My MPA Experience

Meet Andrew And Ben George ’17

July 5, 2017

Ben and Andrew GeorgeWhat do you love about MPA?
This is a very, very welcoming and respectful environment. It’s really amazing how many different opportunities there are here. In the public school you can excel at one, maybe two things—and our friends are doing that well—but our experiences are so much more varied.

How have you been encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
This is a very individual-centered place where it’s cool to be involved and follow your passions.

What would you tell another parent considering MPA?
We had many friends, and were sad to part from them, but we fit in really well as soon as we came. It is easy to connect with our teachers because they are so enthusiastic and our classes are so small.

In what ways has MPA prepared your child for life in the 21st century?
All of our classes are discussion-based. Our teachers want to hear what we have to say and insist we take a stance and defend it. I know that helps us excel today, and will help us continue to excel broadly in the future.

Andrew now attends Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA and Ben attends Carleton College in Northfield, MN.

Meet The Kim Family

June 26, 2017

What do you love about MPA?
The balanced, supportive, and flexible environment at MPA resonates with our own philosophies as educators and parents and has given us a unified sense of purpose—education not only for our child, but for our family. When your child is happy and getting a great education, nothing else matters. We are so grateful for the opportunity to call MPA home and consider it a true privilege.

How is your child encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
William is consistently challenged to think critically and meaningfully about current social and political issues.  His evolving knowledge, character, and emotional intelligence will equate with self-empowerment and increased opportunity.

If your child has attended another school, how has your experience at MPA been different?
Aside from the obvious benefits of small class sizes and individualized attention, MPA’s supportive and collegial atmosphere among students and faculty is exceptional.

What would you tell another parent considering MPA?
The only thing that went smoothly during our international move was our school choice. Our colleagues at the University recommended MPA. We visited. We fell in love. There’s something extra at MPA that’s very magical. If it could be defined, it would be replicated elsewhere, but it’s not. There’s no other school like this. Read More

Meet Kelsey King ’09

June 26, 2017

Freelance illustrator
Teacher, Minneapolis College of Art and Design

What do you love about MPA?
When I came as a fifth-grader, I was immediately struck by how much the teachers loved us and their subjects. I now work to embody that passion in my own professional life. It’s really what makes MPA special. I could walk down the hall and be known by all of my teachers. I was the teacher’s pet—but the funny thing is, every student was.

How were you encouraged to dream big and do right at MPA?
MPA helped me become a good person who cares about my community and our place in the world. MPA is where I developed a wise and mature sense of where America sits in our global community and the many privileges we have.

If you ever attended another school, how was your experience at MPA different?
I appreciate the balanced education I received at MPA. The classes were rigorous and helped me become a well-rounded, educated person who could think critically. I can look back fondly at all of my classes, even math where I spent time doodling in an effort to stay focused. Read More

Meet Ms. Espeland

June 26, 2017

Ms Espeland teachingHow many years have you been at MPA?
I started in the fall of 1989, so I have been here 27 years.

What do you love about MPA?
I love that the students and I get to sing, dance, play instruments, improvise, and create every other school day for 35 minutes. The students get to “dig into” learning musical skills and expressing their creative ideas. Music is considered a real subject matter, not just an extra. And, I dearly love watching the students grow from PreK and kindergarten children to accomplished young men and women.

How does MPA nurture students who forever dream big and do right?
Learning music at MPA goes beyond the basic skills of music education. Even the youngest children are asked to “show me your idea,” “sing to me about your favorite color,” or “make-up a pattern.” The children learn that their input and their ideas are important. They learn that they can create ways to express themselves. They learn that when working together with their classmates or the entire Lower School, we can create big beautiful music and dance. Performing in ensemble is like no other experience in the world. MPA students have internalized the amazing feeling of truly working together by the time they complete their kindergarten year. Read More