With assessments now all firmly underway, the boys should be spending additional time at home, planning, revising and ensuring they put their best effort into the last examinations of the year. We encourage the boys to end the year with pride in knowing that they did their best. At Year Meeting, the Year 12 Academic Prefects did an excellent presentation on examination prep and how best to make revision notes. In their Mentor Groups the boys have also been doing study skills modules and understanding the importance of organisation.

At Year Meeting we also had a presentation on sun safety. According to the Melanoma Institute of Australia, 'In 2019, it is expected that there will be 15,229 diagnoses of melanoma of the skin - close to one diagnosis every half hour.' The boys listened intently and watched a video called, ‘Dear sixteen-year-old me,’ where people who have been impacted by skin cancer reminisce on what advice they would give themselves with regards to looking after and protecting their skin in the sun. You can find the link to the video here. As we head into the hot summer months, we encourage students to keep some SPF in their lockers and always apply some in the morning, and especially when playing sport outside and for Cadets.

Speaking of Cadets … the boys are suited and booted today for their first Friday in Cadet uniform! I hope the boys have a great afternoon and embrace this new part of their Knox journey.

Have a wonderful weekend and please touch base with the Team Leaders or your son’s Mentor, if we can assist with the pastoral care of your son.  

Carly Robinson

I've had numerous conversations with the boys regarding their first Cadet experience last Friday. I'm delighted to report that all comments have been very positive. The boys have said how different Cadets is to anything else they have been part of and what an interesting journey lies ahead of all of them in the coming weeks, months and possibly years.

Social Justice
This term we will undertake the following planned three key annual events:

• School participation in National Recycling Week
• Christmas Hampers
This term is when the Knox community generously supports families that find Christmas particularly difficult. For the last 13 years, we have supplied Christmas Hampers for struggling families through the Uniting Church Family projects. Our focus this year is on the Wesley Mission and Parramatta Mission. Both organisations aim to support families with basic food supplies and Christmas fare (Christmas cakes, puddings, custard, serviettes, tins of ham, bonbons, biscuits etc. as well as staple goods such as long-life milk, cereals, pasta, sauces etc.) Your support with this initiative will be most appreciated.
• 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.

All donations may be sent in to me.

Renee Willson

Yearly Examinations

The Yearly Examination Schedule has now been published.

This week, Y12 Academic Prefect James Jiang spoke to the boys about how to prepare for the Yearly Examinations. Over the next few weeks Mentors and teachers will continue to guide the boys through various study techniques. Please encourage your son to also consider attending JAPAC Lounge after school where he can take advantage of the teacher and peer support available there.

Upcoming assessment tasks

Janelle Charlton

Just a friendly reminder from the Junior Academy Team regarding the upcoming interview with Dr Andrew Campbell. Dr Campbell will speak on his research and experience with the developmental changes in boys, including how to align emotional changes with parenting styles and to navigate technology use in teens. This presentation will be recorded and made available to you via the portal on Friday 30 October. We invite you to pose a question to Dr Campbell. Please click on the link here if you wish to do so. The most frequently asked questions will be answered by either Dr Campbell or someone from the Junior Academy Team.

If you missed the bio on Dr Andrew Campbell from last week, please take a moment to view it below.

Andrea Wiffen

Biographical details

Dr Andrew Campbell is the Chair of the Cyberpsychology Research Group in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney. He has been researching and teaching in the area of e-Mental Health, Cyberpsychology and Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health for more than 15 years. Andrew obtained his PhD in psychology in 2003 and was the first psychologist in Australia to research and publish about the use of the Internet for social fearfulness/anxiety self-help. He works with industry, not for profits and Government on how to improve health and wellbeing using technology. He is often approached to speak in the media on the topic of communication technology and its impact on health and wellbeing (e.g. video game addiction, mobile phone use, youth culture and technology). Andrew has conducted research notably in the area of online therapies for depression and anxiety, AD/HD treatment using bio-feedback videogames and social networking for managing young people's mental health. He has a wealth of professional and practical knowledge to share with parents and educators of young boys as they grow into young men.

Monday 9 - Sunday 15 November

National Recycling Week

Thursday 3 December

Term 4 concludes 

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

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 the Great Hall, MacNeil Court and Lawson Centre will need to wait on the Boulevard until they may enter the facility. This will depend on finish time of previous fixture.
• Water Polo players will also 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
• Players plus only one spectator for indoor sporting activities
• Players plus two spectators for outdoor sporting activities
• Barker COVID-19 Sports Protocols

Cranbrook School
• 2 spectator parents/guardians per player for all outdoor sports
• 1 spectator parent/guardian per player for all indoor sports
• Cranbrook COVID-19 Sports Protocols

Waverley College
• 2 spectator parent/guardians per player at outdoor fixtures at Queens Park
• 1 spectator parent/guardian per player at indoor fixtures and tennis or any other fixture on Waverley College campuses

Abbotsleigh School – Aquatic area
• No parent spectators allowed

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 Sport Department.

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

Martin Haywood, Head of Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy

For many years the School has offered a ‘fees in advance’ program to enable increased flexibility of such payments. The program is attractive for many reasons, enabling parents to make lump sum payments for years ahead which attract discounts to the scheduled fees. To qualify, upfront full year payments must be made for a minimum of one year and the payments must be made by 13 November in the year before your payment program begins. Payments will only be accepted by direct funds transfer or cheque (credit card or BPAY payments are not permitted for this program).

Details of the Fees in Advance Program can be found here on the Knox website. Alternatively, you might like to discuss this in confidence with Betty Fowler from the School’s Accounts Department on 9487 0442.

Cadet Leave Form Instructions

To access the Cadet Leaver Form in the Knox app, please go to CONTACTS> SCHOOL CONTACTS> CADETS

This week has seen a celebration of Book Week in the Library. Many entries from students into the writing and photographic competitions will be judged soon. Announcements as to the winning entries will be posted and prizes awarded.

Some new additions to the collection which are available for immediate borrowing include:

'The Reckless Afterlife of Harriet Stoker' by Lauren James

'Small Spaces' by Katherine Arden

'Ordinary Matter' by Laura Elvery

'Ruby Tuesday' by Hayley Lawrence

'The Darkest Minds' by Alexandra Bracken

'The Lost Book of the White' by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu

If you are looking for a place to study, remember the Library is open from 8am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and on Fridays from 8.50am to 4pm.

Enjoy your reading.

Sally Thomson