Parents Association

Connecting With The MPA Parents Association

September 16, 2021

Homecoming CoffeePA
Join us for an all school morning coffee to celebrate Homecoming on Friday, October 1 from 7:45-10:00 AM. Have a hot cup of coffee and, if you choose, show your support for our athletes by helping to decorate the tennis courts and soccer field fence as well as writing messages of encouragement for our student athletes. We’ll be under the tent in the west parking lot, rain or shine. Go Panthers!

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Sign Up
Fall at MPA is filled with traditions…The first day of school, picture day, after school sports, that first missed homework assignment and Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week. Help the PA keep the tradition of supporting our faculty and staff by donating snacks and beverages during this busy week. They’ll be available all week for staff to grab at their convenience. Donations can be brought to your assigned drop off door during morning drop off (LS, MS, or US). To sign up, click the link below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F084DACA622A5FB6-fall1

Parents Connect: Wednesday Morning Walks
The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet at the flagpole near the LS entrance. LS, MS and US families are welcome. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us.

Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!

Parents Connect: Monday and Thursday Mornings in the Garden
Get your hands dirty after drop off, helping in MPA’s gardens. No experience necessary. Come and help weed, plant, dig, or sow, all are welcome. How long you stay is up to you. If Michelle Mick is not at the flagpole, go around the corner, in the Library gardens, next to Door #2.

Connecting With The MPA Parents Association

September 9, 2021

Parents Connect: Wednesday Morning WalksPA Connect

The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun! Wednesday, September 8 we’ll have a 30-minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet at the flagpole near the LS entrance. LS, MS and US families are welcome. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us.

After that walk if parents are interested, we can head over to the Farmer’s Market at Aldrich Arena, a short walk from MPA. They have a large variety of great produce and you’ll be supporting local farmers.

Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!

Parents Connect: Monday and Thursday Mornings in the Garden

Get your hands dirty after drop off, helping in MPA’s gardens. No experience necessary. Come and help weed, plant, dig, or sow, all are welcome. How long you stay is up to you. If Michelle Mick is not at the flagpole, go around the corner, in the Library gardens, next to Door #2.

Upcoming garden dates resume on Monday, September 13. Michelle is unable to meet Thursday, September 9.

Remember to bring a mask! Hope to see you there!

News from the MPA Gardens

‘Tis the season to see the beautiful Monarch butterflies fill up, on their way down to Mexico where they overwinter. In the library gardens, this past week there have been lots of butterflies (a kaleidoscope of butterflies!) feeding off the long purple flower at the end of the gardens near the library — the flower is liatris/blazing star, a native, and if you have a chance, do please wander through the gardens, with your student or alone to catch the last glimpse of them before they fly off on their way until next year. This past week we have seen up to 20 of them circling around, landing, dancing in the air — it really is a beautiful sight!

The Magic Of A Noisy Classroom

September 2, 2021

upper school students giving classroom presentationAfter several months of quiet and sometimes eerie peacefulness, the hallways and classrooms are abuzz with energy and joy this week. And so, it should be as the MPA family comes together again for a new school year. With 139 new students and an overall enrollment of 577, much of our time over the last week has been dedicated to building community and developing relationships with one another.

There are volumes of research demonstrating that when students feel like they belong, self-esteem, positive peer relationships, classroom engagement, academic achievement, positive attitudes toward school and learning, resilience, and many other positive attributes increase. One of those volumes collecting dust in the stacks of the University of St. Thomas Library is my own dissertation on the importance of creating a school culture that is grounded in relationships.

Late last week, I was drawn to a classroom by the laughter emanating from it. Rather than be concerned, I simply smiled, for I learned early in my career as a teacher and administrator that there is magic in a noisy classroom. What on the surface may seem a bit chaotic or messy can in reality be a very intentional experience with students engaged in their own education, building relationships, and learning collaboratively, in a robust and captivating place. Read More

Connect With The MPA Parents Association This School Year

August 26, 2021

Parents Connect: Wednesday Morning WalksPA Photo
The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun! Wednesday, September 1 we’ll have a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet at the flagpole near the Lower School entrance. Lower School, Middle School and Upper School families are welcome. This week’s walk will include strolling through some of the grounds on MPA, including the prairie area. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us.
After that walk if parents are interested, we can head over to the Farmer’s Market at Aldrich Arena, a short walk from MPA. They have a large variety of great produce and you’ll be supporting local farmers.
Remember to bring a mask to all events! Hope to see you there!
Monday and Thursday Mornings in the Garden
Get your hands dirty Monday and Thursday mornings after drop off, helping in MPA’s gardens. No experience necessary. Come and help weed, plant, dig, or sow, all are welcome. How long you stay is up to you. If Michelle Mick is not at the flagpole, go around the corner, in the Library gardens, next to Door #2.
Remember to bring a mask! Hope to see you there!

Become A Parents Association Grade Rep!

June 2, 2021

middle school students smiling togetherThe Parents Association is looking forward to the incoming school year and the Grade Rep program, which is integral in building our school community. If you’re interested in becoming a grade rep for the 2021-2022 school year, please email Julie Bixby at juliebixby1@gmail.com. If you’re currently a grade rep, thank you for all your work in keeping us together over this challenging year. The Parents Association will assume you want to continue as a grade rep unless you choose to opt out by contacting Julie Bixby.

Why MPA Parent Susan Knapp Volunteers

May 13, 2021

Parker and friends at recessby Susan Knapp (parent of Parker in ninth grade)

For the kids. There is something magical in seeing the joy on the kids’ faces, knowing you had a part in generating that. It’s a great way to get a glimpse into your child’s life at school—at least until they’re teens and don’t want you around at school. See what they’re like with their friends, get to know their class a little better, experience their camaraderie, their joy, and gratitude for the extras volunteers provide.

For the sheer joy of being a part of something bigger. One of the best experiences I’ve had volunteering was being involved in the MS Café. Using my talents and time in ways that I don’t normally has been very rewarding. I loved the teamwork, meeting the challenges, the creativity, and the gratitude and wonder on the kids’ faces as they walked into all of our hard work for the very first time. It was a labor of love and totally worth it. Another great experience was manning the snack room in pre-COVID teacher appreciation week. It’s a very fun way of meeting teachers and staff members, surrounded by sugar and snacks and gratitude. What can be better than that?! Read More

MPA Book Festival Ends May 3!

April 29, 2021

perk students on story walkThe book festival has started and runs through Monday, May 3. Its goal is to encourage the love of reading and to contribute to the MPA Library. Books are available for purchase from two local booksellers, Usborne Books and Valley Bookseller in Stillwater. Our theme this year is Earth Day, which was April 22. We have opportunities to participate in book and Earth-related fun activities, including story times and prize giveaways!

Below are helpful links with book recommendations and direct links to our book vendors to place your orders.

If you have any questions about this year’s Virtual Book Festival, please contact DeeDee at deedeeclendenning@gmail.com or Michelle Mick at michelle_wessely@yahoo.com.

Parents Association Members Share Why They Volunteer

April 29, 2021

MPA parents having coffee outsideWe invite you to join the MPA Parents Association Board! The Parents Association board is looking for volunteers to fill several positions next year. There are varying time commitments, but the experience is consistently rewarding. Over the next few weeks the current PA Board would like to share our reasons for volunteering.

Please reach out to Kim Jakway, Susan Knapp, or any of the current board members with questions or to express interest.

Why I Volunteer
by Yukiko Miyokawa (parent of Eilam, 9th Grade)
I have been volunteering my time as a Treasurer for the Parent Association for the past one and a half years and it has been a very rewarding experience.

Initially, I was nervous to volunteer at MPA since English was not my first language and I came from a different culture.  Moreover, since I was born and raised in Japan, I had no idea what student life was like and how teachers interacted with students and their parents in the U.S. I wondered what I could do as a parent to be involved and help. Read More

MPA Book Festival Has Begun!

April 22, 2021

MPA librariansThe book festival has started and runs through Monday, May 3. Its goal is to encourage the love of reading and to contribute to the MPA Library fund. Books are available for purchase from two local booksellers, Usborne Books, and Valley Bookseller in Stillwater. Our theme this year is Earth Day, which is today, April 22! We have opportunities to participate in book and Earth-related fun activities, including story times and prize giveaways!

If you have any questions about this year’s Virtual Book Festival, please contact Michelle Mick at michelle_wessely@yahoo.com.

MPA Book Festival Agenda & Activities

April 14, 2021

two students reading in the library in 2019The MPA Book Festival is a beloved tradition and the Parents Association is looking forward to making it possible virtually! The annual Book Festival provides our MPA community with opportunities to participate in reading activities, purchase great books, and support our local booksellers. The MPA Library will use the donations from the booksellers to purchase books for teachers, classrooms, and the library. Books will be available for purchase from two local booksellers, Usborne Books and Valley Bookseller. Since our event is virtual, you have the ability to purchase any books available through their distributors. You can even purchase a gift certificate for a teacher! Our theme this year is Earth Day, which occurs on April 22. There will also be opportunities to participate in book and Earth-related fun activities, including prize giveaways! If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Mick at michelle_wessely@yahoo.com. Read More