Upper School

October 27, 2022

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

I find it almost impossible to believe that the end of this week draws the end of the first quarter. This is hard to grasp as I vividly remember writing my summer letter to upper school families, welcoming the thirty new upper school students, and hosting a potluck for the Class of 2023 the first week of September where we discussed how quickly this year would go. With the close of the first quarter comes several questions that I will try to anticipate and answer before they are asked.

1. Will students receive a grade for their quarter 1 classes? Yes and no. Students will receive grades for their quarter long, non-elective courses like English, math, science, social studies, PE, and World Language. This, however, is not always the case. There are some courses like English 11 or Honors Chemistry Lab that will have work and grades carry over into quarter two and students will receive grades for these classes at the end of the semester. Also, students will not receive grades for their elective courses. These classes are semester long and, therefore, will receive grades in January. Read More

October 19, 2022

We are absolutely delighted to introduce Upper School families to Chanda Williams, MPA’s new Upper School and College Counseling administrative assistant. She started her role on Wednesday, October 12.

This is who Upper School families contact with questions related to daily life on campus including attendance and you may reach her at cwilliams@moundsparkacademy.org or 651-748-5544.

Please give her a warm MPA welcome!

What position will you be holding at MPA?
Upper School and College Counseling Administrative Assistant

From what school/organization are you coming?
Crystal Farms Dairy

Tell us about your education and past experience.
I attended Anoka Ramsey College and hold multiple certifications in areas such as IT, leadership, customer service, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and more. I am coming from Crystal Farms Dairy where I was an Inside Sales/Customer Specialist/Administrative Assistant. Some of the work I was responsible for there included:

• Performing administrative duties in support of the President, HR Director, and various departments as needed.
• Training interns and part-time staff on in-office tasks and company procedures.
• Overseeing and proactively managing reception area, mailroom, office supplies, office equipment, and special office projects.
• Assisting in developing proposals, presentations, and contracts with the EEO reporting.
• Establishing and maintaining company contacts, staff personnel, and monthly expenses.
• Boosting organizational communication by developing the company’s communication portal.
• Scheduling meetings, setting up conference rooms, and coordinating workshops.

What did you find appealing about MPA?
The staff is very welcoming, and the campus is awesome!

What’s your big dream?
To travel the world.

What are you (and your family, if you so choose) passionate about?
We enjoy giving back to the community. It started with my grandmother. She would give you the shoes off her feet and the shirt off her back.

What’s a fun fact about you that our community would love to know?
I love to double dutch!

October 13, 2022

from Mark Segal, Upper School director

I have learned over the past 28 years that October can be one of “those” months. Days become shorter, summer turns to fall (and even winter at times in Minnesota), and the first quarter of the school year rapidly is drawing to a close. This is the time of year where professional journals dedicate sections to self-care and discussion about employee morale is frequent. As I was researching items to write about, I came across an article in Time Magazine entitled, “This Professor Teaches a Class on ‘Doing Nothing.'” It’s the Most Popular One on Campus. As you may imagine, it caught my eye. The author introduces readers to Dr. Constance Kassor, an associate professor of religious studies at Lawrence University, who shares that more than 50 undergraduate students have enrolled in this course which teaches students to “relax and unplug.” Kassor suggests that “students are seeking out skills that can help them combat stress in the face of mental health challenges and a growing pressure to be productive.”

As much as I would like to believe that this and other similar issues only exist in post-secondary institutions, I know well that our students are also experiencing stress and pressure to be productive. The looming end of the quarter, college applications, social relationships, and the fear of another Covid wave has put students (and the adults in their lives) on edge.

The Journal of Affective Disorders surveyed more than 350,000 college students on 373 campuses and found that 60% of students met the criteria for one or more mental health problems, a nearly 50% increase from 2013. Previously, one of the suggestions to address mental health concerns was to find ways to connect with friends or engage in more activities. However, the Pew Research Center found that adolescents are connecting with one another and that, “nearly half (46%) of teens say they are online “almost constantly,” compared to just 24% seven years ago.” Dr. Kassor shared that during her class she asks her students to leave their cell phones outside of the classroom and to engage with their peers genuinely and authentically…without interruption. Read More