Dear Parents

I would like to provide all parents with an update on our COVID-19 Student Attendance Guideline. Please read the policy document below.

Student Attendance Guideline for Parents 

A few key points:

• If your child is unwell, please don’t send them to School.
• If your child has been in any of the reported case locations listed by NSW Health, please read and follow the guidelines from NSW Health. This list is changing daily and it is imperative you check this list regularly for the protection of our School community.
• We ask that parents take their child’s temperature each morning at home using a digital thermometer. If your child has a temperature higher than 37.5 degrees, please do not send them to School. Please follow the guidelines in the document above.

Thank you

Phil O'Regan

On Tuesday, the Elevate Education team presented a study skills session to Year 9 students. The boys engaged positively with the sessions and the strategies discussed will be reviewed as part of the Mentor Program in the coming weeks. All students are now able to access online resources via the Elevate Education website. Instructions about how to access these resources was provided to all students at the end of the session.

It was lovely to see students working with the staff on duty after school in the Academy of Global Competency building this week. Wednesday afternoon was a hive of mathematical activity as students capitalised on having three members of the Maths staff to seek assistance from. In addition to support around organisation, study skills and planning, the following assistance is available after school for our Middle Academy students:

Monday: English, Essay writing, History, Mathematics, PDHPE, WLF

Tuesday: English, Essay writing, Mathematics

Wednesday: Mathematics

Thursday: Mathematics

In Year Meeting this week students were reminded that they need to arrive at school with adequate time to complete the health screening and temperature check process and visit their locker prior to 8.20am (9am on Friday). Catching the northbound train that arrives at Warrawee at 8.17am (8.55am on Friday) or the Southbound train that arrives at 8.19am (9.01am on Friday) does not allow adequate time for this to occur. To be able to arrive to period 1 lessons on time, students catching northbound trains should arrive at Warrawee no later than 8.02am (8.40am on Friday). Students catching southbound trains should arrive at Warrawee no later than 8.10am (8.46am on Friday).

We are in discussions with staff from the School of Banking and Finance at UNSW about running a Financial literacy program for our Middle Academy students. We would like to collect some feedback from parents about this. There is a short survey that you are invited to complete if you are interested in being a part of this process.

Elizabeth Ruff

This week in Year Meeting we commenced our Virile Agitur Man: Respecting Women campaign, in ernest. As per Mr Craig Milligan’s email on Tuesday, we discussed the interviews that boys will be conducting to learn a little more about what life is like for the women in their lives. These discussions are intended to ensure we are helping our young men to be forming positive relationships with women and girls in their lives, by listening, assessing their thinking, perceptions, behaviour compared to the experiences of the women they interview.

Mr Milligan kicked off the conversation by sharing a video in which he interviewed his mum, sister, and good friend, asking the same questions our students will use in their conversations. We encourage you to support your boys in this project, and we look forward to hearing them reporting back what they have learned from these conversations.

As we watch the news unfold, it is important that boys are continuing to practise good hygiene and physical distancing in order to do their part to help keep themselves and our community safe. So too, we are encouraging boys to arrive at school a little earlier so that they can have their temperature checked and ensure they attend their first class on time.

I wish the boys the best of luck in their weekend sport and hope that they get the chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

As always, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your son's Mentor, in the first instance, or with the Team Leaders, should you have any questions or concerns.

Alec Openshaw

This week has kept some of our Year 9 boys quite busy. The boys started the week by attending the 2020 Elevate incursion program on Tuesday which was then followed by the Knox Track and Field Championships on Wednesday. Congratulations to our 97 boys who participated in this year's Track and Field Championships. What an amazing turn out and a huge congratulation to Beau Morrison for being one of the age group champions. The Australian Mathematics Competition was held on Thursday and I congratulate the 136 students that took part in this prestigious school-based competition. Each year, more than 15 million entries across 30 countries attempt the same problems. Well done boys and good luck for your upcoming results.

Absence Notification

Just a reminder when lodging your son's absence in Parent Lounge please remember to include the nature of his medical condition in the comment section if you have selected Illness/Medical. Should your son be suffering from any of the symptoms of COVID-19, please follow the government advice regarding getting tested and keep your son at home.

Uniform Shop - Term 4 Summer Uniform

All students will be expected to wear their summer Uniform on the first day of Term 4. Please be aware that due to social distancing measures, we only have two changing rooms available at the Uniform Shop. To avoid long waiting times, we would advise checking your son's summer uniform now and, if you require new uniform, please order early. Alternatively if you know their new size, orders can be placed online through Flexischools. Students in the Senior School are permitted to collect orders at lunchtime or after school. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. The Uniform Shop opening times are Monday through to Friday 12.30pm-5pm.

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Food Drive
Thank you for all the donations that we have received so far. Week 3 is the last week that we will be accepting donations for the traditional Knox food drive of daily staples for Sydney families who are struggling and living in very challenging conditions. The following non-perishable donations may be handed in to me or Mrs Clarke's office and please note, no glass items:

• Long-life milk
• Cereal
• Coffee
• Tea
• Cans of meat
• Cans of vegetables
• Cans of fruit and/or soup
• Cup of soup
• Dried fruit

Finally, next week our cohort will be sitting their Maths and History (Core) in class assessments as well as submitting their PDHPE assessment task. If your son is unwell the day prior to and/or the day of the task we will require a completed Illness and Misadventure Appeal form to be submitted to me or the Middle School Academy office. I hope the boys use this weekend to prepare for their upcoming assessments and wish them good luck.

Crystel Hodgson, Tel: 9119 0881

Just a reminder that all the recent wellbeing resources produced by the Knox Psychologists can be found on the Knox Portal – Knox Wellbeing Centre – Wellbeing Blogs. Please click here to access.

Included here are information on Low Mood v. Normal Teenage Mood Swings, Managing Conflict at Home, Procrastination, Healthy Eating; and includes videos on: Internet/Devices Issues with Knox researcher in residence Dr Philp Tam, and The Optimal Parenting Webinar.

To make an appointment to speak to a Knox psychologist please contact us here.

Monday 3 August - Friday 7 August

NAIDOC Week - a celebration of Aboriginal culture and history

Tuesday 4 August

Battle of the Bands finals

Thursday 6 August

NAIDOC Assembly

Friday 25 September

Term 3 Concludes

Information regarding summer sport choices have been emailed to all boys in Years 7-11. Choices should be carefully considered and made as soon as possible. Submissions must be made by 14 August at the latest.

If you have any questions, please contact us here.

Martin Haywood, Head of Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy

Each term, Knox holds a Handwriting Course designed to help improve the speed, accuracy and neatness of students’ handwriting, reducing tension and fatigue when writing for long periods of time. In 2020 the classes will be held by Ms Lisa Norton, an occupational therapist, who specialises in the development of skills necessary for handwriting and the remediation of handwriting difficulties.

We are now filling places for our Term 3, 2020 course.

Our course will run on either a Tuesday or Wednesday or both mornings, starting at 7.30am, once minimum numbers are confirmed.

A minimum of seven students, and a maximum of ten, ensures individual attention. The course costs $300 for seven sessions of 45 minutes.

The Introductory seven week course includes a tub of theraputty, that is designed to improve hand muscle strength and fine motor skills. 

Availability of places is dependent upon a first come first served basis. All students who miss out on a place in Term 3 will be placed on a waiting list.

Should you be interested in pursuing this option for your son, please contact Rebecca Papageorgiou in the Learning Enhancement Department ASAP.

Computer Club is back on at a new venue!

Computer Club is back up and running and will take place in R34 (Reid Building) on Wednesday afternoon from 3.30pm-5.30pm. The club is open to any student who needs some computing help with their projects in Years 7-8 Technology, IST, or Senior Computing subjects. Students may also use the equipment in this room for any project that they are currently working on, as long as they have completed relevant safety training. Please email Mr McGowan (Software Design and Development Teacher) if you need any further information.

This week the students in Mr Nolan's class had the opportunity to take a virtual tour of some of Paris's iconic sites and learn about some French history. It was a very insightful lesson for all.