Upper School Archives

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.

Finding Community Outside Of Our Comfort Zones

September 10, 2020

by Safa Madar, Class of 2022

Being a teaching fellow at Breakthrough Twin Cities (BTC) this past summer was one of the most challenging things I have ever done but also the most rewarding. I learned so much about myself and pushed myself way outside of my comfort zone. I made lesson plans, PowerPoints, worked alongside seniors in college, and through it all, I realized that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. Breakthrough exposed me to a fantastic community filled with kind, passionate, and encouraging people who taught me so much. However, the best part was working with students. I was able to teach a wonderful group of seventh graders who truly changed my perspective on life and allowed me to grow a different kind of appreciation for my teachers.

One of my favorite memories was our seventh-grade west morning meetings. Morning meetings happened every day, where all of the students and teachers gathered for announcements and an energizer. Our energizer games and random debates we would have with the students never failed to make me laugh. Indeed the best way to start the day. Read More

All Hands On Deck

September 10, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

“All hands on deck,” barked my father when he wanted to get our attention in an emergency. Perhaps it was his years in the Navy, (although his service was on an airplane, not a ship!) but it was a frequently used phrase in our household growing up. We knew it was an imperative that necessitated that we immediately drop anything we were doing to help out in whatever way was required. As most of us do, we eventually become our parents, and I find myself using that same phrase, especially these days.

“All hands on deck” is one aspect of our COVID-19 reality. With our focus on the health and safety of our community and prioritizing students being on campus as much as possible, there is a fluidity of new and additional roles and responsibilities for faculty and staff. For example, because Lower School students are eating lunch in classrooms and their teachers need their own lunch break, I can add Lower School recess supervisor to my resume. Read More

Connect With MPA Parents On Wednesday Mornings

September 10, 2020

The Parents Association invites parents and guardians to get together Wednesday mornings after drop off. Mark your calendars, it will be fun!

Wednesday, September 16 will be a 30 minute walk with Michelle Mick. We’ll meet in the Lower School Parking lot and head out, rain or shine. Chat with new parents and connect with friends. Younger children are welcome to walk with us. Read More

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!

Parents Association Kick-Off & Connect Events

September 3, 2020

The MPA Parent’s Association is hosting Kick-Off Zoom meetings next week. Come join us to learn about who we are and what we do. Meet members and your grade reps. We’re looking for your ideas and your help as we continue to brainstorm how best to strengthen our MPA community this year.

We have three sessions set up, one for each division to help focus discussions. The Friday session (Lower School focus) is purposefully scheduled longer to allow the second hour to be open for anyone to join for a general discussion. We look forward to seeing you at one or all of the sessions! Read More

Guidance For Wearing A Mask At School

September 3, 2020

Scientific evidence from public health experts, the MN Department of Health, and the CDC indicates that risks to students and staff can be kept low if schools adhere to strict control measures, including wearing a face mask.

The mask should fit snugly to cover the nose bridge, mouth, and chin and should not gap on the sides.
The mask should stay across the nose without slipping down. If it slips regularly, the fit isn’t quite right.
Masks should be made of tightly-woven cloth such as higher thread count cotton and 2-3 layers thick.
Ensure the mask fits around the ears, but isn’t too tight. Straps shouldn’t twist—if they do, the fit isn’t quite right.
Masks should be washed daily, so multiple masks are recommended to have on hand at home, and your student should arrive to school with two masks each day: wearing one, and an extra on hand.
Watch a helpful video on mask-wearing >

Traffic Safety Reminders

September 3, 2020

It is MPA’s number one priority to provide the safest campus environment possible for you and your children. This takes on new meaning during the 2020-21 school year, but we’d like to share some important traffic safety reminders too. Please share this information with all of the drivers in your home, in addition to others who may provide transportation for you. Thank you very much in advance for your cooperation and understanding.

Distracted Driving
Parents and students are asked to refrain from using cell phones (hands free or otherwise) while driving on campus, especially when children are present. This helps us all to be aware of the children moving around us and keep the traffic flow steady and uncongested.

Please Slow Down
Keep your speed at or below 10 MPH, depending upon the time of day and the area of campus. This is particularly important near crosswalks. Read More

On Being Kind

September 3, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

What is the first word that comes to mind that begins with the letter K? Ask any MPA kindergarten student and they will quickly tell you, “Kindness!” I had barely left my post at the front door Monday morning when a kindergartner presented me a bouquet of Black-eyed Susans from our own school garden. Several weeks ago, an MPA parent sent me a handwritten note in the mail thanking me for my leadership after noticing I looked like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders during one of our Town Halls. New sixth grade student, Ari R., gushed about how nice everyone is at MPA, especially the teachers, on his first day of school.

Watching the news these days or the postings on social media can be depressing. We are confronted with images and stories of violence, civil unrest, vitriol, and discord. One could believe that our world is bereft of kindness and goodwill in this time of crisis. In reality, we often fail to notice or celebrate the daily occurrences that advance the idea of humanity’s innate goodness. A visit to the site of George Floyd’s murder this summer brought tears to my eyes. The outpouring of kindness overwhelmed me as I observed donations of everyday supplies that filled sidewalks and bottled water and food was offered freely. Read More

Relationships Matter

August 27, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Yesterday was amazing! After months apart, it was heartwarming to welcome our students to a new school year, in person. Excitement and joy were evident throughout the day, from drop off to dismissal. Although there were no hugs due to our health and safety measures, I observed an abundance of virtual hugs, pretend high fives, and no-contact fist “bumps.” As someone who worked in an empty building for the last six months, the joy and laughter emanating from our students lifted my spirits and soothed my soul.

In the midst of a pandemic and opening school in a wholly different way, it’s comforting to see that this crisis isn’t driving people apart, it is bringing them together. As a part of my summer reading, I was struck by the timeliness of “Humankind: A Hopeful History,” a new book by historian Rutger Bregman. Bregman set out to prove “that humans are hardwired for kindness, geared towards cooperative rather than competition, and more inclined to trust one another than distrust one another.”

Bregman posits that, at our core, humans are decidedly good. In fact, is the very trait of friendliness that gives us an evolutionary advantage over other species. One of the most fascinating insights from modern anthropology and biology is that human beings have been selected over the history of our evolution to be friendly. Throughout history, it was actually the friendliest among us who had the most kids, and so had the best chance of passing on their genes to the next generation.