Middle School

Middle School Division News December 4, 2025

December 4, 2025

Middle School students painting a project.from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

I love December. I love the snow, and I don’t mind the cold too much. I love that we have sledding at recess and our annual Hour of Code week coming up. I love our Winter Concert next Thursday night and our Founders’ Day Pancake Breakfast that Friday. And I love how we send our students off into their winter break on Friday, December 19, with a day of service and fun for our fifth- and sixth-grade students and a winter carnival for our seventh- and eighth-grade students. Most of all, I love how this time of year reminds us of the progress we have made so far, and gives us the space to celebrate that learning.

One of the best ways we do this is with our Middle School Winter Concert. Next Thursday evening, December 11, all sixth- through eighth-grade students will perform in both their choir and band/orchestra groups. For parents and friends who arrive early, I encourage you to walk around the Middle School and Family Commons to see some of their amazing artwork that is on display—there has been so much inspiring work this fall! Here is more information about the concert timing and attire.

Also coming up next week, we have our quarterly Middle School Parent Coffee. At our last meeting, families were asking about the Upper School program and how we help to transition our students into the Upper School. We have asked Upper School director, Mark Segal, to join us on Tuesday morning, December 9, from 8-9:30 AM in the PCR to talk about the wonders of our Upper School and answer any questions you might have. If there’s something specific you hope for him to address or a lingering question you might have, please email me ahead of time, so I can be sure he is ready for us. Read More

Our Promise

November 24, 2025

Explore our promise, the MPA ManifestoThis message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the November 25, 2025 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

You are invited to hear and see the spirit of our manifesto. It is an invitation to every student to be a freethinker, a free spirit, a risk taker, a right maker, a dreamer, and a doer. It is our promise to you. Explore our promise, the MPA manifesto, here.

At MPA, students are not simply learning; they are learning how to learn, how to think critically, solve creatively, and transform the wildness of their imagination into inspiration for others. They immerse themselves in the arts, explore the complexity of the sciences, and grow the roots of social responsibility as they discover who they are truly meant to be.

Our manifesto guides and reflects why we believe students like yours are made for Mounds Park Academy—their type of amazing calls for an education that awakens their senses, unleashes wonder, encourages respectful discourse, and cultivates a lifelong joy of learning.

We hope these words inspire you as much as it inspires us every day. If you have any questions or want to explore what learning looks like at MPA on campus, we invite you to RSVP for the PreK-12 MPA School Day Preview on December 11, or connect with us to schedule your personal tour.

RSVP Today
How We Learn
The Admission Process

An Opportunity To Experience MPA On A School Day

November 20, 2025

Middle School students doing science lab togetherThe school day PreK-12 MPA Preview is Thursday, December 11, 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.

RSVP today to discover why Mounds Park Academy is the #2-ranked private school in Minnesota.

RSVP Today
How We Learn
The Admission Process

You’re Shaping Tomorrow At MPA!

November 15, 2025

Two Upper School students engaged in classroom learning.

At MPA, we’re not just imagining the future—we’re building it every day in our classrooms, studios, labs, and on the playing fields.

And none of it happens without you.

This short video offers a glimpse into the wonder, creativity, curiosity, and growth happening across campus—made possible through your generosity.

As we approach Give to the Max Day, we invite you to see what your support unlocks for our students. Every gift, no matter the size, fuels our shared mission and inspires greatness.

Giving Challenges 

Get ready for some exciting giving challenges and exclusive incentives! See what your gift can unlock…

  • A $250 boost will be added to every gift from alums in the classes of 2010-2025, up to $20,000 total!
  • The grade with the highest participation wins a chance to pie their division director!
  • Leadership Circle members will receive a limited edition MPA-branded umbrella.
  • If a division has 60% participation, watch for a special surprise celebration for them.
  • Grandparent donors will be gifted a custom tote bag featuring student artwork.
  • Special unlocking challenges when we hit milestones, and much more fun to come!

When you give, you shape tomorrow. You bring learning to life. You open doors. Let’s show our students—and each other—what’s possible when a community comes together for the school it loves.

Make A Gift
Learn More About The Fall Campaign

 

You can make your gift or pledge today at moundsparkacademy.org/support or by contacting Ashley Goetzke, director of development and community engagement, at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

Join Us In Shaping Tomorrow For MPA

November 15, 2025

Two Lower School students on the MPA playground. from Ashley Goetzke, director of development and community engagement

At MPA, we’re not just preparing students for the future—we’re empowering them to shape it. That belief comes to life every day across campus, and it’s one of the many reasons MPA is so special.

Growing up, I didn’t have an MPA. What shaped me instead were the people who saw something in me, pushed me to think bigger, and believed I could make a difference. That’s why I feel such a deep connection to MPA’s mission—because here, that belief in every child is lived out daily.

You make that possible.

Teachers stay after class to check in. Coaches build character along with skill. Classrooms feel like communities where students are known and belong. Those moments happen because of your support. Read More

Celebrate Stories In The Snow At The MPA Book Festival!

November 14, 2025

A student looks at a book during the MPA Book Festival. There’s “snow” place like the library! Please join us for “Stories In The Snow” at MPA Parent Association annual Book Festival on Monday, December 8-Friday, December 12, in the Martin Lenz Harrison Library!

To help us celebrate the long-standing Book Festival tradition, the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to build your child’s home library with new books they’ll dive into again and again.

The easiest way to let your child shop the fair independently is by creating an e-wallet. It’s easy to set up and easy for others to add funds. Once you create an e-wallet, you’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to Share the Fair—the giving program that supports students at our school who need help buying books. Consider participating so that no child leaves the festival empty-handed. Read More

Shaping A Future Where Curiosity, Compassion, And Courage Thrive

November 13, 2025

Two MPA students working together. from Tiffany Scott Knox, chair, board of trustees

When I think about Mounds Park Academy, I’m reminded that what makes this place so special isn’t just what happens today—it’s how every moment, every act of kindness, and every gift shapes what’s possible for tomorrow.

This year’s Fall Campaign theme, “MPA, Where Every Gift Shapes Tomorrow,” captures that beautifully. Each contribution—large or small—fuels the dreams of our students and supports the incredible work of our faculty and staff. Together, we’re shaping a future where curiosity, compassion, and courage thrive.

As a parent and board chair, I’ve had the privilege of being part of the MPA community for nearly a decade. Since Alex and Ava started in kindergarten, it’s been incredible to watch how this community encourages them to take risks, lead with heart, and think deeply. That same spark shines in every student across campus. Read More

Middle School Division News November 13, 2025

November 13, 2025

A Middle School student working on his food truck project.from Paul Errickson, Middle School director

As we keep rolling along with our November, we have an exciting way for our thespians and fifth and sixth grade students to end the week, as we will have the opening shows of “Dracula: A Comic Thriller!” As the show is described, “Count Dracula and his devoted Draculettes have already munched their way through most of rural Transylvania, and now they’ve set their sights on London—where every citizen looks like a midnight snack. Unless someone stops them, the whole city may soon be on the menu!”

This is our largest Middle School production to date, with 27 students in sixth through eighth grade and over 40 stage-crew members in fifth through 12th grade! Opening night is Friday, with Middle School performances this Friday (fifth and sixth grade) and next Friday (seventh and eighth grade) in the morning. The show runs this weekend and next weekend, and if our preview at yesterday’s Middle School meeting is any indication, folks will be rolling in the aisles.

Also happening this month around the Middle School is an increased focus on developing our sense of gratitude and inclusion of others. Last week, I asked our students to think about what they are grateful for, who they are grateful for, and why. I reminded them of those things we value and celebrate at MPA, such as joy, intellectual ambition, respect and integrity, effective communication, and diversity in all of its forms—race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression and identity, sexual orientation, and religion. And I asked them to consider how we can continue to thrive as a more inclusive community as we head into a new quarter, striving to learn from missteps in the first quarter. As we look to find gratitude in others, how do we look to be someone that others are grateful for? Read More

Your MPA Journey—Here’s What’s Next

November 13, 2025

Biology students working in the native plant gardensThis message is from MPA’s Office of Admission from the November 13, 2025 issue of InsideMPA. Click here to get in touch with Admission and learn more!

Thank you to all who attended the PreK-12 MPA Preview on Sunday! Whether you had lunch and conversation with us at the Taste of Ninth Grade or experienced hands-on learning the MPA way, spending the day with each of you was wonderful. If you love what you discovered here, we encourage you to apply today.

If you’re looking to experience life at MPA firsthand, we’re excited to provide a guide of upcoming opportunities to do so! At this point in the year, families are often asking us what next steps they can take in the admission process. Consider this your quick guide to exploring MPA–now is the perfect time to check these off your school search to-do list. The best part? Your contact in the MPA Office of Admission will be your guide every step of the way. Read More

Where Every Gift Shapes Tomorrow

November 6, 2025

Two Middle School students working on a project. from Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon, head of school

When interviewing for the head of school role at MPA, I remember meeting with various members of the community who shared with me their “MPA moment.” Some were tied to a specific experience, while others were connected to a feeling or overarching theme. Now, as a member of the community, it’s a beautiful feeling to be able to share my own MPA moment, or moments, as it seems I experience a new and memorable one each day!

One of my favorites thus far has been hearing from our seniors their own MPA moments. Much like when I interviewed, they share the significance of experiences such as an overnight school trip, a class or club that ignited a new interest, or the friendships made from playing in the band, on a team, or being part of the musical. What I love most is that their memories span from Lower School through senior year.

These MPA moments, and those to come, would not be possible without the incredible support of our community. From November 16-22, we will honor MPA’s mission by coming together to support the 2025 Fall Campaign: MPA, Where Every Gift Shapes Tomorrow.

Your gift toward the fall campaign makes it possible for each member of our community—current and future—to experience their own MPA moment. From curricular and extracurricular experiences to supporting our incredible faculty, staff, and facilities, your generosity ensures the continuity of our impressive program, as well as the school’s ability to turn new dreams into reality. Read More