Our Subs and Snacks Sale is on!

Our annual spring Hoagie Sale is here! Hoagie Day is coming up on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. If your family needs more than one order form, please contact Ryan Detweiler (rdetweiler@dock.org) or print one from the school website or schoology. You will have 2 weeks to take orders. Please return your order form to school by Wednesday, February 12.

Download the 2020 Hoagie Sale order form

Returning from last year…

Family Meal Deal ($35) all in an insulated reusable Dock Mennonite Academy Grocery Tote Bag

• your choice of any 4 hoagies (not valid on hoagie coupons)
• your choice of 1 quart of soup
• 1 bag of chocolate chip cookies
• 4 individual bags of potato chips

** Be sure to check the Family Meal Deal box on the order form and select your choice of hoagies and soup for this deal **

• Italian and Turkey Hoagies ($5)- made only at Dock Mennonite Academy
• Landis Hoagie Coupons ($5)- fresh made, 12-inch hoagie, any variety, can be used at any Landis Supermarket location, no expiration date
• Wawa Shorti Hoagie Coupons ($5)- fresh made, 6-inch hoagie, any variety, can be used at any of the Wawa locations, no expiration date
• Rita’s Ice Coupons ($5) – redeem this coupon at the Harleysville Rita’s location during the 2020 season for any flavor of their quart-sized signature Italian Water Ice
• Homemade Sausage, Spinach, and Potato Soup ($10)- made from scratch at the High School campus and frozen to use at your convenience. (quart)
• Homemade Vegetable Soup ($10) - made from scratch at the high school campus and frozen to use at your convenience. (quart)
• Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies ($5)- made from scratch at the High School campus. (8 count)
• Moyer Specialty Foods Sweet & Salty Chocolate Fix Trail Mix ($5)- a delicious combination of sweet milk chocolate with salted nuts, raisins, and more. (15oz. container)
• Moyer Specialty Foods Cranberry Love Fest Trail Mix ($5)- a sweet blend of craisins, honey roasted nuts, with milk chocolate and white chocolate. (15 oz. container)

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Johnny, tell 'em what they can win!

Prizes…Prizes…and more Prizes!

 The top three families with the highest item count (turned in by 2/12/20) will receive prizes. Hoagies, soups, cookies, trail mix, hoagie coupons, and Rita’s coupons all count towards your family’s total.

• Grand Prize: $200 Visa Gift Card, One Dock Mennonite Academy Adult L T-Shirt, and One Dock Beanie Hat (approx. value $250)
• 2^nd Place: $150 Visa Gift Card, One Dock Mennonite Academy Adult L T-Shirt, and One Dock Beanie Hat  (approx. value $185)
• 3^rd Place: One Dock Mennonite Academy Sweatshirt, One Dock Mennonite Academy Water Bottle, One Dock Mennonite Academy Adult L T-Shirt, and One Dock Beanie Hat  (approx. value $75)
•  

Congratulations to Dock students David Michel (sophomore) and Greta Schrag (senior), who were selected to sing in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 11 Chorus, which was held on Saturday, January 18. After a further audition, Schrag qualified for PMEA’s Regional Chorus, which be held February 27-29 at North Penn High School in Lansdale. The Region VI Chorus concert will be held on Saturday, February 29 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 West Main Street, Lansdale, PA 19446.

On Tuesday, January 21, Dock teachers grew as professionals at our in-service day. Dennis Stanton, Athletic Director at Souderton Area School District, invited Dock faculty to consider the Magnitude of the Mission.  He reminded us to think about teachers who influenced us in the past and invited us to share these stories with each other. He asked us to reflect on students we are influencing today and challenged us to think about “what it feels like to be taught by me.” Dennis led us in an activity to write in a simple sentence what we do and why, as a way to remember the importance of what we do each day. “We’re in a profession of service, empathy and experience,” he told us, “and we must always keep the end user in mind, the student!” Thanks, Dennis, for inspiring and challenging us!

See more In-Service photos

Dock Mennonite Academy, a private Christian school for children in Early Childhood to Grade 12, will hold two Open Houses for prospective families with children in Early Childhood and Kindergarten. Parents will tour our beautiful EC-Grade 8 Campus in Souderton, meet our caring, engaging faculty, and learn about curriculum, financial aid, and more.

Open Houses will be held at 8:45 a.m. on Friday, January 24, and Tuesday, February 11. To learn more, contact the Admissions office at 215.723.1196, or email admissions@dock.org.

Students in Montgomery County are smoking cigarettes less—but they are vaping more. Sometimes perceived as a "safer, healthier" alternative to smoking, vaping continues to increase dramatically, putting users at risk. Parents interested in more information about vaping are invited to attend a Parent Forum on Thursday, January 30, at 7:00 p.m. in the Rosenberger Academic Center library at Dock Mennonite Academy.

The forum will feature guest speaker David Fialko, who is a certified tobacco prevention and treatment specialist for The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. Mr. Fialko made a presentation on vaping to faculty and staff at Dock during the 2018-19 school year, and the response was so favorable that the school asked him back to educate students on the realities of vaping. After his Parent Forum presentation, Mr. Fialko will hold a question & answer session.

If you have questions about the Parent Forum, please contact Dock Mennonite Academy at 215.362.2675. The Grades 9-12 Campus is located at 1000 Forty Foot Road, Lansdale, PA 19446. More information is available on the school's website at dock.org.

Seniors in Mr. Zach Bower's Government class got some personal attention recently from Pennsylvania State Representative Steve Malagari (D-53rd). Representative Malagari, a graduate of North Penn High School ('02), shared about his journey into politics and also answered questions from students. Students asked about what his job as a State Representative is like and also about legislation that is currently being debated in at the State General Assembly, like bills that focus on texting while driving and minimum wage. Government students this quarter also had the opportunity to visit the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown to learn more about local government and how the judicial system works.

Financial Aid and College Planning Information

Funding Higher Education

Parents of seniors, it is time to start the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process. It is essential that you fill out this form for your student to qualify for need-based loans, grants, and scholarships. The online FASFA form must be submitted by 11:59 pm CT on June 30, 2020. We highly recommend that you complete the FAFSA as soon as possible.  The electronic version can be found at www.Fafsa.ed.gov. You may request a paper copy of the FAFSA by calling: 1-800-433-3243.

This website gives comprehensive details about federal student aid programs. www.studentaid.ed.gov/guide

We also recommend you visit www.pheaa.org to learn more about The Pennsylvania State Grant Program.

Students with a Disability
According to Clark in U.S. News 2010, there are 8 steps for a child with disabilities to use to prepare for college.  Along with diligence, creativity, and resilience, the student should:

1.  Prepare early by taking college prep classes
   1. Study strategies
   2. Test-taking
   3. Time management
2. Have knowledge of technology
   1. As simple as spell check to diction pens
   2. Screen readers
   3. Diction software
3. Be creative (If a student struggles with taking a foreign language, perhaps sign language could work.)
4. Take charge
   1. Advocate for self
   2. Be prepared to know what to ask for
5. Research college options
6. Formal documentation should be 3 years old or less – Plan ahead!
7. Focus on the positive
8. Consider extra help- this may be included in the college tuition or it may be an added cost.

Students with Disabilities Preparing for Post-Secondary Education: Know your Risks and Responsibilities: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html

Need Cash for College? Now is the time to start thinking about applying for scholarships! This link will take you to a comprehensive Scholarship List with more information on the Guidance Office page of our school’s website. It includes college scholarships and scholarships available to the public.

A good resource for scholarships is the college you plan to attend.  Ask your college admissions counselor what scholarships you qualify for. Research the college site and actively look for information relating to scholarships. The college financial aid office is also a good place to obtain information.

PSAT Results

PSAT results are available online at www.collegeboard.com. Mr. Kabakjian and Mrs. Leaman spent time reviewing test results with students the week prior to Christmas break. Please see your counselor if you have not received a copy of your results or if you have questions about them.

Quick Start from College Board

My College QuickStart is an easy-to-use, online, personalized college and career planning kit available free of charge to all students who take the PSAT/NMSQT. The information and answers your child provided when they took the test are incorporated into this useful tool. It presents their data back to them in four main parts:

• My Online Score Report – an enhanced score report that allows the student to review each test question, the student‘s answer, and the correct answer with answer explanations.
• My SAT Study Plan – a customized SAT study plan based on student PSAT/NMSQT test performance, highlighting skills for review and practice.
• My College Matches – a starter list of colleges based on the student‘s state and indicated choice of major.
• My Major and Career Matches – major and career matches that are compatible with the student‘s general interests and personality type.

Access is available using the access code printed on the student‘s PSAT paper score report; This tool can be utilized throughout high school. Using My College Quick-Start together with your child is a great way to introduce and guide your child through important aspects of the college selection process. To access, visit www.collegeboard.com/quickstart.

SAT Information

The SAT should be taken by college-bound students in the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. The easiest way to register for the SAT is online at www.Collegeboard.com. Students should set up an account with College Board. This will give them access to many tools that are available to support SAT preparation and the college search. There are also helps for parents. This is a recommended site for college-bound students and their parents.

SAT testing dates and registration deadlines are as follows:
Test Date                                  Registration Deadline

March 14, 2020                          February 14, 2020

May 2, 2020                               April 3, 2020

June 6, 2020                              May 8, 2020

There are many resources available to help you prepare for the SAT. Follow the link, SAT Prep Resources, to check out current options available locally.

Any sophomore or junior in learning support who has not been to the guidance office to request the paperwork for SAT accommodations should do so as soon as possible. The process with the College Board can take as long as 8 to 12 weeks. Current educational testing is a requirement for the accommodation request to be approved. It is recommended that educational testing be no more than 3 years old for college services.

We are inspired by our students every day, but rarely more so than when we interviewed 6th grader Sophia Veltre about a project she completed for her Genius Hour class, part of Dock's project-based learning curriculum for Middle School. Sophia has a heart for helping others, so she planned a bake sale fundraiser at her church, Franconia Mennonite, to raise money to help the homeless people in our area. She planned and promoted the fundraiser, and baked virtually every pumpkin chocolate chip muffin, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie, and Rice Krispy Treat herself. When it was all over, she was able to deliver almost $1,200 to Keystone Opportunity Center in Souderton.

"I learned how much I want to give, and I would love for others to follow that lead," said Veltre. "I want people to feel what I got to feel when I went to drop off this big bag of money. It's a really good feeling, like when you open up a big present, or give someone a big present for Christmas—only times ten!"

We can't think of a better way to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas than to share Sophia's story with you. Read more about her project in the next issue of Dock's Lamplighter—and take some time this Christmas to experience the joy of giving. Merry Christmas!

Photos and video of Dock's Elementary Christmas Concert and the 4th Grade Musical, "Crazy, Busy, Peaceful, Holy Night" have now been posted to the Dock website. 

Go to the 4th Grade Musical web page

About 20 Dock students and staff baked and packaged Christmas cookies and delivered them to residents of neighboring Dock Woods Community on Tuesday, December 17. Students also sang Christmas carols for residents during their visit.

The students were part of Dock's chapter of the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, which provides students with the opportunity to put servant leadership into action. Leader Academy students planned and organized the "Do Good December" event as a way to make an immediate difference in their community.