Upper School Archives

September 5, 2019

It is MPA’s responsibility to provide the safest campus environment possible for you and your children—this is our number one priority. We’d like to share some important traffic safety reminders. 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

Make And Create With MPA Fiber Friends

September 5, 2019

Fiber Friends is starting up again on Friday, September 6! This group of knitters, crocheters, and textile gurus is open to all parents, alums, grandparents, students, staff, and faculty. Beginners are always welcome! Bring in a project you are working on or if you are new to the group, we will provide you with supplies, guidance, and a smile to get started. Fiber Friends meets every Friday in the AnnMarie Thomas Makerspace from 11-12:30.

Contact Ms. Koen, Makerspace coordinator, with any questions.

Going The Extra Mile

September 5, 2019

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

Throughout middle and upper school, I was usually the tallest kid in the room. However, my coordination never seemed to be in sync with my height. Nevertheless, I was encouraged to play the center position on the basketball team and defensive end on the football team. There were many times I was discouraged, but I learned to push myself. In my junior and senior years, I saw very little playing time in basketball, but earned my place on the team in practices by playing center in scrimmages, going up against Pete. I was 6’3” and 160 pounds. Pete was 6’5’’ and 230 pounds. Over the course of two years, I sustained a broken leg, several sprained ankles, black eyes, bruised ribs, and other injuries … all thanks to my friend, Pete.

A great deal of the success I’ve had to date can be credited to lessons I learned from those experiences. For example, whether it was pushing myself to finish my doctorate, dealing with difficult problems at work, overcoming personal challenges, or running a 10K, I am stronger because of the endurance I have learned. While some may define endurance as suffering, I view it in a positive light—an indication of growth and accomplishment. Read More

Creating Community: Connectedness, Belonging, and Academic Success

August 29, 2019

Schools are busy places. Filled with energy, excitement, and activity, the dynamic ecosystem of a school creates a natural space for interaction among students, faculty, and families. But simply being together in the same place, at the same time, doesn’t automatically foster an environment where students feel interconnected, welcomed, and known. Creating community is an active, deliberate process. It’s a core accountability for academic institutions, and an essential element of MPA’s DNA—it’s built into who were are and what we do, with a support system that fuels academic success and facilitates a lifetime of wellbeing for students.

“As a parent and a member of the administrative team, I can speak to my own personal experience about the impact of MPA’s community,” shares Jennifer Rogers-Petitt, director of development and community engagement. “I started in my role, and my children started as MPA students, in mid-October of last year. It was definitely a big change, with my then second and seventh grader having already begun the academic year at other schools. But from the start, what they experienced in their classrooms, with their peers and from their teachers helped them feel they could make this transition, and my children never looked back. As a mom, that meant everything and put my mind at ease. And as development director, it’s so inspiring to see how in this community everyone chips in—not just through philanthropy, but also in the time and talents they share with our school.” Read More

Congratulations To Coach Biever!

August 29, 2019

Congratulations to MPA Boys Tennis Coach Bryan Biever! Coach Biever has been voted as the Class A Coach of the Year! The award will be given at a banquet in October.

Last spring, the MPA Boys Tennis Team won the State Championship and Parker Law ’19 finished as the 2019 MSHSL State Class A Singles Champion.

The MPA boys tennis program provides an opportunity for Panthers to learn a life-long sport, represent their school and community, and expand essential character skills through the game of tennis. MPA coaches strive to develop tennis players of all ability levels, improving their tennis skills and knowledge. An honor well deserved, Coach!

Try Something New On The MPA Sailing Team

August 29, 2019

from Stevie Olk ’21, MPA Sailing Team Captain

Fall sports have begun! Of course, you have all the normal sports to choose from, but here at MPA students in grades 7-12 also have something different—sailing. Did you know that we have been one of the top teams in the state recently? Did you know that we race locally, regionally, and nationally? Did you know that sailing is a co-ed sport?

If you are looking for a sport that has life-long potential and is tons of fun, come join the MPA Sailing Team. You do not have to know how to sail—we will teach you everything you need to know to be part of our team. Read More

Join Us At The Ice Cream Social

August 29, 2019

Come by for a sweet treat and great company! The MPA Ice Cream Social is on Thursday, September 5, from 3-4 PM at the Lower School Atrium. This annual community gathering is hosted by MPA’s admission and administrative teams, who serve ice cream sundaes to smiling faces. All families are welcome to come. We hope to see you there to celebrate our community and a great start to the new school year!

Building A Better Future

August 29, 2019

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

It was 1 AM Wednesday morning and I found myself wide awake. Fully aware that my alarm clock would ring in just a few hours, I just could not fall sleep. Even though this is my 29th year as an educator, I had the same excitement and the same tinge of nervousness that I had as a young student teacher. Standing before our community on Back to School Night, I knew that all those gathered shared a similar excitement, anxiety, and optimism, albeit in varying amounts. It is always quite humbling. And awe-inspiring. Read More

Welcome From The Parents Association

August 29, 2019

A warm welcome from the MPA Parents Association! It was a pleasure to catch up with friends and meet new families at the Parents Association First Day of School Coffee.

The Parents Association is hosting a Meet & Greet on Friday, September 6 at 8 AM in the PCR. Come join us for a light breakfast and learn about who we are and what we do, meet this year’s grade reps and other parents, and share your ideas on how to strengthen our MPA community. Every MPA parent is a member of the Parents Association! We look forward to seeing you!

Helping Students Set Goals

August 28, 2019

Charting A Path In A New Academic Year
In school and in life, goal setting is good. Goals serve as essential mileposts, helping to define pathways and measure progress, and leading to a greater sense of personal accomplishment and satisfaction. Meaningful goal setting is particularly important as students start a new academic year, and as they reflect on their priorities, their values, and their signals of success.

Practical Goal Setting and Resiliency
“To narrow and pinpoint reasonable, achievable, and admirable goals for a new year requires both big-picture thinking and ground-level planning,” writes Matt Levinson in Edutopia. He shares a favorite illustration of the multifaceted components for goal setting, explaining that good goals need “boulders (big picture thinking), rocks (the translation of those big ideas), and sand (the execution of the details). Goals that don’t contain all three components are doomed to fall short.” Read More