Dover Grammar School for Boys
THE "FIRST THURSDAY"
NEWSLETTERWELCOME
As we start the new school year we welcome the 108 boys who are joining the school in Year 7, and we also welcome five new members of staff:-
Mr Paul Woolger, Co-ordinator of Information Technology, comes to us from Hastings College of Arts & Technology, having previously worked in both teaching and in systems analysis in Cheshire and Australia.
Mr Derek Ritson, Teacher of Science/Head of Biology, comes from Ayton School, Yorkshire and previously from Torquay Grammar School for Boys.
Mr Jeremy Duke, Teacher of Physical Education and History, has recently qualified as a teacher at Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education and has been teaching in Dudley and Oxfordshire.
Miss Dolly Thompsett, part-time Teacher of Art, has been recently teaching in Westminster and Ealing.
Ms Beryl Maybank, part-time Teacher of Information Technology, has been recently teaching in Maidstone.
The school teaching staff has risen this year from 36 to 37 (from 32.3 to 33.3 'full-time equivalent').
Staff Leavers
At the end of the summer term four members of staff left the school:-
Mr Peter Dale, who had been with us for 8 years, retired from his post as Head of Computing/IT. He came to us from Castlemount School where he was Head of Mathematics. Before that he had worked in the computer industry in London and had taught in schools in Bromley, Hertfordshire and Dundee.
Mr Clive Botting retired from his post as part-time teacher of Science/Biology having been with us for 8 years. He had previously been a Head of Biology in London and came to Kent to start a business (and in due course to run the Folkestone Film Festival).
Mr John Blakeley left his post as teacher of Physical Education after 3 years in order to go and live in London where he will be supply teaching for the present.
Mr Paul Kenny, after teaching here part time for a year, has been appointed to a full time post at Highworth School in Ashford.
We thank all four for their services to the school and wish them well in the future.
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDINGS
During the summer holidays the school has been far from quiet. As soon as the boys left at the end of last term workmen moved in to carry out extensive work. The roof of the art and maths block has been repaired so, hopefully, the buckets will no longer be needed to catch the rain coming through the ceiling. Repairs have also been carried out to stop the rain coming into the secretaries' office.
Major repair work has been going on throughout the holiday to the surface of the quad. This has included replacing the railings, and ensuring that the drawing office and the machines in the workshops can be brought back into use. The drawing office is now to be refurbished and re-equipped.
A couple of reminders....
If you bring your son to school by car, and you drop him at the top gate, would you please make sure you do not stop on the yellow lines or in the turning area. Please stop a little further down the road and let him walk a little way. The exercise will probably do him good! We have had an accident here in the past, and we want to avoid any future problems.
And will you also please remember that if you come into the school for any reason, you should report to reception. If you need to go further into the school you should sign the visitors book and be issued with a badge which should be returned before you leave. This is all part of the security procedures which, unfortunately, are necessary these days.
PARENT GOVERNOR ELECTIONS
As you know this month we have to elect four parents to serve on the school's governing body. Nominations closed yesterday (Wednesday 4 September), and we are pleased to report that we had four nominations. This means that it will not be necessary to have an election. The four parents nominated will serve as Parent Governors for the next four years. They are:
ALAN BOSTOCK of Dover, who is an Information Scientist working for a large local company. He is a Member of the Institute of Information Scientists. He previously served as a Parent Governor at Vale View Primary School for six years, standing down when his son left, to make way for another parent with a child at the school. He is a long-time member of the Dover Operatic and Dramatic Society, helping both back stage and with scenery construction.
MILFORD LINGARD who lives in Deal, served with the Royal Navy, was Chief Prosecuting Officer of London Regional Transport for 10 years and then General Manager of London Cityrama for 5 years. He and his wife have been very involved at Sholden Primary School and Mr Lingard is the new Treasurer of our school's Parents and Friends Association.
PHILIP LYNES from Dover, is currently a Parent Governor at Vale View Primary School and has extensive committee and management experience, built up over nearly 20 years with the Royal Mail in a variety of roles. He is studying with the Open University towards a Master of Business Administration degree and is an active member of our Parents and Friends Association.
GRAHAM TUTTHILL who lives at River, is a former pupil at this school and has already been a Parent Governor here for four years. For the past three years he has been Chairman of the Governing Body. From 1988 to 1992 he was a Parent Governor at River Primary School and was chairman there for three years. A local journalist, he is a member of the Methodist Church where he is an organist. He serves on the school's Old Pharosians' committee and helps edit the old boys' newsletter.
We are grateful to all four for volunteering to serve the school in this way.
We would also like to express our gratitude to Roger Cramphorn, Barry Crush and Penny Slade, who retired as Parent Governors, for all the work they did for the school over many years.
The new Governing Body meets for the first time on Monday 30 September at 7.00 pm.
Don't forget the Governing Body's annual meeting, when parents have the opportunity to question the governors about any aspects of how the school is being run, will take place on Wednesday 16 October at 7.00 pm It will be followed by refreshments and a music concert. We hope as many of you as possible will come along.
WELL DONE!
Among the recent run of successes in art competitions - following the commission to design a mural for P & O "Pride of Dover" - Robert Dunstone (11CH) has had his design accepted as the company logo by the Eurotunnel Company Council, and his picture of two people shaking hands now appears on much of the Company Council's stationary. Robert also received a cheque for £50.
PARENTS' AND FRIENDS' ASSOCIATION
200 Club
September marks the start of the new year for the PFA 200 Club and we hope that many of you who do not yet belong will decide to join. All you have to do is either send £12 for the year's subscription with a 200 Club application form to the 200 Club organiser, Jill Tutthill, c/o the school, or fill in a standing order form. Both forms are available from the school.
You will then stand a chance of winning one of the three cash prizes each month (£25, £15 and £10), and the special £100 prizes which are offered in December and June.
The draw takes place on the third Thursday of each month, so to make sure you are included in this month's draw, please send in your subscription as soon as possible, and in any case by Tuesday 17 September.
Winners in the past two months were:
July: £25 Mrs S Greenland (81), £15 Mrs S Witty (187), £10 Mrs N Powlter (189).
August: £25 Mrs G Smith (193), £15 Mrs S Tilbee (173), £10 Mr J Wills (32).
SPORTS NEWS
Table Tennis
From 3 teams last year the school now boasts 5 in the Dover Table Tennis League: four in the 'B' division and last year's Salem Table Tennis Team (consisting of former Old Grammar School Boys) in the 'A' division. All this is before consideration is taken of any skills and talents in the new Year 7.
The teams will be playing throughout the season in the gym on both Monday and Tuesday evenings, matches commencing at 7.30 pm and finishing around 10.00 - 10.30 pm. After school practice for Years 8 and above will be on Monday after school from 3.25 pm until 4.45 pm and later in the year also on Tuesdays. At present Tuesday is reserved for Year 7. Any Year 7 pupil who is interested in developing his table tennis skills should see Paul Skelton (Workshop Technician in the workshops at break, 11.30 - 11.50 am).
The school now has 3 playable table tennis tables, our latest table being lent to us for use with league matches by Len Richards of our 'A' team.
Football Fixtures
Sept - Thurs. 5th at 4.00 pm Yrs 8 & 9 -v- Astor (A). Tues. 24th at 4.00 pm Yrs 7 & 9 -v- Astor (H) and also at 4.00 pm Yr 11 -v- Astor (A). Thurs. 26th at 4.00 pm Yr 10 -v- Astor (A) and also at 4.00 pm Yr 8 -v- Astor (H). Sat. 28th at 10.00 am Yrs 7, 8, 9 & 10 -v- Norton Knatchbull (A).
1st XI - Wed. 11th at 2.15 pm against Simon Langton (H). Wed. 18th at 2.15 pm against Chaucer (A). Wed. 25th at 2.15 pm against Tunbridge Wells (A). Sat. 28th at 10.00 am against Harvey (H).
County trials on Wed. 2nd October.
2nd XI - Wed. 11th at 2.15 pm against Simon Langton (A). Wed. 18th at 2.15 pm against Tunbridge Wells (A). Wed. 25th against Queen Elizabeths (H). Sat. 28th at 10.00 am against Harvey (H).
Cup matches to be arranged 1st XI -v- Homewood School (H) before 5th October and 2nd XI -v- Charles Darwin (A) by 19th October.
Rugby Fixtures
Sept - Tues. 17th at 4.15 pm Yr 10 -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (H). Mon. 23rd at 4.15 pm Yr 9 -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (H). Tues. 24th at 4.00 pm Yr 8 -v- Sir Roger Manwoods (A).
