As we come to the end of what has been an emotional week for the Knox community, I hope our Year 10 families are able to enjoy some time together over the weekend.

The Academy of Global Competency building is open for students to engage in individual and collaborative study or to socialise before school from 7.45am and afterschool until 5.15pm. Unless they are involved in co-curricular or sporting activities, Middle Academy students should not stay at school to study or socialise after 5.15pm.

Lessons commence at 8.25am Monday to Thursday and at 9am on Friday. Students are expected to be at their classroom and ready to engage in their lessons by this time. They should be arriving at school with adequate time to complete the health screening and temperature checking process, visit their lockers and arrive at their period 1 classroom prior to 8.25am (9am on Friday). Students who arrive late to lessons miss important aspects of the lesson introduction and disrupt the continuity of learning for their peers. From Monday, should a student arrive late to school, an email will be sent to their parents to notify them the late arrival. Should there be a reason that your son will be arriving late to school, please let Rebecca Smith know via email or Parent Lounge. Should a student arrive late to school for a second time this term without a valid reason, he will be required to attend an afterschool reflection session with Mr Mulray. Thank you in advance for your support in ensuring that learning opportunities for all our students are maximised.

Elizabeth Ruff

There is always room in your life for thinking bigger, pushing limits and imagining the impossible. Tony Robbins.

This week brings us to another week of the winter sport season versus Barker College. Each of the rounds have been filled with many exciting stories and feats from our boys. The Sports Portfolio have been encouraging the boys at Year Meeting and profiling some of our champion efforts. The sportsmanship, positivity and spirit that have been on display this season has been most impressive.

On Tuesday in Year Meeting, we enjoyed a presentation by Mr Waterhouse (Director of Student Development Stage 5). The boys were briefed on the upcoming Mentor program where they will be exploring the learner protocols and breaking them down to achieve a thorough understanding of what this might look like in the classroom. The boys have been tasked with creating short clips and videos to represent the protocols for our junior students in the coming year intake. This will be of particular importance as our young men move into the senior academy and take on leadership roles, particularly with a focus on working with our junior students.  

An important announcement came from the Social Justice Portfolio this week as they presented an initiative in the form of a ‘food drive’. The initiative by the Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre assists many local families in the community who may be experiencing financial distress and hardship. Boys are encouraged to bring in non-perishable items such as long long-life milk, cereals, cans of meat, vegetables and fruit, tea/coffee, biscuits and toiletries. The Social Justice group have made a competition out of it, encouraging boys to bring their items to their SAO Ms Smith, to record their mentor group.

Finally, we announced and acknowledged a large number of Year 10 students achieving their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh. We are extremely proud of all the boys for seeking a voluntary service, participating in physical recreation activity, learning new skills and completing an adventurous overnight journey. The number of boys we acknowledged this week for the achievement is testament to the calibre of students we have as part of our year group. Congratulations to these students. It is a big responsibility to commit to this award and we have every faith that you will all go on to further complete your silver award with the same diligence and integrity.

Margie Raymond

Ride with Richter - Ride, Run, Row or Walk fitness challenge. We all want to start or continue and enjoy fitness - correct? The fitness challenge commences 29 August and concludes on 20 September. What are you and your family going to sign up for? Me? I will walk/run! Click here for more information on how to get involved to help support the beautiful Richter family and get fit along the way. You know you want to!

Absence Notification

When lodging your son's absence in Parent Lounge please remember to include the nature of his medical condition in the comment section if you have selected Illness/Medical. Should your son be suffering from any of the symptoms of COVID-19, please follow the government advice regarding getting tested and keep your son at home.

Knox Student ID and StoCard app

Students should have their Knox Student ID card with them in the morning to scan in after having their temperature checked. Sometimes they may forget their card or have it in their locker or another bag. A StoCard app for their phone can be used to create a Knox Student barcode on their phone. Click here for instructions. Note: All students are required to have an official Knox Student ID card. Please note, the Stocard app will not be accepted at the canteens.

Uniform Shop

Don't forget to pre-order your washable, reusable face masks in French Navy made from three layer cotton with filter pocket. Sizing: standard and large, price $12.50. Delivery expected week commencing 17 August. Please call the Uniform Shop on 9487 0191 or order via Flexischools.

Hope you get to enjoy some quality family time this weekend.

Rebecca Smith

For information regarding all offered co-curriculars for week 5 please click here or contact the staff member in charge. Also please note that changes may occur at short notice due to Government and Health Department requirements.

Chuck Ardron

Saturday 29 August - Sunday 20 September

Ride with Richter fitness challenge

Friday 25 September

Term 3 concludes

Some new and exciting releases are now available from the library to boost your wide reading.

New titles from award winning authors include:

Karen M. McManus

'One of Us is Lying' 

'Two can Keep a Secret'

'One of Us is Next' 

 Derek Landy

'Skulduggery Pleasant: Seasons of War'.  This is the thirteenth book in the SKulduggery Pleasant series.

 Anh Do

'Rise of the Mythix'

'E-Boy'

David Walliams 

'Slime'

'Grandpa’s Great Escape'

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

'Illuminae'

'Gemina'

'Obsidio'

Sally Thomson

Across our campuses we are collecting donations of non-perishable food for Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre, which supports local families in need.

We are inviting Knox families to donate long-life milk, cereal, coffee, tea, cans of meat, vegetables, fruit and/or soup, cup of soup and dried fruit. No glass items, please.

Collection closes end of Week 7 (Friday 4 September).

Drop off location for students is the SAO offices or Mrs Clarke's Office (Room 15).

A reminder our campuses are currently closed to parents.

In line with the current NSW Health guidelines and in order to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19, the Uniform Shop staff have taken measures to ensure the safety of students, parents and other staff. External cleaners professionally clean all high-touch areas and surfaces every evening with a non-toxic, hospital grade disinfectant. During the day our staff spray down the changing rooms and service areas. Each room is equipped with hand sanitiser and wall-mounted hand sanitiser stations are at the entry.

Each room is limited to the number of people permitted and that is stated on the entrance to each room. Because of this, we have limited capacity in the changing rooms of only two rooms being operational and only one parent per child who is trying on uniform. As Term 4 is the changeover to summer uniform, can we please request that you take this into consideration. For the remainder of Term 3, we will also be sizing uniforms for Year 8 Cadets.

The options for purchasing uniform are as follows:

• Where possible, if you know the correct sizes to order, please order online through Flexischools.
• If you do require sizing, please make a note before coming what sizes your son is currently wearing.
• In Years 7-12, your son can come to the Uniform Shop at lunchtime. We can provide the sizes required and order online via Flexischools.

To avoid long waiting times towards the end of term, we would advise checking your son’s summer uniform now and, if you require new uniform, please order early. Orders are delivered to Knox Prep and Wahroonga Prep on Wednesday and Friday. Students in the Senior School are permitted to collect orders at lunchtime or after school. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Uniform Shop opening times: Monday through to Friday, 12.30-5pm.

Julie Blackburn

Congratulations to the following boys for achieving Bronze D of E. A fine effort!

Last Friday, Simon from Vegepod spoke to Year 10 about their product and the story behind its creation. He then showed them how to set it up. Year 10 will be using these Vegepods to set up an aquaponics system in their next unit called 'City Farming'.