THE "FIRST THURSDAY" NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2003 No. 100

SCHOOL UNIFORM

I am worried at the number of times each day I am having to remind boys of what our expectations are as to the wearing of the school uniform. Too many boys are trying to get away with walking around school with shirts hanging out, top buttons undone, ties tied too short, and wearing non-uniform socks and pullovers, whilst not wearing the blazer or hiding it under a coat. There is also a tendency to wear jewellery and to have earphones for music players hanging around the neck. Whilst all this is part and parcel of teenagers' normal dress outside school, it is not part of our uniform. The standards are precisely laid down and our expectations made clear. Attempts to secure co-operation recently have not been lastingly successful and it is souring relations in the school to have to be constantly on the backs of certain pupils over something which just shouldn't be a problem.
Consequently, I would like to revive the initiative I first tried at the end of 2001: from next Monday 10th February, I and the rest of the staff will be placing any boy who is not correctly dressed into immediate after-school detention. This will be until 4.30pm and will be supervised by myself. You will of course be informed by phone.
I know this is inconvenient, but it was a great success two years ago and only concerned a tiny handful of uncooperative pupils. No other sanction seems to bring home to the minority how serious it is to undermine the sense of pride and community that the immense majority of pupils in the school derive from wearing the uniform. Could I ask you to play your part by making sure that your son does have all the correct uniform and is able to live up to the standards we expect of him.
Dr A S Jackson - Deputy Headteacher

HELP THE SCHOOL AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT

We are joining a Mobile Phone Recycling Scheme
Once again we need your help. Vodaphone estimates that there are 15 million old/unused mobile phones lying around in people's homes.
We would like all parents and relatives to rummage through drawers and cupboards and ask friends and work colleagues if they have any working mobile phones they no longer use. These can be brought into school with or without a charger. The School can make money on nearly 100 models of phones, older phones will be recycled and our school will receive a certificate for this. This is a way for us to raise much needed funds for the school and at the same time help the environment.
If you have any mobile phones please hand them into the School Office before the half term holiday. (Last day of this half term is Friday 21st February).
Help the school and help the planet at the same time. Don't delay recycle today!
Mr M Harrison

CONGRATULATIONS

The following twenty six boys will all have poems they have written published in an anthology of verse by pupils of Kent Schools.
CLEMENTS, James
CUNNINGHAM, Stephen
EVERETT, Karl
FELLOWS, Andrew
GOODSELL, Michael
GRIFFITHS, Kyle
HALEWOOD, Louis
HARRIS, David
HASLER, Paul
HINDLE, Ben
ISLAM, Sapnil
JORDAN, Joshua
KELLERS, Adrian
KEMBER, Toby
MACKAY, Jack
McMENAMIN, Theodore
MEDHURST, Dean
PENN, Thomas
REID, Jamie
REOCH, Matthew
ROYSTON, Benjamin
SANSUM, Paul
SPENST, Luke
STALEY, Jack
WEBB, Alex
WHIPP, Ben
Mrs S Clough - English Department

SEAFRANCE CASH FOR SCHOOLS

If you would like to take a day trip to France as a foot passenger there are vouchers, valid for two people and worth up to £20, available at the School Office in exchange for a donation to the school of £5. This offer will last until 30th June.
The vouchers are going fast, so make sure you buy one before they run out.
Mr M Harrison

MUSIC

Carol Service Collection
The Retiring Collection at the Christmas Carol Service on 18th December amounted to almost exactly £200 and the school has been able to make donations of £100 each to Cancer Research UK and towards the work of Charlton Church.

Grade Examinations
The following pupils have been successful in recent Music practical examinations and deserve congratulations:
Leon Packer Grade 4 Drum Kit with Merit
Tom Rostron Grade 3 Drum Kit with Merit
James Jolliffe Grade 3 Drum Kit with Honours
Patrick White Grade 3 Drum Kit with Merit
Matthew Burr Grade 2 Drum Kit with Merit
Philip Witty Grade 2 Drum Kit with Merit
Mr R Davies - Director of Music

ROCK MUSIC NEWS

Introducing a new column in the First Thursday Newsletter and our first correspondent, Sam Wilkie …..
In recent years our school has been home to many pupils who have gone on to make a name for themselves in the world of rock. One of our most famous old boys in this sphere is undoubtedly Nick Headon, formerly drummer with The Clash, but many others are well-known on the local scene and some may be destined to go further. One band doing particularly well at the moment is Kingskin, featuring old boys Chris Lamb and Trevor Lynes. Kingskin have recently been voted the second best unsigned band in the UK by Kerrang magazine. Recent hot spots for gigs have been The Louis Armstrong and Kings Hall in Dover and Centre Spot in River. These venues have helped to launch many other DGSB pupils' bands such as Battleska Galactica, Oddfish, The Divide, Forge and Placid Casual. Another old boy, Luke Lyon-Wall, is the reporter for the band column in The Dover Express which includes articles about forthcoming gigs and the best bands to go and see.
If you would like to know the opinion of the general public about your band you can list your group on www.mrgig.com. On this site you can vote for local bands giving them a rating from excellent to poor and have your own band rated in the same way. This is a good form of publicity and if your band improves its rating you may be asked to play at a Mr. Gig event. If you want to register your band you should send the details to gigs@mrgig.com.
The School's Young Enterprise Group, Velocity, will soon be organising a DGSB Battle of the Bands Competition. Bands with at least one current DGSB member will be allowed to enter with one or more original composition and one cover song of their choice. It is envisaged that the event will be held on a Friday night and a possible prize may be a gig at a local venue supporting another band. More details will be available soon on the Music noticeboard where you can also advertise future gigs.

MATHS CORNER

Last month's puzzle created only one response and sadly it was not a correct one. We were quite surprised that our simplest problem to date managed to flummox you all! The answer is that Percy has to travel due west to have the longest swim possible. The full solution is available upon request.
February's Puzzle: This month we offer you an old chestnut dressed up in a modern style. As usual, a bottle of wine, or the cash equivalent for minors, to the sender of the first correct solution received by the end of the month.
Waiting for a lift. Janice gets a lift home from school every day at 3.30 pm. Her father sets out from home so that he arrives at school at exactly the right time. One day Janice plans to stay behind for an extra hour to attend a drama rehearsal - she informs her father who delays leaving home to meet her by an hour. The rehearsal is cancelled and, rather than phone her father, Janice sets off at 3.30 pm to walk home. She walks for half an hour then grows tired, so she sits on a bench to wait for the car. Her father arrives and drives her home, arriving 48 minutes later than usual. How long did Janice spend sitting on the bench?
Maths Department

LIBRARY NEWS

As many of you will be aware the Tesco Computer Voucher Scheme has begun again in earnest for 2003. Please ask friends and family to collect vouchers on our behalf if they are not already doing so. Every voucher really does help. This particular collection always appears to be the most popular. Collection points within the school are: the School Office or the Library direct. The scheme will run until April 2003 but vouchers can be handed in up until July. Once more the aim is to collect enough vouchers to place an order for a new computer to go into the Library Resource Centre.
Nestle "Box Top" Scheme. Vouchers are being collected until mid March although they can be submitted up until 31st March.
Thank you to all our loyal collectors.
Reminder for overdue Library books. Unfortunately we seem to have a number of boys, particularly from Years 7 - 11, who are rather reluctant and forgetful about returning borrowed books on time. Invariably books are eventually returned, but with all boys reading regularly from Years 7 - 9 circulation of stock is important to keep maintained enthusiasm and momentum.
Please could everybody make a concentrated effort to redress the balance. It's amazing what you find on bookshelves or under the bed!! Reminders are given to form teachers on a weekly basis at present and it is a shame that some names never seem to be erased from the list.
Mrs L George - School Librarian

MARITIME CAREERS CONFERENCE

This conference is being held in the School Hall on Tuesday 18th February from 2.00 - 7.00 pm. Full details are page 4 of this newsletter. Any parents who are interested please come along.
Mr M Harrison - Subject Leader for Economics and Business Studies

PFA

Our next fund raising event and first one of 2003 will be the Race Night on Friday 14th March. You should have received a letter, via your son, setting out how the evening will unfold.
Please support this event if you can. Even if you are unable to make the night itself you can still become an owner of one or more horses at a cost of £5 each and if your horse wins a race the PFA will send you the prize. It is the first time we have organised an event like this at the school but it promises to be a fun evening.
Please return the tear off slip with your money to the School Office by Tuesday 11th March.
Another first for the PFA this year will be the organisation of a trip to Brugges. This we hope will be sometime in May so watch this space for more details nearer the time.
Mrs J Gambrell - Chairman

SPORTS NEWS

Football
Year 8 County Cup Football Semi Final
DGSB 1 -v- Howard School 4
Once again we were away to our old rivals the Howard School, Gillingham.
On our arrival a huge pitch greeted us and we started off well, both sides applying pressure on their respective defences. We had a couple of chances throughout out attacks in the first half. Daniel Robinson was fouled and had to go off which was unfortunate.
Shortly before half time, through a well-struck free kick, they scored. This was followed up by another successful attack which provided a hole right through the middle of our defence. This was a goal that Michael Magino could not have stopped.
It was hard to get back into the second half, a nicely taken corner by John Ellender saw Troy Smissen score an excellent header. Up front they were putting us under a lot of pressure and two more goals were scored by the Howard School. We found it difficult to stop two of their large mobile forwards. This was a match in which we were well tested and the score line was possibly a little flattering in Howard's favour. We look forward to having another chance next year at the Cup. This was an outstanding achievement by the team to get into the last four in the County. The boys who represented the school in the semi-final were:
M Magrino, D Robinson, K Westgarth, J Ellender, A Baker, A Hart, R Hockley, R Paton, T Smissen, N Blackman, C McGeehan (Captain), O Schofield.

Rugby
Year 8 -v- Wellesley House, Broadstairs
Dover G.S. 5 -v- Wellesley House 28
This was a friendly and the first match of the season.
With only two well attended practices this was always going to be a tough game.
Played in a howling gale and with torrential rain throughout the second half this was an excellent first match team performance. The opposition had the gale behind them and took full advantage of our match 'rustiness' in the first half. All their points we re scored in the first part of the game.
Antony Hart scored an outstanding breakaway try running 70 metres into the wind towards the end of the first half.
With the handling conditions worsening during much of the second half we did not make full use of the wind. Further development of our tackling and support play is needed.
Overall this was an excellent start in terrible conditions against well-tested opposition.
Mr M Grant - P E Department

Additional fixture for this Term - Updated

Date        Year                H/A                Fixture                                   Round                Opponents                             Time

Feb 6      Yr 10                A                Rugby Friendly                                 Homewood 10/11                 3.30pm

Feb 7      Yr  9                A                Rugby Friendly                                 Astor                                      3.30pm

Mar 22    Yr 8,9                A                Rugby Friendly                                 Maidstone GS                      10.30am

Update on the Kent Cup Football matches played recently

• Year 8 lost 4 – 1 to Howard in the Kent Cup Semi Final. After keeping the game to 0 – 0 for almost all the first half Dover let in 2 quick goals which allowed Howard to dominate the game.

• Year 9 lost 3 – 1 to Charles Darwin in the Kent Cup Quarter Final. The team were very unlucky not to have won. Uncharacteristically, we missed too many really easy chances which allowed Charles Darwin into the game.  Dover also went to the match with 3 of the normal first team missing through injuries and illness. One of their goals should have been disallowed following a foul on the keeper but it was all over by then. Special mention must be made of John Ellender of Year 8 who had to play as a centre half. He did the job magnificently, showing great maturity for a boy of his age. 

Man of the match – Sam Gore. 

• Year 10 should have beaten Hereson – especially after dominating the first half with some superb football. However, Dover only led 1 – 0 at half time. Hereson went into the lead 2 – 1 late into the second half. Their second followed a disputed, reversed decision on a throw in. To make matters worse in the dying seconds a goal by Liam Friend was wrongly ruled offside ruining any chance of the game going into extra time.

Man of the match – Liam Marsh

• This was an unfortunate end to a superb season by all 3 teams. These teams have got to try even harder next year to take their chances. I am confident that some of these teams will win their respective Cups next year.

• Next season will be very exciting as our fixture list will only be against the best teams in Kent. This will involve a lot of travelling but is needed to consistently raise the standard of each team.

• Overall Dover GS has been the most consistent school in Kent in reaching the latter stages of the Cups this season and the PE Department thanks all of the players for their tremendous commitment this season. It has been hectic but very rewarding.

 English Schools U 19 Individual Schools Trophy

Unfortunately Dover GS went out in the 1^st Round, 4 – 1, against Wilson’s School form Surrey.

After going 1 – 0 down early in the game Dover equalised within a minute, through a good goal by Robbie Guy, and then had a goal disallowed shortly after.

Wilson’s had most of the possession for the next 40 minutes and deservedly went into the lead. Dover defended well during the 2^nd half and stayed in the game up until the 80^th minute. Following 2 quick Dover substitutions through injuries Wilson’s scored their 3^rd. Dover had to push up for the last 5 minutes allowing Wilson’s to score their 4^th.

This was Dover’s worst team game of the season – such a pity for such an occasion. Once again, Ben Clutton was excellent in defence. Man of the Match was Dan Ashby for making a string of superb saves which kept Dover in the match for so long. Incidentally, Wilson’s School has won this Trophy in the past.

 DOVER & FOLKESTONE DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE

RACE ONE                at                ASTOR

RACE TWO                at                FOLKESTONE

Team Positions:                    Year 7                     Year 8                     Year 9                     Year10/11

Race One - Top 3                    Astor                     7                Dover  GS           7                Brockhill                7                Astor                7

                                                Dover GS           6                Astor                        6                Astor                6                Brockhill                6

                                                Brockhill                 5                Brockhill                  5                Dover                5                Dover GS           5

Race Two – Top 3                   Dover GS           7                Dover  GS           7                Brockhill                7                Brockhill                7

                                                Brockhill                6                Brockhill                6                Dover GS           6                Dover GS           6

                                                Channel                5                Astor                 5                Astor                5                Astor                5

Overall Positions                  Dover GS           13                Dover GS           14                Brockhill                14                Brockhill                13

Top 3 (after 2 races)                       Brockhill                11                Brockhill                11                Dover GS           11                Dover GS           11

                                                Astor       7              Astor                11                Astor                11                Astor                11

7 schools took part in each race: Archer’s Court; Astor; Brockhill; Channel; Dover GS; Sandwich; St Edmunds.

Well done to ALL RUNNERS in each race, whatever position you finished. The Astor course was very hilly and muddy whilst the Folkestone races were in freezing conditions against a very strong wind. Each race required considerable effort and you all did yourselves, and the school, proud.

The final race is next Wednesday at Brockhill Park School, Hythe. The Year 7 and 8 teams need to have good teams competing to secure the League Championships. The Year 9 and 10/11 teams need to beat Astor to finish in Runner’s up spots.

PLEASE BRING SUITABLE TRACKSUIT TOPS AND BOTTOMS WHEN YOU COMPETE IN COLD WEATHER.

THIS IS SENSIBLE ADVICE FOR ALL PUPILS IN ALL SPORTS.

MESSAGE TO ALL PUPILS – ESPECIALLY YEAR 11

Too many pupils are forgetting kit. If it continues you could be put in after school detentions.

Year 11 are now on a zero tolerance.

• Failure to bring kit will result in an immediate lunchtime detention on Friday. If you miss this you will be given an after school detention on the next available Thursday- this is because of the sheer numbers who cannot be bothered to take part.

• If you bring a note you will be required to be down on the field next to the games.

• You will not be allowed out of sight of the PE staff and under no circumstances will you be allowed to go to a classroom.

Wayne Howe

Subject Leader for Physical Education

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Half Term - Monday 24th - Friday 28th Feb. inclusive.
There will be two development days after half term namely:
Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th March.

Boys will not therefore return to school until:
Wednesday 5th March.