reading a favorite holiday book, or getting cozy by the fireplace. Encourage your child to play outside in the snow and get some fresh air too! I always remind Lower School students to make time for independent reading during breaks. Keeping reading and writing skills strong is essential. Having your child write thank you notes to family members is a great way to practice writing skills as we go into the new year!

Coming Soon: The Great Kindness Challenge
The Great Kindness Challenge is presented by Kids of Peace, a global nonprofit organization. The Great Kindness Challenge was cofounded in 2006 in an effort to make our world a better place. It has grown into an interconnected network of young peacebuilders world-wide. At the heart of the program is the belief that “kindness is strength.” Students are asked to do random acts of kindness and track them during the week of January 24. By repeatedly practicing random acts of kindness, we will develop the habit of being kind and the outcome will be a more peaceful world. Lower School will work together to prove that KINDNESS matters. Students will be bringing home information about The Great Kindness Challenge and a challenge checklist in mid-January.

LOOKING AHEAD

January 17: No Classes – MLK Day
January 18: No Classes – Professional Development Day for Teachers
January 24-28: The Great Kindness Challenge in Lower School
February 3: Conferences 3:30-8 PM
February 4: No Classes – Conferences 8 AM-4 PM
February 10: Conferences – 3:30-8 PM
February 18: No Classes – Professional Development Day for Teachers
February 21: No Classes – Presidents’ Day

Invite A Friend To Discover MPA

December 13, 2021

Invite a friend, neighbor, colleague, or family member to join us for MPA’s PreK-12 admission event, the MPA Winter Preview! Held virtually on Sunday, January 30 at 2 PM, this event will be a structured program that will allow prospective students and parents to get a sense of what makes MPA an exceptional place to learn and grow.

Kindly invite your friends and neighbors to RSVP in advance for this engaging program at moundsparkacademy.org/RSVP. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Admission at 651-748-5577 or admission@moundsparkacademy.org. We can’t wait to meet them!

Early Dismissal Logistical Information

December 10, 2021

After careful review of this afternoon’s forecast, we’ve made the decision to dismiss school at 1 PM today.

All of MPA’s buses will depart school shortly after 1 PM with the exception of District 622 buses. They are not able to depart until 2:10 PM and 622 riders will be cared for at MPA until then. MPA’s St. Paul and Minneapolis routes will be combined into one route. The families of our bus riders should watch for a separate email with their specific route information.

For those who do not ride a bus, Panther Club/Den/Study Hall will not be available after school today and all afterschool activities including games, practices, and meetings are cancelled this afternoon.

Please come pick up your child up at 1 PM—we will, of course, remain on campus until the last child leaves for the day, but Panther Club will not available.

Be safe on the roads and enjoy the beautiful snow!

Connect With The Parents Association

December 9, 2021

December Walks with Dogs
Join Michelle Mick on Friday, December 17 for a walk in a local dog park. Bring your dog or not, we’ll meet at Battle Creek Dog Park, a lovely, big, off-leash dog park with 35 acres at 8:15 AM. Parking is off Upper Afton Road, in the parking lot next to the dog park. Look for Michelle and her dog Rufus (pictured), near the entrance of the dog park. For your GPS, the address is: 2350 Upper Afton Road, Maplewood, MN 55119. The contact person is Michelle Mick, and please feel free to text or call 651-328-7312 if you can’t find us!
Holiday Gift Wrapping
This much-loved tradition is returning! MPA teachers and staff bring in their Holiday gifts and parent volunteers wrap them. This gift of time is greatly appreciated and will really get you into the Holiday spirit. Monday, December 13 from 8 AM-3 PM in the Porter Conference room. You can sign up here.

A Deep Commitment To MPA

December 9, 2021

from Gina Wallraff, Chief Financial and Operations Officer

One Thursday per month you will see a guest Head’s Message from a member of the Institutional Advancement Team. We hope these additional perspectives will help you catch a glimpse inside the innerworkings of your school.

The Board of Trustees for Mounds Park Academy is the governing authority of the school. It has ultimate responsibility for the school’s financial stability and integrity. The board is made up of parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and other professionals. Along with Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school, I have the honor and the privilege of working with this group of dedicated people who are deeply committed to the health and vitality of the school.

Among other roles related to the mission and vision of the school, the Board of Trustees and its subcommittees, like the Finance Committee, has responsibility for the following:

determination of tuition levels;
effective financial oversight; and
realistic budgeting and monitoring of budgets.

This article aims to provide a glimpse into how the board approaches these responsibilities and the annual cycle of budgeting and tuition setting.

The annual budget process for the next academic year begins soon after the current school year starts, 10 months before the start of the next school year. First, an enrollment forecast is created. In this early stage the forecast is an estimate based on historical trends for current students leaving and new students joining. The enrollment forecast is reviewed by the Admissions team and the Head of School to evaluate the reasonableness of the estimated number of new students and projected total enrollment. Read More