We aim to ensure that we continue to offer our boys a quality educational experience. We have always had evening Tutors in Boarding and after school support workshops in a range of subjects and for literacy and numeracy. We want to continue this approach in an online environment.

The role of the Academic Support person is to provide academic advice and support via Zoom. This support and advice could take the form of the following:

• Responding to student questions. 
• Revisiting a key skill, concept or an aspect of the content.

Please click here for the list of subjects that will be providing Academic Support after school in Weeks 2 to 8. The list outlines the subject, day and time for students to use the link to ask teachers questions relating to their subjects. Please note that some sessions are just for Boarders and all other sessions are for any student in that year or stage.

Stage 6 is Years 11 and 12, Stage 5 is Years 9 and 10 and Stage 4 is Years 7 and 8.

Karen Yager

Welcome back to Term 2. There is certainly a more optimistic feeling amongst the cohort than a few weeks ago knowing that restrictions are starting to lift and students across the state are beginning to return to school. It is important to note that there are myriad of different family circumstances in our school and that decisions have been made with this in mind. We think of our boarding community and international students and know that it is not as easy to return to school as it is for others and we hope we can see you all safely back at Knox soon.

The boys have hit the ground running with three subjects having assessments this week. The way most of the boys have embraced this challenging time has been incredibly impressive, with the assessments being no exception. I would like to just take this opportunity to thank all staff involved in Year 12, particularly with those that have had to rethink assessments to provide valid and rigorous tasks in an online environment. It can be difficult to appreciate sometimes how fortunate the boys are to have the staff we have at this school, with their commitment to the boys’ education and their emotional, physical and spiritual fitness. Thank you also for your messages of support through this time, they have meant a great deal.

There have been some fantastic efforts by our school community to pass on messages of support and I am sure the boys were inspired by the messages from our present and past Knox School Captains and Vice-Captains that were relayed during assembly on Wednesday. Omar Khan organised some messages from the 2020 cohort during Year Meeting this week. We heard from Glenn Hui (Hong Kong but in Sydney still), Jai Walsh (Northern Beaches), Luke Parmenter (Griffith) and Adam Wu (Hong Kong) about their different experiences in lockdown. It is clear that the boys really want to be back in their school environment, and if anything, it has made them appreciate the aspects of school that they may not have realised were so important before.

As mentioned in the letter from the School sent yesterday, when the boys return, those isolation haircuts are expected to return to acceptable Knox standard haircuts! I can’t wait to see the boys well groomed, clean shaven, excited (but not shaking hands) and happy to be back. That first day in Week 3 will certainly be like holding back the crowd when our Firsts Basketballers beat Trinity!

Beth Goddard

The Team Leaders have spoken about turning this year into a year of firsts! We certainly achieved that since our return to school with regards to online exams. This week we had exams conducted over Zoom in Biology, EES and English. We were very happy with how these went, and the boys deserve congratulations on how they adapted. We would also like to publicly acknowledge and thank the many staff who put the systems into operation to ensure we could continue to assess in a robust way, as is the direction we have been given by NESA.

The second round of Knox Academic Interviews (KAI) will start next week. Yesterday at the Year Meeting we spoke to the boys about how they should approach this interview. We encouraged them not to focus on the KAI number but instead use it as an opportunity to set goals for the term ahead.

The data for the first interview included all assessments throughout Year 11 and enabled a KAI to be generated using a range of assessment strategies. The KAI range boys will receive next week is based on only a limited number of assessment tasks. Most subjects have only had one assessment to date.  Furthermore, in a task out of 20 or 25 (which many tasks to date are out of), a 1 or 2 mark difference can have a significant impact on the ranking that the Knox Academic Mark (KAM) is based on. For example, only one English task goes towards the first Year 12 KAI. A student who got 20/25 in Task 1 was ranked 159 while a student who got 19/25 was ranked 199. As the KAMs are based on ranks it is important keep the numbers in perspective. The third round of KAI interviews after the Trials will include data based on all completed assessments across all subjects. Our hope is that the interviews will provide an opportunity for students to reflect on results to date and more importantly plan for the term ahead, especially as we now have a better understanding of what lies ahead in terms of resumption of classes.

The interviews will be booked through the PTO online booking system. Today parents will have received an email from Mrs Billington that will provide full details on how to make a booking. Bookings will open on Monday 4 May at 8am.

Andrew Weeding and Greg Nunan

Over the past few weeks, we have seen some changes in the way university applications are being managed due to the impact of the COVID-19 situation. Information on these changes are posted on the Careers Hub. Students have been encouraged to check the Careers Hub on a daily basis for information and updates.

Commencing next week, I will be presenting a series of topics via Zoom on university applications. The topics will include:

• Applying for university
• Bonus Points
• Early entry schemes, including SRS
• Educational Access Scheme
• Scholarships (including Co-op)

There will be a different topic per day and each presentation will be for 15-20 minutes during lunch times. The presentation will also be recorded with the link sent out to students afterwards.

The links for students to join the Zoom presentations have been posted on the Careers Hub. I encourage all students to join the Zoom presentations to gain an understanding of the process of applying for university and the various schemes.

I am also organising webinars and Zoom meetings with universities and colleges and the links to these online events will also be available on the Careers Hub.

It is important for Year 12 to keep themselves up to date with information and stay informed about the various options available to them, therefore I encourage students to contact me via email for career guidance, advice, and support.

Linda Gomez

Knox psychologists are available for support of students and their parents by contacting us via email or phone (02) 9119 0828. A reminder too that the Knox Psychologists have produced short videos for parents on such topics as:

• how to survive and thrive as a family
• online resources
• maintaining balance
• managing conflict
• staying socially connected
• motivating adolescents
• managing parental guilt

These videos can be found here. Password: WellbeingSenior

Melinda Price

Tuesday 28  April

Term 2 Commences

Sunday 10 May

Mother's Day

Monday 11 May, Tuesday 12 May, Wednesday 13 May

Year 12 return to campus

Thursday 14 May and Friday 15 May

Year 12 work remotely

Monday 18 May

Year 12 return to campus every day

The Knox Uniform Shop is still operating on reduced opening times. To assist customers that are unsure of sizing of their Winter Uniform, the Uniform Shop will be open 1pm - 5pm on Monday 4 May, Wednesday 6 May, Friday 8 May with Saturday 9 May open 9am - 12pm, running on a customer limited basis. Appointments are not required but we will only have two changing rooms operational so we ask parents and students to be patient as our team practise social distancing to keep our school community safe.

Whilst students continuing to study online, they are permitted to wear their Winter Uniform if already purchased or their PDHPE/Sports Uniform. While students are on campus they are expected to wear the Winter Uniform.

Uniforms are available to order online via Flexischools if sizes are known and these orders can be collected on the dates listed above when the Uniform shop will be open. Please disregard collection dates and times on the Flexischools website. Size charts are available online through the Flexischools website or the Knox App as a reference. If orders cannot be collected during these times, orders can be collected from the Reception Office (2 Borambil Street) during normal reception hours (8am-5pm weekdays). Please email the Uniform Shop to advise of your request.

Further information regarding the Uniform Shop opening times for Term 2 will be advised in coming days.

Julie Blackburn

All students are invited to join the CRU group who meet on Monday at lunchtime. CRU is a group of Christians (and those interested in learning more), who meet weekly to learn about Jesus as well as share and encourage each other and pray. Everyone is very welcome.

Please join us during lunchtime on Mondays (12.50pm–1.30pm) via Zoom.

Please contact Amy Keir for further information.

You will have received the pleasing news with regards to students returning to school on a staggered basis from Week 3 onwards.

The Sport and Co-Curricular schedule that was advised last week is currently being updated to reflect these return timings. The new schedule, of either online or at school programs, will be advised in the year level weekly newsletters on Friday of Week 2.

Sport and Co-Curricular staff are looking forward to being able to resume a number of activities with the boys on campus.

Martin Haywood (Head of Knox Sport Aquatic Academy) and Chuck Ardron (Director Co-Curricular Operations)

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