Curriculum
Philosophy of Education
Learning in community
Learning in community is an important value at Dock, represented by the understanding that a "classroom is a community of learners" and reflected in many ways in the school curriculum.
Other key ideas from Dock’s Philosophy of Education are:
- Faith and learning are inseparable. Therefore, our educational philosophy is rooted in our faith belief.
- All of life is a classroom; persons learn in and out of school and throughout their lives.
- The classroom is a community of learners whose varied gifts and needs are best nurtured through active participation and collaboration.
- Each teacher’s and student’s prior knowledge, experience, and interests become resources available to the whole group.
- Inquiry-based and collaborative activities provide opportunities for students to learn from each other as well as from the teacher and to learn the value of differences.
- When faith and learning are unified, persons are called to an ethic of care and love whereby they seek understanding, find their identity in God’s story of humanity, develop interest in maintaining God’s creation, and grow in love of God and each other.
Early Childhood
Encouraging the excitement of discovery
For the youngest learners, Dock provides exploratory, play-based education in a collaborative, Christ-centered environment.
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.
Curriculum Highlights
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:
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Choose objects for a sink-and-float activity to discover what affects the outcome.
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Mix finger paints to learn about color.
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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. Our experienced teachers all hold 4-year education degrees and are strong Christian role models for our students.
Teachers:
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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?"
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Provide items such as water, beans, dirt, buttons, and feathers in a sensory table with tools for imaginative play.
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Provide child-safe tongs to pick up macaroni or pom-poms for counting games and to improve fine motor skills.
Building Community
Educational Goals
Developmental Areas
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
Elementary
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.
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.
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
Building 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 Activities
- Music opportunities
- Instrumental lessons
- Band and Orchestra
- Choir
- Handbells
- Second and fourth grade musicals
- Computer Coding Club
- Reading Olympics
Educational Goals
Subject Areas
Middle School
Empowering students to think and act confidently
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.
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.
Curriculum Highlights
- Exceptional academics taught with a faith perspective
- Dynamic classroom environment where students build models, explore ideas, and present learnings
- Project-based learning (Read more about Dock's PBL curriculum here!)
- 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
Building 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
Music and Athletics
High School
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. 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.
Check out the Curriculum Guide for more specific course requirement information.
Curriculum Highlights
- Each student has access to resources and opportunities to reach their learning potential, providing learning support across all grade levels and also honors, online, and AP course options at the high school level.
- Faith formation opportunities exist throughout the high school curriculum. Some examples include chapel, Bible courses, and Athletic Leadership Council.
- Mini-Term lasts for four days in September and is a time of intense, hands-on, experiential learning in small groups that provides an educational experience beyond what is offered in the traditional classroom. The goals of individual Mini-Term courses correlate with Dock’s Mission Statement and Graduate Profile, including our emphasis on equipping and inspiring students to serve with a global perspective.
- The recently expanded STEM curriculum (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) provides students with the skills and knowledge to help them succeed in our increasingly digital society, economy, and culture. Key components of the STEM curriculum include new Computer Science courses in coding, computer systems and networks, database systems, programming languages, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software engineering, as well as the development of a STEM lab at the Grades 9-12 Campus to provide increased hands-on learning in robots, circuits, and 3D printing.
- Dock integrates digital resources that deepen and advance learners’ engagement with instruction and stimulate their curiosity. Dock has maintained a 1:1 Device program for almost ten years at the HS.
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Incredible opportunities through Arts and Athletic programs
Building Community
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. Also in grade 10, students embark on a field trip to Philadelphia led by the social studies department, providing not only a valuable complement to their US History coursework but also connecting with their classmates and teachers throughout the experience.
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 Kindom 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.
"A different person"
"One of the best decisions we’ve EVER made was to send our girls to Dock. You provide kids with a holistic and individualized education and you help them to recognize their abilities and their limitless potential. Emma (front row, far right) is a different person today than she was walking into that school in September."
~ Tim and Erica Celenza, parents of Olivia ('20) and Emma ('22)