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February 2013, Volume 45, No. 7

Principal’s Corner

Interactive Technology

As parents you have witnessed the rapid development of technology that is unprecedented. In 1982, my wife and I left for Bangladesh with the Mennonite Central Committee. For three years, our communication with family was through letters with four weeks needed for a letter and response. These are different days! We expect instant communication and information. The developments are exciting, yet with challenges.

As you will discover in this issue of Newsline (see pg. 3), each student at Dock will have an iPad next year. We’re calling this our 1:1 program. Teachers have been preparing for this transition since the end of last school year. There is much excitement along with legitimate concerns that are being addressed. We will spend time this year and next year discussing digital citizenship with our students. A part of our curriculum will be designed to help students become responsible citizens when making decisions related to technology.

One of the reasons I am most excited about our 1:1 program is the possibility for interaction between teachers and students. Recent technologies are primarily designed for one-way communication. TVs, desktop computers and projectors are used primarily for a teacher to instruct the student. Today we understand the significance of a student’s active involvement in the educational process. We see education as the lighting of a passion rather than simply passing facts on to a student.

With a 1:1 program in place, we see the potential to open new avenues of communication between teacher and student. We could see students more involved in their learning. We could see students interacting more quickly and more often with teachers. There is much work ahead to shape the program, and each teacher will use the iPads differently, but the potential of this interactive technology is tremendous. We welcome your response and thoughts as we continue to consider how we can best prepare your students for an increasingly complex, technological workplace.

—Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber, Principal

1000 Forty Foot Road • Lansdale, PA 19446-4398

215.362.2675 • www.dockhs.org Newsline

Our Mission Statement: “Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, in partnership with the family and the church, seeks to develop the God-given abilities of students in preparation for responsible stewardship of life as members of God’s people in a global society.”

Plan to attend Arts Day on February 15

This year’s theme, “The Five Senses,” promises some great performances by our students as Dock celebrates the arts. The public Arts Day program will be presented on Friday, February 15 at 7 p.m. Guidelines for all presentations are available on the website.

Parents can attend performances during the day Friday as well, and should sit in the balcony; a program order will be posted to the website next week. To ensure that all attention is focused on the presentations, we ask that there be no contact between parents and students during the school day. More information can be found at www.dockhs.org.

DockCalendar

FEBRUARY 4 Student Visitation Day Invite a friend! 15 Arts Day (public program at 7 p.m.) 18 Presidents’ Day, No school 21-23 Regional Orchestra 24-26 Social Issues trip 28-1 MSC Instrumental Festival @ Dock

MARCH 4 Joint In-Service - PVCS & QCS, No school 5 Spring sports practices begin 5-19 Alumni Phonathon 11 Student Visitation Day, Invite a friend! 11 Parent-Teacher Celebration, 6 p.m. 14 Winter Athletic Banquet, 6:15 p.m. 18 Spring Parent-Coach Night, 7:30 p.m. 18-22 Spiritual Life Emphasis Week 19 Board of Trustees, 2:30 p.m. 20 Spring Pastors’ Day, 7:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 28 Faculty In-Service, No school 29-April 7 Easter Break, No School

The Dock Robotics Team hosted its 5th annual DockBots robotics tournament on Jan. 26. Three of our bots made the quarterfinals, and 777B (Isaac Zehr, Issac Moyer and Johnathan Capps) were part of the championship alliance!

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Classroom Corner

Mrs. Grega Junior English Study Skills students have just completed A Thousand Splendid Suns, a novel set in Afghanistan that details a friendship between two women from the late 1970’s until 2001. A major theme was the oppression of women and how that can impact individuals in their own country as well as change the worldview of those who read the novel. The book is by Khaled Hosseini, the au-thor of The Kite Runner.

Sophomores have finished short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne and Washington Irving and are moving into Dark Romanticism with Edgar Allen Poe’s short stories and poems, followed by Walt Whitman’s poetry.

Ninth graders are beginning the I-Search process with topics that include pastries, the Manga Art style, animal rights, schizophrenia, the history of flight, fly fishing, crimi-nal forensics, global warming, and how the Olympics have changed through the centuries.

Mrs. Rauch Mrs. Rauch’s World Lit travelers are beginning a 5-continent visit by beginning with the classic World War I novel, All Quiet On the Western Front. Our next journey will be to a Siberian gulag with Solzhenitsyn’s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Books: the world’s cheap-est way of touring!

Mrs. Rauch’s freshmen English students are pondering the Greek gods and gearing up to begin their voyage with the hero Odysseus. These freshmen are looking to find pointers that will help them travel the odyssey of life.

Mrs. Rauch’s Creative Writing Fiction students are busy doing timed writings, short vignettes based on memory, and working toward composing their first whole class piece. Between powerlines and brainercises, these stu-dents are finding plenty to write about.

Available now on DockuNet...

The student voice of Christopher Dock invites you to read what our students have been writing. Posted now:

Reflections from senior Josh Shearer on Dock’s Faith Walk class…

DockuNet editor Beth Curtis' take on Les Misérables

Visit DockuNet today—now on Facebook, too!

Access DockuNet by clicking here.

Subscribe to the “Christopher Dock” channel on

Have you seen Dock’s new web site?

Dock’s website has been updated and refreshed. Check it out for school information, lunch menus, athletic

schedules, photos and more!

Seminar helps with social learning

North Penn Parents Special Education Council pre-sents, “A Pathway to Success for Children With Social Skill Needs” on Wednesday, February 20 at 7 p.m. at the North Penn Educational Services Center, 401 East Hancock St., Lansdale. Helping children with social learning needs connect socially to the world around them can be overwhelming for parents and edu-cators. Speaker Ryan Wexelblatt, director of the Se-quoia Kids Program and Camp Sequoia will demon-strate a proven method to teach children social cogni-tion: the ability to think in a social context and apply skills relevant to the situation. Click here for additional details.

There is no charge to attend this program. Call 215.884.6499 with questions.

PLEASE NOTE: The start date for spring sports practices has been changed from Monday, March 4, to Tuesday, March 5. Please contact the Athletic Department with any questions.

Start date change

for spring sports

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Invite a friend to consider Dock

Admissions interviews are underway! Now is the time to begin the application process for the 2013-2014 school year, and we need your help. Why not invite a neighbor or friend to come and spend a day at Dock shadowing your student?

Student Visitation Days are scheduled for Monday, February 4, and Monday, March 11, but can also be arranged other days by contacting Director of Admis-sions Doug Hackman at 215.362.2675, ext. 106, or by email at dhackman@dockhs.org.

Dock announces 1:1 program for 2013-14

The board and faculty of Christopher Dock are excit-ed to announce the imple-mentation of a 1:1 (one-to-one) technology plan for the fall of 2013. The term “1:1” refers to the fact that there is one computer or device per student. Dock will equip each enrolled student with a 3rd Gen iPad with the goal of providing equitable ac-cess to web resources and apps to enhance Dock’s mission and curriculum.

The instructional focus for the Dock iPads will be ac-tive, engaged learning, and concentration on national technology standards:

Creativity and Innovation

Communication and Collaboration

Research and Information Fluency

Critical-thinking, Problem-solving and Decision-making Fundraising is taking place in support of this initiative. The funding for this program will not affect tuition. While there will be ongoing costs for technology each year, we are seeking over $200,000 in assistance this first year in order to implement the plan for our entire student body. The plan will be sustainable through the annual budget for educa-tional resources.

Parents, local businesses and community members are

being invited to participate in this program to enhance students’ preparation for college, career, and a technology-infused world. Per-haps your employer or business would have interest in assisting with the plan. Parents are invited to consider making a donation toward their child’s iPad and/or toward an iPad for a family unable to help with the project.

Please contact the following administrators with your ideas or questions:

Fundraising — Susan Gingerich (sgingerich@dockhs.org; 215.362.2675, ext. 116)

Curriculum — Bronwyn Histand (bhistand@dockhs.org, ext. 308)

Programming/Applications — Darwin Zehr (dzehr@dockhs.org, ext. 616)

Christopher Dock will hold a Teen Cancer Awareness Night on Saturday, February 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. This event is open to the public and will include a student art show, coffeehouse, and silent auction. In addition, there will be a panel discussion where students will share their cancer stories, with a time for audi-

ence questions. Admission is $5, and a Love

Offering will be taken, with all proceeds from the evening benefitting foundations focused on teen cancer research and cures, as well

as local families with teens battling cancer.

Lindsey Laverty (at left in photo) and friends

are organizing the event, which will honor the

memory of her sister, Emilee, who died of can-cer in November. (Some of Emilee’s art will be featured in the art show.)

Please contact Lindsey with art and silent auction dona-tions, or if you would like to perform in the coffeehouse.

Bring your friends!

Teen Cancer Awareness night

Saturday, February 23, 7 - 9 pm

Teen Cancer Awareness night

Saturday, February 23, 7 - 9 pm

Come out and support Dock’s Teen Cancer Awareness Night on February 23

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Guidance Office

Course Registration for 2013-14 Students will receive registration materials for 2013-14 on February 5th. Please complete the course registration process which includes: 1. Review and sign the Covenant Statement 2. Update emergency contact information 3. Complete the course registration (check for graduation requirements on page 4 of the Curriculum Guide)

All materials are due back to the student’s advisor by February 13, 2013. Contact your guidance counselor, Mr. Wiens, or Mrs. Histand with registration questions.

Scholarship list The Guidance Office has a list of scholarships available. Students are welcome to stop by and pick up a copy.

AES Engineers Scholarship The consulting firm of AES Engineers is committed to continuing its support of higher education by providing scholarships to deserving students. To be eligible, the student needs to answer one of the essay questions that they will find on their site at http://www.aesengineers.com/scholarships.htm Their belief is that achieving a high grade point average should not be the only criteria for determining who de-serves to be helped. They are offering a scholarship that will be awarded on the basis of character, as determined by evaluating the essays that are submitted. Amount of award: $500 Deadline for entry: October 4, 2013

Free Application for Federal Student Finan-cial Aid (FAFSA) A few tips to consider when applying: Apply early. The colleges you have applied to will

have different deadlines regarding receiving this infor-mation.

Read and follow all instructions carefully.

Consider applying online. We recommend that you complete your tax form prior to filling out your FAFSA, but this is not mandatory. Regardless of whether you estimate or give the actual tax information, you will need to provide income and various other tax data. The online forms are processed faster and it seems to be a more accurate way for students to apply. Online features can help catch mistakes and give tips and help along the way.

Beware of fee-based services. Be cautious of any organization that charges a fee to submit your appli-cation, or to find you money for college. There are legitimate services, but quite a few scams as well.

Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week This summer program for sophomores and juniors of-fers four, one-week sessions (July 7-13, July 14-20, July 28-August 3, August 4-10, 2013) in which students ex-plore careers in business on the campus of Lycoming College or Pennsylvania College of Technology in Wil-liamsport, PA. Students will work with Pennsylvania exec-

utives engaged in the fields of engineering, finance, law, technology, environmental protection, and politics. Non-refundable registration fee is $235. All accepted students will receive a full scholarship for the program, valued at $1500. Go to pfew.org and stop in the Guidance Office if you are interested. Students who participated in the PFEW program report this is an excellent opportunity for summer enrichment. Early Bird Application Deadline: March 1, 2013. Final Application Deadline: April 12, 2013.

Parents: Got Questions? PTF (Parent-Teacher Fellowship) parents invite you to email questions or comments on any aspect of school/student life. They are happy to hear your thoughts and answer your questions.

Therol Dix theroldix@gmail.com Jeff & Donna Wilkins hjwilkins@comcast.net

Sponsor of the Month

Landis Supermarkets

Newsline’s Sponsor of the Month is Landis Supermarkets. Your hometown Landis Su-permarkets have been providing the Indian Valley with legendary service and quality since 1938. At Landis you’ll find crisp Lancaster County produce, natural and organic selections, Sadie’s Buffet and Food Court, Mrs. Benner’s made-from-scratch pies and other baked goods, fresh locally grown flowers and more. Visit their stores in Telford, Perkasie and Vernfield.

If you want to make Valentine’s Day special without breaking the bank, visit Sadie’s Valentine’s Buffet on Thursday, February 14 from 4 to 8:30 p.m.

Save the Date! Parent/Teacher Celebration Monday, March 11, 6 p.m. After a light supper, Dr. Swartzentruber will share school and curriculum updates, with a question-and-answer time to follow. Come out and get to know our Dock teachers and parents. Watch for your email invitation!

Do you have a treadmill that’s gathering

dust or being used as a clothes hanger? The students at Dock House would

appreciate being able to add one to their basement gym.

If you have a treadmill to

donate, please contact Assistant Principal Martin Wiens at 215.362.2675.

Wanted: Treadmill

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Congratulations to the Dock Robotics Team and faculty advisor Mrs. Gail Anderson for hosting the 5th annual DockBots robotics competition on January 26! The tournament was attended by 44 teams from as far away as Maryland and Virginia, and three of Dock's teams made it to the quarterfinals. Team 777B (Isaac Zehr, Johna-than Capps, and Issac Moyer, pictured above with Principal Dr. Conrad Swartzentruber) was part of the alli-ance that won the tournament championship! In addition, 777B was awarded the Build Award for a well-designed and built robot. Congratulations to everyone on a successful tournament! Photos courtesy of Anita Capps and Joanne Moyer

ONCAMPUS

The third annual Dock Cooks! event featured 13 teams of stu-dent chefs in a good old-fashioned chili cook-off organized by Dock faculty member Rose Lambright. Pictured (clockwise from top left): The winning cooks included (l to r) Jooli Hansen and Rebecca Mathew (not pictured), 3rd place, Austin Kratz and Simon Nam, 2nd place, and Robert O’Brien and Hannah Vezzetti, 1st place; Jenna Landis (left) and Angie Rittenhouse won the award for best-dressed cooks with these aprons that Angie made; Zac Pot-ter (right) uses a ruler to get his cornbread squares just right, un-der the watchful eye of Isaac Zehr; Hannah and Robert’s win-ning presentation of Warm Ewe Up Chili with Cilantro Lime Rice.

Dock Cooks: The Great Chili Cook-Off

DockBots

2013

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Local photographer Lowell Swartley has created a Facebook page (“Lowell Swart-ley Photography”) where you can view and purchase photos of Dock athletes in action. To access photos, go to the Face-book page and get the event code for the photo(s) you want, then follow the link provided to the online store.

DOCKNATION

Just a reminder about two upcoming FREE events that could make a big difference in your SAT performance. Dock is hosting both these events to help students pre-pare for success on the SAT. In addition to the practice test and the strategy session, there is also a more exten-sive SAT prep course. You can learn more about all these options on our web site by clicking here or by going to Academics/Guidance Office/College Planning.

FYI, the SAT test will be offered on the following dates:

March 9 (registration deadline February 8) May 4 (registration deadline April 5) June 1 (registration deadline May 2)

Photos now available of Dock athletes in action!

Art ay is Friday, February 1