Great day of team building with the fellow administrators! Can't wait for school to start.

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year!

School is almost here! We are quite excited for the start of the 2011-2012 school year at the MPTPA. August 30^th marks the beginning of our second year and it promises to be a great one. This past summer has been fantastic for reflection, reconnecting with family and friends, and relaxation. We are, however, ready for our students to return.

We have several new initiatives in place for this school year. Our middle school students will begin to take theme-specific classes as part of their specials rotation and will have at least one quarter of content specific to the health care and education fields. Our ninth graders will begin to participate in an ambitious curriculum developed by Cambridge University. This curriculum is designed to ensure that our students leave high school 'college ready.' Finally, our tenth grade students are piloting a child development course that will provide them with a rich and robust experience surrounding early childhood learning. It is easy to see why we are so excited for the start of the school year!

We are continuing our push for all students to read twenty five books during the course of the school year. Several studies have demonstrated the power of reading and its impact on academic performance. Please encourage your child to read nightly for a minimum of thirty minutes. This goal will figure prominently in our work with students this year.

Please join us at our parent open house on September 15^th, 2011. We look forward to our working together!

It seems hard to believe that we are already at the beginning of the second quarter. The starting moments of the school year are long behind us and we have settled into a productive pace. There have been several highlights since September, including field trips to Saint Francis Hospital, guest speakers, community outreach activities, and even a celebration of our school's planning committee.

The start of a new quarter provides us an opportunity to evaluate our role as educators. As a learning community, we are reviewing the things that have gone well and celebrating those accomplishments. We are also looking at areas where we can continue to improve. Your children will be asked to reflect upon their performance as a student and to create a goal for their learning. It is this dynamic act of self-study that will allow us to grow into the school that we all wish to be.

Since the beginning of the school year, it has been a pleasure to watch the leadership development of our students. Several have proposed new clubs and have recruited adults to even help them. Our student council members have taken on the task of leading the school community and they have not let us down. One can only imagine the good work that will completed by their senior year.

Upcoming Events

Report cards will be issued shortly. Please review your child's grades with him/her and contact the teacher if you have any questions.

We have several open houses scheduled for prospective students and their families. Parent assistance at these events is greatly appreciated. Please call the school to let us know if you can help. The parent information sessions are scheduled as follows:

• November 23 – 6:30 – 8:00
  
• December 4 – 9:30 – 11:00
  
• December 16 – 6:30 – 8:00
  
• January 8 – 9:30 – 11:00
  
• January 27 – 6:30 – 8:00
  

Welcome to the Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy. Opening this fall has been an incredible experience. We are quite fortunate to have an amazing staff that is not only committed to meeting the needs of our students but possess the strength and flexibility to be part of a start-up school.

Throughout the summer, the finishing touches were put upon the long process of creating the Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy. Our first day, on September 7^th, was designed to increase student interest in the school and to allow the students the opportunity to get to know each other. The day was highlighted by rotations that included information on health and nutrition, a self-learning inventory, the dissection of a cow's eye, guest lectures from one of our school's partners, and a visit by Lifestar. It truly was a fantastic and memorable day.

Our goal at the Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy is to provide students with a rigorous academic experience that will enable them to be productive members of the twenty first century. Students will be able to additionally participate in career pathway courses that are intended to develop an interest in the fields of medicine or education. Thematic outreach activities to local health care providers, colleges, and universities further enhance this at MPTPA and students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of field trips.

The purpose of our blog is to provide parents, students, staff, and the community with updates on the events of the MPTPA. It is our hope that we can provide you with crucial information about our learning community. I firmly believe in the value of working with parents and embrace an open-door philosophy. We are looking to establish a strong parent to school connection. Please feel free to contact me if you are willing or able to contribute in any way possible.