Giving For The Future

from Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement

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.

Why a lip sync battle? I have been asked that question more than a few times as director of development and community engagement at MPA. I inherited this tradition that started in 2016: an end-of-day all-school assembly on Give to the Max Day. Some have wondered what teachers and staff battling it out with a friendly lip-sync competition has to do with fundraising at an independent school like MPA.

Every year, when we gather to watch the teams put themselves out there in person and our compilation video at the end of the night, this gathering reminds me of why I love MPA. This year, reflecting on how we’ve celebrated as a community on Give to the Max Day in years past feels especially meaningful.

Of course, Give to the Max Day isn’t just about well-rehearsed dance moves or (at times) silly costumes. It’s about the joy, fun, and sense of shared purpose and community a day of giving can spark. And what better way to spark joy than through a lip sync battle? Please know that all community members are welcome to join us in the Lansing Sports Center at 2 PM.

In preparation for this chance for our community to support the area that matters most to them— academic innovation, access, the arts, and athletics—I asked teachers, staff, students, and alums why each area resonates with them. Our third-grade teaching team, Ms. Stewart and Ms. Wermager, shared this with me:

“As new teachers at MPA, we both feel lucky to be in a community where students are encouraged to explore, create, and test out their ideas. One of our focus areas is to provide students with many opportunities to make and create in our classrooms. We wouldn’t be able to implement these activities without funds and materials, so we appreciate that MPA provides us with what we need to make these experiences possible.”

I hope you’ll follow along on MPA’s social media channels to hear more inspiring stories about why an MPA education means so much to our students, staff, and alums.

Today, I am giving to support the type of academic innovation in the classroom that I know my own students have benefitted from. I also support access to an MPA education for every student who can benefit from our whole-child academics, prioritizing collaboration over competition. After making a gift to ensure our incredible arts faculty and staff have the resources they need to continue to guide every student to embrace their creativity and expression, I will give my standing ovation for our Middle School students as they perform in the Middle School play this weekend. And while we’re tallying up final gifts tonight, I’ll know my gift in support of athletics at MPA helps our student-athletes, like the Varsity Swim Team, at their state tournament.

We have a big goal today and many challenges remaining to unlock even more financial support for our students and staff. Join with me and thousands of alums, parents, grandparents, and friends to give generously for today’s students and the future we can all hope for, knowing they’ll be the trailblazers and leaders shaking the world and stirring the human spirit.


Parents Association News and Events November 16, 2023

Two New Volunteer Opportunities for MPA Parents/Guardians
The Panther Committee is hoping for your input if you are passionate about Athletics at MPA. If you have a sporty LS student and see MPA athletics in your future, this is a great place to join the team! If you have a MS 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 a US 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. The first meeting will be Friday, November 17 from 1-3 PM in the Porter Conference Room.

If you are interested in topics of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging at MPA this is a perfect opportunity to share your passion. The DEIB Committee will determine topics of interest and work closely with Lamar Shingles, Director of Equity and Belonging, to make an impact at MPA. The first meeting will be Tuesday, November 28, from 4-6 PM in the Porter Conference Room.

Thanksgiving Pie Distribution
Tuesday, November 21, 1:30-3 PM
Before Thanksgiving, the Parents Association will be handing out Pies to our MPA staff in the Family Commons. Stop by to help out. There is no sign up necessary!

LS Parent Quarterly Coffee
Tuesday, November 28, 6-7 PM in the Gallery
Join us for the LS Parent Quarterly Coffee. The topic will be “Responsive Parenting: Understanding Developmental Stages.” We will discuss the common stages of development in the Lower School, to help us understand our children better. Read More


Your Gift, Their Future

from Bill Hudson, head of school

Confidence in the future is at an all-time low for Americans. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that many Americans hold negative views about our collective future. It’s not hard to see why. Global strife, an uncertain economy, political vitriol, social discord, and climate change, to name a few, all contribute to the current uneasiness many feel.

Yet, I remain a firm optimist. While I don’t discount our current reality, I have faith in the future because MPA students inspire me each and every day. I see eighth graders working together to imagine, research, design, and build future cities that showcase their solutions to a citywide sustainability issue. I see Upper School students grappling with and researching complex topics in debate, forming arguments grounded in evidence and the result of critical thinking. I see Lower School students learning about and practicing essential social skills such as kindness, respect, listening, and conflict resolution. Read More


Upper School Division News November 9, 2023

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

Mark Your Calendars

  • Monday, November 13: 11th Grade Mock ACT Testing, 11:30-3 PM, MPA 
  • Thursday, November 16: Give to the Max Day Lip Sync Assembly, 2:20-3 PM, Lansing Center 
  • Thursday, November 16: Grade 10 Parent Meeting, 6-7 PM, Recital Hall 
  • Thursday, November 16: Upper School Vocal Concert, 7:30-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center 
  • Friday, November 17:   9th Grade Bring-A-Friend to MPA Day 
  • Monday, November 20: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall 
  • Wednesday, November 22: No Classes, Thanksgiving Break 
  • Thursday, November 23: No Classes, Thanksgiving Holiday Break 
  • Friday, November 24: No Classes, Thanksgiving Holiday Break 
  • Thursday, November 30: Upper School Conferences, 3:30-8 PM, MPA 
  • Friday, December 1: No Upper School Classes, Upper School Conferences, 8-5 PM, MPA 
  • Saturday, December 2: US Semi-Formal Dance, 8-11 PM, Maplewood Community Center 
  • Monday, December 4-Friday, December 8: MPA Book Festival 
  • Wednesday, December 6: Founder’s Day Breakfast, 7-8 AM, Family Commons 
  • Wednesday, December 6: Class of 2028 Feed Your Mind Dinner, 6-8 PM, Family Commons 
  • Thursday, December 7: Upper School Parent Coffee, 8-9:30 AM, PCR 
  • Friday, December 8: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall 
  • Tuesday, December 19: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall 
  • Tuesday, December 19: Class of 2028 Parent Coffee, 6:30-7:30 PM, MPA 
  • Wednesday, December 20: MPA Caroling, 7:30-8 AM, MPA 
  • Thursday, December 21-Tuesday, January 2: No Classes, Winter Break 
  • Wednesday, January 3: Classes Resume 

A few weeks ago, my family and I celebrated one of many traditional Upper School “rites of passage” when our son received his driver’s permit. We anxiously awaited the envelope addressed to him from the State of Minnesota that contained his permit card, which would give him the permission necessary to get behind the wheel of our car and drive. When it arrived, however, I must admit that I was surprised by what I saw. It wasn’t that his picture had more of a smirk than a smile or that he had decided to be an organ donor like his parents, but rather my focus was on the difficult to read “signature” displayed at the bottom of the card. I have known for quite some time that his penmanship was similar to what patients once saw at the bottom of a doctor’s prescription pad, but I was a bit taken aback by what I saw.  

In a recent Washington Post article, author Gina Rich shared that “handwriting is a fine motor skill that isn’t innately learned; it needs to be taught and practiced.” As I thought about this quote, I realized that handwriting is a timeless and fundamental skill that plays a critical role in the process of learning and mastering material. This was a hard reality for me as MPA has for decades been a one-to-one laptop school where academic technology has played an important role in the education of students. While technology has, and will continue, to make vast strides in education, there are compelling reasons to advocate and find time for students to use handwriting as an essential tool in their learning process.   Read More


Parents Association News and Events November 9, 2023

MPA Book Festival
December 4-8
Book Festival is coming up! Just in time for Winter Break reading or holiday gifts! Come and share the love of books and reading with your family. The Book Festival is in-person again this year! Support the joy of reading at MPA!

Used Book Sale
Our students love to browse the used book selection for interesting titles! The PA will be hosting a Used Book Sale at school during Book Festival week. We are asking for donations of gently used books for readers of all ages (hardcover and paperbacks). Please no textbooks, encyclopedias, or travel guides. Donation carts will be set up at the North and South entrances from November 13-December 1 for convenient donation drop-offs. All proceeds benefit the MPA library.

MPA Book Festival Book Club with Dr. Hudson
Dec 7, 6-7:30 PM, MPA Library
“Mad Honey” by Jodi Picoult
Please join Dr. Hudson and fellow book-loving parents for a discussion of Mad Honey. Author Jodi Picoult describes her novel as having “all of the things: alternating narratives, suspense, courtroom drama, and a love story at its core. It’s about authenticity, identity, and it explores the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become our true selves.” Please sign up here to let us know you will be coming and to get your copy of the book here. Read More


Nurturing A Joyful Environment

from Bill Hudson, head of school

We had a marvelous turnout for Grandparents and Special Friends Day with more than 450 guests. I received a handwritten thank you note from a grandparent that expresses much of what I heard from multiple grandparents/special friends throughout the day. It read, “It truly was a morning to remember. My grandchildren are thriving at MPA, and it is easy to see why—the nurturing, caring, high-standard environment you and all the teachers and staff have created was a joy to behold.”

Joy isn’t always associated with education. In an era of emphasis on high-stakes testing, rote learning, and fears about falling behind academically, the importance of joy in education is often overlooked. Or worse, students working (occasionally laughing) together on a project, joyfully carving a pumpkin, excitedly creating a play from scratch, singing with gusto, or delighting in the music they create from their musical instrument isn’t considered “real learning.” What is real, however, is the declining mental health and increased anxiety our children are experiencing, which is being called the “crisis of our times” by United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Read More


Parents Association News and Events November 2, 2023

Thank You, Lower School Parent Volunteers
The PA wishes to thank Cathi Murray and Megan Brogger for leading the planning and coordination of the Lower School Halloween Festivities!  If you would like to learn how to get involved, you can email msotoPA@moundsparkacademy.org to learn about upcoming opportunities.

Thank You to Our Community Coffee Hosts
Thank you to our gracious coffee hosts for the Neighborhood/Community Coffees this past weekend: Staci Banks-Herberger, Christine Larson, Seema Anwar, Erika Beernink, and Michaela Jahnke. Stay tuned for more coffees in different neighborhoods in 2024!

Thank You
Last Friday, the Parents Association thanked the College Counseling Office and Upper School Faculty for all of their hard work on letters of recommendation for our seniors applying to college.

MPA Book Club with Dr. Hudson
Tuesday, November 7, 6 PM in the MPA Library
Please join Dr. Hudson and fellow MPA parents for a great discussion of David Grann’s bestseller, “Killers of the Flower Moon”. This non-fiction page-turner that reads like a novel. Read More


A Love Note To Parents

from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle 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.

Being a parent means wearing a million and one hats, managing endless lists of appointments, practices, and playdates, all while working hard to instill what we believe are all of life’s most important lessons. As they say, the days are long, and the years are short. And while we’re wrapped up in the day-to-days, it can be easy to find ourselves, as grown-ups, running on autopilot, giving very little thought to our well-being and sense of balance and awareness. When we arrive in these moments, tending to others’ needs before our own, it can lead to frustration, feelings of anxiousness, maybe even loneliness and disconnection, or worse, a sense of spinning and dysregulation that lends itself to burnout and exhaustion.

Parenting is, without a doubt, one of the most challenging adventures of adult life. To be sure, navigating our young people’s lives while attempting to find balance in our own and to model what it means to be a wholly authentic person, a kind human being, and a productive citizen requires, too, a commitment to caring for ourselves, developing skills to process emotions, and sharing fully our own learning and growth, even when we mess up. Ashley Cooper, MPA school counselor, always speaks from an affirming position about emotions and emotional regulation, reminding us that “all emotions are normal and deserve to be acknowledged.” This is why, today, as we make our way through fall and into the busy holidays, the dimmer days of winter, and more rigorous days of school, I’m writing to you, parents and caregivers, to remind you of the importance of caring for yourself emotionally and mentally. Moreover, I hope to illuminate the importance of self-care as a means by which you may teach your young people, through living, intentional modeling, and purposeful discussion, how to develop healthy and proactive skills to practice positive emotional regulation. Read More


Upper School Division News October 26, 2023

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

A Look Ahead

  • Friday, October 27: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
  • Sunday, October 29: US Boys Soccer Banquet, 4:30-6:30 PM, Family Commons
  • Monday, October 30: US Cross Country Banquet, 4:30-7 PM, Family Commons
  • Wednesday, November 1: Grade 9 Parent Meeting, 6-7 PM, Recital Hall
    • Upper School Instrumental Concert, 7:30-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
  • Friday, November 3: End of Quarter 1
  • Thursday, November 9: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
  • Monday, November 13: US Grade 11 Mock ACT, 11:30-3 PM
  • Thursday, November 16: Give to the Max Day, Lip Sync Competition, 2:20 PM, Lansing Sports Center
    • Grade 10 Parent Meeting, 6-7 PM, Recital Hall
    • Upper School Vocal Concert, 7:30-8:30 PM, Nicholson Center
  • Friday, November 17: 9th Grade Bring A Friend to MPA Day, register here
  • Monday, November 20: Senior Performances, 8-9:15 AM, Recital Hall
  • Wednesday, November 22-24: No Classes, Thanksgiving Holiday Break
  • Thursday, November 30: Upper School Evening Conferences, 3:30-8 PM, MPA
  • Friday, December 1: No Upper School Classes, Upper School Conferences, 8-5 PM, MPA
  • Monday, December 4-Friday, December 8: MPA Book Festival
  • Wednesday, December 6: Founders’ Day Community Breakfast, 7-8 AM, Family Commons

Often, we hear about professional development days and conferences for teachers. Topics may include classroom management, working with neurodiverse learners, or specific strategies and curricula for Advanced Placement courses. It is, however, just as important for school administrators to get out of the building and take advantage of learning opportunities. During the past three days, I was provided with a tremendous professional development opportunity from which I personally hope to grow professionally and from which I know the MPA upper school community can benefit.

I was invited to serve on a visiting accreditation team for the Independent Schools of the Central States (ISACS). Once every ten years, independent schools like MPA engage in a significant self-study reviewing all aspects of their school. Themes such as curriculum, finances, governance, and student services are examined by the school, from which a thorough report is written. The final self-study report is then shared with members of a visiting team to review and use as a basis of a scheduled three-day visit to campus. I visited a school just outside of Cleveland that was established 133 years ago. During my time there, I met with students, teachers, and administrators who affirmed what was in the shared report and added context to the items written about. Even though theirs is a single-gender community located on two campuses, I found relevant connections to MPA. Several of their courses and programs are like ours. Like us, their teachers are unwaveringly committed to their students and do all they can to support them. And the conversations and interactions between students focused on music, homework, and fantasy football just as ours do in Maplewood. Read More


MPA Athletic Updates

MPA Panthers Qualify for State Cross Country Meet

On a very rainy day earlier this week, Megan Snider, Eddie Snider, and Ben Murr qualified to race at the State Cross Country Meet! Megan and Eddie were both Section Champions, with Megan setting a new school record by almost 15 seconds! Ben will run in his first Cross Country State Championship to cap off his senior year. The boys team also had a strong third-place finish. Congratulations to the entire team and their coaches, alums Declan Dahlberg and Ellie Quam, and Middle School science teacher Courtney Nagle. Go Panthers!

MPA Rowers Compete in Boston Boston At The Head of the Charles

MPA students David Steinberger and Andy Taylor competed in the world’s largest international regatta at the Head of the Charles in Boston, placing 22nd out of 47 teams in the Men’s Youth 4x+. The boys masterfully executed their race plan and went stroke for stroke against the best rowers in the world. This top-half placement secures an automatic bid next year at this world-renowned rowing race. Up next for MPA rowers is The Head of the Hooch in Tennessee, where Abby Appleton, David Steinberger, Andy Taylor, and Bella Carson will continue their dominance in representing the best of Minnesota rowing! Read More