April 4, 2024
Parents Association News & Events
MPA Merch Pickup Dates
If you ordered merchandise from the MPA PA and Talisman collaboration, those items are here! Pick up your spirit wear on April 4, in the Family Commons, from 3-3:45 PM. Pick-up will also be available at the Lower School Art and Music Show that same evening, again in the Family Commons. We will also have items available for pick up and purchase on April 11 at our Cultural Celebration Day, on April 18 and 20 at the track meets, and on May 3 at the Panther Party for new MPA families. If you wanted to order something but missed this round, items will be available for purchase during those pick-up times. Come check it out!
Panther Committee Meeting
Friday, April 5, 1:30-3 PM, Porter Conference Room
Are you passionate about athletics at MPA? If you have a sporty Lower School student and see MPA athletics in the future, this is a great place to join the team! If you have a Middle School student who plays club sports and you’re not sure how that translates to MPA sports, this is the spot for you. If you have an Upper School athlete who is hoping to play their sport in college, we may be able to connect you with like-minded families. The Panther Committee will determine topics of interest and work closely with Dan Haase, athletic director, to support MPA athletics. Interested parents can just come or reach out to Christine Larson at clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org.
Lower School Parents LGBTQ+ Family Group
Thursday, April 6, 1-2:30 PM
Contact Rachael Weber at rachaeleweber@gmail.com for more details.
Cultural Celebration Day
Thursday, April 11, 3-6 PM
The MPA Parents Association invites you to a Cultural Celebration event on April 11 from 3-6 PM. Enjoy sweet and savory street food from around the world and an international tea bar. Experience beautiful music and interactive folk and classical dance performances. Engage with community members who will be sharing their cultural heritage. Go home with some cool body art from an expert henna artist. Try your hand at global crafts — Greek laurel wreath making and Chinese paper lanterns. Learn how to use chopsticks. Attend a food demonstration. On offer are fun activities for the whole family! Looking to help out at Cultural Celebration Day? Sign up to volunteer! Food and drink tickets ($1 each) will be sold at the event. Zabiha, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options will be available.
Dr. Hudson’s Book Club
April 18 at 6 PM
Please join Dr. Bill Hudson and fellow book-loving parents in the MPA Library for a discussion of “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese on April 18. “The Covenant of Water” is “a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.” Sign up today to read this hotly anticipated novel by a beloved author!
Track Meet Concessions
Thursday, April 18 and Saturday, April 20
The Parents Association is excited to support athletics as we host our very own track meets this spring! In recent years MPA has not been able to host home track meets because of the condition of our track. Thanks to our generous community, we raised funds, and it was resurfaced last summer! We are hosting two track meets this spring: Varsity on Thursday, April 18, and Middle School on Saturday, April 20.
Please consider donating items for our concessions stand: Sports drinks, fruits, and snacks are on the wish list. Athletes need fuel to race! Offering concessions is a standard at other meets and an opportunity to serve everyone in attendance. If you are coming to watch your athlete, we’d appreciate your help manning the sales tables. Sign up to donate items or your time! If you have any questions, please reach out to Christine Larson at 612-251-1156 or clarsonPA@moundsparkacademy.org. Thanks in advance for your support of Panther athletes!
Spring Auction: Together, We Can Move Mountains
Friday, April 19
Don’t forget about the upcoming Spring Auction! Be sure to buy your tickets here. If you cannot attend in person, there are many ways to get involved! You can buy a Golden Ticket for a teacher, or you can buy a ticket to the event for a teacher or teachers of your choice. Also, the new fund-a-need will support encouraging strong executive functioning skills for all our students. Giving to that fund is a great way to support student learning and development!
Save the Date
Tuesday, May 7
The last Faculty and Staff Appreciation event of the year is coming on Tuesday, May 7, which is National Teacher Appreciation Day. More details coming soon.
Save the Date for These Summer Events
Saturday, June 22: Minnesota United FC game
Friday, July 26: St. Paul Saints game
Last Thursday, the Parents Association hosted Cultural Celebration Day, an evening celebrating the diversity of backgrounds at MPA with food, music, dance and community. Some of the highlights of the event were beautiful dance performances by MPA parents and students, colorfully decorated tables set up by the hosts sharing their culture and cuisine, the ever-popular henna artist, Bilkis and Boba tea vendor, Treats. It was wonderful to experience the energy and engagement from community members. We hope to see you all next year!
Cultural Celebration Day
Cultural Celebration Day
New! Parents Association Trivia Night 
Thank You!
Holiday Gift Wrapping
December 4-8