"The First Thursday Newsletter No. 8."

Matthew Peace

We have all been shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Matthew Peace, who was a student in Form 10 Channel at our school.

Matthew collapsed and died in the garden of his home in Walmer during the half-term holiday. We understand that he may have suffered a heart attack.

He was a quiet, serious-mimed and sensitive boy, who was a good friend to many other boys in his form.

Matthew will be missed very much am we express our sincere sympathy to his parents and other members of the family. We will remember them in our prayers at this very sad time.

Our thanks to all of you who attended the Annual Parents' Meeting in May. Items raised included school transport, tennis courts, length of the school day and school children having to pay full bus fares. We are grateful for all the comments you made, am we will be following them up, and keep you informed of progress.

John Barnes has resigned as a Governor of the school, and we would like to express our thanks to him for all he has done for the school over the years he has served on the Governing Board.

Everyone who attended the choral concert at Charlton Church on Thursday 19 May was very impressed with the performance given by the members of our School Choir, and the guest soloists. Congratulations to all the musicians and Director of Music Richard Davies on another excellent evening.

The next musical event is a concert of Music for a Summer's Evening at the school on 14 July at 7.30 p.m

WHERE can you enjoy seven hours of non-stop dancing to a live band and a disco, folk singing, jazz, Scottish country dancing, video extracts, bagpipes, a five-course meal, champagne breakfast, fireworks am two licensed bars?

The answer, of course, is the GRAND BALL - Revels for a Summer Night - which is to take place at the school on Saturday 23 July. This is very much a celebration which we hope many of you will want to come and join in. Music is being provided by the Ian Shawcross band and the Moon Cresta Disco, and there are two sittings of the waitress-served meal. There are a few places left on the second sitting at 9.30 p.m., but more room at the first sitting at 7.30 p.m.

Tickets, at £18.50, represent excellent value, and are obtainable from the school. Bookings, with full payment, must be made by Friday 8 July. Book your ticket(s) now!

An exhibition of work by our school's Art Department is being staged at Deal Library gallery from Monday 4 July to Friday 15 July. The exhibition includes drawings, paintings, prints and photographs representing the work that has been achieved by senior boys at the school. Why not call in and see the work which our boys have been doing.

The Lower Sixth field trip to Ingleton in North Yorkshire from 8 to 13 May was a great success, in good, dry weather, with 21 boys and three staff taking part.

The only drama was on the return journey when the electrics on the new school mini-bus short-circuited.

Forthcoming Sport Studies visits include a trip to Wembley Stadium and the T.S.B. Grand Prix Athletics Meeting at Crystal Palace on Friday 15 July.

On 18 May, eight cadets of the R.A.F. section went Chipmunk flying at R.A.F. Manston, and on 29 and 30 May cadets took part in a map-reading exercise and the Folkestone Cadet March raising money for the model aircraft section.

Three of our C.C.F. cadets also appeared on the Barbara Sturgeon programme on B.B.C. Radio Kent on 31 May.

The bad weather severely curtailed the P.F.A. boot fair held at the school on Saturday 21 May. Thanks to those who did turn up and support the event.

Thanks, too, to those who bought tickets for the Spring Draw. The winner of the £250 first prize was A. Husk (8P), and the £100 second prize went to F. Richard son. Other prize winners were A. Hook, Mrs. F. Marsh and Mrs. K. Page.

If you want to stand a chance of winning £100 this month you will have to be very quick! Twice a year - in June and December - the 200 Club has a special draw when the top prize is £100. If you are not yet a member of the 200 Club then an you have to do to stand a chance of winning the £100 prize this month is contact the school office for an application form, and return it, together with £3, by next Tuesday 14 June. The £3 will cover the £1 monthly subscription for the rest of this academic year. The monthly cash prizes are £25, £15 and £10.

Winners of the May draw were:- £25 Mr. A. M. Husk, £15 Mrs. G. Smith, £10 Mr. L. G. Tutthill. The next draw takes place on Thursday 16 June.

Fortunes on the cricket field have been mixed, with the weather not being very kind.

The 1st XI scored a good victory over Simon Langton 2nd XI at Canterbury, and Year 7 XI drew in a 20-over game against Sir Roger Manwood's. Both Year 8 and Year 10 cricket matches against Astor had to be cancelled due to rain.

Year 9 XI achieved an excellent win over Sir Roger Manwood's by nine wickets in their away match. Year 7 and Year 9 XIs both had good wins over Astor School. Year 7 XI achieved a good win at home against St. Edmund's School, Dover, but the Year 8 game against St. Edmund's had to be called off due to heavy rain. On Tuesday, in their matches against Norton Knatchbull School from Ashford, Year 8 lost by nine wickets (away), and Year 7 lost by seven wickets at home. It is hoped the matches affected by the weather can be re-arranged in the next few weeks.

In the County Cup, Year 10 XI lost to Dover College away, and Year 9 XI lost to the Duke of York's School by five wickets.

House matches planned are: Friday 10 June - 7Ca v 7P, Monday 13 June - 9Ch v 9P, Thursday 16 June - 10Ch v 10P, Friday 17 June - 7Ch v 7Ca, Monday 20 June - 9Ca v 9Ch, Tuesday 21 June - 8Ch v 8P, Thursday 23 June - 10Ca v 10Ch, Monday 27 June - 9Ca v 9P, Friday 1 July - 7P v 7Ch, Tuesday 5 July - 8P v 8Ca. All matches start at 1.30 p.m.

Other cricket fixtures: Tuesday 14 June - Year 10 v Astor (home) and Year 8 v Astor (away) at 4 pm; Wednesday 15 June - Year 9 v Astor (away) and Year 7 v Astor (home) also at 4pm; Tuesday 21 June - Year 9 v Sir Roger Manwood's (home) at 4.15pm; Friday 24 July - Year 7 v Sir Roger Manwood's (home) at 4.15pm; Wednesday 29 June - 1st XI v Immigration at The Danes at 2pm; Tuesday 5 July - Year 9 v Norton Knatchbull (away) at 3 p.m.

On Wednesday 6 July - the 1st XI win play the Old Pharosians at 2 p.m.

As always, spectators will be warmly welcomed at all of these matches. Come and support our boys in their sporting activities!

In the senior inter-house athletics held on Wednesday 25 May, the winning house, by a large margin, was Port (128.5 points), with Channel second (79.5) and Castle third (72).

The individual champion was Paul Campling with wins in the 1,500 metres, 100 metres and shot putt. An outstanding longjump competition saw John Stonebridge achieve a best leap of 6 metres 20 centimetres, within four centimetres of the 1976 record. Matthew McArdle came second, achieving a personal best of 6 metres 7 centimetres.

Several athletics matches have taken place against Brockhill, Astor and Harvey Grammar School and at the Duke of York's, again with mixed results.

Individually Stefan Hargrave (Year 11, 100 metre hurdles) and Kristian Alien (Year 10, 100 metres) both won their respective events at the District Inter-School Championships held at the Duke of York's School on 18 May.

Year 7 boys will be taking part in the area athletics meeting at Astor on Friday 8 July at 2 p.m.

Looking slightly further head, our school Sports Day is on Wednesday 13 July when we hope as many of you as possible will come along to watch the events. If the weather is wet on 13th, the sports will be held on Thursday 14th.

The inter-house swimming sports take place on Friday 22 July at 2 p.m.

Many years ago the school boasted 10 teams in the Dover Table Tennis League. It is hoped that there will be enough interest from boys, parents and staff to enable us to enter at least four teams in the Dover and District Senior Leagues as we did a few years ago.

Simon Greenwood, an old boy of the school and qualified table tennis coach, has agreed to give up his time to help with coaching and tuition after school hours to help with the standard of play in the school. If anyone is interested in playing in a school team on a regular basis - boy, parent, staff or governor - please contact Paul Skelton, our workshop technician. League matches are played both home and away on a weekday, evening matches starting at 7.30 and usually ending about 10.30. There are three members to each team, but reserves are obviously needed.

Our school is collecting the Computers for Schools tokens which are currently being issued by Tesco's. We have a target of 5,000 tokens. . . please help us reach it!

And finally, don't forget our school is closed on Wednesday 6 July when the Tour de France is being held in Dover.