Local cases of COVID-19
With several cases of COVID-19 in the local area, I’d like to remind all parents of the importance of checking the list of confirmed case locations from NSW Health each day before sending your child to school.

If your son or anyone in your household has been to any of the confirmed locations, please follow the advice from NSW Health. As always, please do not send your son to school if he is unwell, and take him for a COVID-19 test if he has any symptoms.

I am greatly appreciative of the support of parents and their diligence regarding COVID-19 and monitoring for symptoms. Thank you.

Has your son outgrown his Football or Rugby boots?
We are supporting a community in the outback who have no access to any sporting equipment. They are particularly keen to receive Football or Rugby boots as most cannot play as they have no boots.

Donations may be dropped to the SAOs or to Mrs Clarke’s Office (Room 15). Any clean Football socks would also be appreciated.

Seeking food hampers or gift cards for groceries
We have three families in the broader Ku-ring-gai community who need our support. Goods which would be helpful to donate include: longlife milk, cereals, coffee/tea, pancake mixes, dried or tinned fruit, tinned meat, spreads, laundry detergent, cordial toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, Vegemite. No nut items please. Donations may be left with the SAOs or Mrs Clarke.

The Knox Social Justice Club
The Club meets each Friday at lunchtime in the WSA Auditorium. Updates are available in the e-Club platform. Please email Mrs Clarke for more information on how to join or volunteer.

We collect a gold coin donation at each meeting to support projects for Youth of the Streets.

Another insight into all that is good in our Prep world came from two of our youngest, Kindy boys no less! In our latest edition of the Knox Prep Video News, you will all get to see a wonderful story, an informative piece about sap, of all things, but with a poignant reflection and lesson to be learned for us all. Filmed entirely by a Kindy boy, the story exudes warmth, innocence and a sense of earnest responsibility for our trees. Even our newest members of the Prep community, boys who have been at school for just a few more than 100 days, are embracing the ‘you can’ mantra. Please do tune in when this new edition is released!

My last piece of fabulous news this week comes in the form of an update about the Language Perfect German competition our Year 6 boys have been engaging in recently. And it is GOLD for Year 6! 1st overall in Australia in schools of cohorts from 101-250 students; 1st overall in Australia in German, out of 131 schools; and 10th globally, out of 358 schools. Special mention to Caden de Sarah-Blood (Elite) ranked 14th, Christian Ong (Emerald) ranked 66th, Shivaan Ramanthan ranked 92nd (Gold) and Xavier Kenavan who earnt a Silver. We also earnt 18 Bronze Awards, and 30 Credits. A truly phenomenal achievement – congratulations to Mrs Woodyatt and all of Year 6 on this outstanding achievement!

Finally, a nod to our dads, in readiness for your special day on Sunday. On behalf of all of the Prep staff, Happy Father’s Day! Thank you for your involvement in not only your boys’ education, but in their world. Every piece of research reinforces the incredible significance of a male role model, mentor and confidant for our boys. You’re doing a great job and we hope you are thoroughly spoilt by your sons on this special day!

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling, it’s an action. Expressing gratitude creates a lasting impression that can bring more gratitude into the world. Science has demonstrated that we are happiest when we feel valued and loved. As humans we thrive on connection. Gratitude reinforces empathy and strengthens relationships. By teaching our children to be thankful for their parents' efforts, we give them the gift of gratitude, further cementing their relationship with us.

Enjoy a magical Father’s Day with your son this Sunday and be grateful for the wonder and joy in his face when he tells you that he loves you.

These lovely performances reminded me of the importance of music and art. Music and art are vital to learning and achievement in many ways. Music helps boost our brainpower, improves our memory and helps with language skills. Art helps develop problem-solving, perspective and balance.

Creativity and confidence are clear benefits of music and art, but these subjects also build cultural awareness and help people feel more connected to one another.

It was wonderful to see the boys so engaged, feeling and experiencing such joy through music.

We are delving into our new Knoxigations Inquiry, ‘Interconnected Systems ‘. In our tuning in phase we unpacked our big idea ‘Food From Farms and Factories’ and discovered the difference between natural and processed foods. The boys also enjoyed discovering where our milk comes from and presented their findings in a flow chart using Popplet. Lots of fun was also had as the boys created ‘Grassy Heads’ in the classroom. We are watering them regularly and cannot wait to see these start growing.

As Father’s Day approaches this weekend, we would like to wish all of our Year 1 dads a very happy Father’s Day. A thought leading into Father’s Day is, DAD - 'Deserving Appreciation Daily' - this reminds us to stop and give thanks for the wonderful role that our fathers or significant adults play in our lives. Dads are indeed special and deserve appreciation daily for the support they give to their families, the love and care and the modelling they pass on to their children.

“I have loved learning about how machines use forces!”

“I learned that push and pull are forces.”

“Buoyancy is the word used to describe when something floats.”

“The motion of an object can change because of a force acting on it ... motion is the direction it moves.”

“I love learning about energy and how it makes forces!

“The forces push and pull help us in our world.”

“My favourite so far has been seeing forces in Rube Goldberg machines and that they are a really fun example of how we use forces every day!”

“I can’t wait to use the Micro:Bits to build a computer!”

With all of the wonderful work the boys have completed so far, we really can’t wait to see what they produce in the coming weeks!

In his paper, ‘Not-so Random Acts of Kindness: A Guide to Intentional Kindness in the Classroom’, John-Tyler Binfet writes about the benefits that come from performing intentional, kind acts. These benefits include developing perspective-taking, increased social membership, and a vehicle for encouraging kindness within the school environment.

As a grade, one of our aims during Semester 2 is to spend more time on promoting kindness rather than dealing with unkind acts. Within each classroom, students have been given opportunities to identify acts of kindness from others by writing anonymous cards and placing them in ‘Hey You!’ boxes. The impact of these cards, when they are read out to the students, is significant and powerful.

Giving students agency over their conduct is also crucial. Hence, the first ‘Kindness Committee’ meeting was held last week. The volunteers were presented with data from a kindness survey taken earlier this term. From these results, the boys set goals and thought about initiatives that would help them to reach these targets. Their suggestions were perceptive and easily achievable. Over the coming weeks, we look forward to meeting again and putting these initiatives directly into action!

Dates for the diary:
• Thursday 24 September – House Cross Country Carnival
• Friday 25 September – Term 3 concludes

If you have any queries with upcoming events, please do not hesitate to contact your son’s classroom teacher or me.

Using Technology Safely

Earlier this year, students participated in a CyberEcho course, which considered online safety. It is important to regularly check in on your son’s technology and internet usage and to ensure that they are engaging in responsible and safe behaviour. Below are some general points that the Year 4 team regularly discusses:

• following family rules and expectations around technology;
• using technology to speak kindly and respectfully to others;
• during bed time hours, the phone should be kept with parents;
• following the terms of use of applications and accounts, including age restrictions;
• not entering personal details including full name, address, school name, date of birth etc.;
• not sending photos or recording videos which may include personally identifiable information (such as in school uniform);
• telling a parent or trusted adult if something makes you feel uncomfortable or a stranger contacts you online;
• avoiding group chats in iMessage where you do not know all participants in the chat.

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has more valuable hints for parents here.

My Place Writing Competition
As we returned to school after our period of online learning, we used the ABC's 2020 My Place Writing Competition as a way of reflecting on our experience at this unusual time. Each boy in Year 5 submitted an entry into the competition. Some boys wrote poems, others wrote diary entries and some wrote short stories. I am pleased to announce that Jeremy Owen won third place in the Years 5/6 competition. Jeremy wrote a letter to his Grandmother. His writing entry was judged by Nadia Wheatley. Please enjoy his entry below. This is the second external writing competition that Jeremy has won a prize for this term - congratulations!

A Letter to Grandma (During COVID-19)
Dear Grandma,
I’ve really missed you. Sorry we couldn’t visit you on your birthday. Dad says we might accidentally make you sick and can’t risk it. He says you and Grandpa must stay home all the time now. I bet Grandpa hates being told he can’t leave the house. Our lives are certainly different compared to last year. Many people are walking around wearing masks, like out of a science fiction movie. It feels strange not being able to see people's faces. We are washing our hands constantly.

I once imagined what it would be like with no school. Free time, all the time. So, when Mum told me school was closing down, it felt like a dream! Or, so I thought. I didn’t really understand what it all meant at first, just that we were heading into mysterious, unknown times. However, now I realise the seriousness of it all. Listening to the news and adults everywhere talking about it, made me think, this isn’t exciting, it’s frightening. What if someone I know gets sick or even dies from this virus? Then it made me think about you and Grandpa.

Spending so much time at home has definitely had great moments. No more rushing about everywhere after school and on weekends. Ruby, Danny and I have never spent so much time playing together. We’re lucky to have our beautiful, big backyard with huge trees to climb, and leafy corners to explore. I finally taught Danny to climb right to the top of that old Oak tree with me. We’re very fortunate, which I didn’t realise until now. We all love riding our bikes, and our skateboards and rollerblades have never had so much use! Spending so much time in the fresh air makes me free, even though I’m not allowed to go anywhere. We’ve enjoyed so many laughs and had a few fights. There has been lots of hide and seek, backyard cricket and endless games of Monopoly. I’ve completed many puzzles, and have discovered that I’m actually pretty good at Chess. I would love to go to the movies, or watch the French Open Tennis on TV, but like everything else, they have been shut down too. Home schooling has come with many challenges, as well as new learning experiences. Problems with internet connection have frustrated me beyond belief.

However, I’ve become quite the independent learner which has been very rewarding. I’ll be able to teach you all the tricks I’ve learnt, troubleshooting technical problems. We have used the Zoom app for school, which means I can see my teacher and classmates when doing my school work. Zoom has also been a great way to see and talk to my other friends without leaving home.

We are told constantly that we are all going through this together, which is true. Though sometimes, it feels that we aren’t together at all. When Danny and I venture out for a bike ride or a walk, people cross the road to avoid us. There is no eye contact or friendly ‘hello’ like usual. That doesn’t feel like we’re in this together. It seems like everyone is suspicious of each other, watching each other, scared of each other. I think it’s changed the way our community is supposed to feel. I hope it doesn’t feel like this forever, even though I understand that everyone wants to stay protected. Even the park looks miserable and lonely. No one sitting down under the trees on lush, green grass having picnics. No laughter of little kids, being pushed on swings by their mums. No one is riding their bikes and ringing their bells. Not even dog walkers, chatting happily to each other. The trees are almost drooping in sadness from the quiet. It’s a bit eerie.

I miss school. I miss the noise, routine, structure and the sound of my friends laughing and having fun. I miss my classroom, teachers, basketball and soccer. I can’t wait to hear sounds of bells ringing, whistles blowing, and the familiar thump of school bags being slung to the ground. I can’t wait to go back to school, to feel like things are going back to normal. I want to feel safe again. I want everyone to stop talking about the virus. We need life to be normal again, so you and Grandpa can enjoy your walks in the park, and go to the shops without being worried.

I hope the restrictions will be lifted soon, so we can visit you and Grandpa. Please stay safe and healthy.

Love Jeremy

As we continue to live in a COVID-19 world, we always have the boys' interest at heart and ensuring they are safe and healthy is an important part of this. Whilst not currently mandated, we do recommend, where possible, that the boys wear a mask to and from school whilst travelling via public transport. Whilst at this point in time the wearing of masks is not mandatory on public transport, we do feel the extra precaution may be worthwhile. There are now Knox face masks available at the Uniform Shop, if required.

Charges for overdue 3-6 Library Books
Books that are more than 100 days overdue and not returned will be charged to your account within the next few weeks. Black stickers will be placed in student diaries to indicate that you will be charged. Please ask your son to look at home for any books that belong to our Prep Libraries.

There have been a number of emails asking of sport and plans over the coming weeks. I hope the following helps:

Week 7 – Summer sport training
Saturday 5 September – Track and Field at Gillespie

Week 8 – Summer sport training
Saturday 12 September - Track and Field at Gillespie

Week 9 – Summer sport training
Saturday 19 September – Summer trials and re-grading for Prep and Senior School

Week 10 – Summer sport training

Holiday break
If you have any questions regarding any of the above, please do not hesitate to email the Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy and someone will be in touch.

Have a great week everyone.