Cretin/MPA/Minnehaha Gymnasts Featured For Strong Season

Cretin/MPA/Minnehaha Gymnastics

The Cretin/MPA/Minnehaha gymnastics team was featured in the Star Tribune today for its recent success, which includes a berth to the state meet. MPA’s Delaney Cunnington ’25 and her mom, Carrie, both played critical roles in the strong season!

When faced with a lack of coaches, Carrie recruited former Gophers gymnast Jonda Hughes and a former Level 10 club gymnast, Anja Mundahl, to help fill out the Cretin/MPA/Minnehaha coaching roster. Delaney handled the competition side of things, recruiting another top athlete to the team and then winning the all-around title with a career-high 38.2. She also won on the bar, beam, and floor routine during the section meet.

With the people in place to help the program excel, the motto has stayed simple to keep moving forward, Delaney said.

“Give it your all, have fun. That’s kind of it. It’s all we do,”

The state competitions are Friday and Saturday at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. Please join us in wishing Delaney and the rest of the Cretin/MPA/Minnehaha team the best of luck this weekend. Go Panthers!


Congratulations To MPA’s National Merit Finalists!

MPA National Merit FinalistsCongratulations to seniors Zain Ali, Maggie Banks-Hehenberger, Ian Frankel, Miles Niemeyer, and Soumya Raman, who recently were named National Merit Finalists! These seniors entered the competition based on their PSAT performance in the fall of their junior year—earning scores that placed them in the top 16,000 students nationally of the 1.3 million students tested at more than 21,000 high schools. Finalists are eligible to be awarded National Merit Scholarships later this spring, which could come from their chosen college or university, a participating corporate sponsor, or the National Merit Scholarship Corporation itself.


MPA Competes At Harvard National Speech And Debate Tournament

MPA Speech team at HarvardThe Mounds Park Academy Speech traveled to the prestigious Harvard University National Speech and Debate tournament this past weekend. The tournament included teams from 38 different states, categories exceeding 300 entries each, and is a precursor to the NSDA National Tournament in June. On one of the country’s largest stages in the activity, 14 MPA students shined through three days of competition. Congratulations to the following students on their outstanding achievements:

  • Akshay Somayajula ’24: Top 100 Double-Octafinalist Oratory
  • Amal Sastry ’25: Top 60 and tiebroken from Extemp Speaking Octafinals
  • Nico Bergh ’27: Top 50 and Octafinalist in Humorous
  • Guy Schwieger ’26: Top 50 and Octafinalist in Humorous
  • Zainab Lodhi ’25: Top 25 and Quarterfinalist in Informative
  • Ash Klann ’26: Seventh Place and Semifinalist in Oratory
  • Paul Fertig ’25: Sixth Place and Finalist in Extemp Speaking

The Harvard National Tournament is considered the most prestigious high school Speech and Debate Tournament outside of the official National Tournament. In her speech accepting her nomination to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson referenced her experience and success at the Harvard Tournament as the reason for her rise to National Champion, and eventually, the highest bench in the country.


Welcome To MPA, Michael Pappas!

Michael PappasWelcome to MPA, Michael! Michael joins us as the communications coordinator. We are so excited to introduce him to our community!

What school/organization are you coming from?
I previously worked for Adams Publishing Group.

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I graduated from St. Cloud State University before heading to work for the Union-Times and County News Review as the sports editor.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The school seemed like a very welcoming place for everybody.

What lasting impact do you plan to have on MPA? 
I plan to help push MPA to make it even better than it currently is by helping in whatever way I can. Read More


Middle School Division News February 22, 2024

by Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

  • Thursday, February 22: Head of School Search Parent/Guardian Listening Session, 7 PM, see email for the link
  • Friday, February 23: Head of School Search Parent/Guardian Listening Session, 8:15-9 AM, Gallery
  • Saturday, February 24: Head of School Search Parent/Guardian Listening Session, 10-10:45 AM, see email for the link
  • February 26-March 1: SnoDaze Spirit Week
  • Monday, February 26: MS Parents/Guardians Coffee with Middle School Director Candidate, 8:15-9 AM, Gallery
  • Tuesday, February 27: Grade 6 Battle of the Books, 10-11:15 AM, Library
  • Wednesday, February 28: MS Grade 7/8 BIPOC Affinity, 2:20-3 PM, Panther Center
  • Thursday, February 29: MS Parents/Guardians Coffee with Middle School Director Candidate, 8:15-9 AM, Gallery
  • Friday, March 1: MS Parents/Guardians Coffee with Middle School Director Candidate, 8:15-9 AM, Gallery
  • Friday, March 1: SnoDaze Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center
  • Monday, March 4-Friday, March 8: i-Term 2024
  • Monday, March 11-Sunday, March 24: No Classes, Spring Break
  • Monday, March 25: Classes Resume at 8 AM

February days seem long as we are eagerly working our way to i-Term and Spring Break. Please remind your student that the hardest and most rewarding part of being a student is using good habits and routines each day to be successful and realizing that success. Encourage them to keep their focus for just a little while longer until we all get a much-deserved spring break!

NWEA MAP TESTING: Student Reports Coming Home!
We have wrapped up our second administration of the NWEA MAP Growth assessment and we will be sending home student reports next week. These will come to you via mail in hard copy. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me via email or phone.

i-Term 2024: TRAVEL! PLAY! BUILD! DREAM! LEARN!
In just over a week, on Monday, March 4, i-Term 2024 will begin–a week of passion-driven, inquiry and exploration in a chosen area, alongside peers from all grades in the Middle School, and led by a teacher (or two!) and maybe even a tour guide! Your students have been entered into Schoology courses where they will get updates, information, announcements, and other key information for their week. Read More


A Sacred Space Inside: The Power of Positive Affirmations

Lower School student talking on microphone at champ assembly

from Jennifer Le Varge, Lower School director

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.

I recently came across, on Instagram of all places, a video clip from an episode of Oprah’s “Super Soul Sunday” featuring the great Dr. Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou, a female Black American poet and civil rights activist, has inspired millions through her writings and teachings. In this conversation, Dr. Angelou recalled advice she gave to her son when he was growing up:

“He said, ‘I don’t have any friends. How can I get some friends?’ I told him two things. First, in order to get a friend, you must be a friend. And second, there is a place in you that you must keep inviolate. You must keep it pristine, clean, so that nobody has the right to curse you or treat you badly. Say no, when it’s no … Because that place must remain clean, clear.”

As the message sank in and I sat there on my couch, in my pajamas on a Saturday morning, this teaching reminded me of the words of my grandfather. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, my abuelo was a commanding figure in our family. I used to love sitting around the big mahogany table at the tail end of family dinners when the grownups would start drinking coffee and the cousins scattered off to play—this is when the juicy family drama would come out! Sometimes, the grownups would reminisce about the old days, and I often heard renditions of my mother’s great escape from South Bend, Indiana in the late 1950s. At that time, my grandfather returned from serving in the US Navy during the Korean War and was attending Notre Dame University as an engineering student. My mother and uncle were young children in elementary school, and my grandmother worked as a seamstress. One day, they came home and found that slur words for Hispanic people had been painted on the side of their bungalow house. Fearing worse was to come, my grandmother packed up my uncle and mother and escaped on the first train out of South Bend, leaving my grandfather to finish his engineering degree alone. It was years before the family was properly reunited. Read More


The Joys And Challenges Of A PreK-12 Schedule

from Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

I am deeply touched by the outpouring of kind sentiments I’ve received since announcing my intention to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year. This decision was incredibly difficult, as I have found immense joy in serving as the head of school at MPA and feel privileged to lead such a remarkable community. Each day, I eagerly anticipate coming to school, recognizing the rare fortune of a job that is both professionally rewarding and personally fulfilling.

As I look toward the future, I have full confidence in the board of trustees and the search committee to find an exceptional successor. Rest assured, my commitment and passion for MPA remain unwavering, and I am dedicated to giving my all over the next 16 months.

Looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year, I am excited to share some exciting changes coming to the Middle and Upper Schools. Throughout this year, the academic administration has carefully reviewed feedback on the curriculum and academic schedule from students, parents, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to continuous improvement is guided by our school’s mission and values, ensuring we meet the evolving needs of our students.

Developing a master schedule and academic calendar that caters to students from PreK through 12 is indeed challenging. I often liken my role as head of school to managing a wonderfully messy family with three different schools, each with its own unique students, teachers, and parents—all under one roof. We are one school united by our mission, yet each division approaches the daily schedule with a focus on our students’ academic, social-emotional, and mental well-being. A committee of teachers and administrators, supported by our exceptional new registrar, Renae Wantock, has refined the master schedule to be even more responsive to our students’ needs.

Upper School
In the Upper School next year, we will offer an impressive 50 elective classes, with 29 available to ninth graders, 13 more in the tenth grade, four more in the eleventh grade, and four more in the twelfth grade. This breadth of choice is rare and reflects our commitment to providing an enriching academic experience. Read More


Congratulations MPA Skiers!

MPA Skiers Alpine and NordicThree members of the MPA Alpine Ski Team earned All-Conference Awards for their efforts at the IMAC Alpine Conference Championship Meet at Buck Hill. Congratulations to Sidney Lundeen ’27, Henry Schwartz ’25, and Jaclyn L. ’29.

Two members of the MPA Alpine Ski Team earned Honorable Mention All-Conference Awards for their efforts at the IMAC Alpine Conference Championship Meet at Buck Hill. Congratulations to Myah Hoeschen ’27 and Jacob Wyant ’27.

Two members of the MPA Alpine Ski Team qualified for State at the Section 4A Alpine Ski Meet. Congratulations to Jaclyn L. ’29 and Vittorio Bloyer ’24. They will be participating at the State Alpine Meet at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, MN on February 13. Read More


MPA Students Experience Music Clinic At University Of Wisconsin

Oslo, Julia, and LucyThree exceptional MPA students had the opportunity to attend a prestigious orchestra clinic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this week. Julia Anderson ’27, Oslo Norcross ’27, and Lucy Mayer ’27 attended intensive rehearsals, guided by university faculty, and all of their hard work culminated in a live concert performance.

“Our MPA musicians are so dedicated to music making and I love that they were able to experience this event,” said Hannah Lawson, MPA’s director of orchestras. “As their director, I want to give my students as many performance opportunities as possible and I’m so proud that they accepted the challenge and can carry this experience with them forever.” Read More


Middle School Division News February 8, 2024

Middle Schoolers high diving after talent show performancefrom Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School director

Mark Your Calendars

  • Friday, February 9: No LS/MS Classes, Conferences
  • Wednesday, February 14: Middle School Parent Quarterly Coffee, 8:15-9:30 AM, Library
  • Wednesday, February 14: MS Grades 7/8 BIPOC Affinity Group Meeting, Panther Center
  • Thursday, February 15: Re-enrollment Deadline
  • Thursday, February 15: LS/MS Evening Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
  • Friday, February 16: No Classes, Professional Development, Panther Club Closed
  • Monday, February 19: No Classes, Presidents’ Day
  • Monday, February 26: SnoDaze Spirit Week Begins
  • Friday, March 1: SnoDaze Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Sports Center
  • Monday, March 4-Friday, March 8: i-Term 2024

This may be the first year since joining the MPA family in 2018, that the groundhog predicted an early spring! While we miss the sledding hill at recess, we are grateful to not be bundling up every day to be outside and maybe, just maybe, our spring sports will have a smooth start to their seasons.

As we approach conferences this week, I hope you’re also taking the time to connect with your Middle School students about how their year is going, what is working well for them, and where adjustments may need to be made to see great success. An important part of growing up is coming to a better understanding of how you learn and what you need to be successful. It was in Middle School when I realized that I needed clear checklists, absolute silence to fully comprehend what I was reading and studying and that not having a plan caused me an immeasurable amount of anxiety and caused me to procrastinate and avoid. Identifying hurdles and needs like these for your Middle School student helps them to manage their learning and their emotions and learn to ask for what they need. I encourage you, the next time you’re in the car, running errands, or sharing time on the sofa at home, ask your Middle Schooler about how they learn, what tips and tricks they’re learning, and where they’re finding success. If they’re not sure, guide them—help them see that learning is work, takes intentionality, and doesn’t just “happen.” The best part is that they get to decide how it happens! Read More