MSA Closes Achievement Gap Math and Science Academy accepts students of all ability levels by lottery each spring. MSA students, families, and staff work together to close the achievement gaps. By the time students graduate, virtually all gaps are eliminated. MSA has adopted a Multi-Tiered System of Support to address the needs of each student. The implementation of a semester of research-based reading instruction has closed the achievement gap in grade 6. We are piloting a similar program for students struggling with math this spring.

A huge congratulations to a couple of MSA Chess wizzes, Henry Zou (left) and Aadya Meshram (right). They were awarded the following recognitions: Aadya: 2025 SE Regional Spring Open Top Player 6th Grade Henry: 2025 SE Regional Spring Open 3rd Place overall

Congrats to MSA's very own McKaylen Lewis. With success on the track (as well as in the classroom), she was recently featured in the Star Tribune. We couldn't be more proud of you McKaylen! Article Link: https://www.startribune.com/mckaylen-lewis-math-science-academy-high-school-track-and-field-minnesota/601346623?utm_source=gift_email

MSA's Zoology Club recently visited the Minnesota Zoo. It's always great to see students connecting what they're doing in the classroom to the real world. Shout out to Ms. Meleck and Ms. Weirich for giving our students this awesome experience.

We were invited to check out some amazing careers presentations. We learned about many careers including Coder/Programmer, School Psychologist, Author, and Chemical Engineer. The students did a great job of creating engaging slideshows, speaking loudly and clearly, having eye contact with the audience, and just being comfortable in front of an audience. Great job Dragons!!!

Ms. Metcalf kept her promise that any students who donated nonperishable items would have the opportunity to dump a bucket of cold water on her. Thank you to the students for donating and thank you to Ms. Metcalf for being a great role model! #MSA #Dragons #Community

Ms. Coutermash's Integrated 2 math class combined their skills in marketing and probabilities and created unique carnival games. A part of their project will also ask students to reflect on their games and life lessons that are important outside of the classroom. Great job students! Side note, Mr. Lee won 2 erasers and 1 piece of candy, but owes the class 78 "green papers."

MSA American Literature students chose a novel from the Modern Literary Time Period and dedicated much time and effort in studying their novel this second semester. The culminating project was to create a Museum Exhibit that focused on an aspect of the novel. These exhibit pieces were on display this week and they did a masterful job of presenting. Great job students!

Our MSA students are always doing great things and we love to share it when they are being recognized for their positive impact on the community. Joe Yapp was selected as the 2025 Lovis Hero Award. This award honor students who go above and beyond to create a positive culture in their school and their communities. Congratulations Joe!!!

Our very own Ms. Harms presented at the 2025 Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Tech Savvy Tools was created by a professor from MSUM's Grad School Program and Ms. Harms. They analyzed the 2022 Math Standards and identified ones where technology could make learning more efficient. Websites such as Desmos, Geogebra, Lumio, and Spreadsheets were highlighted along with online assignment sites such as Delta Math, IXL, and MyLab Math. The presentation included how these sites have worked in different grade levels, and pros and cons to each. There were examples given to teach lessons ranging from probability in spreadsheets to personal finance activities in Desmos. Many of these created realistic connections students could see in their lives and the basics to how to complete them on their own. Congrats Ms. Harms! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IkI8E0nuWi33S2jFyx9eIO9cCdCh7Q_1IR8NIFw9sc0/edit?usp=sharing

Congratulations to William Coulter, Caroline Steury, and Ewan Baker who were accepted into the MMEA All-State Ensembles. This achievement was accomplished through a rigorous audition process that required students to submit a video application of their skills and abilities with thousands of students across Minnesota auditioning. Congratulations on your achievements!

Recently, a group of MSA students attended a long weekend learning experience at the Concordia Language Villages - Spanish Immersion Camp. Our students learned about Spanish-speaking cultures through a 100% immersive experience in Spanish. Special thanks to Ms. Holst who chaperoned the trip.

MSA Business Club deserves a round of applause for hosting the Staff vs. Students basketball showdown! Great turnout, fantastic games, and a new tradition for MSA!

Get ready to witness history in the making! 🎉 Join us on May 5th at 5pm at the new MSA site as we break ground on our new 6-12th grade building, marking a major milestone in shaping a brighter future for our community. Stay tuned for more details!

We're always so proud of the accomplishments of MSA students. Two MSA students were recognized by the Minnesota Aspirations in Computing (MnAiC) for their computing achievements, enthusiasm for technology, leadership, community involvement, and resilience. Congratulations to Zohha Khan and Prisha Rathore, as they both earned State Honorable Mention. Find out more at this link: https://mntech.org/meet-the-minnesota-aspirations-in-computing-award-winners/

We want to give a shout out to one of our MSA student, Rocky E., for being selected as a recipient of the Outstanding Student of the Year award by the Minnesota Indian Education Association (MIEA). This award recognizes students for their dedication, hard work, uplifting their communities, preserving their traditions, being a great role model, and being an inspiration. Congratulations Rocky!

Just kidding... Have a safe, restful, and fun Spring Break students! We'll see all of you back on Tuesday, 3/18.

MSA teachers are all about making the curriculum relevant and engaging for every learner. Here are some of the recent learning activities happening here at MSA: -Ancient World History: Students assumed roles and conducted the trial of Socrates. What do you think, was he guilty? -6th Grade Study Skills: Students completed a project on how they would spend 1 million dollars, and then was assessed by a peer. A McLaren 570S is a fine choice. -Art: Students recreated scenes from their favorite childhood story using paper mache. - Spanish 4: Students enjoyed a guest speaker who visited us all the way from Argentina.

Congratulations to Ethan Jones and Amerigo Tesoro on being named National Merit Scholarship finalists! Your hard work and dedication have paid off—wishing you both continued success!

If you haven't heard, we're expanding. MSA is so appreciative of our current students, families, and staff. We are also thankful for the partnerships we have with the City of Woodbury, ISD 833, and the future MSA elementary parents. Link to the article: https://woodburynewsnet.org/2010/schools/top-ranked-math-and-science-academy-expanding-to-include-grades-k-5-and-building-a-new-facility/