We are so pleased in the response from the community so far in preparing for our Ride with Richter Cap Day on 24 November. Students from across the year groups are getting behind the initiative and many others have asked to extend the opportunity to purchase a cap. So, the online form remains open for parents to purchase a cap for their son until Wednesday next week. Boys will also receive a sausage sandwich on the day.

Boys can come to school on 24 November in casual clothes and will be asked for a gold coin donation either on entry to school or during their mentor lesson. Through the day we will have activities for boys to be involved with.

For more details, please refer to the Ride with Richter Cap Day flyer here.

Senior School Campus – Tuesday 17 November
Please be aware that the Senior School Campus will be closed at 5pm on Tuesday 17 November, unless students are catching the 5.30pm bus.

The Boater Café will be closed and no students will be on campus in preparation for the Year 12 Farewell Event.

Phil O'Regan

It has been a week of assessments, sporting endeavour, Drama wonderment without borders and a variety of group gatherings for the Class of 2021.

The notion of togetherness is one of the key strengths of this fine collective of young Knox men and this was on display throughout a number of very import formal presentations during Week 5.

It is always an honour to be able to formally recognise Remembrance Day and this year was no different. The respect displayed by the year group as they viewed the ceremony and their reverent engagement with the minute silence instilled a sense of pride in all involved. A special mention must go to all those involved in the service from Dom Goddard’s address and the musicians on display, through to Nick Shannon’s professional and regimented manner as he delivered his official Cadet duties with aplomb. 

On Thursday the Class of 2021 had the privilege to engage with a heartfelt, genuine and emotionally charged presentation from Melissa McGuiness from Youth Choice, Youth Driver Safety. Through her personal story, exploring the experiences and world changing moments throughout there were a number of invaluable messages for all the young Knox men in the room to take away. As many of the students present are very new to the responsibilities of having a licence and control of a vehicle, the timing of her presentation was perfect. The notion that an individual’s choices can not only shape and define their own time in this world but also the unthinkable impacts on countless others was powerful.  If just one young man takes heed of this message, the lives of many can be forever changed for the better. I know the young men present today will (and already have) embraced the responsibility of owning their decision making and enact informed and measured choices for themselves and help guide those around them to do the same. We encourage you as a family to review the link here and have an open decision with your son in regard to the impact that certain choices around road safety can have. 

This idea of ‘choice’ has been a central theme over the first weeks of Year 12 - whether it be interactions with staff, peers, the public, in class, on the weekend or in the home, we urge the boys to strive to be defined by the positive choices they make and not the negative ones.

As the term continues, please feel free to contact your son’s teachers, mentors or Team Leaders if you have any questions or concerns about your son’s progress.  If you are unsure of who to contact, please use your son’s mentor as the first port of contact.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend and the best of luck to all of those across the grounds representing the mighty Black and Blue. 

James Stubbs-Mills

The Martin, Barbara, Berend and Matthew Hollander Indigenous Scholarship
The Hollander family, with Knox Grammar School, is proud to announce the Martin, Barbara, Berend, and Matthew Hollander Indigenous Scholarship. Berend (Ben) and younger brother Matthew, were two beautiful young men who were thriving members of the School community. Martin (OKG89) and Barbara were loving parents, caring friends and active members of the School and wider community.

The School wishes to acknowledge the generosity and vision of the Hollander family, and the cooperation and contributions of those individual and families, including Barbara’s family in the United States, who have assisted the Hollander family to fulfil their wish; and, the cooperation and support of the GO Foundation, with which the School has a strong relationship in providing opportunities for local indigenous students.

The first recipient of the Martin, Barbara, Berend, and Matthew Hollander Indigenous Scholarship will commence at Knox in 2021. A scholarship recipient has been found from our 2021 scholarship applications and we look forward to welcoming them to Knox in January.

Pipe Band NSW Solos competition
Congratulations to the following Year 12 students who participated in the Pipe Band NSW Solos competition last weekend.

Piping:
• Aaron Erdstein
• Shiv Suresh - placed 2nd in D Grade Air

Snare Drumming:
• Joshua Pritchard - placed 3rd in C Grade MSR
• Nicholas Sherlock
• Matthew Taylor - placed 1st in both C Grade and B Grade MSR

Ride with Richter Day, Tuesday 24 November
Thank you to all the students and families who have purchased their cap for the Ride with Richter Day next Tuesday 24 November. Students may wear smart casual clothes; however no singlet tops or thongs will be permitted. Make sure to bring some extra funds with you to support the events on the day and most importantly, wear your cap!

Knox Senior School Presentation Day
Senior School 7-11 Presentation Day will be held on Thursday 3 December in the Great Hall, Senior School. Senior School Presentation Day will be structured into three separate events:

• Year 11(2020) - 11am-12pm
• Years 9-10 - 12.30pm-1.30pm
• Years 7-8 - 2pm-3pm

All Senior School students are expected to attend on Thursday 3 December. Due to COVID-19 protocols and indoor venue capacity limits, we will only be able to welcome parents of prize recipients on-site. However, the service will be live streamed. The parents of prize recipients will be sent an invitation to attend their relevant Presentation Day ceremony no later than Friday 27 November (prize recipients can only be finalised once exam marks have been collated). Parents of prize recipients will be required to pre-register to attend and register by QR on arrival. Students will be dismissed at the conclusion of their Academy Presentation Day ceremony. Knox buses will run at 1.45pm for Years 9 -11(2020) students.

On Wednesday 11 November we acknowledged the sacrifice of our service men and women. Though this year's Remembrance Day Service was slightly different from our traditional service due to COVID-19 restrictions, we came together in the WSA Hall to show our respects.

The KEST recycling bins mentioned in last week's newsletter are up and running. We need all of the Co2021 to get behind this fantastic new initiative and hopefully win the coveted sausage sizzle prize.

Please note next Tuesday 17 November, all areas of the campus will be closed once classes conclude in preparation for the Co2020 Valedictory Dinner. This means there will be no access to the Library or WSA Hall for afternoon study.

Finally, please encourage your son to start bringing home all non essential items from his locker to avoid a heavy load on the last days of term. All lockers will be thoroughly cleaned over the break for the new Year 11 2021 as we move into the Year 12 locker space. Any items left behind will be disposed of.

Debra Barnard

With the assessment block commencing for many boys this week, we have been very impressed with the way they are preparing themselves. Afternoon and Evening Studies is well populated and the focus they are displaying is definitely a good sign. Further to the piece we wrote in an earlier newsletter, our boys are developing their thinking skills in areas including problem solving, critical and divergent thinking, verbal communication and interpersonal skills. At the forefront in developing these skills has been the importance of self-efficacy and Social Learning Theory (SLT) developed by Albert Bandura. With the HSC Examinations finishing on Wednesday with Drama and Design and Technology, the cohort of 2020 have certainly provided exceptional role modelling through the HSC period. Their approach to study, collaboration with peers throughout their journey and their focus and demeanour on the day of the examination has certainly been witnessed and noted by our new Year 12.

Next Tuesday 17 November we are closing Seniors Hall for Evening Studies along with the Senior Library as we have Year 12 2020 Prize Winners’ and Valedictory Dinner event here at school. We will remind the boys and thank you for your understanding. In a year of COVID restrictions we are very excited about being able to hold this important event.

Andrew Weeding and Greg Nunan

The 'Careers in IT' online event was held on 26 October. Students heard from three of our Alumni about their experiences in the IT industry as well as from a current university student about their chosen course and experience at university. It was a successful event, one where students and parents heard some great insights, inspiration, and advice. Thank you to our Old Boys who generously gave their time to share their knowledge and personal insights into their industry. Like previous career events, this seminar was also recorded and the recording can be accessed via the Knox Careers Hub. A direct link to the recordings are via the Vimeo link here.

Careers in Allied Health
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

Students and parents will hear from the following presenters:

Dr Cam McDonald (OKG01): Dr Cam is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Accredited Practising dietitian, a leader in the space of epigenetics, an educator, scientist and international speaker. Cam will speak about how an interest in sports led to study in health and exercise science, that transformed into being part of a globally leading team in personalisation, chronic disease reversal and optimal human health and what it took to get there.

Nick Tucker (OKG04): Nick is an experienced management consultant, psychologist and people leader. He has more than 12 years of industry experience and holds a Master’s degree in Organisational Psychology. Nick will speak about 'Psychology in action: How we can make the world a better place to work.'

Bernie Chau (OKG13): Bernie is a Physiotherapist at PhysioWard Sports & Rehab in Narrabeen. He graduated from ACU in 2018 and has also assisted several sports teams, including Knox Grammar School Rugby/Basketball, Warringah Rats Rugby, and Western Australia Futsal. Bernie is passionate about creating long-lasting health benefits and empowering patients to eliminate pain.

Linda Gomez

Parenting in the holidays
With only a few weeks of the school year left, many of us are thinking about and planning for the holidays. For our boys, the school holidays present wonderful opportunities for relaxation and rejuvenation, quality time with the family and important social time with friends.

Holidays also bring large amounts of unstructured time, opportunities for greater independence, and a range of social activities, including parties - and for some, this may include an increased exposure to risky situations. Neuroscience tells us that the wise decision-making parts of the brain aren’t fully developed until young people are in their 20s. With that in mind, now is a great time to think about parenting your teenager over the holidays. Plan in advance for potentially difficult situations.

Remember that children of all ages require limits and boundaries - and that these should be adjusted as your child grows older. ReachOut has some great points about balancing trust and freedom with your teenager which may be accessed here.

As always, try to work on maintaining a strong, healthy relationship with your son - as the basis for all parenting. Find a way to keep the lines of communication open, and coach them to make healthy and helpful decisions. Discuss the expectations, and know that it is important and reasonable for you to know where they are when they go out.

For those parents wanting more support with managing parties and teenagers, Maggie Dent and Paul Dillon are presenting an online masterclass, 'Alcohol, Drugs, Parties & Teens' on Tuesday 8 December at 8pm. More details here.

Maggie Dent’s ‘Common Sense Parenting’ website also has other helpful resources on a range of parenting topics.

Wednesday 18 November 

• OKGA Careers Event. 6pm online. Register here

Monday 23 November 

• Paul Dillon Guest Speaker. Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) Incursion. Parent session online 6pm

Tuesday 24 November 

• Ride with Richter Cap Day

Thursday 3 December 

• Term 4 concludes - Presentation Day

The Wesley Mission and Parramatta Mission aim to support families with basic food supplies and Christmas fare. Let's make our last Christmas at Knox a generous one. Some donation ideas are:

• Christmas cakes and puddings
• Long life custard and milks
• Table decoration items such as bon-bons and serviettes
• Tinned ham
• Biscuits - both sweet and savoury
• Nuts
• Jelly and dessert packet mixes
• Milo
• Sweets - no chocolates please

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.

Please send in your donations to the WSA office.

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

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

Each school has a different policy with regards to the number of spectators, so it will be important to carefully read the information below.

1. Check the team list to see your son’s team - see the Knox app (download instructions)
2. Check the sports draw to see where and when your son’s team is playing - check the Knox app
3. Is he playing at a Knox Grammar School venue? If yes:

• 2 spectator parents/guardians per player at our outdoor venues
• 1 spectator parent guardian per player at our indoor venues
• QR code registration will be in place across all facilities at entry points, with standard health checks and questions
• Players in all teams should turn up ready to play - no change rooms will be available
• Canteens will be closed. Players should bring their own labelled water bottles and snacks if required
• Players should leave immediately after completion of their fixture
• Teams due to play in Great Hall, MacNeil and Lawson court will need to wait on Boulevard until they may enter the facility. This will depend on finish time of previous fixture
• Water Polo players will need to wait in JAPAC rec area for clearance to enter the pool area
• Standard 1.5m social distancing for all spectators

4. Is your son playing away? Which School is he playing against?

Barker College
• Indoor venues – 1 spectator parent/guardians per player
• Outdoor venues - 2 spectator parent/guardians per player

Waverley College
• Indoor venues – 1 spectator parent/guardians per player
• Outdoor venues - 2 spectator parent/guardians per player

Newington College
• Indoor venues – 1 spectator parent/guardians per player

Please ensure you follow social distancing guidelines at all times and leave immediately after your son’s game. As always, any sports cancellations due to wet weather will be announced via the Knox app (make sure you have subscribed to alerts for your son’s summer sport).

If you have any questions, please email the Sports and Aquatic Academy here.

Thank you and best wishes to all our students this weekend.

Martin Haywood, Head of Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy

Last Wednesday 11 November, six Year 12 students; Dom Cutrone, Jordan Fowler, Kane Edwards, Harry Gosper, Lachlan Orth and Ayden Yates performed in the second stage of a live digital performance link up with Kings High school for Girls in Warwickshire, England (7pm Australian time/8am UK time). 

The students from the two schools and different international locations created complex and powerful dramatic relationships through their shared performances of excerpts from 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream', 'Richard the Third' and 'Othello'. The potential of Shakespearean text to transcend vast spatio-temporal parameters was triumphantly fulfilled by these Australian and English actors.

Thank you to Mr James, Mrs Yager and Mrs Barnard for their support of this ongoing performance project.

Michael Griffiths, Director of Drama and Theatre

Congratulations to the Knox 2nd X1 Cricket team vs Trinity on their win last weekend.

In all things sport, I was thrilled to watch the tightly fought win on Saturday of the 1sts Basketball team against Trinity. They never gave up and came away with a fantastic win. My eardrums are still recovering for the enthusiasm of the Tartan Army!

Congratulations also to the Water Polo team on their win last weekend as well as a splendid performance in the Tennis.