Lamplighter, the magazine for the Dock Mennonite Academy community, has published a special issue highlighting the Class of 2021. Features include coverage of Dock's 2021 Commencement, Senior Presentations, academic and athletic awards, and 8th Grade Celebration. Access the Class of 2021 Special Issue online at Dock's Publications web page.
The cast and crew of our fall musical, Tuck Everlasting, have been working incredibly hard, and you have just two more opportunities to see the show, this Friday and Saturday, November 19 and 20, at 7:00 p.m. We hope you will support our talented students!
Tickets are $5 student/$10 adult ($7/$12 at the door) and can be purchased at Our.show/tuck1
Math can be a difficult subject for young students to appreciate, especially when they don’t see how it is connected to their everyday lives. Helping younger students make that connection was the focus of a group of high school students from Mr. Zach Bower’s Foundations of Geometry class when they visited their counterparts in Mrs. Claire Wanamaker’s Middle School math class on Friday.
The curriculum for Foundations of Geometry is based on the project-based learning (PBL) model, and for their first project students were tasked with creating a presentation aimed at teens that combines geometric information and historical facts about geometry to explain the significance of geometry to their lives. These students contributed their different gifts and talents in creating a presentation and video from scratch. They came up with the idea to have 8th grade students play the Geometry Dash game; the goal was to provide a “peak moment” experience to help 8th graders remember the presentation better. “Research shows that peak moment experiences can happen in different ways,” Mr. Bower said, “but one way is to incorporate an ‘elevation’ experience—a ‘moment of happiness that transcends the normal course of events through fun and surprise.’”
Thanks to Mr. Bower and to Dock juniors Savannah Landis, Emily O’Rourke, Lauren Gouldey, and Matthias Brockington for helping to make math more fun for our Middle School students!
Watch the presentation Mr. Bower's students created
Mrs. Jane Roth's 4th grade students experienced some hands-on learning on how to design a food truck recently when Downtown Scoop owner, Mr. Kevin Hange, brought his trailer to campus. In addition to learning the design process, students received tours of the trailer and enjoyed a small scoop of ice cream as well! These future entrepreneurs created their own food truck ideas and designed their own food trucks as part of a unit on area and perimeter. #youngentrepreneurs #dockstrong
There are nine of them on the calendar at various times throughout the school year—faculty in-service days. But what are they? What are they for? What happens on those days?
We tagged along last Friday, September 24, for the third Faculty In-Service Day of the year, to give you a behind the scenes look. In-service days are for all faculty, but the location varies; this one was held on the Grades 9-12 Campus.
The first thing you should know is that, while there are fun, community-building activities built into almost every in-service day, these are not vacation days for teachers. Last Friday’s agenda was fairly typical. The day began with breakfast together followed by devotions led by Superintendent Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber (did you know he is an ordained pastor too?). Then there were workshops and training sessions that all faculty (EC - Grade 12) participate in together, followed by breakout sessions by grade level (Kindergarten, Discover, for example) and by department (English, Social Studies, Math, etc.).
The day ended with a Goosechase where faculty teams competed in a campus-wide scavenger hunt and a worship service with communion, led by Pastor Mark Wenger and Helen Eastburn of Franconia Mennonite Church.
The best way to summarize in-service days? They are professional days where teachers and administrators come together to think and learn about how to be better educators, build relationships with each other, plan for the future, and worship God as a community.
Have you ever wondered how you can get involved at Dock? Watch for some tips and advice about how you and your family can make the most of your Dock experience!
Dock Mennonite Academy Superintendent Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber has written a letter to Dock students and their families, another in a series of pandemic-related communications the school has shared over the course of the past 18 months. In his September 1, 2021 Superintendent's Letter, Dr. Swartzentruber announces a change in the school's COVID protocols.
It's easy to say that any community or group is #Strong. But what does it really mean?
Listen as these Dock parents share from their heart about what #DockStrong means to them.
SquadLocker is your one-stop shop for Dock back-to-school swag! Backpacks, apparel for guys and girls in every size and style, and the ability to customize your imprint make SquadLocker THE place to start your back-to-school shopping.
"Let's go to the zoo!" is a new summer camp that has been added to the Dock Summer Camp lineup for ages 4 to 6. This camp will run July 26-30 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. each day. It will be supervised by Mrs. Laura Almond and other Dock faculty. Students will spend our time learning about different animals and their life at the zoo. For more information about Dock's sup[er summer camp lineup, visit dock.org/summercamps.
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 local and national scholarships, as well as Dock-sponsored scholarships. This list will be updated and posted on the kiosk in Rosenberger Center as new scholarships become available. Feel free to stop by the Guidance Office if you have questions and/or to pick up a copy. We recommend you begin a personal scholarship search by using the following websites:
Another 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.
Parents: It is essential that you fill out the FAFSA form for your student to qualify for need-based federal loans, grants, and scholarships. Deadlines vary by state and college. 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. We also recommend you visit www.pheaa.org to learn more about The Pennsylvania State Grant Program.
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 12, 2022 February 11, 2022
May 7, 2022 April 8, 2022
June 4, 2022 May 5, 2022
Friday, December 3 – EC-8 Christmas Benefit Concert: 7 pm at Franconia Mennonite Church
Thursday, December 9 – Grades 9-12 Christmas Concert: 7 pm at the High School Campus
Seniors applying to college, remember to add all colleges you are applying to on your SCOIR account. The Guidance office uses SCOIR to send all supporting documentation to these colleges, including your transcript. You should be requesting letters of recommendation through SCOIR as well. Please give your teachers at least 1-2 weeks’ notice to write letters on your behalf. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Kabakjian before December 17. The Guidance Office will be closed over Christmas Break (Dec. 18 through Jan. 2).
While all four years in high school are important, the most pivotal year for academic and career decisions is a student’s junior year. During their junior year, students take a more comprehensive look at their future beyond high school. All juniors:
Dock uses a college planning system called SCOIR. SCOIR helps students discover colleges that match their personal as well as academic interests. It is a useful tool for navigating through the college selection process. Juniors, if you have not yet created a SCOIR account, please see Mrs. Leaman. Through SCOIR, you will have access to a free career and aptitude assessment. This assessment uses engaging exercises (“brain games”) to identify your natural abilities. As a result, you are matched with careers for which your natural talents will help you excel.
Junior students who become actively involved in the college and career activities listed above will find their senior year to be productive, rewarding, and less stressful.
Congratulations to Abigail Nice ('18), who was the grand prize winner in the Peddler's Village Gingerbread Competition & Display this year! The detail on Abby's entry, entitled "White Christmas," was phenomenal (see below)! It will be on display at Peddler's Village in Lahaska, PA, through January 8. Way to go, Abby!
Congratulations to Dock sophomore Abigail Neiderer, who will be performing in the Schuylkill Valley Regional Dance Company's 50th Anniversary production of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker. Performances are at 2:00 p.m.and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 18, in Goodhart Theater on the campus of Bryn Mawr College. Abigail, who recently led the dance ensemble for Dock's production of Tuck Everlasting, is excited to be performing in The Nutcracker for the 10th consecutive year, and will be dancing in a variety of roles in both shows:
2:00 p.m.: Mouse King, Snow, Flower, Marzipan Corps, Spanish Lead Understudy
7:30 p.m.: Candy Cane Lead, Mouse King, Snow, Flower, Spanish Lead Understudy
Bryn Mawr College is located at 101 North Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2899
It was the best weather in recent memory for Dock's Turkey Bowl today—and an almost perfect day for the Juniors, who eked out a 4-3 win over the Seniors, winning on a TD pass with 30 seconds to play. Congratulations to all of our Juniors and Seniors for a well-played game, and thanks to everyone who came out to watch!
See more photos on our Facebook page, and link to the video playlist here
Lamplighter, the magazine for the Dock Mennonite Academy community, has published a special issue highlighting the Class of 2021. Features include coverage of Dock's 2021 Commencement, Senior Presentations, academic and athletic awards, and 8th Grade Celebration. Access the Class of 2021 Special Issue online at Dock's Publications web page.
The cast and crew of our fall musical, Tuck Everlasting, have been working incredibly hard, and you have just two more opportunities to see the show, this Friday and Saturday, November 19 and 20, at 7:00 p.m. We hope you will support our talented students!
Tickets are $5 student/$10 adult ($7/$12 at the door) and can be purchased at Our.show/tuck1
Mennonite College Day (MCD) was held on campus on Wednesday, October 20. Our Mennonite Colleges sent representatives to spend the day at Dock. Students were invited to stop by their tables throughout the day or during lunch to interact with the representatives. To learn more about their schools, check them out online or plan to visit them soon. On Tuesday evening, parents and students were invited to a College Information Night. This was an opportunity to learn more about the admission process, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities from the EMU and Goshen representatives.
College E-mail addresses Websites Phone numbers
Bluffton University admissions@bluffton.edu http://www.bluffton.edu/ 1-800-488-3257
Eastern Mennonite Univ. admiss@emu.edu http://www.emu.edu/ 1-800-432-4000
Goshen College admissions@goshen.edu http://www.goshen.edu/ 1-800-348-7422
Hesston College admissions@hesston.edu http://www.hesston.edu/ 1-800-995-2757
Bethel College admissions@bethelks.edu http://www.bethelks.edu/ 1-800-522-1887
Quarter One ended on October 22, and report cards will be issued to students on Monday, November 8 at the end of the day. A student’s report card may be held for a variety of reasons, such as overdue books, failure to return a sport uniform, etc. The teacher who holds the report card will issue it when the student has handled their responsibilities to them. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call the Guidance Office.
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 12, 2022 February 11, 2022
May 7, 2022 April 8, 2022
June 4, 2022 May 5, 2022
Seniors applying to college, remember to add all colleges you are applying to on your SCOIR account. The Guidance office uses SCOIR to send all supporting documentation to these colleges, including your transcript. You should be requesting letters of recommendation through SCOIR as well. Please give your teachers at least 1-2 weeks’ notice to write letters on your behalf. If you have any questions, see Mr. Kabakjian.
The annual induction ceremony was held on Tuesday, October 12 in Dock’s auditorium. New inductees were honored during a candle-lighting ceremony. The evening ended with a dessert celebration. Stop by the library entrance to see the display showcasing our new members!
While all four years in high school are important, the most pivotal year for academic and career decisions is a student’s junior year. During their junior year, students take a more comprehensive look at their future beyond high school. All juniors:
Dock uses a college planning system called SCOIR. SCOIR helps students discover colleges that match their personal as well as academic interests. It is a useful tool for navigating through the college selection process. Through SCOIR, you will have access to a free career and aptitude assessment. This assessment uses engaging exercises (“brain games”) to identify your natural abilities. As a result, you are matched with careers for which your natural talents will help you excel.
Junior students who become actively involved in the college and career activities listed above will find their senior year to be productive, rewarding, and less stressful.
Several members of retired faculty member and Athletic Director Tim Ehst's advisor group visited him recently at Frontier Pastures, the Bally, PA, farm where Ehst now raises cattle. Accompanied by their new faculty advisor, Mr. Zach Bower, students toured the farm and learned about the intricacies involved in raising cattle and sustainable pastures. They also toured the greenhouses where Ehst's nephew grows hydroponic lettuce and tomatoes. As a bonus, Ehst treated the group to ice cream afterwards at nearby Longacres Dairy.
Ehst graduated from Dock in 1971, and has spent the past 45 years as a faculty member, coach and athletic director. He retired in June 2021. He grew up on the family dairy farm that is now home to Frontier Pastures, and has come full circle after developing a passion for raising beef cattle. He practices what Dock preaches, as a life-long learner who is constantly reading and learning to hone his farming craft and to work towards ever-healthier soils, pastures, and cattle.
Joining Ehst in operating the farm are his brother, Ken, who cultivates wheat and soybeans, and nephew Ryan, who manages the hydroponics under the name Butter Valley Harvest. The 80-acre farm has been in the Ehst family for 10 generations and is now permanently preserved for agricultural use. For more information about Frontier Pastures or Butter Valley Harvest, or to inquire about beef purchases, visit their website, email contact@frontierpastures.com or call 484.866.6920.
Math can be a difficult subject for young students to appreciate, especially when they don’t see how it is connected to their everyday lives. Helping younger students make that connection was the focus of a group of high school students from Mr. Zach Bower’s Foundations of Geometry class when they visited their counterparts in Mrs. Claire Wanamaker’s Middle School math class on Friday.
The curriculum for Foundations of Geometry is based on the project-based learning (PBL) model, and for their first project students were tasked with creating a presentation aimed at teens that combines geometric information and historical facts about geometry to explain the significance of geometry to their lives. These students contributed their different gifts and talents in creating a presentation and video from scratch. They came up with the idea to have 8th grade students play the Geometry Dash game; the goal was to provide a “peak moment” experience to help 8th graders remember the presentation better. “Research shows that peak moment experiences can happen in different ways,” Mr. Bower said, “but one way is to incorporate an ‘elevation’ experience—a ‘moment of happiness that transcends the normal course of events through fun and surprise.’”
Thanks to Mr. Bower and to Dock juniors Savannah Landis, Emily O’Rourke, Lauren Gouldey, and Matthias Brockington for helping to make math more fun for our Middle School students!
Watch the presentation Mr. Bower's students created
"I love this house."
That was the reaction of one student in Mrs. Rose Lambright's Housing & Design class on Tuesday when her daughter, Dock alum Beth Lambright ('08) gave a virtual tour of a model home that her company, Toll Brothers, is now offering nearby in Eagleville, PA.
Toll Brothers is the nation's 11th largest homebuilder, with communities in 24 states coast to coast. Lambright received a marketing degree at Saint Joseph's University and has now worked in sales at Toll Brothers for five years. She also worked four years at Ryan Homes, another large homebuilder.
Lambright walked students through the process of customizing a home, from selecting floor plan options to a discussion of financing and commissions. Students took a virtual tour of a model home and answered questions about what they had seen. They also presented details of homes they had designed for the class.
She also said that the homebuilding industry has struggled with the same supply chain issues as the rest of the economy. As an example, she said that the metal forms used to pour concrete for foundations and basements are held together with small pins—and the inability to source those pins can hold up a home's construction.
Lambright was asked which courses she took in school had been helpful in her career. Naturally, Housing & Design was on the list, but so were art and business classes. Even psychology courses come in handy in terms of understanding buyer behavior, she said.
Dock Mennonite Academy Superintendent Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber has written a letter to Dock students and their families, another in a series of communications the school has shared over the course of the past two years. In his November 22,2021 letter, Dr. Swartzentruber focuses on Dock's policy and planning initiatives to provide an environment that is safe for students both physically and emotionally.
Our first Admissions Open House of the 2021-22 school year will be held on the Grades 9-12 Campus on Saturday, October 9, from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. Prospective high school students (grades 8 to 12) and their families can tour Dock's beautiful campus, meet our faculty and coaches, and learn about academics, athletics, art, music, and other opportunities that help create an extraordinary Dock experience.
No RSVP is necessary, though you are welcome to contact Director of Admissions Doug Hackman or submit an inquiry for more information.
Next Friday, October 8, Dock's Fall Concert will be presented along with our Alumni of the Year Awards. There are two exciting elements of this concert that make it a "can't miss" event for your calendar.
First, one of our instrumental selections is a piece composed by James Barnes and arranged by our Band Director, Mr. Alan Shughart, to accommodate both our band and string ensembles.
Second, Dock Concert Choir Director Mrs. Michelle Sensenig is also excited to share that we have two guest musicians joining the choir pieces: Gi Downing and Marcus Barnett. Gi Downing is the aunt of Dock senior Tomir Johnson and the mother of R&B/Soul singer Pink Sweat$.
Tomir’s extended family share a rich history of gospel singing and have been singing together in churches for many years. In this sweet 3-minute Pink Family Video, we see the family (including Gi and Tomir!) coming together to make music.
Gi has graciously agreed to lead two gospel choir workshops with the Dock choirs and will be leading/performing in portions of our concert. Her piano accompanist Marcus Barnett will be joining us on stage.
This web page will take you to photos and videos from our first gospel workshop. Jay Gordon was there to capture some great footage, and he wrote a blog post about his experience. Our second session is scheduled for this Wednesday, October 6. The choir members LOVED working and singing with Gi!
We invite you all to experience what promises to be an unforgettable concert on Friday, October 8, 7:00 pm in Clemens Auditorium.
There are nine of them on the calendar at various times throughout the school year—faculty in-service days. But what are they? What are they for? What happens on those days?
We tagged along last Friday, September 24, for the third Faculty In-Service Day of the year, to give you a behind the scenes look. In-service days are for all faculty, but the location varies; this one was held on the Grades 9-12 Campus.
The first thing you should know is that, while there are fun, community-building activities built into almost every in-service day, these are not vacation days for teachers. Last Friday's agenda was fairly typical. The day began with breakfast together followed by devotions led by Superintendent Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber (did you know he is an ordained pastor too?). Then there were workshops and training sessions that all faculty (EC - Grade 12) participate in together, followed by breakout sessions by grade level (Kindergarten, Discover, for example) and by department (English, Social Studies, Math, etc.).
The day ended with a Goosechase where faculty teams competed in a campus-wide scavenger hunt and a worship service and communion, led by Pastor Mark Wenger and Helen Eastburn of Franconia Mennonite Church.
The best way to summarize in-service days? They are professional days where teachers and administrators come together to think and learn about how to be better educators, build relationships with each other, plan for the future, and worship God as a community.
Have you ever wondered how you can get involved at Dock? Watch for some tips and advice about how you and your family can make the most of your Dock experience!
Congratulations to Dock sophomore Abigail Neiderer, who will be performing in the Schuylkill Valley Regional Dance Company's 50th Anniversary production of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker. Performances are at 2:00 p.m.and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 18, in Goodhart Theater on the campus of Bryn Mawr College. Abigail, who recently led the dance ensemble for Dock's production of Tuck Everlasting, is excited to be performing in The Nutcracker for the 10th consecutive year, and will be dancing in a variety of roles in both shows:
2:00 p.m.: Mouse King, Snow, Flower, Marzipan Corps, Spanish Lead Understudy
7:30 p.m.: Candy Cane Lead, Mouse King, Snow, Flower, Spanish Lead Understudy
Bryn Mawr College is located at 101 North Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2899
The cast and crew of our fall musical, Tuck Everlasting, have been working incredibly hard, and you have just two more opportunities to see the show, this Friday and Saturday, November 19 and 20, at 7:00 p.m. We hope you will support our talented students!
Tickets are $5 student/$10 adult ($7/$12 at the door) and can be purchased at Our.show/tuck1
Dock Theater will present its fall musical, Tuck Everlasting, with four performances on November 12, 13, 19 and 20, all at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale at the link below.
Tuck Everlasting tells the story of Winnie Foster, a young girl on the cusp of adolescence who longs for a life outside the control of her domineering mother. In the woods near her home, she happens upon Jesse Tuck, a boy unlike any she'd ever met before. He and his family are kind and generous, and they immediately take her in as one of their own. However, the Tucks hold a powerful secret, and Winnie must decide whether to return to her life or stay with the Tucks. Winnie’s predicament begs a question: Is it death we should fear—or an unlived life?
The excitement is building as we draw closer to opening night for our Spring Musical, "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."
We are pleased to be able to accommodate 120 people in Clemens Auditorium for each of our four performances (April 23, April 24, April 30, and May 1). We are using a seating chart to assure proper spacing (groups or "pods" of 5 seats for each household), so please be sure to select seats from an open 5-seat "pod."
We are also selling livestream tickets for those who wish to watch at home. Your confirmation email will include the link to the performance.
Thanks for bearing with us as we navigate some uncharted waters to provide a live theater experience for our actors, students and the community! Questions can be directed to the Advancement Office at advancementofc@dock.org
Dock's EC-Grade 8 piano instructor, Mrs. Hannah Yu, has recorded a Christmas CD, with performances of more than 20 of your favorite hristmas hymns and carols. "May these meaningful hymns bring back special memories and add new blessings to you in this beautiful season," she says. Suggested donation is $10, and CDs can be ordered by contacting Mrs Yu at hanjoice@hotmail.com
Several members of retired faculty member and Athletic Director Tim Ehst's advisor group visited him recently at Frontier Pastures, the Bally, PA, farm where Ehst now raises cattle. Accompanied by their new faculty advisor, Mr. Zach Bower, students toured the farm and learned about the intricacies involved in raising cattle and sustainable pastures. They also toured the greenhouses where Ehst's nephew grows hydroponic lettuce and tomatoes. As a bonus, Ehst treated the group to ice cream afterwards at nearby Longacres Dairy.
Ehst graduated from Dock in 1971, and has spent the past 45 years as a faculty member, coach and athletic director. He retired in June 2021. He grew up on the family dairy farm that is now home to Frontier Pastures, and has come full circle after developing a passion for raising beef cattle. He practices what Dock preaches, as a life-long learner who is constantly reading and learning to hone his farming craft and to work towards ever-healthier soils, pastures, and cattle.
Joining Ehst in operating the farm are his brother, Ken, who cultivates wheat and soybeans, and nephew Ryan, who manages the hydroponics under the name Butter Valley Harvest. The 80-acre farm has been in the Ehst family for 10 generations and is now permanently preserved for agricultural use. For more information about Frontier Pastures or Butter Valley Harvest, or to inquire about beef purchases, visit their website, email contact@frontierpastures.com or call 484.866.6920.
Sprinter Austin Kratz ('18) had a breakout season for Dock Track & Field as a junior, which set the stage for a dominating senior year that yielded state gold medals in the 100M and 200M, and 4x100 relay, and made Kratz a recruiting target for Division 1 track programs across the country.
Now, after two challenging seasons at Arizona State University, Kratz is poised to have a breakout outdoor track season for the Sun Devils—which could put him in the mix for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
A series of injuries, and then the COVID-19 pandemic, combined to slow Kratz down during his freshman and sophomore years at ASU, but he is now healthy and working hard to prepare for the outdoor season. While his current focus is on setting new personal records in the 100M and 200M, a strong showing nationally in those events may help him quality for the Olympic trials. The 2020 Summer Olympics were rescheduled because of the pandemic for this July-August in Tokyo.
When she was unable to fit two gym classes into her schedule this year, Dock senior Sara Kennel was granted an independent study with the goal of preparing to run a half-marathon. Faculty member Mrs. Darla Bergey, an accomplished runner and marathon veteran herself, agreed to work with her on the independent study. Sara, who also ran Cross Country for Dock in the fall, began training last November.
A friend who often runs with Sara expressed interest in running the half with her, and they began training together. Early in December, she learned from a friend about Worthwhile Wear, a local organization that provides long-term housing, vocational training and employment for survivors of human trafficking—a cause that has long been close to Sara’s heart.
“I felt led to find a way to support them,” she says. As a student with limited resources, she had to think creatively. With her half-marathon approaching (scheduled for Saturday, February 27) she decided to turn the race into a fundraiser for Worthwhile Wear. She and her friend started a Go Fund Me page and invited others to support the cause and even join them for the run if they wanted. Congratulations, Sara, and good luck in the race!
© 2019 Anderson Photography
Dock Mennonite Academy will add Girls Lacrosse to its athletic program, beginning play in Spring 2021.
"We have been considering the possibility of adding girls lacrosse for five years now," said Dock Athletic Director Tim Ehst. "The sport is growing in popularity nationwide, and in our community. In fact, over the past couple of decades, lacrosse has been the fastest-growing high school sport in the nation."
Increasing numbers of prospective student-athletes, as well as current students already playing other sports, have asked for an opportunity to play girls lacrosse at Dock, Ehst added. Earlier this year, a group of Dock parents put together a formal request to add the sport. That request included a student survey showing 24 returning Dock student-athletes interested in playing girls lacrosse for the Pioneers next year.
After considering this formal request at the administrative level, the Athletic Department made a proposal to Dock's Board of Trustees, who then approved a Dock girls lacrosse team starting in the 2020-21 school year. The team will play during the spring sport season, participating in the Bicentennial Athletic League.
With this addition, Dock now offers 12 varsity sports, including Golf (co-ed), Field Hockey, Volleyball (boys and girls), Cross Country (boys and girls), Soccer (boys and girls), Tennis (boys and girls), Bowling (boys and girls), Basketball (boys and girls), Baseball, Softball, Track and Field (boys and girls), and Lacrosse. Dock also offers Soccer (co-ed), Basketball (boys and girls), Baseball, Softball, Field Hockey, and Track and Field (co-ed) at the Middle School level.
Photo: Sophomore Mackenzie Derstine ('23) is one of the Dock student-athletes looking forward to playing lacrosse for the Pioneers.
For additional information:
Tim Ehst, Athletic Director
215.362.2675, ext. 401
Doug Hackman, Director of Admissions
215.362.2675, ext. 106
The Dock Athletic Department announces the hiring of Mr. Kirby King as the school's head boys volleyball coach. Coach King started the school's boys volleyball program in 1996, and during his initial 11-year coaching tenure our teams won six league titles and two district championships. At that time, Dock competed at the larger school AAA level for both district and state playoffs, which made Dock's success somewhat unusual. Dock won back-to-back district titles in 2003 and 2004, and was in the state AAA rankings in the early years of that decade.
King has been Dock's boys volleyball assistant coach for the past four years, which helps in making the transition more seamless. "Coach King brings a great knowledge of what it takes to win and be successful at the high school level," said Dock Athletic Director Tim Ehst. "His knowledge of and ability to teach fundamentals and game strategies, and his calm but direct communication style, are helpful in developing players and building team success."