MARCH 13, 2026
REMINDER: NO SCHOOL MARCH 16-27 (SPRING BREAK)
STEM+ Night — Tuesday, April 7
Get ready to explore, create, and launch into learning at our STEM+ Night on Tuesday, April 7, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Cafetorium! You are invited to join us for an evening filled with hands-on activities that bring science, technology, engineering, math, and the arts to life. Families will engage in coding challenges, inventive design projects, and interactive experiences that showcase creativity and problem‑solving skills. From curious questions to powerful discoveries, there’s something for everyone. Come ready to imagine, build, and have fun together!
Family Partnership and Education Series — RESCHEDULED to Thursday, April 9
Join us for the next workshop in our Family Partnership and Education series: When Children Say They’re Bored: Turning Stillness into Strength. We’ll rethink what boredom really means for children—both at school and at home. We’ll explore how quiet moments activate the brain’s Default Mode Network, fueling creativity, problem‑solving, and self‑motivation. Together, we’ll unpack the difference between being bored and being challenged, learn how to help kids engage deeply even during repetitive tasks, and discover simple ways to raise your child’s “boredom threshold” in our fast, on‑demand world.
The workshop will take place on Thursday, April 9, from 8:15 - 9:00 a.m. in the Primary School Cafetorium. Families will leave with practical tools, fresh language for partnering with teachers, and strategies for encouraging independent play without feeling like the family cruise director.
Please RSVP using this link to let us know if you are able to attend on this new date.
Support Project Beautiful in Honor of Women’s History Month
In honor of Women's History Month, the Primary School is pleased to support Project Beautiful. This outreach initiative, created by seventh-grade student, Jayla Pitts, is committed to uplifting women and girls who have fallen on hard times and letting them know "they are beautiful and they are worth it!"
During the month of March, we will be collecting the following items (all of which should be new and unopened). There will be a collection near the front entrance at the Primary School. Project Beautiful will create care packages with all donated items and deliver them to local organizations housing and supporting women.
- Hair Shampoo and Conditioner
- Body Sprays
- Sunscreen
- Deodorant
- Body Lotions
- Bar Soap & Body Wash
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Mouthwash
- Dental Floss
- Feminine Products
- Perfumes
- Lip Products (e.g. Chapstick or Vaseline)
- Cosmetics
NEW Wacky Wednesday Community Dress Down Days
As a part of a new initiative at Brookside, Wacky Wednesday Community Dress Down Days, students are invited to dress down following the themes below. Please note that all Wacky Wednesday Dress Down Day clothes must still be ready to learn and play appropriately.
Here is a preview of what is to come:
- April 29: Earth Day - Dress in a way that celebrates our earth and how we care for it (Ideas can include: save the earth shirt, earth colors, outdoor gear, or come up with your own creative ideas)
- May 20: Own Your Letter - Students can choose any letter of the alphabet to represent in any way they find creative and fun!
- June 3: Dress the Rainbow
Reminder: STAR Camp Registration Is Open
This year, STAR Camp is celebrating 20 years at MKA, and we’re ready for another unforgettable summer of learning and fun! Registration for Jr. STAR Camp (Jr-K - 3) and STAR Camp (Grades 4-8) is open now.
To learn more about the program and register for camp, visit www.mka.org/starcamp.
Important Upcoming Dates
- Wednesday, April 8, 8:15 - 9:45 a.m. — PAMKA Board Meeting
- Friday, April 17, 7:00 - 11:00 p.m. — PAMKA Spring Social
For a complete calendar listing of events, view the PAMKA Calendar in Veracross.
Cougar Consignment is Back — March 30 - April 13
Do you have Spirit Wear and Code of Attire clothing that has been outgrown? The Cougar Consignment is back—an initiative that gives you the chance to rehome those lightly used MKA clothes and to shop at Cougar Pride Day. There will be a formal donation collection on each campus from March 30 to April 13.
Get Your Tickets for The PAMKA Social — Friday, April 17
This year, PAMKA is launching a new signature event: The PAMKA Social, created with a focus on building community. We are delighted to invite MKA parents, Trustees, faculty, and staff to join us on Friday, April 17, at 4Sixty6, from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. for an evening centered on connection and celebration. There will be no auction and no speeches—just a fun, vibrant evening that we hope many will choose to attend. Purchase your tickets here.
50/50 Raffle Tickets on Sale — Help PAMKA Support MKA Faculty
Tickets are now on sale for PAMKA's 50/50 raffle! Purchase raffle tickets here. The winner will be announced at the PAMKA Social on Friday, April 17! All proceeds go directly towards Faculty Trust Grants and Faculty Wish Lists. Tickets are $50 each. One lucky winner will take home 50% of the total pot!
Questions? Please contact Sara Elwell.
Cougar Pride Day — Saturday, April 25
The biggest school-wide event of the year is almost here! Cougar Pride Day will be held on Saturday, April 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Van Brunt Field (rain date Sunday, April 26). Join us for an action-packed day filled with exciting activities for everyone. Bounce into fun with brand-new inflatables, compete in expanded field games, cheer on or participate in a flag football game, grab delicious bites from the newest addition of food trucks, and so much more.
It’s bigger, better, and more fun than ever. We can’t wait to see you there! Visit the website to learn more. Questions? Please contact Amira Artis or Aparna Shah.
Don't miss the chance to show off your Cougar Pride! The last day to order the Cougar Pride Day T-shirt is TODAY, Friday, March 13.
Designed by fifth graders Ellie Mark and Eve Mersten, these very soft t-shirts will be delivered to your homeroom/advisors by mid-April, before Cougar Pride Day. All proceeds from the sale will benefit our Upper School clubs. Questions? Contact Kandace Simpson.
Stay Connected with PAMKA on Facebook
Join the MKA Parent Watercooler and stay connected to the community!
Upcoming Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group Meetings
- Wednesday, April 8, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. — AAPI Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Meeting
- Thursday, April 9, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. — Jewish Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Meeting
- Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. — MOSAIC: Black Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Meeting
Stay up to date on Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group meeting dates for the 2025-2026 academic year using the Community Belonging Calendar.
Questions? Contact Edie Brennan, Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Liaison, and/or Paris McLean, Assistant Head of School for Community Belonging.
Recognize Extraordinary Impact: 2025–2026 Founders’ Cup Award Nominations Are Open
At the heart of MKA’s vibrant community are the extraordinary educators who shape minds, inspire curiosity, and guide students far beyond the classroom. The Founders’ Cup Award honors MKA’s proud tradition of teaching excellence and celebrates an outstanding faculty member who embodies the very best of what it means to teach at MKA, in the classroom, on the field, in the studio, and through coaching and mentorship.
Nominate a faculty member whose impact is lasting, whose dedication is unwavering, and whose presence strengthens the fabric of our school community.
Tri-Campus STEM+ Week — March 9-13
We are excited to announce that our Tri-Campus STEM+ Week is underway! What began last year as a Middle School initiative, is now expanding into a full-school experience. The vision for the week was developed in partnership with the Upper School’s STEM+ Student Leadership Group, who have challenged the entire MKA community to collaborate on a massive Tri-Campus Rube Goldberg machine.
The goal of this device is to move our beloved mascot, Cougie, through a journey across all three campuses. Each school will tackle a specific engineering challenge: Primary School will get Cougie across the Brook, Middle School will navigate Cougie through the Valley, and the Upper School will get Cougie up the Hill. This project emphasizes creative collaboration and interdisciplinary problem-solving at every grade level.
We look forward to sharing highlights of the design and build process with you throughout the week as our students help Cougie journey from Junior-Kindergarten to Senior Year!
The Sun Does Shine: A Morning with Mr. Hinton — Saturday, April 11
This year, MKA is proud to host the East Coast HackBAC Conference, an inspiring gathering of students and educators committed to using innovation as a force for good. Centered on the theme Civic Catalysts: Cultivating Justice & Designing an Equitable Future for All, the conference challenges participants to think boldly about their role in shaping a more just and inclusive society.
We are especially honored to welcome Anthony Ray Hinton as this year’s keynote speaker, and we are pleased to invite our community members to join us for this incredible opportunity to engage with a voice that has helped shape the national conversation on justice and human dignity. Learn more about Mr. Hinton here.
The event will take place on Saturday, April 11, at 9:00 a.m. in Weiss Auditorium at the Upper School Campus. Click the link below to register.*
Immediately following Mr. Hinton's keynote, MKA's Diversity Inclusion Parent Committee (DIPC) will host an interactive discussion. We look forward to seeing you on April 11.
*Please note: Seating is limited, and we encourage you to register as soon as possible.
Tri-Campus Art Mural Initiative: Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month
This spring, MKA's counseling team is partnering with One River Art School in Montclair to bring a meaningful, school-wide art initiative to all three campuses in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May.
Students across every age group will create artwork that reflects what mental health, emotional well-being, and feelings mean to them—with projects thoughtfully designed and scaffolded to meet each developmental stage. One River's instructors will collaborate with the counseling team and faculty to guide and execute the project on each campus during the first week of April.
By May, a community mural will be on display at each campus, weaving together every student's contribution into a collective expression of wellness, resilience, and connection. We can't wait for you to see it!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Daniella Kessler, Director of Counseling.
The archive of weekly tri-campus newsletters can be located on the homepage of your Veracross Portal.