The sounds of gifted musicians and bands practising is a regular delight. Meanwhile, other students are engaged in study, rehearsals, participating in clubs, working on projects, playing basketball or any other sport they have invented, or simply enjoying conversations with friends. Every profession has its joys, and working at Knox offers many. The first semester has been filled with numerous activities. While it’s impossible to detail every event, this edition of The Thistle offers a snapshot, organised around our school values.

Reflecting on the first semester, our identity as a Uniting Church School has been deeply enriched by faith-based activities. Students and staff participated in a variety of meaningful events, such as the annual Easter Cantata Service, a student retreat centred on life, spirituality, and faith, and a special Easter marketplace experience for Prep students. Boarders celebrated their community through chapel services and formal dinners, while everyone joined with the Chaplaincy team for weekly chapel services.

The courage of our new students, especially those in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Year 7, and our boarders, is inspiring. Moving away from home is never easy, yet our boarders have embraced new environments and challenges with remarkable spirit.

To read more of Headmaster Scott James's Knox Values in Action, see the July 2025 edition of The Thistle. This magazine is published biannually and contains items of current, general and historical interest, as well as news from Old Boys.

When: Tuesday 5 August

• 6.00-7.00pm: Year 7 and Year 8 Wind Bands
• 7.30-9.00pm: Concert Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble

Where: Wenkart Theatre, Knox Grammar School

Dates: Thursday 7 August to Tuesday 12 August. 
Time: 9.00am–4.00pm | Opening Night is on Thursday 7 August (6.30pm–7.30pm).
Place: Great Hall, Senior School campus.

Dates: Tuesday 16 September to Thursday 18 September. 
Time: 8.30am–4.00pm | Opening Night is on Tuesday 16 September (6.00pm–8.00pm).
Place: KCC Auditorium, Senior School campus.

This project underscores our commitment to providing state-of-the-art facilities that foster learning, teamwork and wellbeing.  

Lest we forget. 

This year’s theme was ‘Mental Toughness’, with a focus on the importance of resilience, tenacity and optimism. The students’ dedication was evident throughout the day, particularly in student-led workshops created by students, for students. The powerful event saw more than 300 delegates come together to focus on holistic wellbeing and mental health.

The conference began with a moving and entertaining address from author, athlete and motivational speaker Michael Crossland. Michael shared the challenges he had faced in his life, along with pearls of wisdom he gained along the way. He also spoke on the power of language, visualisation and perspective.

The core of the day was comprised of a valuable variety of engaging student-led workshops, including:

• Bounce Back Stronger: How you can use the combination of Resilience, Hope and Tenacity to adapt and come back from difficult situations.
• The Teenage Brain: Rewiring to Break Free from Autopilot
• Emotional Mastery: Techniques to Stay Calm Under Pressure
• Strengths Unleashed: Using Your Strengths to Build Mental Toughness
• Staying the Course: The Power of Habits in Building Commitment

Congratulations to the Years 7-9 cast and crew of students from Knox Grammar School, Abbotsleigh and Ravenswood School for Girls. They were applauded their enthusiasm and ingenuity in bringing the period play 'Stories in the Dark' to life.

This year's Junior Play, which was set in a war-torn land, explored the power of storytelling and the resilience it evokes.

What outcomes do we see from the students with this event?

Essentially, the da Vinci Decathlon fosters the development of well-rounded individuals who are prepared to lead, innovate, and collaborate in a rapidly evolving world.

• Leadership: As students guide their teams through challenges, make strategic decisions, and take responsibility for their group’s success, students build confidence in their leadership abilities and gain essential skills for future leadership roles.
• Teamwork: The collaborative nature of the event strengthens teamwork, as students work with peers from varied backgrounds and skillsets, learning to communicate, delegate tasks, and support one another. This fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility.
• Agility: Additionally, the hands-on nature of the tasks allows students to tackle real-world problems, enhancing their ability to adapt and find creative solutions when faced with challenges.
• Analytical abilities: Finally, the Decathlon promotes critical thinking by encouraging students to analyse situations, evaluate different perspectives, and make informed decisions, skills that are vital both in academics and life.

Our school community is proud to celebrate the remarkable performances of our students, who represented Knox with distinction on this global stage.

"One big takeaway for us all was Alex's message that his life is filled with friends…the same friends who were with him when he fell, are the friends who visited him in the hospital during the 10 months he spent there learning to live again, and they are the same friends he now rides the trails with again. Who are these friends? They are his Knox classmates. These friends have stood by him through it all and his enduring takeaway to our boys was to surround themselves with friends who they can be confident will be there for them not only during the good times, but also the inevitable challenges that life throws our way. Such an incredible message from a true champion!" — Sue Floro, Head of the Knox Grammar Preparatory School.

The Knox Ravenswood Cadet Unit Chapel Service and Passing-Out Parade was held in the McIlraith Memorial Chapel and on Knox 1 Oval. 

The Service provides the Year 12 cadets with the opportunity for poignant reflection ahead of transitioning to the Old Guard during the Parade. They marched through the ranks of the Unit for the last time, to the Pipes and Drums playing the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”.

This bittersweet moment was carried out in front of the Unit with family, friends and the communities of both Knox Grammar School and Ravenswood School for Girls present. In the ceremony of handover, the soon-to-be Year 12 cadets took command. 

This co-curricular drama opportunity offered them a hands-on experience collaborating across each stage of theatre production, from planning, to rehearsals, to promotion, to on-stage performance