This week the boys have impressed us with the diligent nature in which they have approached their Yearly Examinations. I am sure the boys will be feeling a huge sense of relief this afternoon as they write their final exam and head into the weekend. Whilst it is important to relax and spend quality time with friends and family, I will be reminding the boys about making smart choices socially and ensuring they are being safe and taking care of their mates.

Paul Dillon, the Director and founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) will be presenting to our Year 9 students on Monday 25 November. The Year 9 session, 'Young people, alcohol and risk taking: Looking after your mates', focuses primarily on alcohol. This talk attempts to debunk some of the myths in this area, particularly around how to look after friends. Aimed at helping to ensure young people make healthier choices, accurate, up-to-date and credible information is provided, including the latest prevalence rates of alcohol and other drug use by secondary school students, with a focus on ‘positive norms’, i.e., how many young people choose not to drink alcohol or use other drugs. Basic life skills will also be discussed around alcohol-related emergencies, including knowing when to call an ambulance.

As parents of Year 9 students you have the opportunity to hear Paul talk on the evening of Monday 25 November. The session, to be held in the Great Hall, will commence at 6pm and run for one hour with the opportunity to ask questions afterwards.

I would strongly encourage all of you to attend this talk. Not only to allow for a follow up conversation with your sons but also to be informed in order to support your sons as they navigate the social years ahead. 

Vicky Cowell

Matt Pain, Henri Day 1sts Basketball

English, Science and Maths

2020 Campion Text Book Orders

Campion Books has advised to hold off ordering text books until students in Years 8-11 receive their 2020 English and Mathematics Class Placements after Monday 2 December.

If you have already placed your order this can be easily changed by contacting Campion on 8905 8691 after Monday 2 December when 2020 Class Placements will be finalised. (Campion will not apply any late ordering fees to Knox students).

Best of luck to Aston Bloom and Nick Bigeni as they travel to Albury this weekend to compete in the All Schools Tennis Competition.

The Ride for Richter armbands are selling like hot cakes and in demand. Please drop by my office to collect yours. We appreciate your support for Alex and the Richter family. A date for the diary, the 'Ride for Richter' event is on Friday 29 November from 3.30pm-6.30pm. Bring along your family and friends to show your support.

Rebecca Smith Tel: 9119 0882

We would like to invite students who have competed at the State/National level to apply to join the PEAK program for the 2020 intake.

PEAK is in its second year of operation and is designed to support high performing student-athletes to achieve excellence in sport, whilst achieving their best in the academic environment.

The PEAK program is a holistic wellbeing program, which includes:

One on one mentoring with Knox high performance coaches, including the development of an Individual Performance Plan (IPP)

Keynote speakers focusing on the Total Fitness pillars, including: 

-Academic Fitness – covering themes such as time management, goal-setting and habits for academic success

-Physical Fitness – covering effective nutritional practices for athletes, sleep for recovery and effective rehab/prehab

-Spiritual Fitness (Personal Development) – covering communication, mental preparation and leadership

-Social/Emotional Fitness – covering resilience, performing under pressure and respect and responsibility

Small group workshops to further enhance each student-athlete’s skills and learning capabilities

See attached prospectus for more information, including eligibility criteria. 

To apply, please complete application form here. 

Applications will close on Thursday 5 December (last day of Term 4), with successful applicants to be notified before school resumes in 2020.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact PEAK. 

Kieran Donohue

The 2020 All Schools individual triathlon will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith on Wednesday 26 February. Boys will be taken by bus out to the Regatta Centre from Knox and we will also look after the transport of your bicycle.

Race distances are as follows:

Juniors 12, 13, 14 years 400m Swim, 10km Cycle and 3km Run

Intermediates 15, 16 years 600m Swim, 15km Cycle and 4km Run

Seniors 17, 18, 19 years 750m Swim, 20km Cycle and 5km Run

The cost of $30 per person will be added to School fees. 

If you have any questions, would like to enter or would like to participate in the Triathlon training sessions we run here at school, please contact Mr Hart.

Triathlon NSW Talent ID Camp

If you are interested in taking triathlon on in a more competitive manner, then this 3-day camp run by the sports state body; Triathlon NSW, maybe the thing to help you develop the skills needed to take on this sport with three separate disciplines. Expert accredited Triathlon Australia coaches will focus on skill development including transitions.

If you have any questions please see Mr Hart. If you are planning to go to the camp, please also let Mr. Hart know.

The 1sts and 2nds Basketball will be playing their last home game versus Barker for this season this Saturday in the Great Hall from 10am.

This will be a massive game for both teams, as they look to close out the term on a win. All Tartan Army members are required to attend if they do not have a clash with their own Saturday sport commitments, and we are looking to get the stands out to accommodate for a crowd.

Whether you are in the Tartan Army or not, we would love to see you down there and supporting the boys on the floor. This will be the Tartan Army's debut versus Barker so let's make a good impression! Can't wait to see you all there.

Nick Reynolds School Captain

Monday 25 November

Paul Dillon addressing Year 9 students P1 and P2

Paul Dillon - Parent seminar, Great Hall, 6pm

Friday 29 November

Ride for Richter, 3.30pm-6.30pm

Friday 29 November

Boarders' Christmas Carol Service and Banquet - 6pm

Saturday 30 November

Knox in Concert, the Great Hall, 6.30pm

Thursday 5 December

96th Annual Presentation Day, 1pm

Term 4 Concludes

Wednesday 29 January 2020

Term 1 commences

On Friday 29 November Year 12 have organised a fundraiser to support one of their peers. The fundraiser is 'Ride for Richter' and this event will run from 3.30pm–6.30pm. Alex Richter (Y12) was injured in a mountain biking accident in the holidays. This fundraiser is to raise money for the Richter family for medical costs and day-to-day requirements.

Everything will be $2.00 – there will be rides, sausage sandwiches, cake stall and snow cones!

Below is a link where boys can sign up to ride a stationary bike for 20mins. In signing up, they are committing to gaining sponsorship where all money will go to support the Richter family.

Please bring cash on the day and hand it to Mrs Cherry (Y12 SAO) or Ms Smith (Y9 SAO) or donate the funds through the Knox Portal > Quick Links > Online Payments > Other School Activities > Support the Richters.

Please support this event and sign up here!

2021 Scholarships
Applications for our 2021 scholarships are now open. Applications close 7 February 2020, with scholarship examinations to be held in Sydney (21 February 2020) and Dubbo (24 February 2020).

The scholarships available for entry to Knox in 2021 are:

• Academic 2021 Scholarships
• Music
• All-Rounder 2021 Scholarships
• Sons of Old Boys
• Boarders (from Regional areas)

The Annual Sony Foundation ABBOX of Fun CAMP for Children with Special Needs will be held on 6-10 December 2019. Food/baking donations needed.

This year marks the 12th annual ABBOX Camp - the Sony Foundation Holiday Camp for Children with special needs. The camp offers a much needed break for families and a fun time for the children. The ‘campers’ are cared for by a large number of our wonderful Knox and Abbotsleigh Year 12 student volunteers and staff.

We need parents to help us with the many morning and afternoon teas supplied during the camp. No nuts please, and some gluten free options are also requested. Suggestions of fruit, cupcakes, biscuits, slices, dips etc. A list of ingredients on each item is necessary as many of the children attending the camp have a variety of allergies.

If you can help, please click here. Thank you for your ongoing support to help our 2019 ABBOX Camp. 

Each year the Knox community supports those in need in the lead up to Christmas. We ask the Knox community to donate food for families who will struggle to provide for their families this Christmas. 

Suggested items:
Tinned ham and/or turkey 

Long-life custard and/or cream

Christmas pudding/fruit cake and/or mince pies

Tinned tuna/salmon

Tea/coffee/Milo/hot chocolate/Nesquik

Canned fruit, savoury snacks, pretzels/chips (no nuts please), jelly lollies preferred as chocolate melts

Table trimmings such as bon bons.

In early December, we will arrange to take all the donations into Wesley Mission in the city for distribution to these struggling families.

Donations can be handed in to your SAO or Mrs Clarke’s office (Room 15).

For many years the Knox community have generously supported the STARTTS program. STARTTS is the acronym for the ‘NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors’.

The organisation provides a range of professional services to facilitate the healing process for refugees who have been exposed to torture and trauma, as well as access to health services for newly arrived refugees. The aim of the program at Knox is to provide your son with the opportunity to learn a little about the organisation and what it does, as well as to think about children of his own age who have had to cope with very real difficulties in their lives. It encourages the boys to think about demonstrating compassion in his life and how displaying that compassion is integral to our Christian compassion at Knox.

The boys are asked to make a Christmas card for a child who is currently being assisted by the service. It would be wonderful if your son could provide a small Christmas gift ($10 in value) to which his card can eventually be attached.

The gifts should be handed to Ms Smith by Tuesday 3 December. We intend to present the gifts to a guest speaker from STARTTS organisation that is coming to the School in the last week of term.

In previous years, the gift from our boys was often the only gift these children received. If possible, please wrap and label the gift indicating whether it is appropriate for a boy of girl.

We appreciate your support as always and hope that the boys will learn a great deal from their participation in this program.

For more information, please contact Mrs Helen Clarke.

Staff right across Knox have been participating in Movember and with the end of the month fast approaching it’s time to take a stand for men’s mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Click here to sponsor the various staff who are growing Mo’s for a good cause!

The Social Justice Portfolio will be selling stick on Mo’s next week every morning at both main gates with all money raised going directly to Movember (Make sure to bring a gold coin!)

For Term 4 the Honour Awards are presented to Year 7 – 10 students.

The awards entitle the student to have embroidery added to the bottom right pocket of the School blazer. This can only be organised through the Knox Uniform Shop and to facilitate this, please note the following:-

1. The list of Honour Awards and Colours will be on display on the breezeway notice board under the McKenzie Building from Monday 25 November. This is the responsibility of the student to find out if they have received an award. Academic Awards will be on display towards the end of the last week of Term.

2. If students have any queries regarding the Awards, please direct all enquiries to Head of Activity involved immediately; all queries must be raised by 28 November, after this date they will not be considered.

3. A member of staff from the Uniform Shop will be in the Lawson Centre at recess and lunchtime from Monday 2 December until Wednesday 4 December for students to confirm and sign off the awards presented.

4. A blazer submission form MUST be completed and signed by the parent and handed in with the blazer after Presentation Day or last day of attendance. Without the completed form the embroidery will not be done. 

5. After Presentation Day, members of staff from the Uniform Shop will be in the Lawson Centre to receive the blazers. Your son must put the submission form in the top pocket of the blazer and put on a hanger on the rail.

6. The last day for handing in the blazers is Friday 6 December at 1pm. Any blazers received after this time will not be accepted and the next opportunity to have them done will be end of Term 4, 2020.

7. Please note the Uniform Shop will close at 2.30pm on the last day of term.

8. The embroidery will be done over the holidays and the blazers will be available for collection from Friday 24 January from the Uniform Shop. If they are ready earlier, a notification will be sent via the Knox app.

.    All embroidery will be charged to the student school account unless otherwise stipulated on the submission form. It is not compulsory to have the embroidery done but it must be organised through the Uniform Shop and not through an independent embroiderer.

We have a magazine giveaway starting Friday 29 November in the McKenzie Library! Students are invited to take their favourite magazine, up to three magazines per student. Our extensive magazine collection includes Australian Geographic, Australian Dirt Bike, Guitar, Australian Photography, Bicycling, Cosmos, Cricketer, Delicious, National Geographic, New Scientist, New Zealand Rugby, Wheels and many more! 

Industrial Evolution is open this Saturday 23 November from 9am-2pm. This will be the last weekend that you can catch the incredible works of Jasper Knight curated by the Knox Young Curators. The show will remain open Monday 25 November 8am-4pm until Friday the 29 November.

On Saturday 30 November commencing at 6.30pm in the Great Hall.

- Featuring our magnificent bands, choirs, orchestras and more…
- A musical showcase of grand proportion
- Over 400 performers
- All welcome!