Middle School

Cultures Come Together, Celebrate

April 10, 2025

Lower School students dancing at Cultural Celebration Day. On Wednesday, April 9, the Parents Association hosted Cultural Celebration Day, an evening celebrating the diversity of backgrounds at MPA with food, music, dance, and community.

Some of the highlights of the event were beautiful dance performances by MPA parents and students, colorfully decorated tables set up by the hosts sharing their cultures and cuisines, the ever-popular henna artist, Bilkis, Boba by Treats, and a West African drum workshop. It was wonderful to experience the energy and engagement of community members. We hope to see you all next year!

A big thank you to the Cultural Celebration Day Planning Committee, cultural booth hosts, MPA staff, MPA student hosts, and event volunteers, who all helped make this event successful.

Middle School Division News April 10, 2025

April 10, 2025

A Middle School student dances at Cultural Celebration Day.from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars 

  • Friday, April 11: New Student Enrollment Deadline
  • Monday, April 14: No Classes, Professional Development
  • Wednesday, April 16: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
  • Tuesday, April 22: MS Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
  • Tuesday, April 22: LS/MS G4 Lunch-Up, 11:35 AM-12:30 PM
  • Wednesday, April 23: MS Author Visit, 8-9:30 AM, Recital Hall
  • Thursday, April 24: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
  • Friday, April 25: MS/US Robotics Team Banquet, 5-8 PM, Family Commons
  • Saturday, April 26: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 7-9 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
  • Sunday, April 27: Spring Musical: “The Wizard of Oz,” 2-4 PM, Nicholson Center, Tickets >
  • Wednesday, April 30: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
  • Thursday, May 1: MS/US G5/8 Parent Meeting, 6-6:45 PM, To Be Announced and Recital Hall
  • Thursday, May 1: MS Vocal Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center

As we head into our fourth quarter of the year, my question for our Middle Schoolers is, “How can you make this last quarter your BEST quarter?” Challenging them to reflect on all that they’ve learned so far this year and to finish off the year, over our final eight weeks of school, as strong as possible can be both challenging and rewarding. With so many different opportunities for our students to showcase their learning, from concerts and the musical to their final assessments, papers, projects, and presentations, we will work hard to keep them (and you) well-organized, prepared, and balanced for the work ahead.

Read More

The Vibrant Season Of Spring

April 10, 2025

Dr. Hudson and a Lower School student look off the roof. from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As we step into the vibrant season of spring, I find myself drawn to the quiet beauty and symbolism this time of year brings. The longer days, the budding trees, the chirping of birds, the honking of geese, and the first signs of green pushing through the soil remind us of the steady, hopeful rhythm of renewal. For those of us in education—and perhaps especially in the Upper Midwest where winter holds on tightly—spring is more than just a season. It is a metaphor for the growth, energy, and transformation that we see unfolding daily within our school community.

At MPA, spring invites us to pause, reflect, and celebrate how far we’ve come this year. We see this in the confidence of a kindergartner who now walks into school independently, in the curiosity of a fourth grader asking big questions, and in the thoughtful determination of a senior finalizing their post-secondary decision. These moments—large and small—mark the progress of a school year that, like spring itself, began in stillness and has blossomed into joyful, dynamic growth.

Spring also gives us the gift of perspective. Just as trees begin to leaf out again after a long winter, our students begin to show us the fruits of their learning. They take risks, solve problems, express ideas, and test out who they are becoming. These moments of discovery and stretch are not always linear—they often arrive with a mix of messiness and magic—but they are the very heart of a transformational education. And they mirror what we as adults know to be true: real growth takes time, intention, and courage. Read More

A Special Thank You From Dr. Hudson!

April 10, 2025

Dr. Bill Hudson addresses the crowd at the Spring Auction. from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

“From the depths of my heart, thank you for the extraordinary outpouring of love and support at Friday’s Gala. It was a beautiful and unforgettable evening—one that I will cherish always.

I am especially grateful to everyone who contributed to the Hudson Fund for Resilient Students. Your generosity will have a lasting impact, helping MPA students navigate unexpected challenges and continue to thrive in every way.

As I move through these final months as head of school, I look forward to connecting with many of you. Though my chapter in this role is coming to a close, please know that MPA will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2025 MPA Spring Auction: Gala of Gratitude an extraordinary success. Because of our community’s deep generosity, we raised more than $870,000 in support of MPA, including an incredible $164,565 for the MPA Fund and over $707,000 for this year’s Fund A Need, The Hudson Fund for Resilient Students. Click here to help further support the Hudson Fund!

These gifts are not only transformational, but they are also a testament to the strength, compassion, and commitment of our MPA community. It was truly moving to witness the love, camaraderie, and shared joy in the room, as well as the incredible support from those bidding and giving from afar. The evening was a beautiful celebration of all that makes MPA so special and a powerful tribute to the lasting legacy of Dr. Bill Hudson.

To our speakers, donors, sponsors, volunteers, and attendees, thank you. Your presence and support made this night unforgettable, and we are endlessly grateful.

Congratulations to our auction winners, and a special shoutout to Mikki Williams, this year’s Golden Ticket winner!

To learn more about the spring auction, The Hudson Fund for Resilient Students, or to make a gift, please contact Ashley Goetzke, director of development and community engagement, at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

Save the date for next year’s event on April 17, 2026.

Join Us For Family Allyship For LGBTQ+ School Community Members

April 9, 2025

Lower School students celebrating. Mark your calendars for an interactive workshop on Wednesday, May 14, from 6-8 PM in the Family Commons that will provide MPA parents and staff with the tools and language they need to be supportive allies to LGBTQ+ community members at MPA! This event is being hosted by MPA’s Rainbow Club and Gender Inclusive Schools.

Together, we will practice responses to challenging questions on LGBTQ+ topics and explore ways to communicate affirmation and celebration of LGBTQ+ community members visibly.
Basic definitions for LGBTQ+ terms will be provided along with age-appropriate resources to facilitate positive and accurate discussions with your family about gender identity and sexual orientation at home.

About Gender Inclusive Schools
Dave Edwards is a queer person, author, and career educator who has served in almost every role in PreK–12 school communities: special education paraprofessional, special education teacher, middle and high school classroom teacher, special education coordinator, dean of students, and assistant head of school. Dave was the lead instructor for the nontraditional teacher licensure program in emotional and behavioral disorders at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a professor in the teacher preparation program at Hamline University before devoting his efforts full-time to Gender Inclusive Schools.

Dave is the proud parent to a transgender daughter. The discrimination she experienced in kindergarten led to his vocation of helping school communities create safe learning environments, which in turn informs “Gender-Inclusive Schools: How to Affirm and Support Gender-Expansive Students.” He serves on the board of the Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition, and his family is heavily involved with Transforming Families Minnesota. Dave has been quoted by the New York Times, Rolling Stone, NBC News, and Into. He lives in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, area. His book, “Gender Inclusive Schools: How to Affirm and Support Gender-Expansive Students,” was published in the fall of 2024.

About the Rainbow Club
The Rainbow Club is an LGBTQ+ affinity group for MPA parents and staff. What began as a small group of Lower School community members is expanding to include Upper and Middle School parents and staff. This group serves the community as a positive and safe space to talk about allyship, advocacy, sharing resources, and so much more!

We hope you will join us for this important event! Please RSVP here. Contact Rachael Weber at rachweb89@gmail.com with any questions.

 

Meet An International Host Family: The Beerninks

April 7, 2025

Michael and Pim outside MPA together MPA parent Erika Beernink shares her family’s experience hosting MPA international student Baiquan (Michael) Mao ’27.

Why did you decide to host an international student?

We wanted to learn more about different cultures and experiences, including having our own children learn to appreciate these differences.

How has hosting an international student impacted or changed your family?

Positively! We have learned and experienced so much that we would not have otherwise had access to.

Share a special or memorable moment you’ve experienced while hosting your student.

The “firsts” are the best—ice skating, carving pumpkins, watching the US Pond Hockey Championships outside when it is -10 degrees, building a snowman, and trying new foods.

What would you tell another family considering hosting an MPA international student?

It is a wonderful experience, you really are adding another child to your family, and it comes with all the experiences you would expect from parenting someone else’s teenager.

The Beernink family with Michael at University of Oregan graduationTell us about your family including your professions and education.

Hans (dad) has a Ph.D. in biochemistry and is a business unit leader at Bio-Techne. Erika (mom) has a J.D. and previously practiced law in California; currently, she is volunteering at MPA. Hayden (oldest child) has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Oregon and is currently job hunting. Pim (youngest child) is currently in eighth grade at MPA. Michael (our international student) is currently in tenth grade at MPA.

 

 

 
Become A Host Family
International Student Experience

MPA Gentoo Robotics Team Secures $2,000 Grant, Seeks New Members

April 3, 2025

MPA Gentoo Robotics team secures $2,000 grant.Exciting news from the Gentoo Robotics Team! We’re thrilled to announce that our Middle School FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team has received a $2,000 Sponsorship Grant from the Gene Haas Foundation. This generous funding will help support team registration, event fees, and the purchase of new parts to enhance our robot’s capabilities, but we also rely on donations from our community to get new parts and join more events.

Founded in 2023 as a way to expand STEM opportunities for Middle School students and build a feeder team for our more experienced high school FRC team, Gentoo has already participated in three competitions over the past two years. These events have provided invaluable learning experiences, allowing team members to make continuous improvements to their robot after each competition.

The Gentoo team is organized into specialized sub-teams: Code, Build, Strategy, and Operations. Students start by learning essential build skills, like using power tools, prototyping, and constructing basic structures, before moving into specialized roles. This structure gives students the chance to develop specific skills while contributing to the team’s overall success. Our high school FRC team members provide mentorship, creating a supportive community where Middle Schoolers can explore engineering challenges they wouldn’t otherwise experience. Read More

A Leadership Transition Update

April 3, 2025

Still image of Dr. Brogdon and Dr. Hudson transition video. from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

As we enter the final stretch of the school year, I want to take a moment to share an update on the leadership transition and the exciting road ahead for Mounds Park Academy. As many of you know, this will be my final year serving as head of school at MPA. It is a bittersweet season—filled with reflection, gratitude, and anticipation for what’s to come. Serving this community has been the greatest privilege of my professional life, and I remain deeply invested in ensuring a smooth, thoughtful, and mission-aligned transition.

Over the past several months, I have been working closely with Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, who was appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve as the next head of school, effective July 1, 2025. Having the opportunity to partner with her during this full year of transition has been a true gift. It is rare in independent schools to have this kind of intentional, overlapping leadership—and we are using it fully to MPA’s advantage.

It was good to see so many of you at the Coffee & Conversation events with Dr. Brogdon and me. For those of you who were able to attend, I hope that you saw the synergy and warmth between the two of us. You may have also viewed a video of the two of us discussing leadership and the transition. If you haven’t, please click here. Know that an additional two videos will be released very soon. My hope is to alleviate whatever anxiety the community might feel about the transition. Read More

MPA’s Leadership Transition

April 2, 2025

Bill Hudson and Lori-Anne Brogdon discussing the leadership transition This message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the April 4 issue of Inside MPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Dr. Bill Hudson and Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon have been working closely this year to ensure a seamless head of school transition in July. We’re excited to introduce the first in a series of three short films, offering an inside look at their collaborative efforts.

“One of the things, that as I’ve gotten to know you, that I appreciate most is how you view education–and there seems like there’s a lot of synergy between the two of us,” says Dr. Hudson during their conversation. “So, in your own words, if you had to explain, it, how would you? How would you capture and name it?” he asked.

“I believe that education should be, first of all, joyful,” Dr. Brogdon replied. “A day shouldn’t go by where students, faculty, and staff don’t find a reason to smile and laugh about something, be proud about something, be able to look back and say, ‘we did this together,’ in some way. I strongly believe that the educational experience for everyone should be about creating and asking questions.”

“That’s what education is all about,” Dr. Hudson agreed.

Dr. Hudson and Dr. Brogdon’s shared vision for MPA, rooted in collaboration and joy, sets a strong foundation for our future. Listen to their conversation here and stay tuned for more conversations to come!

About MPA
Request Information
Apply Today

Middle School Division News March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Middle School students examining i-Term showcases.from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars 

  • Monday, March 31: No Classes, Eid al-Fitr
  • Tuesday, April 1: Coffee & Conversation With The Heads, 7:45-8:45 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library
  • Wednesday, April 2: MS G5 Science Fair, 2:30-3 PM, Family Commons
  • Friday, April 4: End of Quarter 3
  • Monday, April 7: MS/US Students & Screens Parent Meeting, 1:45-3 PM, Recital Hall
  • Wednesday, April 9: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
  • Wednesday, April 9: PA Cultural Celebration Day, 3-6 PM, Family Commons
  • Thursday, April 10: HeadSpace: Personalized Pathways Through Universal Design For Learning, 7-8 PM, Virtual Meeting
  • Monday, April 14: No Classes, Professional Development
  • Wednesday, April 16: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center

Springtime brings with it change and renewed growth. It can be one of the most exciting and hectic times as we work to wrap everything up by the end of the school year and reflect on the growth and achievements of our year of learning together. Having spent time earlier in my teaching career at a school on the coast of Maine, I often share with students the example of how lobsters grow.

Lobsters need first to feel a bit of discomfort—they become uncomfortable in their own shell—to trigger the need for growth. And that growth requires them to shed their shell, going through a time of vulnerability and change as they grow a new, larger, and more comfortable shell. As he shared in this video, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski explains that it is the stimulus of discomfort that is needed for the lobster to grow. In times of stress, we often see a great deal of growth if we navigate this adversity the right way.

Looking ahead, we have many, many opportunities for growth (and potential discomfort) for our Middle School students. Next week brings the end of our third quarter, and I know that students and teachers are working to finish the quarter strong! In April and May, we have book battles and science fairs, concerts and musicals, MAP testing, and field days fast approaching. Please keep a close eye on our calendar here in Panther Post and communications through your child’s Schoology account for updates and information on all that we have going on. Read More