As we head closer to the Year 7’s first Yearly Examinations in the Senior School, I would like to encourage each boy to be prepared and apply their best efforts into each subject. On many occasions, I speak to students who have regretted not asking for help, or not putting the time aside to plan and work for their assessments. At home, please motivate your son to be on the front foot of this important block of the academic year.

It is important that the boys look after their physical fitness by doing 20-30 minutes of exercise a day; their spiritual fitness, by using mindfulness exercises, or whatever it is that allows for them to rebalance and recharge and finally their mental fitness. Assessments and grades, yes are important, but  their mental health is very important.

We want our boys to know that they have many people here at School including a professional psychology and counselling team in the Knox Wellbeing Centre who they can talk to if they are feeling stressed, or anxious about, not only their examinations, but anything that is on their mind. Be confident in your own abilities, learn from your teachers; you will never regret that. 

I am sure you all have been delighted with the return of some sunshine and the longer evenings, but can I remind you to ensure your son has sunscreen applied in the morning and I would recommend leaving a supply in his locker. A water bottle will be his best friend and he can fill up throughout the day to keep hydrated. 

As always, please get in touch with your son's Mentor, or the Team Leaders if we can be of any assistance. 

Carly Robinson

Believe it or not, Week 2 is almost over and we have 6 more weeks left of Term 4!

A reminder to the boys that they have obligations in relation to the way they wear their school uniforms. Shirts should fit and be tucked into their pants/shorts and top buttons need to be done up at all times. Boys must wear ties and ensure that they cover the top button. Socks must be pulled up. Blazers and boaters are to be worn to and from School each day. A number of blazers were misplaced at the end of Term 3. Please ensure they are clearly labelled which assists in returning these expensive items to the rightful owner. No jewellery, other than watches, medic-alerts and approved badges relating to Knox Grammar School may be worn.

Extended Leave:

Please note that there is no automatic right to absence from School for a family holiday. Authorisation of leave may depend on the current attendance record of the student as well as the length of time requested. Requests for leave should be submitted to the school no less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the requested leave period. Any requests for extended leave of more than 10 consecutive school days in any academic year will result in an interview with the Head of Academy and/or Director of Studies. Parents/carers must complete a Student Leave Application form before leave will be considered.

Ms Bree Anderson was delighted to advise that on Monday evening a mixed group of Year 7 and 8 boys who form our Junior Theatresports team, competed in the Impro Australia Heats at Cranbrook School. The boys tied in first place and this means they progress to the Semi-Finals! Theatresports brings together representative teams from independent and government schools all over Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast, Bowral and Nowra.  On Monday night, the 5 strong team (along with the support of the Reserve Team/cheer squad) created 1, 2 and 3 minute improvised scenes live on stage, judged and scored by a team of improvisation professionals. The boys did Knox proud by being confident, collaborative, creative, beautifully behaved and making friends with competing students in a fun and supportive environment. Names of the Junior Team and Reserves are listed below. Well done boys!

Junior Team:

Hendrix George (Year 7)

Oscar Rocks (Year 7)

Lachie Sherlock (Year 8)

Lucas Dale (Year 8)

Horatio Ctercteko (Year 8)

Reserves:

Zoltan Reed (Year 7)

Callum Parkinson (Year 7)

Seb La Hei (Year 7)

Hamish Murphy (Year 8)

Jack Farrall (Year 8)

Please note, there will be no after school Maths tutorials on Monday 28 October. Students are still welcome to attend the Study Hub in the JAPAC lounge after school on Monday from 3.15pm - 6.00pm.

Finally, we are down to the last 4 teams in the Rugby World Cup. It’s been wonderful to chat with the boys about the results of last weekend and which teams have made it through to the semi-finals. I believe it’s going to be another weekend of either total elation or bitter disappointment for many us. I look forward to discussing the results with the boys on Monday.

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the rugby! 

Renee Willson Tel: 9119 0886

The Year 7 Yearly Examination Timetable has now been published. Exams for Year 7 will take place in Week 6 Monday 18 - Friday 22 November. (Note that there is an additional Maths paper for da Vinci students only on Wednesday November 13). During the examination week, the boys will have normal lessons/activities, including sport and PDHPE practicals for any periods not designated as a study or exam period. All exams will be held in the Great Hall, except for the additional Maths paper for da Vinci students only which will be held in normal Maths lessons and classrooms.

Yearly Examinations notifications are being progressively posted on Student Café and all should be uploaded by the end of next week.

I spoke to the boys at Year Meeting this week about the need to be preparing now for the examination block and your son’s Mentor has unpacked various strategies to assist him in this regard during Mentor meetings this week. For further details, please view a summary of the information and suggestions provided and a weekly planner template which your son could use to schedule his study for each week in the lead-up to the exams. Your son should consider studying for the next few weeks in the JAPAC Lounge, as we have appointed a graduate student to work as an academic mentor who is available to assist boys with their study on Mondays to Wednesdays 3.15 - 5pm. Study Hub, with Knox Mathematics teacher Mrs Elschen Coetzee, runs on Tuesdays 3.30 - 4.30pm.

A reminder that if your son is absent for any examination, you should inform Mrs Willson as early as possible on the day of absence. We will endeavour to administer the missed examination on the next or subsequent day, where practicable. An Illness/Misadventure Appeal (IMA) application together with relevant documentation (such as a medical certificate or parent note) must be submitted to Mrs Willson by Monday November 25, to avoid a task penalty. As per our Assessment Policy, late completion of an examination without an approved IMA or leave form may attract a 10% reduction of marks.

Janelle Charlton

Friday 8 November

• Vaccinations. HPV Dose 2

Thursday 14 to Friday 22 November

• Yearly Examinations 

Friday 15 November

• Knox Christmas Markets. Great Hall. 4pm - 8pm

Thursday 5 December

• Knox Presentation Day. Term 4 Concludes

When: Thursday 7 November 2019, 3.30pm - 5:00pm

Where: Room R33, Reid Building

Contact: For more information, please contact Ms Valent or Ms Douglas

Do you love to game? Do you like the challenge of creating something from scratch?

Then this Maker Workshop is for you!

All boys are invited to attend the first CADET TECH Maker Workshop on Thursday 7 November.

In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to build your very own retro snake game using an Arduino,

joystick and electronic breadboard.

The workshop will cost $24.95, this covers the cost of all the equipment we will be using to build the game.

For students to enrol in the course, your parent/guardian must pay via the Knox Payment Portal, you will find

the Maker Workshop in the Quick Links - Other Activities section.

This event is supported by Cadet Tech.

My name is Dr Laura-Kate Dassos, and I am a school psychologist at the Knox Wellbeing Centre. I am very excited to be working with our Year 7 students moving forward, offering support during challenging times and helping our students to achieve their goals and reach their potential. I am available for appointments Mondays and Tuesdays.

Year 7 can be a challenging time for our boys, as they are adjusting to high school learning to balance their academic workload, and beginning to strive for some independence.  Here are some suggestions for improving your son’s psychological wellbeing in the home environment: 

Connect - Positive relationships are important for our wellbeing, so try to encourage your son to maintain an active connection with his friends and family.

Be active - Encouraging and supporting your son to undertake regular exercise can buffer against stress and anxiety, and enhance overall mood. 

Be grateful – Practicing gratitude can positively impact on our wellbeing; a simple way of achieving this is to take time at the end of each day to talk with your son about three things he is grateful for.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your son’s Mentor or Team Leaders, who can refer to the Knox Wellbeing Centre. Students can also self-refer at any time. 

Dr Laura-Kate Dassos

Contemporary research and trend analysis highlight the importance of young people developing enterprise and entrepreneurial skills in order to rise to the challenges of our rapidly changing world. As such, Knox Grammar School is committed to preparing our boys to thrive as global citizens and aims to extend our boys' capacity to engage in a world that is being shaped by automation and emerging technologies.

Our Year 10 signature program, Agent of Change, serves to meet the needs of our boys through a project-based experience that both leverages from authentic partnerships and exposes students to design thinking.

We are looking to engage parents, carers, members of our broader school community and beyond as potential ‘clients’ or industry mentors in this exciting educational experience.

Program Logistics:

·       The Agent of Change program will occur at Knox Grammar School on 26-27 November.

·       Each year 10 student will work collaboratively to build a prototype, design a product, and/or make a pitch to an external client.

·       External ‘clients’ will provide an authentic problem from their life or job that a student could provide/pitch a solution to. 

In 2019, we are specifically interested in projects that would engage students in: art, graphic or web design, data analytics, programming, urban spaces, research, and marketing/advertising. We also invite you to join us for our Meet a Change Agent speaker series at lunch time next term.  

Please contact Mr Jake Plaskett, Director of Studies at the Knox Middle Academy if you would like to be a part of this signature program or if you have specific questions about what types of projects might be suitable.

Students from Knox Grammar School will reprise the School's very first musical, 'Oliver', with a production of the much loved musical in the Knox Junior Academy and Performing Arts Centre from 7-9 November.

The production will be the first major show to take place in the new 750 seat Wenkart Auditorium.

Performances
Thursday 7 November 2019, 7.30pm
Friday 8 November 2019, 7.30pm
Saturday 9 November 2019, 7.30pm

Venue
Wenkart Theatre, Junior Academy and Performing Arts Centre, Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga

Tickets
All tickets $35 at www.knox.nsw.edu.au/oliver

The production will feature a cast of 170 students from Years 7 to 12 from Knox Grammar School, Ravenswood School for Girls and Pymble Ladies' College, with a live orchestra and sound and lighting by a student tech crew.

Raising boys in a digital world
An evening with Dr Kristy Goodwin

When: Wednesday 20 November 2019, 6pm-8pm
Where: Wenkart Theatre, Junior Academy and Performing Arts Centre, Senior School
Who: Knox Prep, Wahroonga Prep and Knox Senior School parents of students in Years 5-9

Dr Goodwin will provide practical and effective strategies to ensure your son’s online safety and healthy technology habits.

Please RSVP by 15 November here. For more information, email Amanda Pooley.

Parent seminar - Raising Boys in a Digital World flyer

All welcome to join us for these upcoming events:

• OKGA Special Event: Tomorrow Man - A Night with the Blokes - Tuesday 29 October
• OKGA 2019 Golf Day - Wednesday 30 October

OKGA 2019 Golf Day 
When: Wednesday 30 October 2019, Lunch from 12.30pm; Tee Off 1.30pm 
Where: Avondale Golf Club, Pymble 

All members of the Knox community are warmly invited to participate in the 2019 Annual OKGA Golf Day.

Competitions to be held on the day include Individual Stableford + 2 Ball Team Event, Leavers’ Trophy ‐ Aggregate Four Ball, Father and Son, Mother and Son, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin.

2019 Golf Day Invite

Please register online here by Friday 18 October. Contact the OKGA Office on 9487 0419 if you have any questions.

OKGA Special Event: Tomorrow Man - A Night with the Blokes
When: Tuesday 29 October 2019, Free BBQ from 6.30pm; Workshop from 7pm 
Where: Senior School Gymnasium, Lawson Centre 

The Old Knox Grammarians Association (OKGA) is delighted to be hosting a special Tomorrow Man event in conjunction with Gus Worland (OKG86), and Gotcha4Life.

Come and join with fellow men of the Knox community for ‘A Night with the Blokes’ - a space for a casual and honest conversation about the current man code and what tomorrow’s man might look like.

Throughout the night, we will explore how we can look after ourselves, our mates and families better while carving out our own version of the Aussie man.

Participants will leave this workshop with a deeper level of understanding and connectedness to their fellow men.

This event is open to all male members of the Knox community together with grandfathers, fathers, sons and brothers (under 16 must be accompanied by an adult male).

2019 OKGA A Night With The Blokes Invite

Register online here by Friday 25 October. 

Contact the OKGA Office on 9487 0419 or email okga@knox.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions.

Each year the Knox community supports those in need in the lead up to Christmas. We ask the Knox community to donate food for families who will struggle to provide for their families at Christmas.

Donations can be handed in to Room 19 or Mrs Clarke’s office (Room 15)

Suggested items:

Pasta & pasta sauce

Breakfast cereals (no nuts)

Long-life milk

Tinned ham and/or turkey

Long-life custard and/or canned cream

Christmas pudding/fruit cake and/or mince pies

Tinned tuna/salmon

Tea/Coffee/milo/hot chocolate/nesquik

Canned fruit

Cordial

Savoury snacks (no nuts)

Table trimmings (such as lollies, chocolate or Christmas bonbons)

In early December we will arrange to take all of the donations into Wesley Mission in the City for distribution to these struggling families.

Don’t throw out good school shoes!
We have restarted the shoe collection to help needy children in The Philippines this term. Please have a look at home to see if you have any shoes that are still in good condition that you can donate. These can be school shoes, sports shoes (runners/football boots), sandals or crocs both for boys and girls. These shoes really make a difference to many poor children and importantly, allow them to attend school. Andrew O’Brien (Year 9) and Mrs Helen Clarke are coordinating this initative. Please drop off your donations to Room 19 or Mrs Clarke in Room 15.

Computer club takes place every Wednesday afternoon from 3.30 – 5.30pm.

Although we are currently working in the new innovations building, we are just about to move to the new iHub in the old music block (this move will take place on 30 October)

Our focus for the term will be the Grok Code Quest Competition which starts  on 28 October 2019.

All boys are welcome to attend.

We have an exciting new initiative starting up in the JAPAC this term: the McKenzie Pop-up Library!  Every second Friday (week B) lunchtime, the pop-up library will appear in the JAPAC lounge, so that any boys who haven’t had the chance to visit the McKenzie Library during the week will still have the opportunity to borrow and return books.

We will have a great selection of popular books, graphic novels and magazines from the McKenzie Library for boys to choose from.  Library staff will be there to help them find the perfect book.

Boys, don’t forget to bring your frequent borrower’s card – for every 20 books borrowed, you will get a library certificate, and go in the draw to win a $20 book voucher!

The pop-up library will feature artworks by the winners of the design competition Christian Tan and Max McLeod.

Triathlon Talent ID Academy, December 9 -11, Sydney Academy of Sport

Can you run? Can you swim? Why not give Triathlon a go?

For anyone who has ever wanted to get involved in Triathlon, but didn’t know where to start, Triathlon NSW are running a three day live-in camp with some of the state's best Triathlon coaches to teach the skills required for the sport. It is also timed perfectly for athletes looking for a competitive advantage at the annual NSW All Schools event, held in February 2020 or one of the other many junior events being conducted around NSW. 

The camp includes:

·        Three day, live-in camp including food and accommodation.

·        Mentoring and coaching from some of Australia’s best triathlon coaches.

·        Held at Sydney Academy of Sport Narrabeen, utilising their high quality sporting facilities.

·        Develop your triathlon skills and enhance your performance at the NSW All Schools Triathlon event.

·        Culminating in a fully sanctioned race (included in your registration!) by commercial Race Directors, Mildren Events. 

http://www.triathlon.org.au/State_Associations/NSW/About_Us/Latest_News/Biligence_Talent_ID_Academy.htm

Please contact Mr Hart on if you have any questions about the camp.