My message today will be brief as I will also be sharing with you a link to Parent Protocols relating specifically to the Junior Academy. I ask all parents to read over the protocols and share details with your son where you deem appropriate. All Year 7 and year 8 students will receive an email from me next Monday and a short video message, during the Monday Period 3 online meeting time setting out for them protocol’s they will need to follow while on campus. Suffice to say we are very excited to see the boys back on campus and I am confident that by all of us working together, cognisant and compliant to all school COVID protocols, we can have a successful return to classroom teaching while ensuring the safety of students and staff. An update on Sport protocols will be communicated to students and parents next Monday via email and the School App. 

Please click to view the Parent Protocols document.

We are looking forward to welcoming our Year 8 boys back to School from next Wednesday. This staggered return allows us to check our arrangements, familiarise students with new physical distancing and hygiene requirements, and make any necessary adjustments.

We would like to request your assistance in reinforcing to your sons some very important messages. Firstly, may I ask that you encourage your sons to practice good hygiene. Hand washing, hand sanitising (there will be over 100 bottles of sanitiser available in classrooms, bathrooms and in common areas from Monday), covering coughs and sneezes, using tissues and disposing of them immediately, encouraging your sons to maintain social distancing, including avoiding handshaking and the sharing of drinks and food, are all sensible and reasonable measures that we ought to practice as a matter of course, but particularly during this time of heightened awareness. 

Secondly, if your son is showing any signs or symptoms of cold or influenza, including fever, a cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, aches and pains, headaches, a runny or stuffy nose, or if he is sneezing, he must stay at home, visit your GP and ensure that he is not infectious. 

Thirdly, we must insist that if you are dropping your son to school by car, and collecting him in the afternoon, you do not leave your vehicle. Only students will be permitted on campus without an appointment.

I can imagine many boys have grown significantly during this period of online learning and for some, it may mean they will need to be clean shaven when they attend their days on campus next week. It would also be unsurprising if some of the boys have taken the opportunity to experiment with their hair over the last two months, however, the School’s expectations are clear in this regard, and were clearly outlined by Mr Parker during our Year Meeting on Thursday.

Please note that parents of students new to the School in 2020 who may not have the winter uniform are encouraged to make an appointment with the Uniform Shop as soon as possible to purchase any items required. Boys without winter uniform should wear their khaki summer uniform for the time being. Boys must not return to School in sports uniform next week and we look forward to seeing everyone well turned out and wearing their uniform properly and with pride. 

We look forward to catching up with the boys next week and please do not hesitate to contact the Class of 2024 team if you have any questions or concerns.

Julien Manuel

One of the highlights this week was the very unique and uplifting Senior School assembly on Wednesday. Rev Peter 'revving up' the boys for the recommencement of face-to-face learning with his arrival on motorbike! In his speech the Headmaster reflected, 'to see boys returning this week, for me, has been absolutely uplifting. The School is alive with energy and excitement.' Mr James challenged the boys, as they return over the next few weeks, to cherish the time and opportunities they have at school and make the most of every day.

Rev Peter Robinson and Rev Tim Robinson along with some Year 11 and 12 students produced the video 'Rev it Up'. 

Wellbeing Support Video:

Please click here to view the lastest video from David Schofield and his team. These videos are designed to support the boys and their parents through this difficult time by providing well directed messages from our Wellbeing/Psychology Team, with the assistance of some of our boys.

ANZAC Service live stream

Date: Sunday 17 May 2020
Time: 8.30am

While our ANZAC Service and Parade scheduled for this Sunday 17 May 2020 has been cancelled, we will be sharing an online service via live stream on the day, which will feature an address by Dr Brendan Nelson AO, readings by members of the Cadet Unit, musical items and a performance of ‘Amazing Grace’ which has been compiled using recordings of pipers from the Knox Grammar School Pipes and Drums playing at their homes. Cadets are encouraged to wear their cadet uniform while watching this important service on Sunday.

Please click here to view the Service which will commence at 8.30am. We look forward to sharing this important annual event with you online.

At long last it is now only a matter of days till the CO2024 returns to campus.  I personally can't wait, boys. I'm certainly looking forward to welcoming you all back and hearing all your chat, laughter and noise around the school campus again.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Renee Willson

Academic reports for Term 1 2020

We are very excited to introduce our reimagined academic reports for Years 7-10. These reports are expected to become available from 4pm today, Friday 15 May, through Parent Lounge. The new report format will include:

• The Knox Learner Protocols assessment and reporting tool;
• A refreshed grade distribution table that highlights where your son sits within the SOA/letter grade (upper, middle, and lower);
• New executive summary and subject specific pages;
• An abbreviated guide to interpreting the report.

We invite you to use the new ‘T1 Report – Mediative Questions’ document that will be available alongside your son’s report on the portal. This document contains personalised questions, based on your son’s overall performance against the Knox Learner Protocols in each of the eight descriptors. We strongly believe that utilising these questions in your conversations with your son could support him to reflect more meaningfully about his learning and consider how he might improve.  

We are offering three online ‘parent-breakfast’ style sessions about interpreting the new report next week. These sessions (hosted via Zoom) will introduce the Learner Protocols in more depth, unpack the intent of reporting against the Knox Learner Protocols, discuss how to interpret the new executive summary and subject specific pages, and explain quartiles in relation to the task average and graphs in the report. We expect the session will take approximately 15 minutes. 

Specific questions about interpreting your son’s report or the Knox Learner Protocols can be directed to your respective Director of Studies; subject-specific questions should be directed to your son’s classroom teacher. 

If you would like to join one of the online sessions with the Directors of Studies for Stage 4 and 5, please use this link to RSVP as soon as possible.  

You will receive an email at least one day prior to your registered sessions with a link to the Zoom session. We recommend that you download the Zoom application on your device prior to the session and contact IT Helpdesk if you require assistance.

Upcoming assessment tasks for Year 8 

Parent/Teacher Interviews

Years 8-10 Parent/Teacher interviews will be taking place online later this term, from Thursday June 4 to the end of term. (Please note that Friday June 5 is now a school day). Further information will be provided in the coming weeks about how to book an online interview with your son’s teachers. 

Janelle Charlton

Last Thursday I emailed to inform you about the School's commitment to the wellbeing of our students. With the unprecedented times of remote learning we are conscious of not having the daily casual check-ins that our boys would normally have with their teachers and mates. To help the boys navigate through this we are going to run an online check-in survey on Monday 18 May during Mentor time. If you would like to read more about the survey please refer to the email or click here to read the information letter we sent out.

Since the move to remote learning the staff have worked hard to provide engaging challenges to help the boys stay connected, with even the Year 8 Team Leader starring in a few videos. It has been fantastic to see the boys engaging and showing us their skills and abilities with the different activities. It reminds me of the scope of talent our Knox boys have, so I just wanted to say thank you to the boys and staff for putting themselves out there and getting involved. 

Andrea Wiffen

With the staggered return to school over Weeks 4 and 5 for all Year Groups, the co-curricular program has had to make further adjustments. 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

Wednesday 20 May (Week 4)

• Year 8 on campus 

Thursday 21 May (Week 4)

• Year 8 on campus 

Wednesday 27 May (Week 5)

• Year 8 on campus 

Thursday 28 May (Week 5)

• Year 8 on campus 

Monday 8 June

Queen's Birthday - Public Holiday

Friday 26 June

Term 2 concludes 

Student reports for Years 7-10 will be uploaded to Parent Lounge later today. Before reading your son’s report, we encourage you to watch this short video which provides background on our updated Senior School reports and the Knox Learner Protocols.

Friday 5 June will now be a standard teaching day for students in Years 7-12. A full schedule for the format of learning in Weeks 6 and beyond will be provided in the coming weeks.

The on-campus Parent Teacher Interviews scheduled for Friday 5 June has been cancelled due to COVID-19. Parent Teacher Interviews for Years 8-10 will take place via Zoom and telephone during Weeks 6-9. Further information about how to book appointments with your son’s teachers and participate in the meetings will be provided shortly.

Please note the commencement dates for Terms 3 and 4 have been brought forward slightly to add additional teaching days to help cover those which were lost at the end of Term 1.

• Term 3 start date – Monday 20 July 2020
• Term 4 start date – Monday 12 October 2020

Full term dates for 2020 and 2021 can be found here.

Winter uniform appointments
The Knox Uniform Shop is operating on reduced operating times to assist customers that are unsure of sizing of winter uniform. The Uniform Shop is open today, Friday 15 May, from 1pm-5pm. Note: we are running on a customer limited basis. Appointments are not required but we will only have two changing rooms operational so we ask parents and students to be patient as our team practise social distancing to keep our School community safe.

For students studying online, they are permitted to wear their winter uniform if already purchased or their PDHPE/Sports uniform. When they are on campus, they are expected to wear the winter uniform.

Uniform is available to order online here 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. Orders will not be delivered to the Prep School or Wahroonga Prep until Week 4.

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 Knox Reception during normal reception hours (8am-5pm weekdays). Please email the Uniform Shop to advise of your request.

From Monday 18 May, the Uniform Shop will resume normal operating times from Monday to Friday, 12.30pm-5pm. Please note we are not open on Saturday mornings during Terms 2 and 3.

Julie Blackburn

Parents are warmly invited to join the Knox Psychology Team for a live webinar.

When: Thursday 21 May 2020 from 7.30pm
Topic: 'What research tells us about raising successful children'

Presenters (Knox Psychologists):

Dr Rebecca Lazarus
Dr Laura-Kate Dassos
Ms Melinda Price
Mr David Schofield

We all want the best for our children in every way, including their academic performance, job prospects, social skills, character and health. Our parenting has been shown scientifically to influence the outcomes. So what works best?

This webinar presents the key findings about optimal parenting: from what hinders to what brings out the very best. A Q&A will be included.

To register, please click here. 

Enquiries - Please email David Schofield (Head of School Psychology)

David Schofield

Our beautiful new mural has been taking shape in the breezeway over the last few weeks, with artist Hugues Sineux busily working each day. This project is the first in a series of projects in the lead up to the School's centenary in 2024.

Our beautiful new Boarders’ Terrace is now open and ready for our Boarders to enjoy when they return over the coming weeks.

 It is such a joy to see the great happiness and companionship that Mr and Mrs James, the boys and their pets are sharing with the Knox community at this time.