Encouraging the excitement of discovery

For the youngest learners, Dock provides exploratory,     play-based education in a collaborative, Christ-centered environment.

Dock is committed to developing the whole child—spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical—by integrating faith into every aspect of learning.

Young children have an innate excitement for discovery and learning that they bring into the classroom everyday. Early childhood teachers at Dock seek to build on that curiosity, recognizing that young students learn best through play. Teachers provide educational tools, introduce complex play opportunities, and give students choices in their activities to inspire passions and foster independence.

Dock Mennonite Academy provides a place for children to receive a quality education while being loved unconditionally. Students receive support every step of the way through a cohesive community of teachers, family, and church, ensuring a positive experience as they start their first years of school.

FACILITATING UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Learning through Exploration
Dock Mennonite Academy encourages children to ask questions. Teachers provide students with class time and materials for open-ended discovery and exploration.

Students:

• Choose objects for a sink-and-float activity to discover what affects the outcome.
• Mix finger paints to learn about color.
• Walk on the campus nature trail, hypothesize about animal homes, and come back to the classroom to further explore.

Engaging in Purposeful Play
Teachers encourage purposeful play as children learn to problem-solve, work cooperatively, and persevere.

Teachers:

• Ask questions while students are playing with blocks to prompt further construction, such as, "How could you do that differently to keep that piece from falling down?"
• Provide items such as water, beans, dirt, buttons, and feathers in a sensory table with tools for imaginative play.
• Provide child-safe tongs to pick up macaroni or pom-poms for counting games and to improve fine motor skills.

GOING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM TO BUILD A COMMUNITY

Forming lasting relationships

• Individual parent-teacher conferences
• School nurse
• Guidance counselors
• Regular newsletters to parents
• Interactions with high school volunteers and middle school buddies
• Friendships on Early Childhood playground

Our experienced teachers all hold 4-year education degrees and are strong Christian role models for our students.

Early Childhood

Half Day: 8:25 AM - 11:15 AM

Full Day: 8:25 AM - 3:20 PM

3 year olds

Tuesday/Thursday

4 year olds

Monday/Wednesday/Friday

 

Pre-Kindergarten

Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Families may add enrichment days on Tuesday and/or Thursday

 

EDUCATIONAL GOALS

Cultivate a love of learning

Foster a love of God and others

Encourage independence

Teach communication skills

Strengthen self-esteem

Build friendships

Develop the foundation for future academic success

 

DEVELOPMENTAL AREAS

Cognitive and Language Skills

Fine and Gross Motor Skills

Social Skills

Spiritual Life

Creativity

 

Building enthusiasm for learning

Dock offers strong academics in a collaborative, Christ-centered environment. Our teachers focus on teaching young students how to learn—providing a solid foundation for future academic success.

Dock is committed to developing the whole child--spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical--by integrating faith into every aspect of learning.

Elementary-aged children are enthusiastic and eager to learn. Teachers at Dock focus on teaching young students how to learn. The fundamentals of writing, reading comprehension, and mathematics are building blocks for future academic success. Equally important are communication and social skills like working together and resolving differences peacefully, which are also integrated into the curriculum.

Dock Mennonite Academy provides a place for children to receive a quality education while being loved unconditionally. Students receive support every step of the way through a cohesive community of teachers, family, and church, ensuring a positive experience in the classroom.

FACILITATING UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Curriculum Highlights

• Focus on exploration and inquiry
• Research-based science curriculum with hands-on experiments
• Mathematics literacy developed through games and conceptual manipulations
• Language Arts and Social Studies curricula integrates writing and creativity with content
• Introduction to acting and singing through musical performances for all students in Grades 2 and 4
• Opportunities to learn music in band, orchestra, and a variety of ensembles
• Lessons and the recorder and ukulele
• Classes in visual arts offer dynamic projects like prehistoric animal cave paintings and architectural drawings of cathedrals
• Activities in physical education teach ways to be healthy and active
• Introduction to languages through weekly Spanish classes

GOING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM TO BUILD A COMMUNITY

Forming Lasting Relationships

• Individual parent-teacher conferences
• School nurse
• Guidance counselors
• Regular newsletters to parents
• Interactions with high school volunteers and middle school buddies

Enrichment Activites

• Music opportunities
  • Instrumental lessons
  • Band and Orchestra
  • Choir
  • Handbells
  • Second and fourth grade musicals
• Computer Coding Club
• Reading Olympics

EDUCATIONAL GOALS

Cultivate a love of learning
Foster a love of God and others
Encourage independence
Teach communication skills
Strengthen self-esteem
Build friendships
Develop the foundation for future academic success

SUBJECT AREAS

Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Bible
Art
Technology
Library
Music
Physical Education
Spanish

Empowering students to think and act confidently

Dock offers strong academics in a collaborative, Christ-centered environment.

Dock is committed to developing the whole child—spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical--by integrating faith into every aspect of learning.

As middle school students transition to independent young adults, Dock strengthens their academic skills while providing opportunities to develop self-confidence. Dock prepares students to take on more responsibilities, make informed decisions, and set goals for themselves. Through an integrated curriculum, students build the communication and social skills, like working together and resolving differences peacefully, necessary to be successful in high school and beyond.

Middle school is a time when students learn to manage their work and build relationships, bonding with one another and their teachers. Every step of the way, students receive support through a cohesive community of teachers, family, and church, ensuring a positive experience in the classroom.

FACILITATING UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Curriculum Highlights

 

• Exceptional academics taught with a faith perspective
• Dynamic classroom environment where students build models, explore ideas, and present learnings
• Project-based learning
• Active exploration of real-world challenges and problem

Arts

Students interpret and critique art, write songs, and analyze lyrics with passionate instructors in:

• Musical theater
• Visual arts
• Band, orchestra, and instrumental lessons
• Music classes

Athletics

In addition to physical education class requirements, the school offers two options for athletic participation which provide opportunities for skill development and competition:

• Intramural sports during the day
• Competitive interscholastic sports after school

 

GOING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM TO BUILD A COMMUNITY

Community Service

Dock strives to educate compassionate students who lead by example. One way middle school students practice these qualities is through community service, an integral part of a Dock education encouraged school-wide. Through service club and other initiatives, students learn the importance of giving back to others and making an impact in the community.

Enrichment Activities

 

Oftentimes it is the activities that take place outside of the classroom and are based on shared interests that bring students closer together. Dock provides bonding opportunities through student council activities, the Chapel planning committee, and the Peace Pals program, which pairs middle and elementary school students together.

Lifelong Relationships

Life at Dock is built upon inclusion, participation, and relationships formed with peers and educators. From the outdoor classroom retreat to the science fair, great care is taken to design activities that strengthen relationships and build a lifelong community.

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT

Science Fair
Music competitions
Art, Fabric Arts and Culinary Arts competition
Academic Bowl
Spelling and Geography competition
Math and Computer activities

MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES

 

Band
Orchestra
Jazz Band
Instrumental Lessons
Handbells
Musical Theater

ATHLETICS: GRADES 7 + 8

Soccer (co-ed)
Field Hockey
Basketball (boys and girls)
Baseball
Softball
Track and Field (co-ed)

A meaningful context for learning

Dock offers rigorous academics in a welcoming, Christ-centered environment. Our faculty teach with a global perspective that emphasizes service, peace, justice, and community.

The integration of these values creates a vibrant learning community where students discover what it means to learn for lives of purpose. Every aspect of a Dock education provides a meaningful context for learning, and a diverse population of learners challenges each student to achieve his or her full potential.

The integration of service, peace and justice, community, and global perspective creates a vibrant learning community where students discover what it means to learn for lives of purpose.

Every aspect of a Dock education provides a meaningful context for learning, and a diverse population of learners challenges each student to achieve his or her full potential. Dock's extensive academic offerings include seventeen AP courses as well as a variety of electives, faith-related options, and learning support services.

Dock students are surrounded by a supportive community - school, family, and church - that empowers them to think and act confidently. Teachers work closely with students to identify their individual academic interests and strengths, generate enthusiasm for learning, and tailor instruction accordingly. It is through this full, dynamic experience that Dock students discover themselves, grow their faith, and flourish as responsible, caring, and contributing members of our global society.

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH UNIQUE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES

The curriculum at Dock Mennonite Academy integrates faith and learning in a way that builds strong relationships on campus, and also exposes students to service opportunities in the broader community and the world. The whole school regularly participates in service as a testament to its commitment to giving back.

GRADES 9-11: MINI-TERM

Mini-Term provides students in grades 9 to 11 with four days of rich, hands-on learning activities that are not otherwise covered in Dock’s regular curriculum—from sustainable living/farming to in-depth exploration of medical occupations to advanced photography and more.

GRADE 10: SERVICE

Dock encourages students to make service a way of life. Students complete 12 hours of service at dozens of organizations as part of their sophomore Bible curriculum.

GRADE 11: SOCIAL ISSUES TRIP

All juniors enroll in a Social Issues class, which examines current social problems and evaluates how social agencies, private institutions, and government address them. The course challenges students to develop a personal sense of responsibility that translates into a desire to care for others. The culmination is a three-day trip to Washington, D.C., with a service component.

GRADE 12: SENIOR EXPERIENCE, SENIOR PRESENTATIONS

Concurrent with Mini-Term, seniors will participate in a week-long job shadowing or service experience. Senior Experience is part of Dock’s Kingdom Living Bible class. Both of these experiential learning opportunities—Senior Experience and Mini-Term—could include domestic or international travel.       

During the last week of school, seniors give a required 20-minute presentation, required for Communications class, in which they reflect on their academic, spiritual, and lifestyle development throughout high school. Open to community attendance, the Senior Presentations represent the culmination of the Dock student journey and the intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth they experience along the way.