Headmaster's Column
Mr Scott James
Welcome back to Term 4. I hope you all enjoyed some family time and a refreshing holiday break.
Term 4 marks the start of the HSC for our Year 12 students. Please keep these young men in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this challenging period.
Knox’s evolving Education Model
Two key initiatives I believe will have a positive and profound impact on student outcomes is the (i) Development of Global Competency and (ii) Technological Innovation.
(i) In relation to building global competency in our students, the K-10 curriculum will be shaped and designed to offer globally competent experiences well beyond the content endorsed syllabus. Inter-disciplinary inquiry-based tasks will be strengthened, with a focus on fostering creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, character and citizenship.
(ii) With the nature of work and living rapidly changing through the rapid adoption of merging smart technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Knox needs to become incubators of exploration and invention.
Senior School News
Co-Curricular
Art Classes - Term 4 2019
There are several Co-Curricular Art classes on offer in Term 4. These will take place in the Visual Arts classrooms. Click on the flyers below for more information.
Knox Oratory Programs
Mr Dan Schofield, Oratory Coordinator
Welcome back to Term 4! On behalf of the oratory team, I hope you all had a restful holiday and are excited for the term ahead.
This term we have the usual mix of debating training and the Knox Debating Cup. Whilst we do not have any Friday Evening Competitions, we will begin trials for the 2020 ISDA and FED teams from Week 3. Stay tuned for more updates regarding registration for these trials!
School News
Knox Musical - 'Oliver!'
Students from Knox Grammar School will reprise the School's very first musical, 'Oliver', with a production of the much loved musical in the Knox Junior Academy and Performing Arts Centre from 7-9 November.
The production will be the first major show to take place in the new 750 seat Wenkart Theatre.
Performances
Thursday 7 November 2019, 7.30pm
Friday 8 November 2019, 7.30pm
Saturday 9 November 2019, 7.30pm
Old Knox Grammarians' Association
All welcome to join us for these upcoming events:
• OKGA Special Event: Tomorrow Man - A Night with the Blokes - Tuesday 29 October
• OKGA 2019 Golf Day - Wednesday 30 October
Parent Seminar
Raising boys in a digital world
An evening with Dr Kristy Goodwin
When: Wednesday 20 November 2019, 6pm-8pm
Where: Wenkart Theatre, Junior Academy and Performing Arts Centre, Senior School
Who: Knox Prep, Wahroonga Prep and Knox Senior School parents of students in Years 5-9
Dr Goodwin will provide practical and effective strategies to ensure your son’s online safety and healthy technology habits.
Prep School News
From the Head of the Preparatory School
Mrs Sue Floro
Welcome back to Term 4! A particularly warm welcome to our newest families, whose sons have joined us for this fast and frenetic final term of 2019. The beginning of term is always such a lovely time of reconnection and story-swapping, catching up on the events of the holidays.
At the very end of last term, our musicians travelled to Western NSW, performing at Lithgow Primary School and a retirement village in Dubbo. A highlight was certainly staying in the tents at Dubbo Zoo, and falling asleep to the sounds of the bellowing rhinos and the roaring lions ... The boys are such consummate performers and they quite literally wowed both audiences, with encores aplenty! My thanks to the Music Team and Mrs Prentice for accompanying the boys on this fabulous trip, and to the boys for their enthusiasm and skill.
K-2 Happenings
Mrs Chris Gray, K-2 Coordinator
Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.
Kay Redfield Jamison
Pasi Sahlberg in his book, ‘Let the Children Play’ outlines the value of play. It is how children explore, discover, fail, succeed, socialize, and flourish. It is a fundamental element of the human condition. It’s the key to giving schoolchildren skills they need to succeed - skills like creativity, innovation, teamwork, focus, resilience, expressiveness, empathy, concentration, and executive function. Expert organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Centers for Disease Control agree that play and physical activity are critical foundations of childhood, academics, and future skills.
Year 1 News
Mrs Emma Donaldson, Year 1 Team Leader
Welcome back to the final term of 2020.
As a team we are so proud of the boys' growth throughout the year. They are learning to consistently demonstrate the five core values of Knox and are working towards understanding what the character strengths look like as they conduct daily activities.
Year 2 News
Mrs Alicia Baldry, Year 2 Team Leader
Welcome back to Term 4! I hope all of the Year 2 families had a restful holiday break. We have a lot of events in Year 2 for the remainder of the year.
Year 3 News
Mr Glenn Stephenson, Year 3 Team Leader
The Year 3 team hopes that all students, parents and extended family enjoyed a safe and relaxing holiday break. It was lovely to see so many smiling and eager faces charge through the Prep School gates yesterday as boys donned their summer uniform for the first time since Term 1.
The final term ahead promises to be extremely exciting with a range of events and activities planned for the students, both within and outside of the classroom, before ultimately culminating in our annual Years 3-6 Presentation Day. This is held at the Great Hall in the Senior School on the final school day of the year and is a lovely way of both celebrating the year that has been, as well as recognising the successes of our boys.
Year 4 News
Mr Jared Rastall, Year 4 Team Leader
Welcome Back
It was great to see all the boys return with fresh haircuts and polished shoes for what will be a short but very busy and exciting term. We thank you for your continued support in ensuring that your son comes to school wearing his uniform with pride.
Year 5 News
Mrs Tammy Paterson, Year 5 Team Leader
Welcome to Term 4! This is a busy term so please check the Knoxonian each week for any last minute changes to the routine.
Year 5 Inspired Leadership Course
This week we will begin our Inspired Leadership Course where we have invited special guests in to speak to the boys about leadership. We will have one or two speakers each week for the first four weeks of term. The special guests are leaders within Knox or various sporting personalities. We hope the boys will gain a greater perspective of what is involved in leadership and it will assist them when making decisions about student leadership in 2020. At this stage the voting for elected leadership positions will take place in Week 4 or early Week 5.
Year 6 News
Mr Liam Flanagan, Year 6 Team Leader
Welcome back to the last term in the Prep School for your sons! We are looking forward to an action-packed term with the Year 6 Musical, the aquatics program, orientation at the Senior School, IPSHA Debating Gala Day, Summer Sports Gala Day and a fantastic outdoor education day planned amongst other exciting end of Year 6 events which can be found in the school calendar.
K-2 Literacy Centre and 3-6 Library
Mrs Emma-Kate Smith and Mrs Jo Wheatley
Years 3-6 Book Swap
Do you have any books at home that you no longer read and are appropriate for students in Years 3-6?
Musical Notes
Ms Rebeccah Morris, Miss Ali Irwin and Mr Ashley George
Important dates for Term 4
WEEK 1
• Thursday 17 October, 6pm-7pm - Instrumental Concert Series – Woodwind
WEEK 2
• Monday 21 October, 6pm-7pm - Instrumental Concert Series - Piano
• Tuesday 22 October, all day - Piano Exams
• Wednesday 23 October, all day - Brass AMEB rehearsals 1
• Thursday 24 October, all day - Woodwind AMEB rehearsal 2
• Friday 25 October - Woodwind AMEB Exams
• Friday 25 October - Vocal AMEB Exams
• Saturday 26 October - Woodwind AMEB Exams
Sports News
From the Head of Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy
Mr Martin Haywood
I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing break and are ready for some warm weather and the summer season ahead. It promises to be full of opportunities, experiences and memories for the boys and a number of friendships forged wearing the Black & Blue.
The holiday period was a busy time as teams continued their preparation for the season ahead.
NSW All Schools Track & Field Champs
Knox had 30 students participate in 60 events at the NSW All Schools Track & Field Championships held at SOPAC from 26-29 September. Overall, Knox students earned two gold, one silver and two bronze for a total of five medals, as well as 22 top 8 performances ! An incredible effort on the back of a really positive CAS Track & Field season. More details can be found of the individual performances at the All School on the Knox school app.
Australian School Orienteering Championships, Wagga Wagga
After dominating the NSW Schools Orienteering Championships for the last 30 years, Knox Orienteering took a team of 11 students to Wagga Wagga to compete in the Australian School Orienteering Champs for the first time ever. All in all, a great experience for all of the boys who participated to compete against the best Orienteers in the country. Thanks to Dylan Sherman for organising this event, coach Rebecca George and staff member Sean Ranyard for assisting with the tour.
Text for the Week
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2-3