Special Events Archives

October 29, 2020

The MPA Fall Campaign Committee invites you for a fun virtual kick-off event on Monday, November 9 from 7-7:30 PM. Hear a state of the school update from Dr. Hudson, listen to great student speakers, help us meet a special giving challenge, and celebrate the success to the start of the school year with other MPA families. The whole family is invited to attend to learn more, join in singing our school song, and if 50% of our community joins the call, we have a special challenge donation we will be eligible to receive from a generous donor of $10,000! Join us to learn more about this year’s You Give Fall Campaign, how your family can join in, and help us to build community virtually until we can all be together again safely in person. Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement with any questions at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org. Join via Zoom >

Garseng Wong ’11 Shares His Knowledge On MPA Talks

October 20, 2020

Our Virtual MPA Talks last month featured Garseng Wong, an MPA Class of 2011 alum and a passionate mental health advocate. He is currently a resident psychiatrist at NYU and hopes to specialize in child-adolescent psychiatry, focusing his work with queer youth and young adults. In his MPA Talk, he discussed mental health, skills and ideas for maintaining it, and how to address the stigma around it. Watch Garseng’s full MPA Talk here.

We are looking for additional MPA Alumni who want to share their passions and stories with the MPA Community. Contact alumni@moundsparkacademy.org if you are interested.

Important Clarification About Virtual Grandparents & Special Friends Week

October 8, 2020

Due to our essential COVID-19 safety measures, we are unable to host Grandparents and Special Friends on campus next week or gather as a school community for any type of live performance. Instead, we are excited to offer a virtual week aimed at celebrating the special relationships between our students and their grandparents and loved ones. Read More

MPA Talks Features Garseng Wong ’11

September 14, 2020

Meet MPA Talks speaker Garseng Wong ’11! Garseng attended MPA from grades 4-12 and went on to study Human Biology at Stanford University. He concentrated on nutrition and chronic disease management and initially thought about working as a primary care physician to continue this interest, but during his time in medical school at NYU, pivoted to psychiatry because the field afforded him more time to get to know patients deeply and personally. He is currently a resident psychiatrist at NYU and hopes to specialize in child-adolescent psychiatry, focusing his work with queer youth and young adults long-term. Get to know more about Garseng before MPA Talks on September 30 with the Q&A below!

What will we learn from your MPA Talk?
In my MPA talk, I would like to compare and contrast mental health as it is portrayed in the media and discussed in the lay public versus our conceptualizations as a profession. I hope to offer a space to discuss and de-stigmatize mental health, and introduce skills and ideas for maintaining mental health as students progress through school and develop as young, independent adults.

What do you believe will be the greatest challenge our current students will face in their lifetimes and how do you see MPA equipping them to face that challenge?
Our society has become extremely polarized to the point where communication between people of opposing ideologies often become shouting matches without any exchange of ideas. This is worsened by the growing sentiment against evidence and the blurring of “truth.” Our students will have to become effective communicators with those who do not share their point of view in order to advance in their lives and careers, especially for those who hope to tackle our nation’s (or world’s) great challenges. I see MPA equipping students for this future by introducing them to big, controversial ideas early and asking them to consider issues from multiple perspectives. Read More

Save The Date For MPA Talks

September 10, 2020

This year’s MPA Talks is going virtual! MPA Community members, specifically alumni will be given the platform to share their stories and knowledge through an MPA Talks series this fall. MPA Talks this year will be a platform devoted to the voices of people of color and take place virtually. Save the date for September 30, 2020 to join us at 6 PM live on Facebook.

MPA 2020 Virtual Grandparents & Special Friends Week

September 10, 2020

MPA 2020 Virtual Grandparents and Special Friends Week is October 12-14, 2020! One of the most beloved events of the school year is our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and we are excited to offer a virtual week to celebrate the special relationships between our students and their grandparents and loved ones.

Due to COVID-19, campus is currently closed to outside visitors. However, we have activities planned that will make this week memorable and meaningful. Activities on Monday and Tuesday include letter writing projects to their loved ones, special videos and livestreams throughout the day, and more! Our traditional half-day on Wednesday, October 14 will now be a no classes day. This is a day for you to begin your MEA week break early and to help your students find time to spend with their loved ones!

In order for your student’s grandparents or special friends to participate virtually in these fun offerings, please click here to register them. You must register those individuals you would like to be invited to participate virtually before October 1. For questions, please contact Ashley Goetzke, assistant director of development at agoetzke@moundsparkacademy.org.

Looking Forward To Homecoming 2021

September 3, 2020

One of the annual traditions our community has enjoyed celebrating is the MPA Homecoming festivities, which had been scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2020. Due to our ongoing focus on health and safety given the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as limits on social gatherings and visitors on campus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s activities. We will miss the joy, laughter, and sense of community shared by all during Homecoming, but look forward for new ways in the coming weeks and months for current families and alumni to celebrate our Panther Pride. Look for our chance to celebrate together again during Homecoming 2021!

Thanking Our Impactful Retirees

May 21, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, head of school

Many years ago I had my first opportunity to speak at a national conference. The meeting was held in Baltimore and I found out that my favorite high school teacher, Br. Jim, lived nearby and was going to be in attendance. I was able to track down his email address and wrote to him, sharing that he was my favorite teacher and the reason I decided to become a teacher. I also asked if he would like to get together for lunch while I was in town. Br. Jim was principal of my high school and had stepped into teaching a ninth grade class at the last minute. He was an amazing storyteller had a way of teaching that made each student feel that he was talking directly and personally to them. Br. Jim was gentle, kind, and brilliant, too. He never talked down to us and found ways to bring all of us along, inspiring us to higher levels of critical thinking. After that year, he moved on to a new job and a new city yet I never forgot him.

Br. Jim accepted my invitation and we met for lunch. As he entered the restaurant, it was clear he didn’t know who I was. Sheepishly, he admitted as much and said he had been trying for weeks to remember me, even pulling out an old yearbook to jog his memory. He said he was embarrassed and began to apologize profusely. I stopped him and that I was not at all offended. To me, what was important was not that he would remember me—it was that I remembered him. He had hundreds if not thousands of students over his career. But for me, there was only one Br. Jim.

All teachers aspire to having such an impact on our students. Of course, teachers strive to be their best, to employ the very best pedagogy, techniques and strategies, and excel in their respective academic area. However, and more importantly, they strive to touch the hearts of their students. Teaching as a career is much more than a job or a transaction between employer and employee. It is transformational. I can safely say that our retirees this year have been transformational in the lives of their students and in the history of the school. Read More

MPA Talks Goes Virtual

May 19, 2020

Are you interested in sharing your story with the MPA Community? MPA Talks is an opportunity to come together, gain perspective and be inspired. We are looking for alumni who will join fellow community members to share impactful stories virtually for our community. If you are interested in speaking for the event or would like to recommend a speaker please contact the Development Office at alumni@moundsparkacademy.org.

Accessing MPA Community Care Funds

May 7, 2020

Thanks to the generosity of our community, MPA would like to support you and your family if you are facing a financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. The MPA Community Care Fund has flexible dollars available to help you if you need it, including financial assistance, technology needs, emergency resources, helping your graduating senior with expenses for college in the fall, among others.

Please fill out this confidential Request for Assistance form or contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.