MPA PA Parent Press: Fall Is In Full Swing!

Fall Is In Full Swing!

Happy October, MPA families!

Fall is in full swing, and we have an exciting month ahead filled with opportunities to connect and celebrate, including parent coffees, our food drive, Halloween festivities, and a book sale.

Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered, donated, or joined us for an event. Whether you have five minutes or a few hours, your support is what makes our community so special!

We hope to see you around MPA this month!

Jasmin Stees

Parents Association Co-President

jasminstees@yahoo.com

Laura Nicholson

Parents Association Co-President

lauranicholson@gmail.com

Upcoming Events

All-School Parents Association Meeting | Thursday, October 8: 8-9 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library

Join us for our October All-School Parents Association meeting with Dr. Lori-Anne Brogdon! We’ll share updates on fall Parents Association initiatives, upcoming volunteer opportunities, and ways to get involved. Coffee, tea, and breakfast treats will be provided.

Dr. Brogdon will share a detailed update on the Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning. She’ll give families a first look at tentative blueprints for the new space and share the projected construction timeline.

Drop in for treats, coffee, and good conversation.

Lower School Family Forum | Friday, October 9: 8:15-9:30 AM, Martin Lenz Harrison Library

Lower School parents and caregivers are invited to our Family Forum with Lower School director Mr. James Ewer. Join us for an informal chat about what’s happening in the Lower School and bring any questions. Drop in for coffee, tea, treats, and good conversation!

Lower School Halloween Costume Donation | Monday, October 19-Friday, October 30

Give outgrown Halloween costumes another chance to shine! We’re collecting clean kids' and adult costumes from Monday, October 19, to Friday, October 30. Drop donations on the carts at the Lower School and Upper School entrances (Door 1 and Door 7).

Donated costumes will be available in the Atrium near the second-grade classrooms. Feel free to stop by and pick out a costume for your student, a sibling, or yourself. All remaining costumes will go to Emma’s Place after the drive.

Thanks for helping us share, reuse, and celebrate!

Volunteer Opportunities!

October Food Drive | Monday, October 26-Friday, October 30

This fall, MPA will partner with Greater Twin Cities United Way for a school-wide food drive benefiting the United Way Kids Snack Pack program.

Each grade is being asked to contribute a specific item to help us assemble complete seven-item snack packs for local children and families. Lower School students will put the donated items together into snack packs during the Lower School Halloween Party.

What To Bring:

PreK: Gallon-size Ziploc bags
Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade: Granola bars (nut- and marshmallow-free)
Third and Fourth Grade: 100% juice boxes
Fifth and Sixth Grade: Fruit, yogurt, or veggie pouches (no refrigerated pouches, please)
Seventh and Eighth Grade: Meat sticks (pork-free)
Ninth and 10th Grade: Fruit leather or fruit snacks
11th and 12th Grade: Snack-size pretzels

Donations will be collected from Monday, October, Monday 26, to Friday, October 30, on the labeled collection tables at the Lower School and Upper School entrances (Door 1 and Door 7).

Thank you for helping us come together as a school community to provide convenient, kid-friendly snacks for families throughout the greater Twin Cities community!

Lower School Halloween Party | Friday, October 30

Get ready for a favorite Lower School tradition! The Lower School Halloween Party at the Lansing Sports Center features games, a haunted house, face painting, and a snack pack assembly line, with donations from our October Food Drive. View the volunteer sign-up by clicking here.

We need volunteers from 8 AM-3 PM. Check the sign-up to see when your child’s grade visits and join the fun!

School Garden Volunteers Needed

Looking for a flexible way to help out at MPA? We need parent and caregiver volunteers to care for our school gardens!

No experience is necessary. This fall, we'll focus on clean-up, planting, and winter prep, followed by spring preparation for the new growing season.

There’s no strict time commitment—help out whenever it fits your schedule, such as right after drop-off or before pick-up. Click here to sign up to help with the MPA gardens!

Halloween Book Sale Pop-Up

Stop by the Parents Association Halloween Book Sale Pop-Up during the day's festivities to browse a great selection of PaperPie Books for all ages!

Friday, October 30

7:30 AM-3:30 PM | Martin Lenz Harrison Library

Whether you're shopping for your own family or getting an early start on holiday gifts, every purchase directly supports our school library in buying new books for our students.

We accept cash, cards, and Square (cards preferred).

Come shop and help us put more great books in our students' hands!

Recent Parents Association Events

It’s been a busy start to the school year! Thank you to all of the parents and caregivers who have participated, volunteered, donated, and helped make our recent Parent Association events possible.

There's No Place Like MPA: Homecoming 2026

This year, the Parents Association hosted grade-level socials during Homecoming, and it was wonderful to see such a great turnout! Families and friends gathered to cheer on our student-athletes, connect with one another, and enjoy bounce houses and plenty of tasty treats. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make Homecoming such a fun community celebration!

Staff Appreciation

We’ve also been busy treating our wonderful staffulty! To celebrate the first week of school, we delivered breakfast treats from Chef Chris and drinks directly to staff.

During All-School Conferences, we provided donated snacks and drinks, along with a catered lasagna dinner, to keep teachers fueled during long days.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to show our staffulty how much they mean to us!

Help Needed: Photography Equipment

Do you have gently used photography equipment gathering dust? Upper School art teacher Samah Fahmy is looking for cameras, lenses, and gear to help our photography students develop their skills.

If you have equipment to donate, please drop it in the bin at the Upper School entrance from Monday, October 26, to Friday, October 30. Thank you for supporting our student artists!

The MPA PA is 100% parent-led! If you want more information on how to get involved or have ideas to share, we want to hear from you. Please reach out to us at PA@moundsparkacademy.org at any time.