Meet Adi Boeder Risner ’02!

Adi Boeder's family What would you tell another family considering MPA?
In addition to the facts provided by the helpful admission team, I think that every prospective family needs to understand the implications of the faculty retention at MPA. Most of my favorite teachers spent the majority of or their entire careers at MPA, and some of them are still teaching today. I’ve observed that for so many faculty members, aligning their passion with MPA values continues to fulfill their vocation as educators, year after year. When I think of all of those students impacted by teachers who are as dedicated to the school as they are to their field, I feel more confident than ever about our decision to continue this tradition for our family.

In what ways has MPA prepared your child for life in the 21st century?
Years ago, my mother shared that a friend of hers, another MPA parent, told her that no matter what your child excels at, the teachers at MPA will find it. As an alum, I absolutely believe this is true, but I’ll add that they don’t stop when the skill is discovered. Proficiencies are recognized, but not praised in a way that prevents students from experimenting with new opportunities. In the 21st century, we are faced with the challenge of preparing our children with a skillset for an unknown future. For my son, I know that he will be continuously exposed to multiple disciplines throughout his entire duration at MPA, and encouraged to make balanced decisions about his interests when he has that freedom. This emphasis on exposure and balance over perfection will prepare him for an evolving future full of choices that don’t yet exist. Read More


Bring A Friend To MPA!

friends gathering at recess at mpaBring A Friend Day is a fantastic way for those outside our immediate community to experience firsthand who we are and what it is like to be student at Mounds Park Academy! Has a friend or co-worker ever asked, “What is MPA really like?” On Friday, November 15, we are inviting students in grades one through nine to bring a friend to MPA for a special day of learning and fun!

The invited friend should be near the same grade as your child and each child may only bring one friend. Space is very limited by grade level. Please have the family of the visiting friend register online at moundsparkacademy.org/bringafriend by Friday, November 8.

On the day of the visit, if possible, please help the visiting family with transportation to/from school. Visiting students are welcome to ride MPA buses, but not District 622 buses. Bus passes may be obtained from the Office of Admission. Visitors and their hosts should check-in together at the South Entrance at 7:45 AM. Read More


Making MPA Opportunities Possible

students at the eagle bluff overnightBy Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Several weeks ago, I had a very excited but sleepy passenger in my car. My daughter Ari had just returned from three days and two nights with her eighth grade classmates at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota and I peppered her with questions on our ride home. Between yawns, she shared stories of what she had learned about her classmates and herself. Through a combination of outdoor adventures and activities, Ari enjoyed opportunities to deepen her relationship with the natural world, with her classmates, and with herself.

Opportunities are what Mounds Park Academy is all about. In the classroom, on the stage and playing field, in the Makerspace, and soon, in our new library, MPA students benefit each day from incredible opportunities to push the limits of their learning, uncover their passions, discover their voice, and build the self-confidence necessary to face whatever life may bring. Now, more than ever, our world demands informed, passionate, thoughtful, and well-educated citizens. Building a better future for our students and for our world is dependent on a rigorous education as well as meaningful experiences and opportunities. Read More


The Documentary “Angst” Comes To MPA

angst the movie

Mounds Park Academy invites the MPA and broader community to a showing of the documentary “Angst” and an open conversation to follow. The MPA Parents Association is graciously sponsoring two screenings of this IndieFlix original documentary designed to raise awareness around anxiety. The film includes interviews with children, teens, educators, experts, parents, and a very special interview with Michael Phelps.

Wednesday, November 6, 6:30-8 PM
Nicholson Center | students 10+ welcome
Friday, November 8, 8-9:30 AM
Recital Hall | adults only
No RSVP is Required
Mounds Park Academy
2051 Larpenteur Avenue, Saint Paul
Watch the trailer at angstmovie.com

Producers Scilla Andreen and Karin Gornick have one goal that Mounds Park Academy wholeheartedly supports: to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. Through candid interviews, they utilize the power of film to tell the stories of many kids and teens who discuss their anxiety and its impacts on their lives and relationships, as well as how they’ve found solutions and hope. In addition, the documentary provides discussions with mental health experts about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects, along with the help, resources, and tools available to address the condition.

We hope you will join us! And thank you in advance for helping spread this invitation throughout your community!

If you have any questions, please contact Jenn Milam, Ph.D., MPA Middle School director, at jmilam@moundsparkacademy.org or 651-748-5598.


Donate At The MPA Blood Drive

first graders making blood drive postersThe MPA Blood Drive is on October 24! The MPA first grade class and Upper School Student Council are joining together again to host this year’s blood drive for a joint community service project. Please take note of the date and begin thinking about how you can contribute to our event. We are asking for an hour of your time to donate blood on Thursday, October 24. And if you know that you are unable to give blood, please be sure to ask as many friends or relatives as you can to take your place! If you have not yet already, you may register to donate by going online to www.redcrossblood.org with the sponsor code Mounds Park Academy.

Giving blood is simple and easy, and it will save lives. You can touch the lives of people you have never met by giving blood for patients needing transfusions for emergency surgeries, or treatment of illnesses such as Leukemia and other cancers. There is no substitute for human blood–it cannot be manufactured, and much of today’s medical care depends on having a steady supply of blood provided by healthy volunteer donors. Each time you give blood, you can help a few patients in need with your plasma, platelets, and red blood cells. Most people who are in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and are at least 17 years of age are eligible to give blood every 56 days. If you have questions about your eligibility to donate please call the Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS (733-2767). Read More


Students Give, Get, And Grow Through Community Involvement

first graders reading to a blood drive donorThe world starts small when you’re a kid. In a relative bubble of family, friends, and school, it can be challenging for children to think beyond their own backyard, or to reflect on how they can support or contribute to a community that’s different from their own. Cultivating a service mindset in students early is a powerful key to unlocking a larger world view, while also preparing them for college and creating distinction in their educational experience.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Making Caring Common project published a groundbreaking study focused on inspiring community service as part of the college admissions process. The researchers advocate for how service can help students focus on meaningful ethical and intellectual engagement, while creating a platform for long-term success. The study emphasizes that, through their volunteerism, students should be encouraged to:

  • engage in meaningful, sustained community service that is authentically chosen, consistent, and well-structured, and that provides opportunity for reflection both individually and with peers and adults;
  • take collective action that tackles community challenges;
  • have authentic experiences that focus on “doing with” not “doing for”; and
  • engage in service that develops gratitude and a sense of responsibility for the future.

Read More


Meet Hana Miller ’21!

hana miller '21What do you love about MPA?
At MPA you are not taught what to think, you are taught how. The teachers at MPA recognize the importance of creating people who can think for themselves, not just repeat a string of facts about the Civil War. You are encouraged to ask questions, to challenge ideas, and to think differently. At MPA you are not only accepted for who you are, but you are supported and encouraged to be an individual, not just a grade.

How are you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
MPA inspires students to not only fight for what they believe in, but to actively work to better it. Just this morning, the Kindergarten class came up to the high school to ask us to protest with them because they had learned about how pollution was affecting marine life. Read More


Travel 12,000 Miles At Culture Day!

flags decorating the halls for culture dayJoin Us For Culture Day At MPA! On October 23, 3-6:30 PM, travel 12,000 miles in one evening! Enjoy Peruvian, Armenian, and Korean-pop dances while sipping masala chai and munching on mini quiche. Try your hand at American graffiti art or relax to beautiful instrumental music while getting a henna tattoo.

You don’t want to miss this hands-on experience! Sign-up for a cooking demonstration in our new kitchen:
Learn how to make Gata–an Armenian sweet bread, 3:30-4 PM
Learn how to make Idli’s–savory Indian rice and lentil cakes, 4:30-5 PM

The kitchen can accommodate a maximum of 10 people, so please sign-up in advance by emailing seema_anwar@hotmail.com

Food and drink tickets ($1 each) will be sold at the event. Try drinks and delicacies from around the world, have fun making crafts, enjoy the cultural entertainment and fashion show, and learn about our world–bonus points if you can identify all the flags decorating the hallway!

Help make all this possible by signing up here.

Parents of alumni and alumni, we would love to have you on campus for Culture Day at MPA as well! Join us to experience the brand new commons, cafeteria, and kitchen on campus in an experiential, fun, and delicious way!


Meet Joan and Kevin Frankel!

the frankel familyWhat do you love about MPA?
We love the small class sizes and the individual attention our children get from their teachers. Because of the small class sizes, the teachers really get to know our kids’ strengths and weaknesses and focus on improvement. We also love the fact that our kids are encouraged to participate in arts and athletics and not solely focus on academics. We believe this is important for a well rounded education.

How is your child encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
At MPA, our children have been encouraged to try new activities they might not have tried if they were at a bigger school. The block schedule in Upper School has also allowed our daughter to take many more electives. This diversity in activities and classes allows them to realize the joy of learning something they may have never thought they could do. Read More


Enriching Our Lives, Starting With One Monday At A Time

lower school warming up at the Monday morning meaningby Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Although Mondays can often be tough, attending the Lower School Monday Morning Meeting is a great start for my week. This past Monday was no exception. As I walked into the new Family Commons, I was greeted by the music of Trombone Shorty and the entire Lower School dancing and practicing their body percussion moves for Grandparents and Special Friends Day. It was pure joy and much more effective in waking me up than the third or fourth cup of coffee I was drinking. It had the same effect on other adults in the building as many poked their heads into the Commons as they walked by, leaving with big smiles on their faces. There is something about music that can transform our mood and lift our spirits instantly.

In an era when many schools are cutting their music programs in favor of more time for STEM-related classes, you may wonder why MPA places so much emphasis on music. In Lower School, students have approximately 90 minutes of music class a week. All Middle School students have year-long music or choir, are required play an instrument, and have either band or orchestra. Upper School students are required to have three credits in the fine arts, which includes instrumental and vocal music.

Read More