What a dynamic and interesting week we have seen, with the introduction of off-campus learning and our first ever Senior School assembly streamed online! I am extremely proud of the boys and the maturity they have shown in embracing the new educational landscape and the many opportunities it offers.

Absences and on-site/off-site learning
• Our teachers will be taking the roll for all students in each class (including working on-campus and off-campus).
• If your son is switching to or from off-site learning, please follow our usual processes for reporting absences - use the School app or contact your Student Administration Officer.
• If your son is absent from classes, please continue to report this through the normal processes.

Protocols for learning at home
Student and Parent Online Learning Protocols will be provided at the start of next week.

Technical support
If you require technical assistance with your School laptop or online learning, in the first instance, please email the Help Desk helpdesk@knox.nsw.edu.au  with the following information:

• Student name and year level
• Asset tag on the laptop or iPad
• A clear description of this issue including anything you have tried already
• A photo or screen shot of the problem if possible.

We aim to resolve issues within the next business day of receiving technical support requests.

Timetable
Boys will be following the standard timetable each day, with Period 1 commencing at 8.25am and the School day finishing at 3.15pm. Boys should be at their learning space and ready for class to commence by 8.25am.

Please click here for the Week 9 timetable.

Uniform
Boys who are learning off-campus are expected to wear their school or PE uniform. Boys who are on-site should wear the uniform.

Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop continues to operate with modified business hours in Weeks 9 and 10 and beyond - Monday through to Friday 11.30am-4.30pm and Saturday 9am-12pm. Please see the article in this week’s Year Group newsletter for more information. Please be mindful that when the School reopens in Term 2 all students will be expected to wear the Winter Uniform. If you cannot get to school all items are available to order through Flexischools and can be collected from the shop. For more information, call 9487 0191 or email.

Counselling Services
I know that students and families may require extra support at this time. We are now able to provide online counselling services via Google Meet for students as needed during normal office hours (8am-4pm).

For an appointment to speak with, in the first instance, your son’s Team Leader, or if you feel direct contact is required contact the counselling/psychologist team reception, call (+61 2 9119 0828) or email reception. We have established special protocols around online counselling and parents will be asked to complete a permission form.

Buses
Buses will run as normal for boys learning on-site

Canteens
Our canteen remain open.

Co-curricular
The following programs are continuing at school over the last two weeks of term:
Clubs: AI, Chess, Computer, CMAPs, Cru, Robotics, Social Justice, TAS Workshops and Tech Crew.

The following programs will continue at school and also have a blended program utilising Google Classroom and or Google Meet.

• Debating and Mock Trial: Training will continue as scheduled for each year group. Knox Debating Cup has been postponed until Term 2.
• Drama and Theatre Sports: After school sessions continue as scheduled.
• KAPA: Ensemble training will continue.
• KAPA peripatetic lessons: These lessons continue at the same time as scheduled each week.
• Pipes and Drums: Training continues as scheduled as does the tutor lessons at their scheduled times.
• Duke of Edinburgh: Students wishing to continue to work on their Duke of Edinburgh program need to contact Mr Goodwin.
•  The Year 10 Service Learning Program: This new initiative has been postponed. Information will be available at the commencement of Term 2.
• Art Club
• Cadets - including morning training
• Future Problem Solving

Sport
Please see the information about Sport in this week’s Year Group Newsletter.

Autumn holidays
A reminder, as per the Headmaster’s letter earlier this week, the last day of Term 1 is Friday 3 April 2020. Term 2 will commence on Tuesday 28 April 2020.

COVID-19 Policy
Protecting the wellbeing of our School community is our priority. In order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, please do not enter our campuses if:

• You have been diagnosed with COVID-19
• You have had close contact with someone who has or is suspected of having COVID-19
• You currently have cold/flu like symptoms
• As per the Federal Government policy, you have travelled overseas in the last 14 days
• As per the School’s policy, you have had close contact with someone who has visited China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea or Mongolia in the last 14 days.

The School must be immediately notified if you become aware that you have had exposure or potential exposure to someone confirmed as having Coronavirus.

Phil O'Regan

Benjamin Disraeli wrote 'There is no education like adversity.' It is fair to say that the current global virus crisis has thrown a curve ball to Year 8 students, staff and parents. How we all work together to respond and adapt to the new circumstances is of utmost importance. A key message all teachers have been sharing with Year 8 students this week has been to remain calm but focused, practice agility and go forward with a growth mindset. As Parents you can do much to help your son develop and apply a growth mindset. There are many resources available to assist parents in nurturing their child a growth mindset. One example of a resource parents may find useful can be accessed at https://www.mindsetworks.com/parents/growth-mindset-parenting Such advice and support will be particularly important for parents to provide in the home environment as we move closer to an indeterminate period of online learning.

Parents received a communication from the Headmaster on Wednesday evening indicating that students can either learn on-site or off-site. He stressed that learning is still being delivered and taking place within a Google Classroom suite for all subjects. From that point forward all students working from home online with their subject teacher have and will continue to be marked on the school roll as ‘present working online’. Also on Wednesday the boys present at school, which was the vast majority of Year 7 and Year 8 students were talked through and asked to sign a contract outlining expectations regarding online student behaviour. A soft copy of this document can be accessed at this link. Students should note that this updated version of the contract now allows for students the option of wearing either the Knox summer uniform or Knox PDHPE shirt during their engagement with school timetabled subjects. In uncertain times we are trying to keep as much school routine normalised as much as possible. To this end we will, from next week be delivering to the boys online Mentor Group contact, Chapel Service and regular Year and Academy Assemblies. More details on the timing of these events will be pushed out to parents and students during the course of next week.

There is no doubt that we are moving into unchartered waters but I am confident that as a community, and through embracing a growth mindset, that all efforts by teachers, students and parents be viewed as a learning opportunity.

Wayne Inwood

Firstly, a message to our Year 8 Boarding families - Mr Manuel and I want to reach out and say G’Day - we hope you are all well. Please strive to keep up with school work and email your teachers if you need any information or assistance with Google Classroom. Your teachers will do their very best to get back to you as soon as possible. You are very welcome to contact your Mentor and Team Leaders with any questions or concerns.  

To families of day boys now learning off-site from home - please ensure your son continues to work through the activities that have been set via Google Classroom. Teachers will be marking attendance through this platform. I encourage us all to be supportive of one another as we navigate through this new teaching style together.

These unprecedented times provide an opportunity to strengthen and express our values as individuals and families. Let's stay connected, and try to support each other in the community.

Maya Angelou said, “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

Whether students are learning on-site at School, or learning off-site at home, we are still a community. If you need any help with this transition, please contact the Team Leaders, Mentors or staff in the Junior Academy Team.

Carly Robinson

Donations have started coming in support of the Wesley Mission's gifts of Easter eggs and pots of noodles for the homeless. Please put a few extra pots of noodles or some Easter eggs in your shopping trolley this weekend. This small gesture brings a lot of joy to those in need. Please ask your son to drop your donations to me.

Just a reminder that your son’s school photos can now be accessed from Melba Studios. To download your son’s portrait and Year Group photo, please go to Melba Studios. Then select SCHOOL ORDERS and enter the password (which is available below). This will lead you to the screen where you enter your son’s Student ID number and select Year 8 and submit. If you have any questions relating to the photos, please contact Melba Studios on 9438 4566.

Password: KNOX

As advised by the Headmaster, Mr James, school holidays will be brought forward by a week for students only and the last day of term will now be Friday 3 April 2020. Term 2’s educational delivery will be determined later.

Finally, congratulations to Branden Tse for his Archery achievements. At the recent Archery NSW awards night Brendan won:

1) All Round Junior Boy Recurve
2) First place for NSW State Grand Prix Series
3) Elite Gold medal for 2019 Target Archery
4) Elite Bronze medal for 2019 Clout Archery
5) Sports Person of the Year for 2019, Cub Boy Recurve Division

Have a fantastic weekend! 

Renee Willson, Tel: 9119 0886

Online learning

Teachers are using Google Classroom to deliver learning online and are continuing to refine, further develop and enrich online learning opportunities. Thank you for your support and understanding as we operate in this new learning platform.

Boys are able to access all class work online through Google classrooms and school email. Lessons will include a blend of resources available in the Google classroom together with streaming and interactive learning experiences in the classroom. We expect all boys to interact in this environment with a respectful, positive and concerted approach.

Boys should follow the times of their normal school timetable and open their subject google classroom and school email at the start of each lesson every day. Teachers will be taking the roll in Google Classroom and recording this on TIA.

Boys are reminded to reach out to their teachers via email or Google classroom should they have any questions.

Assessment Tasks due next week (Week 9 March 23 - 27)

Languages Task 1: Tasks have been modified and can be sat at school or online on the scheduled date. Boys have been emailed with any updated instructions where necessary.

Geography Task 1:  The due date for this task has changed to Term 2 Week 1 Friday May 1.

The task has been modified to be a hand-in task. Details will be posted on Google Classroom. To support the learning for this task, a number of lessons will be posted to your Google classroom.

PDHPE Task 1 due Wednesday March 25:

The task submission details have been changed. Boys have been emailed about these changes. Students are now required to submit via Google classroom. If you have already uploaded to the Knox portal, please also submit to the Google classroom. The due date has not changed.

If a student is unable to submit or complete an assessment task on the due date as a result of illness, or misadventure, including issues relating to working from home, please complete and submit to Mrs Willson an illness/misadventure form. (If you haven’t already done so, could you also complete and submit this form for any tasks missed last week.)

Please ensure that you do outline the issue/reason your son has been unable to complete/submit the task. This will allow us to ensure that we flag the mark for review or estimate, as appropriate, in the markbook.

Janelle Charlton

Thursday 19 March - Saturday 21 March

'The Importance of Being Earnest'

Thursday 3 April

Term 1 concludes

Friday 10 April

Good Friday

Sunday 12 April

Easter

Monday 27 April

Term 2 commences 

Knox is committed to providing all students with a comprehensive program whether it be from home or on-site. Please note the following to assist with plans from the Sports and Aquatic Academy through Week 9 and 10 starting Monday 23 March.

Period 7 - Boys on-site
Boys will attend to their regular winter sport training session and will be conducted in a modified manner ie. non-contact. Venues for these sessions have not changed unless you receive notification via School App primarily due to weather/cancellations.

Period 7 - Boys at home
The sports department will provide alternative physical activities that will be emailed to students. This will be in the form of online video clips and easy to follow exercises under the guidance of our experienced Strength and Conditioning Department.

The content will contain various body weight exercises that will vary across the age, development and experience levels to cater for a continuum between minimal physical activity levels to maintaining previous high physical activity. Each physical area of focus and subsequent exercises will have instructions, regression and progressions to allow flexibility of choice for individual circumstances.

Note - All boys whether on-site or at home are expected to participate in Period 7 sport through Weeks 9 and 10.

Before and after school training - Boys on-site
Boys will attend to their regular winter sport training session as per the advertised schedule on the School app. Trainings will be conducted in a modified manner consistent with current expert medical advice ie. non-contact. Boys are expected to bring boots and wear the appropriate sport attire as per any regular session.

Before and after school training - Boys at home
As per Period 7 above, boys may access video footage from the S & C Department which will help maintain physical fitness and mental wellbeing. This will be in the form of an email to the students.

Holidays
Any training throughout the Term 1 holiday period will be sent via School app to the specific sport.

From Term 2
The Sport Department will have sessions tailored specific to each of the chosen winter sports for all students to access. Further information regarding the roll out will be provided in the holidays. We look forward to offering your son an innovative approach to physical and mental fitness during this time. Physical activity plays an important role in maintaining physical and psychological health. Regular activity also assists with maintaining normal sleep routines and daily patterns, which could help in dealing with the uncertainty of the current situation.

We look forward to your support through this period.

Mr Martin Haywood

The Science Department is organising participation in the Big Science Competition this year. 
An email was sent to all parents and students with the relevant information attached. 

The Big Science Competition is mandatory for all Years 7 – 10 da Vinci Science students.
Any student who is in a Years 7 - 10 Core class and wishes to participate in this competition is required to self-nominate.

All parents must accept their son’s participation in this competition through the Parent Lounge via the School Portal by Tuesday 31 March.

Change to opening hours and operations
With students now learning on-site and off-site, the Uniform Shop has reviewed its opening times during this period.

We are still at this time very much open to help you fit your child for their winter uniform that they will require for Term 2.

To meet with standards for the health of our customers and staff, and adhere to social distancing guidelines, we will practise the following:

• Limit the number of customers in the changing room at any given time to three students and one attending parent. All other children will be asked to wait outside the changing area.
• Parent/guardians will be asked to assist their child but our staff will be on-hand to advise.
• All our staff regularly wash their hands and hand sanitiser is all around the shop for everyone to use. We also regularly spray down the changing area surfaces and the counter tops.
• Card payment would be preferred to limit the handling of cash.
• If your child is showing any symptoms relating to COVID-19 or other illnesses we would respectfully ask you not to bring them in.

Below are the revised times and dates of opening for the Uniform Shop. However, if you are unable to attend, uniform items can be ordered online. Size charts will be added to the Flexischools site to assist with sizing. Orders will not be dropped at Knox Prep until the start of Term 2 however parents are welcome to collect items from the Uniform Shop. Uniform Shop staff are more than happy to discuss sizing and requirements over the phone. Please call 9487 0191 or email here.

• Week commencing 23 March - open daily 11.30am-4.30pm Monday through to Friday Saturday 28 March 9am-12pm
• Week commencing 30 March - open daily 11.30am-4.30pm Monday through to Friday  Saturday 4 April 9am-12pm
• Week commencing 6 April - open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 9.30am-4.30pm
• Week commencing 20 April - open Thursday & Friday 9.30am- 4.30pm
• Week commencing 27 April - open Monday 9.30am-4.30pm, Tuesday onwards (subject to school re-opening) normal opening times resume.

Please note, circumstances permitting we will do our best to adhere to these amended times but should there be any change we will advise through the Knox app.

Colours Embroidery for Year 12
Due to the logistics of the embroidery of Colours, it has been decided that the Year 12 Colours will not be done over the Term 1 break and instead will be done over the Term 2 break. Further communication will be sent out during Term 2.

Thank you for your ongoing support and patience during this difficult time.

Mrs Julie Blackburn, Knox Uniform Shop Manager