June 13, 2019
In May 2018, Middle School faculty members Ms. Meras, Ms. Powell, and Ms. Nagle first began thinking of ways to better utilize the food waste in the cafeteria. With the help of a Ramsey County grant and members of EcoConsilium, MPA was able to purchase a food recycling system and larger waste bins. MPA’s food waste is now sent to a pig farm, where it can be recycled as feed. There are two other bins available at lunch–one for trash and one for recyclable materials. While this was a significant change from simply dumping all lunch waste into one bin, our community adapted quickly and the student body has been enthusiastically cooperating. MPA has received positive feedback and high remarks that we are doing an excellent job of sorting our food waste and the impact has been positive.
In an effort to further this expanded waste program, we are upgrading all the recycling bins in the building. The new bins will be a solid blue color and all bins will now be clearly labeled for either garbage or recycling. In all, MPA received $10,220 in grants from Ramsey County to fund these exciting changes. During the first week of summer break, Ms. Meras, Ms. Powell, and Ms. Nagle along with help from facilities staff members Mr. Connors, Mr. Schneider, and Mr. McLees collected cleaned, and re-labeled all of the existing bins on campus. We are grateful for their enthusiasm and hard work to make MPA a greener, more environmentally-conscious place.
On June 8, 2019, students, families, and faculty gathered in Mounds Park Academy’s Nicholson Center to graduate the Class of 2019. The evening began with the Upper School Band’s rendition of “Pomp & Circumstance” as the junior color guard and MPA faculty and staff presented the graduates. Throughout the ceremony, the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers shared songs and three members of the Class of 2019 spoke. Gabby Law ’19, Julia Portis ’19, and Valedictorian Ajay Manicka ’19 shared words of pride, encouragement, and inspiration for their fellow classmates.
On Tuesday afternoon, I had the privilege of attending the presentations of three seniors who will graduate having earned a Graduate Certificate of Distinction in the Fine Arts. If you are not familiar with the Graduate Certificate of Distinction (GCD), it is designed for students ready and willing to pursue their passions through additional and focused coursework, research, and volunteerism. The GCD allows students to dive deeper into one area of their choosing: STEM, Global Studies, or the Fine Arts. The depth of inquiry that students experience through achieving a Certificate typically simulates what they will find in college, requiring hundreds of hours beyond the classroom.
As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!
by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School 
Thank you to those of you who voted for your new Parents Association Executive Board. The following slate was approved and will begin leading the Parents Association and serving the MPA community on July 1, 2019: Kim Jakway, president; Seema Anwar and Barry Madore, co-presidents-elect; Meredith Forgosh, secretary; Yuki Miyokawa, treasurer; Russ Purdy, Upper School division lead; Susan Knapp, Middle School division lead; Sally Richie and Andrea Dodson, Lower School co-division leads.
The Offices of Admission and Marketing/Communication are looking forward to MPA’s presence at many fabulous summer events, starting this weekend! These events provide us with an opportunity to raise awareness of MPA in the community and share what a wonderful school it is.
As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!
As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!
As the 2018–19 school year comes to an end, we’re sharing the college choice stories of several members of the Class of 2019!