Campion Books 2021
The Campion deadline for orders is 9 December 2020.

Year 11 Book List

Mrs Karen Yager

'You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think'. Christopher R.

As we move into the mid-point in the term, Year 10 are continuing to prepare for their final assessments in the Middle Academy. This week we welcomed representatives from the Academic portfolio to present to the year on a number of continued initiatives including the Class of 2022 Google page and use of Notion as a tool for organisation, study and preparation.

What continues to impress me about our year group is their capacity to involve as many members of the year as they can in peer-led study sessions and contribution of personal study notes placed on the year group page for all students to revise from. This key point shows us that our boys are really making further connections with each other and collaborating to encourage every student in the year group to achieve their personal best.

Our Social Justice portfolio also continues to encourage the students in Year 10 to engage in activities which promote social contribution and awareness. Our leaders spoke to the group about two initiatives in particular – Aussie bread tags for wheelchairs and National Recycling week. The activities and initiatives which the boys can be a part of are a visible example of our School value of compassion. We often speak to the boys about the impact of their actions and encourage them to think beyond into the broader community.

Another example of being socially minded is the school-wide event next week – Ride with Richter. The boys are encouraged to purchase a cap which goes directly to Alex and his mission to raise funds which will allow him to live an independent lifestyle and ultimately, ride again.

As the boys continue to prepare this weekend for the upcoming assessments, our wellbeing team have put together strategies which you might like to engage should your son experience anxiety in the lead-up to assessments next week:

• Setting a healthy routine - ensure the child has substantial sleep, eats well, goes to school on time, and equipped with required school supplies.
• Setting the pace - encourage your son to complete school homework and assignments consistently. While it won’t get rid of all test anxiety, it is a good start.
• Motivate your son to want to take the test, by focusing on his efforts (completing homework or preparation for the test) rather than attaining a certain grade.
• Recognise your son’s negative self-talk and gently help them to challenge these thoughts; and replace them with constructive positive talk.
• Recognise the physical symptoms of anxiety: It is also helpful to teach your child to recognise these physical symptoms as a cue to stop and engage.
• Communicate to your son that no test is a perfect reflection of a student’s capability and potential, while encouraging him to put in his best efforts.

Good luck to all summer sport rounds this weekend.

Margie Raymond

Best of luck Year 10 as you prepare for the upcoming Year 10 exams. Please complete the Illness and Misadventure form should you miss an examination, absent the day prior or absent the morning of due to illness along with submitting a medical certificate.

Ride with Richter Cap Day - Tuesday 24 November. To facilitate the ordering of caps, if you would like your son to wear one can you please complete this order form today. We encourage all boys to join this wonderful community connection experience. Boys can wear their purchased cap to school and wear casual clothes. There will also be other fundraising initiatives including a donation at the gates and a raffle. A charge of $25 for the cap and sausage on a roll will be charged to your account.

The gift of giving. This term is the time when the Knox community generously supports families that find Christmas particularly difficult. For the last 13 years, we have supplied Christmas Hampers for struggling families through the Uniting Church Family projects. Our focus this year is on the Wesley Mission and Parramatta Mission. Both organisations aim to support families with basic food supplies and Christmas fare (Christmas cakes, puddings, custard, serviettes, tins of ham, bonbons, biscuits etc. as well as staple goods such as long-life milk, cereals, pasta, sauces etc.). Your support with this initiative will be most appreciated.

Christmas gifts for children to the value of $10 (or more if you wish)
This has been a long-term project at Knox to support children from STARTTS who receive no gifts without our support. The social workers continually reinforce what a positive difference our donations make to these children and their parents.

Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs
Your bread tags can make a difference to others. We are partnering with OZBread Tags for Wheelchairs  to promote both recycling across our school and also to help others. Please collected those square coloured bread tags and send them with your son for us to join in this support of those with a disability. Drop off to me, please.

An update on our resident Masked Lapwings on Knox 1 - we so far have two little chicks. So cute and the boys loved seeing them this morning.

Happy weekend.

Rebecca Smith 

The Knox Careers Hub is an online careers resource for students and parents. The Careers Hub was developed to support students’ capability to plan and make informed decisions with regards to post-school options and to enable effective participation in working life. Notifications and messages are regularly posted on the Careers Hub to communicate important information to students. Therefore, it is encouraged that students and parents access the Careers Hub on a regular basis.

In order to have full access to the Careers Hub, students, teachers and parents will need to create an account. Click here to access the direct link (the Careers Hub can also be accessed via the Knox portal – under Senior School – Careers Program).

• Fill in the details (your name and email address).
• Enter the school code -  KNOX20
• Create a password
• Complete the remainder of the form to create a profile / account.

Once you have registered, you will have full access to the Knox Careers Hub. This includes all newsletters, how-to guides, and access to a wealth of information on study options and career pathways. Upcoming career events are posted on the Careers Hub under 'messages' so I encourage students, parents and teachers to keep checking the Careers Hub for announcements on upcoming workshops, seminars and events.

Upcoming online OKGA Career event
The next online career event will be focusing on careers in Allied Health. Students and parents will hear from speakers in areas including physiotherapy, psychology and exercise physiology. Below are the details:

When: Wednesday 18 November, commencing at 6pm
Where: Online via Zoom (a link will be sent to you after registration and shortly before the evening)
Who: Years 10, 11 and 12 students and their parents
Register: Click here to register no later than Tuesday 17 November

Linda Gomez

As your child moves throughout his adolescence, one of the most common issues that he’d encounter is anxiety. There are many perspectives on anxiety and its function, and as parents it’ll be helpful to gain an understanding of this.

There is a free webinar being run by Dr Caroline Donovan through the 'Be You' organisation that will talk about anxiety in secondary education settings. The program will cover:

• What is anxiety and types of anxiety; identifying those with anxiety and internalised anxiety
• What underpins anxiety; treatment of anxiety
• The importance of the relationship with the school
• How schools can support the student with anxiety
• What teachers need to be aware of with anxiety - the avoidance cycle

If you’re interested in this, the details are below.

Understanding and Responding to Anxiety in Secondary School Settings
Tuesday 10 November 2020 (3.45pm-4.45pm)
Click here to register.

Does your child demonstrate avoidant behaviours when it comes to academic work?
The counselling Psychologists have put together some information here that discusses strategies to deal with procrastination, which is a common issue among students throughout Prep School and Senior School. As always, feel free to speak to your Mentor and/or Team Leader if you believe it’s a significant issue.

Monday 9 - Sunday 15 November

National Recycling Week

Wednesday 18 November

Online OKGA Career event - Allied Health

Monday 23 November

Paul Dillon parent seminar (online presentation) 6.30pm

Tuesday 24 November

Ride with Richter cap day (please click image below to enlarge)

Thursday 3 December

Term 4 concludes

For many years the School has offered a ‘fees in advance’ program to enable increased flexibility of such payments. The program is attractive for many reasons, enabling parents to make lump sum payments for years ahead which attract discounts to the scheduled fees. To qualify, upfront full year payments must be made for a minimum of one year and the payments must be made by 13 November in the year before your payment program begins. Payments will only be accepted by direct funds transfer or cheque (credit card or BPAY payments are not permitted for this program).

Details of the Fees in Advance Program can be found here on the Knox website. Alternatively, you might like to discuss this in confidence with Betty Fowler from the School’s Accounts Department on 9487 0442.

Future events

Magazine Giveaway in Week 8. Come to the library for the free giveaway of this year’s magazines. 

Holiday borrowing. You are welcome to borrow for the school holidays. Books will be dated to return the first week of Term 1 2021.

Returning Books. Have you received an overdue reminder? Do you need more time to read your selected book? Just come along and speak to the staff in the library or email us to extend your loan.  

Enjoy your reading.

Sally Thomson

Parent seminar - Parents, sons, parties, alcohol and other drugs: What's happening now and what can we expect in a post COVID-19 world?
Knox parents are invited to register for a webinar with Paul Dillon, Director of the Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia on the topic, 'Parents, sons, parties, alcohol and other drugs: What's happening now and what can we expect in a post COVID-19 world?”.

When: Monday 23 November, 6.30pm
Where: Online seminar (livestream only)
Who: Aimed at parents of students in Years 9, 10 and 11 (Year 12 2021) – other Knox parents welcome to register.

Please register at www.knox.nsw.edu.au/pauldillon no later than Sunday 22 November.

This online presentation will look at the latest data on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use of Australian secondary school students and discuss the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on teens and socialising and what effect the pandemic lockdown may have had on teen AOD use. There are huge challenges ahead for parents as they acknowledge the importance of their sons’ socialising but, at the same time, ensure their safety by having age-appropriate rules and boundaries in place as restrictions are gradually rolled back. To assist parents through this difficult time, some simple tips around alcohol, parties and gatherings will be provided to help ensure their child's safety now and post-COVID-19.

The online parent seminar will be live-streamed, commencing at 6.30pm and running for approximately one hour.

For more information, please email Ms Elizabeth Ruff, Head of Knox Middle Academy.

2021 Applications
We would like to invite students who have competed at the state/national level to apply to join the PEAK program for the next intake. We understand that COVID-19 may have impacted some state/national championships, so PEAK eligibility criteria has been extended to include the last 12 months, or the last state/national championship event that was run.

What is PEAK?
PEAK will be going into its third year of operation and is designed to support high-performing student-athletes who aspire to have a career in elite sport. We aim to develop healthy, resilient and capable students by supporting the holistic wellbeing of each individual, whilst assisting them to achieve their academic and sporting potential.

The PEAK program includes:

• One on one mentoring with Knox high performance coaches, including the development of an Individual Performance Plan (IPP)
• Keynote speakers focusing on the Knox Total Fitness pillars, including:

  • Academic Fitness – covering themes such as time management, goal setting and habits for academic success
  • Physical Fitness – covering effective nutritional practices for athletes, sleep for recovery and effective rehab/prehab
  • Spiritual Fitness (Personal Development) – covering communication, mental preparation and leadership
  • Social/Emotional Fitness – covering resilience, performing under pressure and respect and responsibility

• Small group workshops to further enhance each student-athlete’s skills and learning capabilities.

Please see the PEAK website for more information about the program, including a copy of the prospectus.

To apply, please complete application form here. Applications will close on Thursday 3 December (last day of Term 4), with successful applicants to be notified before school resumes in 2021.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email here.

Kieran Donohue, Director of PEAK