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

The Headmaster recently communicated to all members of the School community a phased plan aimed at allowing all students to return to school by the end of Term 2. The return to learning on campus is something I know all stakeholders are really looking forward to. This gradual phased return to school for students is based on the best health and risk advice available; however, it may need revising should there be a change in health circumstances across New South Wales. The School appreciates the stresses that online learning can present on the home front. In the latest edition of the Knoxonian there was a link for parents to the Knox Remote Learning Hub. I wholeheartedly recommend parents review the family support resources available via the Remote Learning Hub and again I make these resources available via this link. I extend my thanks to parents and students for their continued support of the school’s phased plan related to learning.

Wayne Inwood

Welcome back to Term 2, albeit in the online form. On Thursday I shared a video with the boys during our Year Meeting, the main message was that the School grounds look amazing. It is just is not the same without the boys walking the paths and grounds. We cannot wait to have them back and I know the community cannot wait to be back too - hopefully soon.

There have been a couple of changes for the Term 2 timetable and these details are posted online and all boys have been emailed the details. These changes have come about so that the boys can some greater 'down time' away from their laptops in between lessons as well as giving them the chance to submit any due work without the worry of being 'late' to their next lesson.

There are many components of Term 2 that will be different - academics, sport, cultural activities, but just as importantly, ANZAC Day. Traditionally, the School pauses to reflect and remember those brave Old Boys of the School who made the ultimate sacrifice and I am incredibly proud of the way our boys have not let isolation stop them from doing the same in 2020. I have seen many videos of Year 8 boys leading celebrations in their communities from their driveways and front yards. This is part of the reason why the Knox community is so special.

Our staff, like all other members of the general community, are making many personal and professional adjustments. As a staff we are learning new ways of working every day. Schools have been required to very quickly embrace a new way of learning, essentially ‘flipping’ the learning delivery for students and these contributions extend far beyond the classroom. In this respect teachers have been role modelling to students the need to be agile and resilient as active learners, and I thank them all for their creative contribution and long hours and lesson preparation.

Our team will continue to explore creative ways to reach out and connect with students in an engaging and fun way.

Julien Manuel

A very warm welcome back to Term 2.

Boys, I certainly hope you have all had a wonderful holiday break and taken the opportunity to relax and as I suggested in my final newsletter back in Term 1, to try something new. I look forward to hearing what you have tried. I am delighted to share that I managed to put together an office chair and drill a hole in a clay pot without breaking it.

Despite this being one of the most unusual holidays in memory, we can be extremely proud of our Knox boys. They have willingly involved themselves in many activites during the holiday break. To mention a few: a number of Knox musicians took part in the 'light up the dawn' commemoration on ANZAC Day, boys delivered flyers alerting isolated residents of support from the Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre (KNC), supported local elderly citizens with tasks such as taking their wheelie bins out each week, and many of our Knox Pipe Band members played the pipes at local aged care facilities. A wonderful effort from the local community. Well done, boys!

I am very much looking forward to the start of the phased return of students to the campus and can't wait to welcome the CO2024 back. 

Have a great weekend everyone and stay safe. 

Renee Willson

Study Skills Videos

I am pleased to report that many Knox families took advantage of the access we provided in April to the Study Skills Videos from Dr Prue Salter. The accompanying handout will be a useful document for you to refer back to throughout the year. Please be aware that Knox has also taken out a subscription to the online website which houses many resources:

www.studyskillshandbook.com

Username            knox

Password             7success

Assessment Tasks

There have been a few modifications to the Year 8 assessment schedule for Term 2. The School will continue to respond to the rapidly changing landscape and pivot using current advisements from government authorities and professionals; as such, the assessment modifications are subject to change. It is vital that students are reading the assessment task notifications posted in Student Café, as well as checking their email regularly and paying close attention to the instructions provided via Google Classroom and Knox email.

If your son misses a Stage 4 assessment task online or in-class, due to illness/misadventure (which includes exclusion, quarantine or technology failure), please complete an Illness Misadventure Appeal (IMA) application. This ensures that the School can capture decisions about mark reviews, extensions, and estimates in our markbooks.

Upcoming assessment tasks for Year 8 (* some tasks have been the deferred Tasks from Term 1)

Janelle Charlton

Sunday 10 May

Mother's Day

Monday 8 June

Queen's Birthday - Public Holiday

 Friday 26 June

Term 2 concludes 

The Knox Uniform Shop is still operating on reduced hours. To assist customers unsure of the sizing of winter uniform, the Uniform Shop will be open from 1pm-5pm on Monday 4 May, Wednesday 6 May, and Friday 8 May and then on Saturday 9 May from 9am-12noon. Please note that we are running on a customer limited basis so appointments are not required but we will only have two changing rooms operational. We ask parents and students to be patient as our team practises social distancing to keep our School community safe.

Whilst students continue remote learning, they are permitted to wear their winter uniform if already purchased or their PDHPE/Sports uniform. When they are on-site, they are expected to wear full winter uniform.

Uniform is available to order online via Flexischools if sizes are known and these orders can be collected on the dates above when we are open. Please disregard collection dates and times on the Flexischools app.

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 also be collected from Senior School Reception (open 8am-5pm weekdays). Please email us to advise of your request.

Further information regarding the Uniform Shop opening times for Term 2 will be advised shortly.

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.

Wellbeing, Support and Counselling
Knox psychologists are available for support of students and their parents by contacting us via email or phone (02) 9119 0828. A reminder 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

David Schofield

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)

Please remember to check our school library portals, available via KnoxNet, for free access to a wide variety of information databases across all subjects, videos created specifically for students in Clickview and Curriculum Video on Demand, ebooks and audiobooks, movie suggestions by year group, the digital replica edition of The Sydney Morning Herald every day from 6am, as well as tips for effective study.

For parents supporting their children learning at home, the Australian School Library Association has collated some wonderful resources including the national Learning from Home resources from each state.

The library staff are all online from Term 2 to help students and parents in any way we can. Please use the online form on the library portal to request assistance with research related assessments or any other library related issue, or contact us via email.

Beth Wilson