The School menu next week

Year 9 Battlefields trip

On a dark and rainy early Sunday morning, the majority of our Year 9s embarked on our WW1 themed trip to the Western Front of Belgium and France. The trip was intended to not only support our learning but to also consider the reality of warfare, particularly given current world events, and provide a life-long experience they might even share with their own children!

Our focus on Sunday was the Belgian town of Ypres and the surrounding areas. An absolute highlight was the laying of a wreath at the Menin Gate ceremony by Chester S, Harris HH and Francesca R, all of whom were respecting family forebears who died during WW1. This ceremony has occurred every day at 8pm (less WW2) since it began in 1928. We also visited the Lijssenthoek Cemetery, site of a former WW1 hospital, which includes 10,000 graves of some 30 nationalities. Visits to the original trenches at Sanctuary Museum (Hill 62) (change of footwear required!) and Tyne Cot cemetery (site of the Passchendaele battle of 1917) followed, before the Menin Gate ceremony, and dinner in Ypres. We then returned to France and settled into our châteaux near the town of Hazebrouck. A mass football match set the scene for recreational activities during our few days away!

On Monday we visited the Somme battlefields in bright sunshine, just as it was before the notorious first day of the battle on 1^st July 1916. After visiting the Indian Army memorial at Neuve Chapelle, we visited the enormous Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Henry R and Wilfred K identified their descendants on the memorial itself, while the majority of pupils found it quite eerie to find their “own” names here or elsewhere. Rhys W and Alice B remembered their forebears as well, while Miss Vickers read an account from Mrs Monk's (Jenny's) grandfather, George Cooke MC, in which he referred to the sound of an approaching howitzer shell as “starting as a faint murmur...before becoming something between an express train and the wail of a lost soul”. We visited Newfoundland Park, site of terrible casualties endured by the Newfoundlers (now part of Canada), which resulted in abandoned villages still empty to this day. Our final stop was Hawthorn Crater, so named after two huge underground mines were set off in 1916. 

An evening artifacts presentation saw some pupils dressed up in WW1 outfits, while Mr Lodge also delivered a hands-on “lesson” on the history and use of the Lee Enfield rifle, which was used by the British army for some 100 years! Many of our visits were punctuated with poetry and diary readings, delivered by staff and pupils alike. On Tuesday we returned via a highly productive visit to the Leonides chocolate shop before our last site, which was the In Flanders Fields Museum in the Cloth Hall in Ypres. 

My thanks go to our guide, Mr Simon Barber, and staff, Mr Southee, Miss Vickers, Mrs Turnbull and Mr Clayton, all of whom managed their respective responsibilities with aplomb. Well done to the pupils, many of whom had not travelled abroad without their parents before, and who also adapted well to the joys of shared rooms and facilities. This was all part of the adventure. Finally, one pupil said to me “history is great when you can see where such things happened”. I couldn't agree more.

To view the photo gallery, click here.

Mr Lodge

Year 2 assembly

On Wednesday, Year 2 performed their first assembly in front of their adoring parents and an encouraging Prep and Pre-prep crowd. After speaking at length about friendship and what it means to be a good friend, the children decided they'd like to retell the well-loved story of The Rainbow Fish. The story follows the journey of a beautiful fish who is admired by all the other creatures in the ocean because of her dazzling, glittering scales. In awe of her beauty, the other fish long to be given one of the scales but, initially, the Rainbow Fish doesn't see why she should part with them and isn't very receptive towards their efforts to connect with her. This leaves the other fish understandably upset and the gap between the creatures widens. Rainbow Fish realises that although she's certainly beautiful, being lonely is no fun at all. After an honest chat with Mr and Mrs Octopus, Rainbow Fish realises that sharing her scales – without the expectation of anything in return – will lead her towards the happiness and connection she has been missing. Sure enough, after she shared her scales with the other fish, Rainbow Fish burst with joy after seeing how happy her generosity had made the others. At last, she finally felt happy and at home in the ocean.

“We think it was funny when Mr Starfish (Josh) expressed how beautiful the Rainbow Fish was next to Mrs Starfish (Maddie) and she walked away with her head in her hands.” – Jenson and Lottie

“The assembly has reminded us to be a good friend, to share without expecting anything back.” – Ayla and Maddie

Year 2, you were absolutely incredible! Your determination to learn your lines by heart and the effort you put in to making your props and singing your song has been utterly inspiring. We are so very proud of you!

Mrs Salley and Miss Munro

Smartphone Free Childhood

An interesting and impactful website has been set up for parents to sign up to in order to have more controls, laws and support in place for parents in regards to children's use of mobile phones. This is an ever-evolving problem, and it is clear that the impact of smartphones and social media on children is having an adverse effect. Please do sign up and support if you can.

https://smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/

Mr Southee

Nursery and Reception have been continuing to create minibeasts in different media this week. Nursery made fantastic ant masks and bee hives, while Reception children made snails out of clay. They have also been working on important maths skills such as counting in tens.

Year 1 have been learning about verbs in English and went on a verb hunt. They also found the mischievous bus which had ended up in the class bird feeder! The children discovered that both male and female chaffinches regularly visit their classroom window. 

Years 2, 3 and 5 have been particularly enjoying learning about the past this week. Year 2 has learnt more about the Great Fire of London. In their English lessons, they wrote expanded noun phrases and similes to describe the fire. In Year 3, we have continued our studies on Roman Britain, this week exploring what life was like for soldiers in the Roman army. Meanwhile, Year 5 took history into their maths lessons by exploring the Maya number system. Year 4 has been enjoying reading The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Raúf. It has led to some important discussions about refugees, belonging and inclusion.

Year 6 have been investigating reversible and irreversible changes in science. They made some popcorn and were delighted to discover that this was an irreversible change, enabling them to eat what they had created! Alexander also gave a wonderful talk to the Prep School about his new business venture, Xander's Soap. He explained how he creates his “soap with a surprise” with Lego figures inside them and how much he has enjoyed recently selling these at a local children's business fair. Congratulations, Alexander!

Values certificates: Beñat (kindness) and Johnnie (responsibility)

Reading certificates: Violet, Barnes and Felix (bronze), Darcie, Elsie, Coralie, Mila, Beth, Charlotte and Felix (silver), Henry H and Tildy (gold)

Mrs Nicholson

Stars of the week

Nursery – Imogen W for settling into Nursery so brilliantly! Imogen has immersed herself into the class, playing beautifully with her new friends and eagerly participating in creative activities.

Reception – Humphrey G for fantastic work in phonics using adjacent consonants and greater independence in written work.

Heidi A for reading with super fluency and expression. It's a joy to share a book with you!

Year 1 – Ottilie H for finishing the reading scheme.

Charles L for his super attitude on our School trip.

Year 2 – Lottie F for her wonderfully theatrical performance in our class assembly.

Mrs Henry

The School felt strangely empty at the start of the week, with the Year 9 cohort away on the Battlefields Trip in Northern France. In their absence, Year 10 hosted a visit from Mr Steve Martell, Deputy Head at Collyer's College. Steve outlined the many choices open to them after Duke of Kent School, and the provisions on offer at Collyer's College in particular. With our Sixth Form Information Evening upcoming (9^th May) with a wide variety of visiting schools and colleges, now is the time for Year 10 pupils to start planning further ahead and be inspired by the options open to them in September 2025.

On Tuesday, Mrs Douglas, our wellbeing coordinator, hosted a parents’ talk regarding managing exam anxiety, a particularly pertinent topic with our School exams coming up later in May. Friday's assembly focused on leadership, outlining what it takes to be a good leader and the many opportunities to develop leadership skills across the Senior School. The assembly particularly looked at the upcoming Prefect, House and Subject leadership roles and the process for Year 10 to apply for these. Friday evening sees the House music finalists concert take place and, having witnessed the high quality talent on show in the House music finals afternoon last term, I can guarantee it will be a fantastic event.

Congratulations this week go to Sam H, Ben J (Year 8), Harry L, Chester S, Rose S (Year 9), Alex G, Alex K (Year 10), who all gained a multiple of 25 Merit Points and therefore attended Celebration Snack Break where they received a lunch fastpass and stationery prize. Congratulations also go to Lucy P (Year 9) and Phoebe P (Year 10), who have gained 100 Merit Points and received a black blazer badge in assembly, as well as Harvey R (Year 8) who has amassed 200 Merit Points and received a white blazer badge. Well done to you all.

Mr Wilson

Girls' cricket: U13 B Team v Moon Hall School

On Wednesday, the U13 B Team stepped out to some slightly ominous clouds to play Moon Hall. Having lost the toss, it was decided we would be fielding first. Despite having to be the first bowler, and only being a couple of weeks into the cricket season, Molly F managed to get a wicket on the third ball! Together with Penny N, they made a great pairing to keep the runs low in the first two overs. Isla W and Millie B also worked brilliantly together with accurate bowling and a wicket from Isla. This strong theme in bowling continued, with Holly B and Lola C both taking a wicket each. Lois M deserves a special mention as, whilst she was unlucky not to take a wicket, her bowling showed great power and accuracy.

When it was our turn to bat, we started a little tentatively, however the girls quickly found their form and partnerships. Isla W was the first to find the boundary for four runs, and this was followed up by Elfie G and then a great effort from Lois M and Lola C, who scored 34 runs between them! We managed to secure our win through some clever batting and running from Penny A and Elfie G in the final two overs. It was a lovely game that the girls fought hard for, and it's great to see their cricket skills already improving after only a couple of matches. Well done girls!

Mrs Vermeulen

Girls’ cricket: U11 Team v Ripley Court School

On Wednesday afternoon, the U11 girls cricket team travelled to Ripley Court for their second match of the term. The weather seemed a little threatening with some dark skies, but amazingly the weather held off whilst the cricket got underway. The U11 team won the toss and chose to field first. The team were alert and the captain for the day, Jasmine W, was first up to bowl and got a wicket in the first over! The quality bowling continued with wickets also coming from Millie W and Halle S. Some particularly good overs from Charlotte C and Amelie C meant that Ripley Court finished their innings on 145 runs. The U11 girls got off to a slow, yet steady, start when batting. It was wonderful to see the communication from each pair and the key to the game was the ones the pairs managed to run thanks to quick thinking and smart running between the wickets. It was also great to see some boundaries being scored with Hope N, Bea T-R and Halle S all scoring fours for the team. After an extra innings (one over per pair) the scores finished at 173 runs for Duke of Kent School to Ripley Court's 145 runs. A brilliant win. Well done to the whole team for some great play and positive attitude throughout the afternoon!

Miss Vickers

Girls’ cricket: U12/13 A Team v Moon Hall School

On Wednesday, the U12/13 A Team played Moon Hall School on the Astro at home. This was their second match of the season playing soft ball in a pairs format. The opposition elected to bat first and Duke of Kent School looked sharp in the field and took their first wicket in the third over with a run-out. Tansy T, Erin C and Poppy F all bowled well and by the end of the fielding innings they had 58 runs to chase. The team ran between the wickets with more confidence this week and their decision making was strong. Willow D hit a lovely six, Myrtle M and Erin C scored six fours between them and Norah had a great game with the bat; she was hitting sixes for fun and accumulated 22 runs off one over! Duke of Kent School finished on 106 runs, a great team effort. Well done to all involved!

Mrs Dann

Girls’ cricket: U10 Cricket Team v Ripley Court School

On Wednesday afternoon, the U10 girls’ cricket team ventured to Ripley Court for our second match of the season. Following last week’s success against Farlington, the girls were eager to get back on the wicket to practise and enhance their developing skills. Each and every individual on this team demonstrates exceptional focus, motivation and a positive attitude, and it really is a joy to watch them enjoying being out on the cricket pitch. As captain, Eva won the toss and made the wise decision to field first. With one wicket bowled by Elsa and three(!!) wickets bowled by Charlotte, alongside alert and vigilant fielding on the pitch, Ripley Court finished their first innings on 235 runs. Some good running between the stumps and boundaries hit by Elsa, Layla, Ivy and Eva saw Duke of Kent School finish their first innings on 281. Thankfully, the rain managed to hold off to allow each team to then carry out a second innings. All members of our U11 team bowled with impressive accuracy and pace, and further wickets from Elsa, Eva and Layla saw Ripley Court capped at 260. Duke of Kent School returned to bat and some great batting from Florence and Evelyn resulted in a final total of 319 runs. A well-deserved win brought about by an excellent team effort. Each player gave their best and contributed to the team’s strong performance. Well done Year 5!

Mrs Green

Girls’ cricket: U8/9 Tigers v Pennthorpe School

The rain held off for our Thursday afternoon matches, so we welcomed Pennthorpe to our Wilsons' Pitch. The U8/9 Tigers were ready and raring to go for their first match of the season! Violet W and Elsie S opened the bowling and started well with some consistent and accurate deliveries. Pennthorpe got into their stride and slowly but steadily put runs on the board. Star bowlers include Norah C, Alaska B, Lottie O – they delivered ball after ball beautifully straight and so nearly got some wickets! Pennthorpe scored 155 runs off their ten overs and so it was all to play for. The U8/9 Tigers showed some good batting skills with particularly good connections coming from Beth F, Annabelle Sunshine T and Charlotte L. It was extremely exciting when some members of the teams scored a boundary – well done to Mila S, Charlotte L and Beth F for their epic fours! The score was extremely close throughout and Pennthorpe managed to edge the win by four runs! What a thriller first game of cricket. It was wonderful to see the team show great teamwork when fielding in particular. Well done to everyone involved!

Miss Vickers

Boys’ cricket: U12/13 D Team v Cottesmore School

On Wednesday afternoon, the U12/13 D Team faced Cottesmore School at home in some challenging conditions. Even if the weather was a bit miserable, the boys were flowing with excitement ready to play. We elected to bowl first and started off with some tidy bowling by Samuel H and Henry M. Cottesmore had some great batting throughout, leading to them scoring 161 meaning the target was 162 to win. 

We started off our batting trying to play some expansive shots, yet not quite yielding the results from them, a few boundaries in our innings managed to get us close to the target, yet not quite achieving it. One player that I would like to give a special mention to for his all-round game was George S, who managed to take a wicket as well as playing the shot of the day whilst batting! Thank you to the parents that turned out even in the slightly damp conditions!

Mr Clayton

Girls’ cricket: U8 Lions Cricket Team v Pennthorpe School

On Thursday, the U8 Lions Cricket Team played their first match of the term; spirits were high and Duke of Kent School elected to field first. Everyone bowled an over and had a go at wicketkeeping. There were so many “news” for the team and it was great to see them start to understand some of the rules and stop some tricky balls heading to the boundary. Willow B bowled accurately and Coralie C got a wicket which was fantastic to see! Duke of Kent School then stepped up to bat two overs in their pair. Most were a bit timid about running between the wickets, but everyone learnt a lot from the experience and Pia S hit a lovely four. The team finished a few runs behind Pennthorpe, but all had a really good taste of the game.

Mrs Dann

Boys' cricket: U10/11 C Team v Cottesmore School

On a damp and slippery wicket, the U10/11 C Team showed a massive improvement in their bowling accuracy and understanding of the game when playing Cottesmore. Unfortunately, their efforts were not quite enough to come away with a victory, but all who played should be proud of how much they have developed in the Summer Term so far. Well done to all who played!

Mr Herbert

Boys' cricket: U8/9 Team v Cottesmore School

The U8/9 boys played their second game of the season. George F captained the side and made a very solid start opening the batting with Finn H. All the boys showed a greater understanding of the rules and tactics of the game, and their running between the wicket was particularly improved. Felix B kept the scoring ticking along mid-way through our innings and it was great to see very few wickets given away unnecessarily. All the players showed improved bowling accuracy, which made it difficult for Cottesmore to pick up easy runs. With one over remaining, Daniel L had the responsibility of keeping Cottesmore's score under 163; he did this fantastically well and it was great to see the enjoyment on the Duke of Kent School players' faces when they finished with a victory. Well done to all who played!

Mr Herbert

ISA Senior London South Athletics Regional

The Duke of Kent School Senior Athletics Team travelled to Norman Park Stadium in Bromley last Friday to take part in the ISA Senior London South Athletics Regional. This is a fantastic event where athletes compete to try and qualify for the ISA National Finals in Birmingham. To qualify for the Nationals, athletes needed to win their sprints, field events or come in the top two in their middle distance race. All the Duke of Kent School pupils performed to their very best, giving every piece of effort they had. Everyone should be proud of not only their performances, but their team spirit, their resilience and their fantastic camaraderie. Congratulations to all who took part and particularly well done to Thibaut J, Hugo S, Isaac P, Jess I, Oscar H, Phoebe P and Poppy K who qualified for the Nationals in June.

Mr Herbert

We are well into the swing of the Summer Term now, with our Sustainability Council this week beginning the first of our Duke of Kent School Environmental Reviews. Our great aim, Carbon Zero by 2030. Stay tuned for updates on how you can help our cause at home.

Over the last few weeks, the School's budding wildlife garden has received a lot of attention from the pupils to continue to regenerate the area. The Year 8s did a wonderful job clearing the area and removing the old soil in the allotment to pave the way for new fresh soil, which we can use to grow new wildflowers. On Thursday, Years 4 and 5 put in lots of hard work digging the new pond for the area and repairing the existing bug hotel, which is certainly now worth five stars! The children should all be proud of the effort they put into digging out the pond, as it was certainly a tough job. We look forward to seeing what wildlife wants to use it when it is completed!

The Actions4Nature competition closes at the end of the month. Remember to log your actions on the Surrey Wildlife Trust’s webpage and send the photos to Mr Gritton, so we can share all your children's hard work!

This Sunday also marks the start of The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) Hedgehog Awareness Week and this year BHPS are asking people to “Welcome Wildlife!” by creating a space for wildlife in your own gardens or green spaces. At School we are incredibly lucky to have the beautiful grounds, with spaces specifically designed for rewilding and welcoming nature, but even in our gardens, big or small, actions such as leaving gaps in the bottom of fences, creating log piles and leaving out clean shallow water bowls in hot weather can make life a lot easier for our little spikey friends. Become a hedgehog champion this week!

This week’s top tip:

Spring showers may be miserable for us, but they are great for the garden! Make the most of the showers by collecting them in a rainwater harvester or water butt. The water you collect can then be used in the summer to water your garden and plants.

Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Gritton

Mr Boden

We are nearly there for residential trip medical forms – thank you for your help getting this really important information in to School. If your child is going to have medication administered by staff during their residential trip, please can the medication be delivered to School before the half-term break if possible, but most definitely for Year 4 Isle of Wight and Year 10 Silver DofE. (All other trips by one week prior to trip departure at the latest). The medication should be in the original packaging with the pharmacy label showing (if relevant). This can be left at the front office for the attention of Mrs Sarjant.

Please remember, pupils should not be carrying their own medication at School or on School trips unless previously agreed with the School nurse (risk assessments to be completed).

Please see message below from the Department for Education, regarding measles:

"Avoid education and exam disruption from measles

The number of measles cases in England has increased significantly since October 2023.

With exams starting shortly, please remind students, staff and parents to protect themselves by ensuring they have had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. It’s never too late to catch up. If they are unsure of their vaccination status, encourage them to check their Red Book or speak to their GP.

Vaccination is the best way to ensure measles does not prevent students from completing their exams."

We are all looking forward to the three-day weekend – a chance for Year 9 pupils to catch up on lost sleep (they have kept the medical room busy this week)! Year 11s will no doubt be balancing their exam revision (a bit of French and Spanish speaking perhaps) with some much-needed down time – only two School days to go until study leave. We all wish you lots of luck for the exams starting next week.

Have a lovely long weekend everyone – hopefully the sun might shine (at least some of the time).

The School Nurses

PADoK

PPADoK are delighted to announce that tickets have been selling fast so don’t miss out on getting yours for the “A Midsummer Night” charity event. This is a charity event to raise money for the charity Sarcoma UK, which has provided invaluable support within our School community.

We have a number of lovely raffles prizes, but would be delighted to have a few more, so if you have anything you would be happy to donate, then please do get in touch via the PADoK email. Thank you.

Please see details of the summer event below:

A Midsummer Night – Saturday 8^th June

Charity event to raise funds for Sarcoma UK

Where: Hurtwood Polo Club

Raffle with amazing prizes.

Ticket price: £35 which includes a welcome drink, Thai bowl food, The Accidentals (Mr Rye’s fabulous band)

Book tickets by emailing padok@dokschool.org with your child’s name and year group.

Duke of Kent School Flyers

Wednesdays 08.30-09.30 (Tara Coles and Lois Williams)

On Tuesday 30^th April the Duke of Kent School Flyers took on Pennthorpe mums’ netball team. 

Wow, what an absolutely gripping match! We are so fortunate to have two teams, who all played incredibly against their one! It was a very close game with some excellent play all round. It was incredibly clear just how far we have come as a team since our last game. We played four, ten-minute quarters, rotating between the A and B teams to provide everyone with the opportunity to play. 

No goals were scored for the first five minutes due to both teams having some excellent intercepts, which showed just how intense the game was! Overall, Pennthorpe took the win by one point and were awarded with the match trophy/ball!

Thank you to everyone who gave up their evenings to join us spectating, umpiring, coaching and, most importantly, playing! We very much look forward to a rematch in the summer.

If you’re looking for a fantastic way to stay active, make friends, and be a part of an exciting team, join us on a Wednesday morning and be a part of the Duke of Kent School Flyers!

Duke of Kent School Singers

Thursdays 08.20-09.00 (Cathy Williams)

Another uplifting start to Thursday. We began by warming up and singing a song about black socks not needing washing!! Great lyrics!!!

Mr Rye has put together a two-part harmony for Eleanor Rigby, and we worked on those two parts in our alto or soprano sections, really making sure we knew our parts. We then brought it all together and it is sounding really good. Thanks to Mr Rye and Mrs Williams for all they do.

Any questions, please do contact Cathy Williams rhodricathy@sky.com/07813 282910 or please just come along!

A relaxed singing group run by our Director of Music, Mr Rye, who kindly gives up his time to teach us how to sing. It is always fun and uplifting rather than a pressured environment. Our focus is always on enjoying singing and getting the most out of our time together.

PADoK Core Control

Strengthen your body, improve your health with our physio-led stability group. Friday mornings 08.30, Astroturf

We would also like to extend a warm welcome to any new joiners! If you know someone who would love to join in on the action, please feel free to forward this message or ask them to contact Julia at julia@therunningspecialists for more information. You can also reach out to Julia on WhatsApp at 07760275444.

Don't forget, we'll be outside every chance we get, so get ready to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while we work on our core strength together! Looking forward to seeing you all next Friday morning! Let's make it an incredible start to the Core club!

PADoK Book Club

(Claire Newman)

This term we will be reading a new book called The Household written by Stacey Halls. We hope you enjoy it.

London, 1847. In a quiet house in the countryside outside London, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women. The house and its location are top secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in common: they are fallen. Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life – but how badly do they want it?

Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her cold. Her stalker of ten years has been released from prison, and she knows it's only a matter of time before their nightmarish game resumes once more.

As the women's worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price …

The Household is the new novel from the award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Familiars, The Foundling and Mrs England. Set against Charles Dickens' home for fallen women and inspired by real figures from history, it is Stacey Halls' most ambitious and captivating novel yet.

Supersonic Science Show

Cranleigh Arts Centre have a "Supersonic Science Show" scheduled for the May half-term, should any of our budding scientists be interested. More information can be found on their website: https://cranleigharts.org/event/supersonic-science-show-2024/

Mrs Green (Science Coordinator)

Senior School optional hoodie

The Senior School hoodies have been redesigned by members of the School Council and the finished product can be seen below. They have done a fantastic job at putting this design together and now finally getting to see the finished product.

This new hoodie is available from Stevenson's on their website: https://www.stevensons.co.uk/.  There is also the option to have your child's initials printed onto the front of the hoodie for a slight additional cost, something we would advise, to avoid mixing up tops with other pupils. This hoodie is not an essential item of School uniform, so there is no expectation for pupils to have it.

If you wish to see the sample, please pop into the Main Office and have a look.

School social media

At Duke of Kent School we have three social media platforms; Instagram (dukeofkentschool), Twitter (@DoKSchool) and Facebook (Duke of Kent School). All of our social media accounts are public.

We recommend following all three accounts to receive push notifications with news, updates, educational articles, interactions with other schools, communities and public figures.