THE "FIRST THURSDAY" NEWSLETTER

JUNE 2003 No. 104

 
RESPONSIBLE NETWORK AND INTERNET USE

Some pupils have not yet returned the acceptance form needed to access the school computer network. Could parents please ensure this form is returned to the school office as soon as possible as lessons will be disrupted if pupils are not able to use the computer facilities. Spare copies of the form are available from the office.

Mr. M. Harrison - Assistant Headteacher

BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE STATUS

A number of businesses and schools have expressed an interest in supporting the school bid for specialist status in Business and Enterprise. There will be an opportunity for parents to find out how they can support the school and how through the E-Learning Foundation the school can become the most technologically advanced school in the county. The information evening will take place on 25th June at 6.00pm. I look forward to seeing you there.

Mr. M. Harrison - Assistant Headteacher

KENT ART COMPETITION PRIZEWINNER

We are delighted to announce that one of our pupils, Sapnil Islam of Year 7 has been awarded second prize in a major Art contest, open to all Kent's pupils aged 11 to 14 years. The contest, run by The Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men, had as its theme "Kent". Sapnil's dynamically painted image of Canterbury Cathedral caught the judge's eye. All prize-winning work will be displayed at KIAD, Maidstone, where the awards ceremony will take place on 13th June.

Congratulations to Sapnil for continuing our success in such competitions, and well done to all our participants who produced very high quality work.

Mr. S.M. Almond - Subject Leader for Art

SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS

Please would all parents have one last look for any outstanding Tesco Computer Vouchers. The collection this year has progressed very well but every voucher helps. Thank you to all those who have supported us.

With the exam season now in full swing I would appreciate the rounding up of overdue and outstanding school library books, particularly from boys in Years 11, 12 and 13. There are a number of boys in the lower years who are getting very lax about returning books when they are due. Please encourage them to scan their rooms. Fiction titles can easily get kicked under beds and placed in cupboards. The boys are encouraged to read and good circulation allows for more varied choice for all.

Thanks to all parents and pupils supporting the monthly Scholastic School Book Club. They always include a good selection of new popular lower school fiction alongside some reasonably priced offers on series, e.g. The Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman, and the popular Anthony Horowitz's older and most recent titles. Modern classics are also often included in the selection on offer.

Mrs. L. George, School Librarian

BATTLE OF THE BANDS - 21st MARCH 2003

On 21st March Velocity Enterprises held a Battle of the Bands competition in the Great Hall in the evening. It was a great success, with many people turning up to watch or participate, and the standard of each band was very high. The night was very successful and in the end a popular vote was the subject of contention when Hoax managed to beat Max Headroom to win, with the crowd split almost 50/50. All in all it was a great night, and hopefully there will be another one organised early next school year, in September/October.

The bands that entered were: Phazed, Forge, Every Other Word, Nothing That I Want, Max Headroom, Hoax, Defences Down, Rite Off, et al.

Ben Bulow, Velocity Enterprises

SAILING SUCCESS FOR HUGH STYLES, DGSB OLD BOY

Hugh has sent us an e-mail detailing his progress in the Team Styles and May Olympic Tornado Sailing Campaign for Athens 2004. They finished 2nd overall in the Palma Princess Sofia Regatta, but were disappointed to only finish 18th in the South of France at another Olympic class regatta, due in the main to Hugh suffering from shingles. Once he has recovered their next event will be in Holland. This will be a build up regatta for the team before the European championships in Cagliari Sardinia this month.

TABLE TENNIS

After 10 years running the Table Tennis teams for the school in the Dover League, I am unfortunately going to have to cut down on my involvement due to lack of time. However, I am still offering my services to keep the teams running if I can gain some help from parents who are willing to take responsibility for unlocking and locking up and indeed playing if they so wish.

The Dover League in which the teams play is not exclusively a schoolboy league. It is open to anyone of any age who is interested. In the past the school teams have played the Police, the Fire Brigade, village teams such as Walmer and Eastry and clubs such as Dover Harbour Board and Whitfield Club.

The school teams play in the gymnasium where we have room for three tables and matches start at 7.30pm. I can accommodate a maximum of 6 teams at once in any evening. Each team consists of three players, although it is advisable to have more than three in each team for reserves. The games are now played with each of the three players playing each of the opposition plus one doubles match. Each of the games is played up to 11 points and the best of five sets with each player having two serves each, thus making 10 matches during the evening. The school has fielded family teams before now, with parents, uncles, grandfathers and even sisters playing in the same team and this is an ideal situation for a school team where transport is obviously needed for some of the matches.

Anybody wishing to play next term should see me as soon as possible, but I do need adults taking part otherwise I will not be able to run the school teams on my own.

Mr. P.K. Skelton

TRUMP CARDS

I am still taking orders for the set of Top Trump cards titled "Flags". These cards are in full colour and laminated. The information on each has been put together by Mr. B. Ralph and the layout enhanced by myself. Each set contains 28 cards and is available from the Reprographics Room price £1.00.
New Trump Cards available -
Military Helicopters.
Super Trains.

available from Reprographics office at morning Break only £1.00 per set )
All profits go towards our Business and Enterprise Status bid.

Mr. P.K. Skelton

MATHS CORNER

May's puzzle attracted only one entry - the lowest response to one of our puzzles so far. Unfortunately that entry was not correct and so, for only the second time since we began this column, we've beaten you all! The correct answer was that Darren had to pay 324 Frank to Nabob for the Spam he bought - a fully worked solution is available to anyone who requests one. It would appear that the easier the puzzles we set, the less interest we seem to attract!

So, we have decided to set two separate puzzles for June. Each of these may be answered in a variety of ways, methods that span all the way from higher mathematics at one end of the spectrum right down to trial and improvement at the other. How you choose to approach the tasks is up to you and we're offering no prizes for the aesthetic appeal of any solutions received - but we would like to see your working if possible. In fact, to make things even more attractive, we are awarding this month's prize to the sender of the nearest sensible answer to both puzzles received by the end of the month.

June's Puzzles
Problem One
A playing field is to be built in the shape of a rectangle plus a semicircular area at each end. A 400 metre running track is to form the perimeter of the field. What should the dimensions of the field be if the rectangular part is to have as large a playing area as possible?

Problem Two
It is usually assumed that the temperature of a hot object placed in air decreases at a rate that is proportional to the difference between the temperature of the object and that of the surrounding air.

If an object cools from 100° Celsius to 80° Celsius in twenty minutes in a surrounding air temperature of 20° Celsius, how long will it take to cool from 100° degrees Celsius down to 60° Celsius?

Mathematics Department

PFA

There has not been an awful lot of activity happening on the PFA front with no events organised in the last month.

However I did want to say that the PFA fully supports the school in their Bid for Specialist School Status in Business and Innovation. The PFA helped out by selling refreshments at the launch on 1st May which was a great success. There will be a further launch on 25th June at 6.00pm for those parents who were unable to make it last time. Refreshments will also be available during that evening.

It is hoped that the PFA can run a raffle during the evening to try and raise more money towards the £50,000 required for the Bid. Any raffle prizes you, as parents, can donate would be gratefully appreciated. I always seem to be asking you for your support in one form or another and I am sure you get fed up putting your hands in your pockets but I would say the reason you and I do it is for the benefit of our sons.

Our main fund raising this year has been to raise funds to help the school replace the minibus and the fund stands at £7000. This will continue to be our main fund raising purpose. However, the bigger picture is that if the school obtains Specialist Status the money it will receive from the Government will be substantial and will allow the school to carry out any work required and put in place an infrastructure that will develop the already excellent teaching your sons receive. The local community will also benefit and plans are yet to be finalised.

Please come along and support the business launch on the 25th. If there are any companies that you are involved with or own please also let them know.

Any raffle prizes you wish to donate can be handed in to the school office.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs. J. Gambrell, Chairman of the PFA

PFA 200 Club - May Draw

1st prize £25 Ms L. Gregory (114)
2nd prize £15 Mrs. G. Roberts (93)
3rd prize £10 Mrs. S. Hindle (19)

SPORTS NEWS

Cricket
Yr 10 County Cup v Chatham House Grammar at Ramsgate played on 22nd May
This was an excellent win for the team especially as this was our first match. A fine batting partnership by Matthew Johncock and Greg Hill saved our batting collapse - these players scored 72 runs between them. In our 20 overs we made 104 for 6. Chatham House made 76 for 8 in their 20 overs. Good bowling by Jamie Phillips and Andrew Arter and the captain kept Chatham House's total down. The team won by 28 runs and play Sir Roger Manwoods in the next round after half-term.

Mr. M. Grant - PE Teacher

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Sixth Form Induction Course -
Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th June

Year 11 Return of Books and Leavers' Day -
Monday 23rd June

Year 13 Leavers' Day - Thursday 26th June
Year 13 Leavers' Party 6pm - 8pm -
Friday 27th June
Sports Day - Friday 27th June
Year 7 Reports issued -
week commencing Monday 30th June
New Boys' Induction Day - Tuesday 1st July
New Boys' Parents' Evening -
Thursday 3rd July