Mounds Park Academy

I am a student at Mounds Park Academy, and I really really like it. I have gone here since kindergarten, and I have never been bullied, and I've always felt accepted. The teachers are wonderful with maybe two exceptions. There's lots of wonderful field trips to go on, and MPA is like my second home. The lunch is another great thing, it's delicious and healthy too. Honestly, I feel like this school is completely worth the price.

We had a great experience there for a while. Teachers (with a few exceptions) don't know how to handle behavior challenges. Think twice if you will need financial aid. You will not be valued, and will be gone as soon as a wait list develops.
--Submitted by a parent

FIRST OUR STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD. THEN THE WORLD LEARNS ABOUT OUR STUDENTS. At Mounds Park Academy we don't just encourage independent thinking, we insist on it. Our job is to help children see the world through their eyes, not ours. For more than 28 years, we've used this approach to nurture a child's curiosity. Because once the joy of learning is instilled, the passion lives on.
--Submitted by a parent

MPA returned a joy of learning to my children. They are as likely to do more than asked because it was an interesting assignment, as complain about homework. The faculty and staff make an effort to know the students and interact with them.
--Submitted by a parent

We have been so pleased with MPA! Our children love it there. They pop out of bed every morning and are excited about going. We are always amazed that the teachers have such a full understanding of our children. They really take the time to get to know them and to help them learn by tailoring to the way each individual learns best. Class size is small. Whole child is definitely the emphasis. Art, music, foreign language and drama all regular classes even in lower school. It is amazing because there is no skimping on basics. Our kids seem to be quite ahead of their peers at other schools in basics, but they have all the 'extra' stuff too. Faculty are very committed to excellence and to making the experience great for the students. Children are taught to learn concepts....not memorize and spit things back. Admin. is top notch!!!!!
--Submitted by a parent

This is one of the best schools in the country! Mounds Park Academy's commitment to educating the whole child is seen in virtually every aspect of the curriculum and is reflected in students (Pre-K through 12) who are bright, well-rounded, curious, imaginative and engaged. My son is an 8th grader who has attended since kindergarten and two main aspects stand out to us. We appreciate MPA's approach to integrated learning, where top-notch teachers in various subjects reinforce common topics from diverse angles. We also love how nearly all of the students, especially in Middle and Upper School, routinely participate in sports, music, drama AND academic clubs. At MPA, it's cool to be smart!
--Submitted by a parent

I love the way I am a partner in my son's education with the teachers. He's in Kindergarten and I feel like his teachers get who he is, love his strengths and aren't afraid to talk to me about his weaknesses - or opportunities for growth.
--Submitted by a parent

We love MPA! I love that when my child walks down the hall, every adult he encounters knows his name, his history, his strengths and his challenges. We started in pre-K and are now in 3rd grade. Every teacher we've worked with - including homeroom and all specialists - takes the extra time to find out what makes my child tick and how to nurture him to be the best learner he can be. They also work with him individually on his self-confidence and social skills. The families at MPA are all very engaged with their child's education and work toward making MPA a strong community. There isn't pressure to volunteer, but there are many opportunities to do so. While I was against sending my child to a private school, I can't imagine sending him anywhere else. MPA is worth every penny!
--Submitted by a parent

My son has been enrolled at MPA since kindergarten. He is currently a second grader. I feel so incredibly grateful for the education and care that my son receives at Mounds Park Academy. In kindergarten, his teacher was always going above and beyond in trying initiatives to help my son become a successful learner and classmate. I wanted to cry when he was being moved to first grade, but then he was in Mr. Wilson's class. What an amazing man and teacher. Mr. Wilson is excited about science and so is my son, so it was a perfect match. It is not often that students get an opportunity to have a male elementary teacher and Mr. Wilson is a great one. In second grade, he has also had an amazing teacher. The class sizes are at about 15 students so the teachers get to know all the children individually.
--Submitted by a parent

We were disappointed with our local public school. Although some of the public school teachers were excellent, the school did not have the resources for anything other than the basics. Our son is thriving at Mounds Park Academy. The teachers are exceptional and he has specialists teaching him art, drama, Spanish, physical education. I'm also very pleased with the diversity at this school. He's getting challenging academics in a very supportive environment.
--Submitted by a parent