This week, we welcomed back our boarders as well as the Year 10 Peer Support Leaders and focussed on organisational skills during Mentor. This included diary use, desk space, locker and computer organisation. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to being organised and we encourage the boys to experiment with different strategies in order to find what works best for them. We encourage parents to have conversations with their sons around the importance of being organised, including others, wearing school uniform with pride and safe online behaviour. As always, if you have any cause for concern, please do not hesitate to contact his mentor or Clare and myself. Setting good habits now will help place him I good stead for the future. 

It is great to see the boys reconnect in person with their mates, playing games during recess and lunch, laughing together and supporting one another. Forming positive peer relationships is a really important part of life and it has been fantastic to see boys being inclusive of other students. We are all on this journey together and it is important that no one gets left behind.

With winter and the chilly weather now well and truly here, we encourage the boys to make use of wearing their school jumpers underneath their blazers to keep warm. No tracksuit jackets or hoodies are to be worn with the winter uniform. Whilst the boys may change into their joggers at lunchtime to play games, they are reminded to ensure they have their school shoes back on at the end of lunch and that they are not late to lessons as a result. Over the weekend, please take the time to ensure that each item your son brings to school is clearly labeled with their name. If an item gets lost without a name, it is very difficult for us to return it to the rightful owner. We have lots of lost property that remains unclaimed and can be found with Mrs Mitchelson in the Year 7 SAO office. 

It has come to our attention that many of our students are engaging with an online app known as ‘Discord’. This program connects users in ‘community chat’ forums. It is important that students understand the need to practise safe online behaviour to ensure their safety. We will be continuing discussions next week during Mentor around safe online behaviour.

 If you have any cause for concern, please do not hesitate to contact his mentor or Clare and myself. 

Lenore Kennedy

I am so happy to have the students back on campus for their regular face-to-face lessons. It seems they are settling back into the routine very smoothly. 

A couple of reminders regarding movements around campus for private co-curricular lessons and early departure procedures. Students are required to come and see me on their way to and from any private lessons so I can reconcile their daily attendance records. If your son is late to school due to an appointment or needs to leave early, please notify me via email or on the Parent Lounge as this assists me in staying on top of their attendance. Before any departure from the school grounds, the students need to come via my office to be signed out. If your son arrives late to school (after 8.30am) he will need to go straight to the Clinic upon arrival to have his temperature tested before signing in at my office. Thank you for your understanding of this procedure. 

My lost property tubs are quite full of clothing items and books at the moment so if your son is missing something in particular, ask him to pop by my office and see if it is here!

Uniform Shop Opening Times: Monday through to Friday, 12.30pm-5pm. The Uniform Shop will be closed on Monday 8 June due to the Public Holiday.

Musical performance information: Audition details for the 2020 Knox Musical 'Beauty and the Beast' will be presented via a Google doc next Tuesday 9 June.

Please see the table below for upcoming assessments from Janelle Charlton, Director of Studies.

 Have a wonderful long weekend everybody!

Bec Mitchelson Ph: 91190885

In the time since returning to the campus it has been encouraging to see so many students embracing their time at School. There have been a number of changes put in place and it is pleasing to see the students positively responding to these changes.

With increased numbers of students being dropped off and picked up at school and in the streets surrounding the Senior School campus, there has been increased delays for students getting to and from school. Knox is working closely with Roads and Maritime NSW (RMS), NSW Transport Management Centre (TMC), NSW Police and Ku-ring-gai Council to minimise delays. We have been advised by the TMC that their inspectors with the assistance of NSW Police will be making regular patrols during these times to ensure the free flow of traffic.

The safety of our students, staff and local community are our key priority. It is essential all drivers follow the road rules and parking restrictions so we have  the safest possible environment for our boys, staff and community members. We request drivers entering Woodville Avenue:

• Obey the 40km/h speed limits
• Utilise the recently extended drop off/pick up zones whenever available (the bus zone extending to the Pacific Highway has temporarily been designated 'drop and go')
• Stop in a safe area for students to get out of vehicles
• Do not complete a u-turn over the double lines outside the school gate
• Park legally when dropping off or pick up students

Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the School. We rely on our community for feedback and it is always welcomed and appreciated.

Dan Parker

Please download the PDF document here for all the information for students to continue to be involved in these important and beneficial programs.

For any questions or concerns regarding the co-curricular program offered in Term 2, please feel free to contact me via email.

Chuck Ardron

Monday 8 June

Queen's Birthday - Public Holiday

Friday 26 June

Term 2 concludes 

Please find below the menu for the Canteen for Week 7. 

After to the success of last Saturday’s fun, fitness, speed session on Gillespie Fields, we will continue this weekend and right up until the end of Term 2. All boys are encouraged to come and enjoy a workout under the guidance of our Athletic coaches. This is open to every boy in the School – not just those looking to make CAS Track & Field selection.

The session will be run under strict COVID-19 guidelines and parents are encouraged to drop boys off at 8am with pick up at 9.30am.

Martin Haywood

2020 Applications
We would like to invite students who have competed at the state/national level to apply to join the PEAK program for the 2020 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 is in its second 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 well being 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 visit the Knox website for more information about the PEAK program.

To apply, please complete the application form. Applications close Friday 26 June (last day of Term 2). Successful applicants will be notified before school resumes for Term 3. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.

Kieran Donohue

BOSTON DYNAMICS
ATLAS HUMANOID TEAM LIVE Q&A

What: The Atlas Humanoid Team at Boston Dynamics have agreed to have a live Question and Answer (Q&A) video chat with 20 students about their work. Selection of students is based on three criteria; a question you would ask the Atlas Humanoid team about their work, your involvement in co-curricular and further interests and subject involvement.

You will need to register your interest on this link to be part of this unique opportunity.

When: Wednesday 24 June, 7.30am

Where: WSA Lecture Theatre

Contact: Melinda Valent valentm@knox.nsw.edu.au

Further information on Boston Dynamics: https://www.bostondynamics.com/atlas

Would you believe…

Knox Flix 2020 registrations are now open!

This year we have two versions of one theme, and two versions of one competition.

The theme is either

'I Believe!' or 'Would you believe…'

Tell us a tall tale, or a deep truth.

Similarly this year for the first time you have the option of submitting a narrated story board, or a film.

All film entries will need to be accompanied with an outline of how you worked within the isolation rules as they existed at various times of filming.

Please read the attached information and register here.

Optimal Parenting Webinar – Parent Q&A
Thank you for tuning into the Knox Wellbeing Team Optimal Parenting recent webinar, we hope you found this helpful. Thank you also for the overwhelming response to our Q&A section – our team is mindful that we did not have the opportunity to answer all questions on the night and have provided a written response to the key questions/themes in the PDF here.

Please note that the information is general in nature; for specific responses tailored to your particular child and/or family’s situation, please contact Knox Wellbeing Reception to arrange an appointment with your school psychologist via email.