THE "FIRST THURSDAY" NEWSLETTER

NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 1993 No. 2

This is the second edition of our school's new newsletter. . . and we are pleased that the first one received such a good response.

Just in case you missed the first edition, we ought to remind you that this newsletter is issued on the First Thursday of each month, via the boys, to let parents know some of the things that are going on.

The school has been very much in the news recently, for one reason or another, with the Junior Prize Giving, the official opening of the school library, the controversy over the bus passes and the unfortunate case of meningitis.

Taking the last topic first, we are pleased to say that the 11year-old boy who was diagnosed as suffering from meningitis has now fully recovered and returned to school this week. As the letter to parents from our Head Teacher said, there is no need for concern about the disease spreading as all the close contacts were traced and treated. We are grateful to parents for their sensible concern in this matter, and remind them that if their son does become ill, they should contact their doctor immediately.

The withdrawal of bus passes for some boys who were said to have lived within the three-mile limit in the past, but are now outside that limit, according to Kent County Council, is a matter for the county council. We sympathise with those who are affected, and advise parents who are concerned about it to pursue it with the county council. We will give any support we can, but emphasise that the school has no control over the issue of such passes. Incidentally, this will not change if the school becomes Grant Maintained. School transport is still a responsibility of the county council.

We promised to keep you up to date with the progress of our application to become a G.M. school. Our application is going ahead. despite a few technical hitches. We have been in contact with the Department for Education and we are encouraged by the helpful advice we have received. As expected. Kent County Council lodged the only objection to our application. Watch this space!

In our last newsletter we told you that in relation to the GM application, we would have to hold an election for another Parent Governor. We have received two nominations, and details of the two nominees, together with voting papers, are being sent out with this newsletter. Please make sure you return your voting papers as soon as possible, and in any case by 9 a.m. on Friday 26 November when the count will take place.

Now we turn to our school's successes on the sports field.

Football

Our school 1st XI team is now top of the East Kent Schools under 19 League, being unbeaten after six matches. The squad continued its impressive start to the season with a 9-0 victory over Borden Grammar 1st XI from Sittingbourne. Captain Marc Goodacre is very pleased with the performance against Borden, and the team seems to be improving with every game. Cornerstone to the team is the solid defence expertly marshalled by Chris Broom. Leading scorer for the team is Stefan Peto, but "super sub" Grant Sanders has now scored seven, including three against Borden, despite not starting a full game yet!

We are pleased to report that Chris Broom and Mattew Oiller have been selected for the Kent A team squad (under ]9 schools), and both played in a 2-2 draw against Kent Youth League on Monday (1 November). It is the first time our school has had two players in the A team squad since 1985. Stefan Peto, Justin Luchford and Marc Goodacre have been selected for the B team squad, with Spencer Bowditch provisionally selected, subject to injury.

The school 1st XI lost 2-1 to the Hundred of Hoo School, Rochester, in the third round of the County Cup. It was a disappointing display, not helped by half of the team playing in a Kent Youth Cup match the night before. Our goal scorer was Paul Campling, with the winning goal being scored with 40 seconds left, and extra time beckoning!

On Wednesday, 17 November, the 1st XI will re playing Queen Elizabeth School, from Faversham, at home at 2.30 p.m. and spectators are very welcome. The 2nd Xl will play QES away and we wish them good luck, too.

Spectators would also be welcome for the matches on Saturday 20 November, when the Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 teams are playing Harvey Grammar School, Years 7 and 9 away, and Years 8 and 10 at home. The matches start at 10a.m.

Details of all school fixtures - and other events - are included in the term's calendar.

Golf

Luke Smith, who left the school in 1991 and is a former Captain of the school golf team that won the Kent Schools Championships in 1990, has won a Golf Scholarship to Arkansas State University and is now studying in America. Well done, Luke!

Parents and Friends Association

The P.F.A. is having a busy time at the moment. Thanks are expressed to everyone who supported the Jumble Sale which took place last Saturday, and raised £50. Thanks, also, to all those who have made their annual contribution to the Amenity Fund - this is the association's main source of income for the year.

There are several events coming up in the next few weeks, the first of which is the Wine and Wisdom evening at the school on Friday 26 November at 7.30 p.m. This is going to be an American supper-type evening. We provide the questions and some nibbles, and you bring whatever food you wish. All you rove to do is make up a table of eight people and come along for a fun and enjoyable evening. Tickets are £2.50 per person, and are available from the school.

Our Christmas Bazaar takes place on Saturday 4 December, at St. Mary's Parish Centre, Dover. Book the date now. .. more details will be announced soon.

Your son will soon be bringing home tickets for the Christmas School Draw. Please support this by selling tickets to your friends and relatives.

A new venture this year is the school's very own Christmas card. It incorporates a very topical design by pupil Matthew Ball, and a sample will be sent home soon with your son, together with details of how to order them. Once again, your support will be appreciated.

The School Shop, which used to run on a regular basis a few years ago, is being revived, and operates every Monday from 1.10 to 2 p.m. Its future will depend on the amount of support shown by parents. If you can not attend at the school when the shop is open, don't despair, just contact the school or Jeanette Ashford on Dover 822658, who will be pleased to give you details of what is available.

200 Club

There are still some spire places if anyone would like to join the 200 Club, which offers monthly cash prizes. If you would like to join to join, contact the school office for an application form, and then return it by 15 November, together with £10 to cover the rest of the school year, to be included in the November draw. The December draw has an extra prize of £100. Winners of the October draw were: £25 Mr. and Mrs. A. Rowing, £15 Mrs. A. Bottle, £10 Mr. L. Tutthill. The draw takes place on the third Thursday of each month, and the next one is on Thursday 18 November.

Governors

The Governors have been busy, as usual, not only with the Grant Maintained application, but also producing the school's new prospectus reviewing the curriculum, and planning improvements to the school buildings and the site generally. It may well be that some volunteers will be sought to help with various projects, so please watch out for details in future editions of this newsletter, and be prepared to get involved!

In last month's newsletter, we asked for your co-operation in helping to eliminate any possible danger caused to boys by cars using the school drive at the start and end of the school day. A ban has been imposed on vehicles using the drive between 8.15 and 8.45 a.m., and 3.15 and 3.45 p.m. We are grateful to all those who have complied with this request. . . and hope that any others who are still using the drive at these times will kindly note our concern. Motorists wishing to get to the top gate can do so quite adequately by using the roads, so there really is no need for the drive to be used. We would also be grateful if parents would not reverse into the drive at the top gate to turn round. There is a turning area just outside the gale which should be left clear at all times. Thank you.

We are grateful to our caretaker, Peter Chatfield, for the work he has been doing re-painting various parts of the school, including the Great Hall and the Lower Corridor. It is certainly making a noticeable difference to the school.

On the subject of the hall, the new curtains are due to be hung in the next few weeks, and they will be a great improvement.

Drama

Senior pupils from both our school and the Dover Girls' Grammar School are rehearsing for our next dramatic production, "Dark of the Moon". It is a powerful love story with a difference - involving a breed of witch people. A witch boy falls in love with a human girl. In order to marry, he must become human. . . but there's a catch. Performances take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 2 to 4 December, and tickets will be available from the school, soon. Don't miss it!

Old Pharosians

The Old Pharosians will be holding their next committee meeting on Thursday 18 November, the evening before the school's Guest Evening when Professor Tony Bradley - who is an old boy of the school - will be the principal guest.

Congratulations!

We offer our congratulations to head boy Matthew Wilkinson who won the best speaker award in an English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition at Deal. Matthew received a cup after speaking of damage to the global environment.

And finally . . .

When Deal Mayor Cllr. Mrs. Audrey Elliott visited our school for the Junior Prize Giving, she invited some of the boys to join her on her next adventure, abseiling down the side of an 85-foot tower at Shorncliffe Barracks to raise funds for mentally and physically handicapped people. Last Saturday, Brendan Bowley, James Glover, Oliver Jevons, Matthew Sullon, Mark Tillyard and Jonathan Evett look up the challenge and made their descent with courage.

Head teacher Neil Slater went along to Watch . . . and ended up joining them! It was, he says, a question of balancing fear of the descent against the shame of saying "no" when they insisted he should have a go. A brave man!