Upper School Archives

A Sense Of Community And Commitment To MPA

April 16, 2020

by MPA Spring Auction co-chairs Jennifer and Scott Holloway

When we began this school year with our daughter Grace embarking on her senior year at MPA, we could have never imagined how different school and life would be just a few short months later. We’ve been a part of many milestones at MPA, both as a family, and in the history of the school. One of the great joys we’ve had as parents and volunteers at MPA has been to serve as co-chairs of the Spring Auction for the past four years. Despite this history, this year has shaped up to feel like the first time all over again now that we’re offering our first ever virtual spring auction as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We can’t overstate the importance of our sense of community and commitment to MPA as it has given so much to our daughter and our family. We’ve often been asked why we continue to volunteer and urge others to do the same for the school we love. For us, it’s all about the sense of gratitude and appreciation that you can only understand when you’ve experienced the MPA way. Each year, we’ve witnessed the way that truly amazing things can happen when people join together in a common purpose. That might happen in a big banquet hall with fabulous decorations and amazing food, or it could happen on the basketball court, in the classroom, on stage, or now, in a virtual zoom room.

As co-chairs of this year’s auction, we urge you to join us for this special night. You can be a part of this event in whatever way is right for you: bid on our more than 130 auction packages, join our live Zoom program on Friday night at 6:30 featuring amazing students and guest speakers, share within your networks of family and friends to invite even more people to join in on this important fundraiser, or give at a level that is right for your family toward this year’s Fund-A-Need. Countless people have planned, donated, organized, and contributed in some way to what we’re sure is going to be another successful year. Please join us in building community and funding important needs for our students, faculty and staff, and incredible school. We can’t do it without you.

Keep Your Eye On The Ball And Keep Your Head Up

April 16, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

If you’ve coached or watched seven-year-olds play soccer, you know that there are essentially two fundamental skills: keep your eye on the ball and keep your head up. Those were basically the same two directives I had in mind when I coached middle school soccer and high school basketball. At first, the two seem to be at odds with one another. Since the ball is on the ground, how can you keep your head up? Yet in order to be successful, you have to be able to do both: to see the ball right in front of you and see the field in order to anticipate where the ball might go next.

Education around the world has changed dramatically in the past month and many young people are hurting because of that—academically, socially, and emotionally. Sadly, a recent national survey found that 95% of 13- to 17-year-olds have had their classes canceled and 41% have had no school at all. I have friends at other schools who are very good teachers and exceptional human beings that are frustrated with their inability to teach. Many students find themselves completing packets that review concepts that have already been taught at the expense of new learning. The inadequacies and injustices in the education system of the United States have become more pronounced in the age of COVID-19. Equity and access present challenges that are proving hard to overcome. Read More

Invite A friend To Lunch With MPA

April 15, 2020

Invite a friend to Lunch With MPA on Tuesday, May 12 from 11:30 AM-1 PM!

Joining us via Zoom will be current students, parents, and school leaders to share their perspectives on MPA’s mission and values, academic rigor with purpose, and vast array of opportunities. We’ll start as a large group and then use breakout rooms by division for virtual tours and questions and answers.

Please have friends RSVP here!

We’re All In This Together

April 9, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

There has been a song running through my mind over the last several weeks as we’ve banded together as a school, nation, and world, to battle COVID-19. It comes from a time-honored and critically acclaimed movie, “High School Musical.” “We’re All in this Together” is one of those catchy, syrupy songs that once you hear it, it’s hard to get out of your head. However, deep down, there is an important message. So much so that I adjusted the lyrics a bit and recorded my own version of the song to inspire (horrify, with my tone-deaf singing) our faculty and staff.

The simple truth is that we are in this together, and it is through community that we will emerge successfully, and stronger, on the other side of this crisis. Expressions of community and the affinity members of the MPA community feel for one another abound these days. As a community, we’ve come together to provide stability and continuity for our students. Parents have come together as well, through formal and informal channels, to support, counsel, and learn from one another.

In less than a week, we have an opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate our shared values and aspirations. Our annual Spring Auction was to take place on the top floor of a warehouse in Lowertown St. Paul overlooking the lights of the city. While that will not be possible, we will still come together, virtually, to celebrate the best of MPA. Through Zoom, we have the opportunity to join with one another from our kitchens and dining rooms across the metro area and raise both our spirits and the necessary funds to support MPA. Read More

MPA Parent Schoology Groups

April 9, 2020

Since we transitioned to virtual learning, parents and guardians are no longer able to connect with one another on campus, at events, or at activities. We know that your relationships are just as important to our school community as your children’s relationships, so we have created a virtual way for you to continue fostering them.

We recognize that some grade levels have private Facebook groups and those are wonderful—as a school community, however, we know that not every family is on Facebook. We do know that every family is on Schoology, so we’ve decided to use that as a tool to further facilitate grade-level parent and guardian communication and collaboration. These groups will be for you and by you; they will not be used for the school to communicate information. We will continue to use Panther Post, institutional emails and division emails to fulfill that need.

These groups are an opportunity for you to share resources, ask questions, post events or photos, and to support one another as MPA parents. Students are not a part of these groups. Your Parent’s Association grade representative(s) can provide additional guidance and ideas on ways to utilize these groups for additional parental support and connections. Read More

Truth And Trends In College Admission Testing Webinar

April 9, 2020

Join MPA College Counseling next Wednesday, April 15 at 7 PM for a terrific webinar opportunity: Truth and Trends in College Admission Testing. Both parents and students are welcome to attend! In this virtual session, Adam Ingersoll, one of the founders of Compass Education Group, will offer information and insights about college admissions testing and test prep, with the added context of the current college admissions landscape during this pandemic.

While this event was initially created to be offered to families of the MISP schools, the current situation has led us to open it to a wider audience via the Zoom platform. Registration is necessary to join the live Zoom presentation. We apologize for the conflict this presents for any of you with Middle School children and the parent meeting scheduled at the same time, but please note it will also be recorded. Click here to register for the live event.

Parents Association Virtual Happy Hour

April 8, 2020

The MPA Parents Association invites all parents to gather via Zoom for a virtual happy hour next Tuesday April 14 at 7 PM. There is no agenda! Ask, answer, share, vent, laugh, cry–whatever your mood moves you to do. We all miss the in-person conversations and socializing that a given week at MPA provides. While online gatherings can’t be a true substitute, let’s give it a try!

Join via Zoom >

Call in: +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 626 573 128
Password: 887275

MPA Goes Virtual: Elli Carlson

April 8, 2020

This story series illustrates how our community is embracing, growing, and connecting through virtual learning together. Read on to hear MPA senior Elli Carlson’s thoughts as #MPAgoesvirtual!

Away from campus, Elli has adapted to virtual learning in her at-home classroom, making sure it’s super cozy and an enjoyable place to attend her online classes in. In addition to her synchronous classes on Zoom, she is excited to further explore more online tools, such as peardeck.com.

Elli defines “virtual learning” as moving the MPA classroom to an online setting while maintaining the unique dynamics of the learning environment at MPA–and she agrees her teachers are successfully doing that and more.

“MPA teachers have already done a great job of taking initiative around virtual learning. By reaching out and showing students they are thinking ahead, they have always communicated that their doors are always open, in real life and online,” she said. “Thank you, MPA, for making this transition so seamless! We are all very lucky to have so many avenues to communicate in this situation.”

Reframing Challenges

April 2, 2020

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

My father used to say that it’s when the rubber meets the road that you know the value of something. There comes a time, he would say, when your values, resolve, or abilities will be tested and in that difficult or challenging moment, you’ll see what you are made of. The value of the MPA community has never been more clear to me than it has been over the last several weeks.

Without question, the pandemic is extremely difficult for all of us and there are more challenges to come. However, what has helped me, both professionally and personally, has been the resiliency and kindness of the MPA community. As you know, it’s been no small fete to transition to a virtual platform and to do so in accordance to our mission and values. Our teachers, students, and parents have all demonstrated the ability to quickly switch gears and adapt to a new platform. Our community has also shown great depths of kindness, caring for one another and sharing appreciation for teachers.

In our most recent parent survey, 90% said they were either satisfied or highly satisfied with our shift to virtual school. One parent shared, “Honestly, I thought that I knew how wonderful all those who work at MPA were—but today, being beside my son navigating his first day of virtual school, I was blown away with the professionalism, expertise, love, and support for the students at MPA. What an amazing team of beautiful, incredibly talented people our children have the awesome opportunity of encountering.” Read More

MPA’s First Ever Virtual Spring Auction

April 2, 2020

Save the date for MPA’s first ever virtual Spring Auction! Since the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic and MPA’s shift to virtual learning, so much of our world has changed! One thing that has remained the same throughout all of this is the importance of our connection to one another, especially as we work together to overcome whatever challenges or obstacles may be in our way.

In this spirit, our volunteer Spring Auction committee is pleased to announce that this year’s 2020 MPA Spring Auction: Light Up the Night is going virtual! Join us on Friday, April 17 for a fun evening filled with inspirational stories, fun auction items to bid and win, and the most important element that makes MPA so special: community.

We need you now more than ever to ensure every student, family, and staff member has what they need to dream big, do right, and light up the world. Learn more about the event, including answers to some frequently asked questions and the changes to expect this year. Check your email inbox this weekend with more details and ways you and your entire family can get involved! Questions? Contact Jennifer Rogers-Petitt at 308-765-0524 or via email at jrogers@moundsparkacademy.org.