Middle School Archives

Middle School Division News December 5, 2024

December 5, 2024

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Tuesday, December 10: MS Quarterly Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, Gallery
Wednesday, December 11: MS G7/8 Affinity Group Meeting, 2:30-3 PM, Panther Center
Thursday, December 12: MPA PA MS Coffee and Cookies, 6-7 PM, Family Commons
Thursday, December 12: MS G6-8 Band, Orchestra, Vocal Concert, 7-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
Friday, December 13: PreK-12 MPA Preview, 8:30-10 AM, Gallery & Martin Lenz Harrison Library
Monday, December 16: G7-12 Musical Auditions, 3:30-5:30 PM, Black Box & Choir Room
Tuesday, December 17: G7-12 Musical Auditions, 3:30-5:30 PM, Black Box & Choir Room
Wednesday, December 18: G7-12 Musical Callbacks, 3:30-5:30 PM, Black Box
Friday, December 20: Caroling with the Madrigal Singers, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni, 7:30-8 AM, Family Commons
Monday, December 23-Friday, January 3: No Classes, Winter Break

I hope you all had a restful and rejuvenating Thanksgiving break and that you are as ready as our students and faculty are to embrace this winter weather and work hard over the next two-and-a-half weeks until winter break.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for pancakes at our Founders’ Day Breakfast yesterday morning and to those who attended our second session of Students and Screens yesterday afternoon. With close to 30 participants—parents of Lower, Middle, and Upper school students, and some Middle and Upper School students—we had an engaging and informative conversation about fragmentation, the importance of sleep (for all of us), and how we can help our students develop customized, healthy study habits. Stay tuned for our next session sometime in late January or early February, as we have more to talk about and more who want to share. Read More

Calling Alumni And Parents Of Alumni Musicians!

November 18, 2024

from James Lekatz, Middle and Upper School drama teacher and director

For those of you who were involved in the arts at MPA, the fall was full of excitement. As you grabbed our instruments, opened your scripts, or massaged your clay, you knew magic was in store. This week, the Nicholson Center will be filled with music as band, orchestra, and choir start their concert season. In November, the Middle School play, “Little Women” will open. Walk around the school, and you will see the walls covered in kindergarten to 12th-grade artwork. MPA vibrates with art! We are so lucky to have the arts as one of the main tenants of the school. MPA believes in the transformative power of the arts and arts education, a counter and radical mentality to the world we live in. We are looking forward to seeing alumni in the audience for these vital moments of joy.

As the arts are always pushing us forward, I am looking toward the spring. This is my second year at MPA, and I have seen the show posters around the garden level. What high school produces “Candid,” “Anyone Can Whistle,” and “Marat/Sade”? How were these productions able to take place? How big were those orchestras? I have met a handful of MPA alumni, and some of your favorite memories of MPA include the musical. I have heard wonderful stories of community, transformation, and sometimes regret for not starting sooner in the department.

This year’s musical is The Wizard of Oz, and here is where you come in. While you will not be in a costume on stage, we are looking to grow our orchestra pit. If you are a musician who plays an instrument, would you like to join us? Would you consider sitting side by side with current MPA students, filling out the sound of that iconic score, and sharing your joy of the arts with us?

Please contact Hannah Lawson, orchestra director, hlawson@moundsparkacademy.org or James Lekatz, Middle and Upper School drama teacher and director, at jlekatz@moundsparkacademy.org to learn more.

Helping Your Child Thrive: A Guide To Homework

November 18, 2024

One of the most frequent questions asked of our admission staff when families are first exploring our school is, “Tell me about homework” or “How much homework do students have at Mounds Park Academy?” MPA’s philosophy is that homework should always affirm and confirm what students have learned in the classroom. In other words, homework assignments should be about practice. When homework is designed this way, it leads to students taking responsibility for their assignments because they understand how to approach it. Our end goal is that students will find motivation within themselves to succeed. We also work to teach our students balance. We want them to be able to focus on their academic achievements, but also be in the musical, or play soccer, or participate in debate. It is important that students can handle the responsibility of homework without them drowning in it. Rigor at MPA is not the amount of homework you have or the number of hours you spend studying. Rigor at MPA is a deep and meaningful inquiry.

Very often that means a parent’s role is not working through the material with the student but encouraging the student’s independence and responsibility. But as parent you may ask, “How do I do that? What is my role?” We have some ideas on how you can support your student with their homework. Read More

Middle School Division News November 14, 2024

November 14, 2024

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Saturday, November 16: MS Tech Day, 9 AM-1 PM, Black Box
Sunday, November 17-Saturday, November 23: Fall Campaign
Thursday, November 21: Give to the Max Day
Thursday, November 21: Spirit Wear Day
Thursday, November 21: Give to the Max Day Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center
Friday, November 22: MS Play “Little Women,” 7-8:30 PM, Black Box
Saturday, November 23: MS Play “Little Women,” 2-3:30 PM, Black Box
Sunday, November 24: MS Play “Little Women,” 2-3:30 PM, Black Box
Wednesday, November 27: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break
Thursday, November 28: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break, MPA Campus Closed, Panther Club Closed, PreK Closed
Friday, November 29: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break, MPA Campus Closed, Panther Club Closed, PreK Closed
Monday, December 2: Class of 2029 Feed Your Mind Dinner, 6-8 PM, Family Commons
Wednesday, December 4: Founders’ Day Breakfast, 7-8 AM, Family Commons
Wednesday, December 4: MS/US Parents: Students and Screens, 1:45-3 PM, Recital Hall

Recently, I attended a talk by Dr. Lisa Damour, a renowned adolescent psychologist and prolific author of books and a podcast that all parents should dig into if they hope to raise resilient, balanced, and joyful kids. Her biggest piece of advice to parents: be a steady presence for your child, especially when they are dealing with stress.

Remember that moment when your child was little and experienced unexpected pain? Think of a skinned knee or bop on the head. They would look at you to see how to react: How bad is it? If you ran over, swooping in to clear the scene, check all of their parts, apply first aid immediately, and discipline anyone within earshot, they would match that with tears and fears of what just happened. But, if you responded with a look of, “It’s okay, you’ve got this!” your child would be able to take a deep breath, assess the situation, and self-regulate their response to the injury. This—self-regulation—builds their resiliency and independence.

Igniting Dreams

November 14, 2024

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

When I was in middle school, I had a paper route. One advantage to having a paper route was that I had a lot of time to think, and I often dreamed of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had it down to two options, and as I tossed a paper on each home’s front porch, I alternated between the two: “President, or Pope, President, or Pope…” Like pulling the petals off a daisy, I hoped my future would become clearer with each paper. While my dream was not ultimately realized, I was fortunate to have a number of teachers who encouraged me along the way, igniting other dreams for the future.

As we move through this vibrant season of learning, growth, and discovery, I am asking for your partnership in something truly meaningful: our annual fall giving campaign, taking place from November 17 to November 23. This year, our theme, “Igniting Dreams, One Gift at a Time,” captures our vision and commitment to fostering the potential within each MPA student.

Our theme this year also captures the powerful impact of each individual contribution. Every donation, no matter the size, plays a role in fueling students’ aspirations and helping them achieve their dreams. Each gift acts as a spark, collectively building a foundation of support that enables students to explore their passions, grow academically, and develop into compassionate, engaged individuals.

RSVP To Experience MPA On A School Day

November 13, 2024

The school day PreK-12 MPA Preview is Friday, December 13, 8:30-10 AM! With community members as your hosts, you’ll visit classrooms to see students and teachers in action and end the morning with an opportunity to ask any specific questions you may have. If you will be bringing a child, please do let us know!

MPA Previews are signature PreK-12 events designed to introduce you to the faculty, students, and families who make MPA the exceptional learning community that it is. You’ll hear from a variety of perspectives, be engaged in conversation, experience what a day in the life of an MPA student is like, and leave with a much better understanding of the MPA way. Read More

Toussaint Celebration Brings Middle School French Collaboration

November 7, 2024

MPA Middle School French teachers Evelyn Johnson, Jessica Blue, and Liz DesLauriers were searching for a possible project to bring out a collaborative effort by their students.

“At the beginning of the school year, Liz DesLauriers, Jessica Blue, and yours truly were discussing a project that we wanted to work on together and collaborate with our Middle School French students,” said Evelyn Johnson.

They chose a project on Toussaint, a Catholic holiday celebrated on November 1, dedicated to all known and unknown saints.

“We came up with the idea of assigning each of our students a notable French-speaking person who had passed. The information needed was when they were born, where they were born, when they died, and what they were known for.”

From there, the project kept growing. With the help of Makerspace coordinator Keith Braafladt, students created tombstones for their historical figures and learned how to set them in the Glowforge laser cutter. Then, Sean Andrews, curriculum and technology integration specialist, lent a hand. Read More

Election Day At MPA

November 7, 2024

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

With a joyful spirit, MPA students went to the polls on election day. The library was transformed into a bustling polling place, with ballots, voting booths, and older students assisting younger ones. Lower School students had fun voting for spirit wear options or “express yourself” clothing on monthly out-of-uniform Fridays, while Middle and Upper School students participated in the presidential vote. Witnessing our students actively engage in this democratic practice was both heartwarming and hopeful, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to this meaningful event.

This mock election was part of a larger, month-long focus on civic engagement and civil discourse at MPA. Throughout the fall, we’ve committed to enhancing a culture where students learn to engage thoughtfully, respect diverse perspectives, and analyze information critically. Grounded in MPA’s founding principles and John Dewey’s philosophy of experiential learning, our mission-driven goal has always been to empower students to become well-informed, active participants in society. The Election 2024 Plan, led by teachers Summer McCall and Katie Murr, offered students a variety of opportunities to explore civic engagement, from age-appropriate discussions to civil discourse training, all designed to prepare them for constructive, thoughtful conversations.

The excitement of Tuesday gave way Wednesday to a range of emotions throughout the school as the results of the national election became known. Developmentally, students responded to the news in a variety of ways and teachers were prepared to accompany and support them however they were feeling. We were prepared to offer safe spaces for students to come together to process the election outcome and to address and call out when students were not respectful of one another. I know teachers worked hard yesterday (and will continue) to make sure that every student had a chance to say what they are thinking and feeling while also being aware of the impact their words have on others.

The Seven Senses: Sensory Supports at MPA

October 31, 2024

from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director and director of the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Editor’s Note: Periodically, you will find a guest Head’s Message here from members of the administrative team. We hope you will enjoy reading their thoughts and reflections about life at MPA.

Sir Ken Robinson’s prolific Ted Talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?” exquisitely describes the traditional school model’s habit of separating the head from the body. In other words, traditional schooling is unevenly focused on academic skills, leaving out the other side of the human development coin: the body and the senses. The integration of the mind and the body is imperative to the development of a human being and underscores our whole child approach at Mounds Park Academy. Thanks to MPA’s Building Opportunities for Learning Distinction (BOLD) Innovation Fund that families supported during the 2022 Spring Auction, and along with our learning specialist and PreK-5 school counselor, we were able to make the sensory room initiative a reality in the spring of 2024. Repurposing a corner of the Lower School workroom last year, the counselor and I offered short, daily “sensory breaks” for students in the Lower School to find emotional regulation and calm during the bright and busy school days. Since then, we have hired Mx. Lewis as of this September, our student success teaching assistant based in the sensory room who collaborates with the teachers, counselor, and learning specialist in the Lower School.

But you might be asking, what exactly is sensory processing and what is a sensory room? With October marked as Sensory Processing Awareness Month, this is a timely question. And here is where our “seven senses” come in. Yes, we all learned in elementary school that there are five human senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. However, did you know that researchers have more recently discovered two additional senses? Those include the proprioceptive and vestibular senses.
Read More

Middle School Division News October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

Friday, November 1: No Classes, Grading Day
Sunday, November 3: Taste of Ninth Grade, 11 AM-12:15 PM, Family Commons
Sunday, November 3: PreK-G12 MPA Preview, 12:30-2 PM
Saturday, November 16: MS Tech Day, 9 AM-1 PM, Black Box
Sunday, November 17-Saturday, November 23: Fall Campaign
Thursday, November 21: Give to the Max Day
Thursday, November 21: Give to the Max Day Assembly, 2-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center

It is hard to believe that we are wrapping up our first quarter of the school year! While the weather hadn’t shown signs of changing (until today), your students have already exhibited a ton of growth. There has been a lot of learning, with many successes and some failures (“We learn more from failure,” we remind them) so far this school year, and we will capture your child’s first quarter marks to share them with you on Monday, November 11. We encourage you to sit down with your student and look through their quarter one grades and comments in Schoology for areas of commendation and areas of potential growth.

Heading into November and the second quarter, we have some exciting changes and our i-Term registration ahead. Please keep an eye out for the 2025 i-Term Brochure and sign-ups coming out in early November. This year, along with some of the old favorite offerings, we have some exciting new opportunities if your child is looking to travel (New York, National Parks) or just wants to stay home and learn more about the science of death or knitting.