The Thistle - June 2021

THE

Thistle KNOX GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 01 JUNE

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Headmaster

Geography

Musicals

Knox continues to reframe education

Investigating how chocolate impacts our environment

Knox Prep and Senior School productions are back on stage

Contents Established in 1924, Knox Grammar School offers an innovative approach to education within a caring environment. Knox, a leading Australian day and boarding school, aims to develop children into young people of faith, wisdom, integrity, compassion and courage. Knox is a Uniting Church school and operates three campuses: Knox Prep (K-6 boys), Wahroonga Prep (Pre-K to Year 6 girls and boys), and Knox Senior School (Years 7-12 day boys and boarders).

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FROM THE HEADMASTER

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Learning at Knox is multidimensional to challenge our students academically

Celebrating achievements and success stories across the School

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WAHROONGA PREPARATORY SCHOOL

KNOX GRAMMAR PREPARATORY SCHOOL

The Strings program is taking the children to new heights as they grow in their learning together

Knoxigations provides the boys with learning on a global scale

ON THE FRONT COVER Operations Platoon enjoyed the spectacular views of the Lost City in the Newnes State Forest at the end of AFX Camp.

KNOX SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/knoxgrammar twitter.com/knoxgrammar instagram.com/knoxgrammar vimeo.com/knoxgrammarschool

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This edition of The Thistle was prepared by Eileen Aroyan, Publications Manager, Knox Grammar School.

Proofreading by David Hayes, photography by Nick Stewart, Paul Wright, Scott Cameron, Blue Murder Studios (Cybele Malinowski), Knox staff, students and parents.

CONTRIBUTIONS The deadline for the November 2021 edition of The Thistle is 17 September 2021. OKGA contributions to okga@knox.nsw.edu.au. General contributions to publications@knox.nsw.edu.au.

DESIGN Stephanie Tesoriero, stephanietesoriero.com

PRINT The Thistle is printed by SKS Printing (www.sksprinting.com.au) on ISO accredited Neo Matt. Neo Matt is manufactured using wood fibre from sustainable forests and made from elemental chlorine free bleached pulp.

GET IN TOUCH Knox Grammar School PO Box 5008 Wahroonga NSW 2076 AUSTRALIA Telephone: (02) 9487 0122 CRICOS Provider Code: 00399E www.knox.nsw.edu.au

18 YEAR 6 MUSICAL Year 6 students were proud to present ‘Memories of Musicals’ in the Wenkart Theatre

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BEAUTY AND THE BEAST This year’s Senior School musical had the audience singing in their seats

26 ANNUAL FIELD EXERCISE 2021 A new location provided an experience like no other for our cadets on AFX Camp

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SPORT

OLD KNOX GRAMMARIANS

CAS titles across the board – well done to our Knox teams on a stellar summer season

Events and news of Old Boys

FROM THE HEADMASTER

OUR EVOLVING

Education System Knox Total Fitness is preparing young men and boys to be successful in the innovation age

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MR SCOTT JAMES Headmaster of Knox Grammar School

When considering the strategic direction for Knox, one is challenged to become a futurist as you try to see through the clutter of so many possibilities.

The current ‘2018-2022 Strategic Direction’ and ‘Education for the Future’ documents focus on the Knox model of education, ‘Total Fitness’, a model I believe is having a positive and profound impact on student outcomes.

Unquestionably, ‘Total Fitness’ is preparing young people to be successful in the innovation age.

The School and School Council have committed resources to ensuring students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to take their place confidently in the world as informed citizens. Work is now well underway on the next five-year strategy to ensure we are on the launching pad to take Knox to a new level of excellence with a future-proofed approach to teaching and effective governance.

As we look to the future, there are undoubtedly challenges on the horizon as the educational sector trends towards significant transformation.

For example, we may end up in a world in which young people are more likely to be autonomous contractors.

A challenge is that education systems have not been designed to foster the types of capabilities needed to navigate complex environments and multiple careers. Introducing entrepreneurism into the curriculum will therefore be important as Knox continues to reframe education with regards to where the world is heading, instead of continuing to do the same thing over and over again.

There is no doubting a need for change in education is building. Some favour a radical remodelling of the current education system and others a more gradual approach. The traditional drivers of educational reform have included changes to the nature of work, changes in social values, changes in technology and changes to the industrial and operational contexts of schools. All of these factors are operative now along with an increasing pace of technological change. For these reasons, it is important that we bring a new consciousness to the design of our evolving education system at Knox rather than use an approach that solely buffers the School from these forces of change.

So, as we look ahead, we need to ensure Knox remains relevant and continues to prepare our young students for a world that is interconnected, rapidly changing and full of diversity.

Considering the current research showing future generations will go through five or six different careers in their lifetime, we must continue to focus on holistic education, empowering students with broad knowledge and transferable skills and providing a strong sense of ethics and values.

Additionally, students today need to learn more continuously than any generation before them. Instead of aiming to provide young people with all the skills they need for life in the first 20 years, schools will need to prepare students for a lifetime of learning and effective social and economic participation. As we look to the future, it will be important to embed and complement academic knowledge with skills such as critical and creative thinking, as well as intercultural and social capability, so as to prepare young people for lifelong learning.

As we look at what lies ahead for Knox, I believe there are three strategic questions we should consider: 1. How can the Knox curriculum continue to prepare young people to be successful in the innovation age?

2. How can school design prepare our students to be successful in the innovation age?

3. How can we ensure our students are equipped with the skills needed to meet the challenges of a dynamic and complex world?

Using these questions as guiding principles for the future, learning at Knox will be multidimensional and always challenging students academically.

Our intention is to develop young people who contribute meaningfully to society, propelled by a strong sense of purpose and hope for the future, ready to face the world with the skills, deep knowledge and dispositions that will enable them to flourish.

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The Teaching AND LEARNING

Experience

MR SIMON ROTHERY Chairman of Knox Grammar School

The School Council held our annual Council Planning Day with the theme based on the quote from pioneer of brain training, Mr Edward de Bono, who said, “The quality of our thinking will determine the quality of our future.”

I would like to share with you some of the Headmaster’s presentation, as it is my hope this will provide you with clarity of Knox’s unique context and culture and the environment within which the Council and School Executive operate.

Our Planning Day focussed on and addressed the challenges of:

THIS IS KNOX

• Governance

Culture refers to ‘the way we do things at Knox’.

Our unique culture determines how teachers and students behave, feel and think. To put it simply, our culture shapes how we operate and function as a school.

• Teaching and Learning • Delivering resources and facilities that enable excellent teaching and learning to flourish We had a number of exceptional presentations throughout the day, however, the highlight for School Council was the presentation on culture by the Headmaster, Mr Scott James.

With Council and the School Executive responsible for setting the culture and tone of the School, a clear and unambiguous sense of direction will optimise our ability to live our mission, become our vision and fulfil our educational purpose.

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At the foundation of our culture is our mission and vision.

Knox Mission: We are committed to being a leading school; highly respected globally for innovation, altruism and a commitment to student and teacher excellence and wellbeing.

The quality of our thinking will determine the quality of our future EDWARD DE BONO Knox Vision: Knox Grammar School, Knox Grammar Preparatory School and Wahroonga Preparatory School seek to be an exemplary school together, developing within a caring Christian environment, students of Faith, Wisdom, Integrity, Compassion and Courage, with a sure knowledge of who they are and how they should live.

Teacher excellence is evident in the ongoing professional learning that is delivered through the Research Institute of Professional Learning here at Knox. A key focus for all teachers is on continuous improvement of teaching and learning and building the pedagogical context in which all students can excel.

Our mission and vision is embodied by our values, beliefs, expectations and norms. Our traditions and ceremonies provide continuous meaning to the life of the School and reinforces our mission and vision.

Providing staff with a clear understanding of our culture and how they as individuals contribute to the School’s vision of excellence, will generate substantial levels of drive toward a shared purpose and will ensure Knox continues to thrive.

The School’s past is of upmost importance to know and understand because it’s where all of the above mentioned elements originate from. With Knox, approaching its centenary, our culture is something that has been developed over a long period of time.

It is incumbent on the leadership team to ensure Knox’s culture remains progressive so as to provide students and teachers with the best possible experiences and opportunities and to fulfil our educational purpose.

On behalf of the School Council, I would like to thank the Headmaster, School Executive and all of the Knox staff, who collectively set and shape our School culture, enabling Knox to prosper and, most importantly, provide an environment where every student can realise their own potential.

One of the key cultural values that is honoured and celebrated at the School is excellence; whether it be in the classroom, on the sporting field or in the performing arts. Our community - including teachers, coaches and parents - all value the importance of accomplishment and persistence, therefore students striving to fulfil their potential is seen as normative behaviour.

Two key focus areas of the 2018-2022 Strategic Direction document is ‘Staff Excellence’ and the ‘Learning Experience’. As a learning community, we believe that all students must strive to be their best and achieve individual learning excellence, with quality teaching the backbone to delivering the highest educational outcomes for students.

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Around THE GROUNDS

A NEW RECORD IS SET Knox Prep and Wahroonga Prep held a combined Years 3-6 Cross Country Carnival at Gillespie Fields in March. Owen Dixon won the 12 years race in 10min 48 sec – a Knox Prep record!

YEAR 10 OUTDOOR EDUCATION A group of Year 10 students took part in an Outdoor Education Challenge Camp in the Snowy Mountains at the end of Term 1 where they enjoyed hiking, mountain biking and abseiling.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS Heats from the Battle of the Bands saw Senior School rock bands perform a 1980s cover song and their own original song during lunchtime heats outside the Great Hall. Best wishes to all the finalists!

Knox take home gold Congratulations on the magnificent results awarded to our Symphonic Wind Ensemble (SWE) and Concert Band at the 2021 Australian National Online Festival of Bands.

SWE took gold across the Hymn, Major Work, March and Concert Item sections while the Concert Band won gold for their Hymn performance.

YEAR 7 CAMP Year 7 boys enjoyed an amazing week of activities at Vision Valley and Crosslands Convention Centre including abseiling, rock climbing, canoeing, rogaining, indigenous talks, mountain biking and environment and sustainability education.

FIELDWORK ACROSS THE NORTHERN BEACHES Year 10 Geography students conducted fieldwork across Collaroy, Dee Why and Long Reef as part of their topic, ‘Coastal Management and Change’.

YEAR 4 CAMP The bushy surrounds of the Port Hacking River saw Year 4 boys display courage and teamwork as they navigated their way through the many activities on offer.

Working together to earn points for their house Years 7 and 8 took part in House Connections Days across Knox 1 and Gillespie Fields with the Tug-of-War a highlight for many.

YEAR 6 SUSTAINABILITY Year 6 boys from the Sustainability and Gardening Portfolio are spending their lunchtimes propagating and potting plants.

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AROUND THE GROUNDS

YEAR 8 CAMP The NSW South Coast provided a stunning backdrop for Year 8 Camp where the boys were able to experience a myriad of activities including snorkelling, surfing, fishing and hiking.

A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION In March, Boarders’ Chapel was held in the William McIllrath War Memorial Chapel for the first time since November 2019!

Chapel was followed by an award ceremony to acknowledge our boarders who have contributed in exceptional ways to the boarding community.

HASLETT WINS THE HOUSE CUP! The Years 3-6 Knox Prep Swimming Carnival was full of war cries and chanting, drumming and clapping – not to mention the outstanding swimming! Congratulations to Haslett who were awarded winners of the House Cup.

VISUAL ARTS Visual Art students taking part in the 3:33 Art Projects Young Curators program recently visited the Germanos Collection to view the artwork of Reg Mombassa.

They will be working together tocurate an exhibition of work by Mombassa to be hosted at Knox.

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Ride with Richter Knox Prep held their first annual Ride with Richter event in support of Alex Richter (OKG20). A obstacle race and K-2 track saw boys ride their scooters and bikes as the community raised almost $6,000 which Alex will put towards a three-wheel motorised mountain bike that will enable him to ride again.

Year 5 Camp For many boys, it was their first time to pitch a tent at the Year 5 Crusaders Camp held at Lake Macquarie.

Getting into the swing of it Knox Prep golfers were keen to learn and show off new skills at Pymble Golf Club.

YEAR 2 HISTORY TOUR Year 2 boys embarked on an interesting history tour of Knox Prep with retired Knox teacher and Old Boy, Mr Dougal Cole (OKG77).

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST MORNING TEA Well done to the Wahroonga Prep community for raising more than $1,500 in support of the Cancer Council event Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.

YEAR 12 BBQ Our Year 12 mums have been busy each Wednesday to help with the Year 12 Barbeque. Thank you to all our parent volunteers across the campuses. It’s been wonderful to welcome you back on-site!

YEAR 12 RELIGION AND ETHICS Year 12 Studies of Religion students visited the Nan Tien Buddhist Temple to enhance their study into the beliefs and practices of Buddhism for their HSC course.

Meditation, Tai Chi, a tour of the temple grounds, lectures on Buddhist ethicsand a vegetarian lunch were enjoyed.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS The day dragons roamed the Knox Prep grounds! Year 1 boys celebrated Chinese New Year with a colourful performance.

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AROUND THE GROUNDS

Lest we forget ANZAC PARADE The Knox Pipes and Drums represented the School at the ANZAC Parade in the Sydney CBD while several smaller groups also performed at aged care facilities to commemorate the occasion.

The ANZAC Memorial Service for the Old Knox Grammarians’ Association and the Ceremonial Parade of the Knox Grammar Cadet Unit was held on 2 May on Knox 1 Oval.

We will remember them.

YEAR 11 PDHPE Building on their understanding of team dynamics, conservation, navigation and emergency management skills, Year 11 PDHPE students took part in a three day program at Adventureland in Forster.

Supporting the Homeless Year 3 students, together with their families, have been busy planning, preparing and cooking meals for St John’s ‘The Dish’ program in support of people who are homeless in the Hornsby area.

Fire saftey at Knox Prep Kindergarten boys have been exploring workers as part of their Knoxigations Big Idea that ‘People Work Together in Communities’.

Hornsby Fire Station visited the boys to talk about fire safety and their essential role in our community.

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FENCING CHAMPION Congratulations to Thomas Nguyen (Y10) who represented Knox and won the NSW Roberta Nutt Senior School Fencing Championship in the Men’s Foil.

We wish him well as he joins the Australian Fencing Team as a U17 Cadet.

WAHROONGA PREPARATORY SCHOOL

STRING ENSEMBLES GROW OPPORTUNITIES FOR

Collaboration and Leadership The Wahroonga Prep String program has gone from strength to strength since returning to school this year, despite the challenges of music-making with the pandemic restrictions.

MRS JULIE WISEMAN Head of Wahroonga Preparatory School

Not only has the String Ensemble grown to over 30 highly enthusiastic students, we have also started an advanced Concertino group for a few very talented individuals. In response to our growing Strings ensembles, we have created a new position of Strings Captain.

We are excited to announce that Andy Wang in Year 5 is the first Wahroonga Prep Strings Captain. Andy is a very accomplished violinist who takes on leadership tasks with quiet kindness and a spirit of cooperation. Andy leads both the String Ensemble and Concertino groups.

It was exciting to start the Concertino group and the students have taken up the challenge enthusiastically! Concertino tackle a high standard of varied repertoire from Mozart to Irish jigs but, most importantly, they are developing essential collaborative skills as they grow their music together. Learning to play beautiful music as an ensemble, rather than as skilled individuals, takes a great deal of listening, thinking, watching, supporting and learning from one another.

Early on Wednesday mornings you can hear the very happy sound of music-making across the playground, from St John’s Church where students gather for String Ensemble rehearsal.

The String Ensemble students range from Year 2 to Year 6, from those who have never played in a group through to experienced Concertino players. There is high demand to be part of String Ensemble as our community values the standard of music experiences at Wahroonga Prep very much.

One of the lovely things about music groups is that students get to know others from different year groups, all of whom have a shared passion.

Ensembles really are a joyous collaboration of sharing as well as a mutual appreciation of common interests amongst peers. The more senior players in String Ensemble play an active part in guiding the younger players in warm up exercises, part-playing, tuning and organisation.

The younger players look to the others when they need help or reassurance, as they learn to play as a group.

There is a buzz of excitement that surrounds our Wahroonga Prep Strings group and we are looking forward to sharing their beautiful music in some live concerts throughout the year.

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KNOX PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Global Learning ACROSS KNOX PREP LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER Mrs Emma Donaldson, Kindergarten Team Leader Kindergarten students have made new friends, explored new concepts and become curious about the world around them. We can see they are exploring the Knox core values every day. They are courageous coming to school, demonstrating compassion when they see a fellow peer who needs support, and exploring integrity, faith and wisdom through questioning the world around them. The boys’ questions, ideas and observations have been at the centre of their educational experience.

During our Knoxigations unit of work, the boys have explored ‘Stories of the World and its People’ and ‘Interconnected Systems’. When learning about ‘Families are the same and different’, students discovered how they were unique and then expanded their understandings of how their family is the same and different to their peers. This was a fantastic opportunity to work with the boys and their families to learn about a variety of family dimensions across many different backgrounds from all over the world.

The boys had fun exploring all the cultures and traditions while discovering each other’s values and how we can all learn from one another.

Our next study was ‘People work together in communities’. The boys made a connection to their first unit, deciding that their families make up the Knox Kindergarten community. During this unit, the boys enjoyed a variety of hands-on experiences. They looked at how communities have needs and wants and explored their locations, culture, values and traditions. They demonstrated their understanding by building a community for their Bee-Bot through the use of Google Earth, walking around the Wahroonga community and reflecting on their home community. Kindergarten boys then worked with their class to create a community using recycled materials to reflect their Bee-Bot community.

The boys discovered that location impacts what a community needs and wants.

During these experiences, the boys have had the opportunity to develop stronger relationships with their classmates, explore the concept of empathy, improve their communication skills and increase their confidence in the classroom. What a start to the year!

CONNECTING THROUGH CULTURE Miss Nadine Smith, Year 1 Team Leader In Year 1 the boys have embarked on a learning journey to deepen their understanding of tradition, change and connection to others.

During our Knoxigations unit of inquiry, the boys have explored ‘Stories of the World and its People’. When learning about how ‘Celebrations Connect Communities’ the boys experienced and investigated various cultures from around the world. The boys inquired into many different celebrations and were able to identify the purpose, traditions and symbols that were 14

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associated with them. Boys were then able to apply these skills to make connections with and understand how these celebrations help to connect families, communities and people from around the world. When beginning their independent inquiry, the boys challenged themselves to investigate a celebration they were interested in. This allowed students to make observations, ask questions, investigate, create and collaborate to present their findings with others.

Perhaps the highlight of our term was the boys’ participation in an incursion when the group Chinese Lion Dancing visited us. The boys got to witness first-hand a traditional Chinese New Year Lion Dance and learnt of their belief that the dance and enjoyed being part of this cultural celebration that featured lots of movement, colour and music.

COMMEMORATING THE PAST Mr Hamish Oates, Year 3 Team Leader

EXPLORING ECOSYSTEMS

into the fossils of sea creatures.

Miss Sarah Beaumont-Jones, Year 2 Team Leader

The true adventure was to come with the boys traversing across the ledge of the swimming pool to reach their final destination, the Narrabeen rock platform. An entirely new ecosystem came to life before their eyes with hermit crabs, starfish, the much coveted ‘Neptune’s necklace’ and even a gloomy octopus coming out to play.

As the sun glistened on the dewy grass, the sound of laughter floated through the air.

A feeling of pure joy radiated across the playground as the Year 2 boys could be heard shouting, “I’m so excited” and “This is going to be the best day ever!” Anticipation was heavy in the air on the day that their first excursion was to take place.

Year 2 took part in an excursion to the Coastal Environment Centre at Narrabeen to investigate the living and non-living elements within ecosystems. Their exploration of the rock pools and surrounding lagoon enabled them to explore the Big Idea for their Knoxigations inquiry, ‘Ecosystems are everywhere!’

As the boys jumped off the bus they could not hide their excitement. After a quick recess stop (and an ambush from the local ducks for our treats) the adventures began! Learning experiences ranged from exploring water catchments to investigating wildlife in their local habitat, to tactile learning inquiry

Before we knew it, the day was over with many eyes drifted to a close with the memories of the day no doubt dancing in their minds.

Throughout Term 1, Year 3 students deepened their knowledge and understanding of inquiry learning through our Knoxigations unit ‘Stories of the World and its People’.

Using an integrative approach to our learning, the Big Idea ‘Commemorating significant events connects us to our past’ was posed to students and provided opportunities for boys to explore their own family histories as well as identify national and global celebrations and commemorations. This process required boys to work collaboratively to construct their knowledge as well as to think critically, ensuring they were able to discern between celebrations and commemorations.

The unit of work culminated in boys selecting their own commemoration, albeit a national or international event. The boys implemented their research skills and presented their findings on a selection of Google Slides addressing different aspects of their chosen commemoration. However, the highlight for the boys was transferring their Google Slides to a fully immersive Virtual Reality platform, known as Frame VR. This enabled the boys to not only present their work but invite others to view it in a virtual environment.

This was a wonderful opportunity for the boys to showcase their learning in an innovative manner. Equally important, it encapsulates and equips the boys with the necessary skills of a 21st Century learner.

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EXPLORING EARTH Mr Dylan Nexhip, Year 4 Team Leader In our first Knoxigations unit, ‘Stories of the World and its People’, Year 4 learnt and applied their historical and geographical skills to investigate a specific explorer, their journeys and discoveries. Through the inquiry, the boys began to understand how exploration changed our world.

As educators, we are always looking for ways to improve the learning experience of our students. To support that notion, an addition to our unit was the use of Google Earth as a platform to showcase student learning. Google Earth allowed the students to map their explorer’s journey interactively, highlighting major events experienced by their explorer as well as describing the challenges faced. One of the most pleasing aspects of the task was how the boys embraced the challenge of trying something new. For many, using Google Earth was at times challenging, however through investigating and embracing the challenge, the boys were able to navigate the platform and increase their digital capability.

Google Earth allowed the boys to see landmarks which hold an important place in our world’s history. From the Dig Tree of Burke and Wills to the mouth of Cocklebiddy Cave, to Cape Denison in Antarctica to The Silk Road in China, all places are accessible via the use of Google Earth. The interactive nature of Google Earth allowed the students place themselves in the shoes of the explorers and to conceptualise the expedition they endured.

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SPECIALIST LEARNING AND YEAR 5 CAMP Mr Jared Rastall, Year 5 Team Leader The ‘Renaissance Years’ is a new initiative in Year 5 and a substantial extension of the da Vinci program.

In addition to specific groupings for Mathematics and Reading, our boys are grouped for Science, Music, Japanese and PE, based on their next steps of learning. For many of our boys, this is their first experience of specialist lessons and our focus has been on supporting them in their transition to these new and exciting lessons. Across all performance bands, our boys are enthusiastically sharing their understanding during discussions and confidently asking for help. They are building on their understanding of our Knoxigations units in an environment that appropriately supports and challenges them. The boys are enjoying the responsibility of managing their own timetable and belongings and they are also relishing in the opportunity to meet and work with boys from across the year group.

YEAR 5 FATHER-SON CAMP A highlight of the year, the Year 5 Father-Son Camp was a great success. The rain on Friday night didn’t exactly quell the summer heat, but our brave boys and their dads soldiered on; many experiencing a night in a tent for the very first time. Some reprieve in the morning meant the boys enjoyed participating in an activity with their dad including sailing, stand up paddle boarding, archery and rock climbing, but the clouds only held so long before the heavens opened up and the mad dash to the cars began. It was an exciting four days of adventure, challenges and friendship building.

We know that all the boys came home with wonderful stories to share of bravery, perseverance and teamwork.

YEAR 6 ‘LIKE TO MOVE IT!’ Mrs Nicola Sharp Year 6 Team Leader The Year 6 Musical, ‘Memories of Musicals’, was an exciting way to culminate the first term of 2021! The Music Department creatively devised a plan to ensure the boys could get on stage, and drawing on the rich history from Knox Prep past productions, resulted in a fabulous walk down memory lane. Students performed excerpts from a variety of musicals and each class delighted the audience with their singing and dancing from ‘Oliver’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Madagascar’, ‘The Lion King’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ and ‘Seussical Jr’.

The costumes and choreography lit up the stage and it was simply wonderful to see all 178 students on stage across the matinee and two evening performances. In between each class item, a very talented group of students recreated scenes from some of these musicals.

It was a delight to witness the talent of the soloists, small singing group and actors.

I would like to share with you some student reflections:

I found it to be fun because we could dress up in costumes to perform as well as watch other classes do their musical items. The costumes were entertaining as they were often equipped with props such as plastic leaves and lots of makeup that made everyone look funny. However, they were cleverly designed so that each class looked like an actual character from their musical.

Stepping on stage in front of many peers and parents not only made me nervous, but also made me think about the guts and nerves required to be a lead. Our Year 6 motto ‘Step It Up’ was really displayed in this show, all inside a blend of enthusiasm, courage and interest.

– Ben Zhou, 6N

This wonderful production inspired students and provided us with a real opportunity to perform in front of an audience. This production challenged many boys to perform and conquer their fears. It was a breathtaking production that included challenges and much joy.

During the musical, I liked dancing on the stage with all my classmates and just enjoying the moment.

What challenged me the most was getting organised and not letting the anticipation and excitement overcome me.

– Denny Yu, 6H

– Ojas Gupta, 6N

– Nathan Xie, 6C

The thing that I enjoyed most about the Year 6 Musical was watching and listening to all the other performances in the musical. In particular, I enjoyed I Like to Move it from ‘Madagascar’.

Something that challenged me in this musical was learning all the lyrics and dance moves in such a short amount of time.

When you walk on stage and the blinding lights fall on you, it is an experience you will never forget. Then, you start delivering the songs you’ve rehearsed and just sing - it is truly an amazing experience. I also found being backstage enjoyable because you see everyone else do their part and have fun with others.

– Sean Twining, 6C

– Jack Gibbons, 6N

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KNOX PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Memories

OF MUSICALS

MR ASHLEY GEORGE Director

COVID-19 restrictions posed many issues for our Year 6 Musical. When planning for the show in January, we could not sing or dance in large or mixed groups, so taking on a musical seemed out of the question. So, for the first time, we looked to our past to draw on a performance. Within the guidelines, we have been able to sing as a class, so we decided to choose songs from musicals we have performed over the last 10 years.

Knox Prep has a rich history of producing shows which go back to the School’s founding days. This year, we included an amalgamation of past productions from ‘Oliver’, ‘Seussical Jr’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and ‘Peter Pan’ to name a few. It became more about what not to perform but for me, it was a reflection of just how far we have come from the early performance in the Prep School 18

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Auditorium to our first performance in the Wenkart Theatre in the Senior School.

Our goal has always been to give boys in Year 6 an experience of what it is like to perform on stage. I want to thank some key people who have been there from the start including Ms Ali Irwin who has costumed over 1,500 boys over the last 10 years, and to Mrs Rebeccah Morris and Mrs Kate Paull who have also contributed to the success of this musical and past productions. To all the stage managers, choreographers, lighting and sound people - thank you for your service and involvement in giving the boys the best experience of performing on stage. Theatre should be for everyone and the memories the boys gained will hopefully be with them for a lifetime.

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LIFE AT KNOX

CO-CURRICULAR

Visual Arts

Ceramics Club allows students to demonstrate their own individual style as they investigate a range of hand-building techniques to create sculptures, pots, cups and vases.

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MR TIM OWERS Assistant Head of Visual Arts

In recent years, we have implemented a number of Co-Curricular programs within the Visual Arts which have been designed to extend students’ practical and theoretical learning beyond the curriculum.

The programs allow students to develop skills in specialised media areas according to their interests, and explore realms of the Visual Arts that are not always possible in a classroom context. We have been incredibly pleased to see so many students engage with these opportunities and extend their passion for Art.

ART CLUBS Art Clubs offer practical learning in a specific media area on a term-by-term basis. Examples of these media areas have included photography and digital media, drawing, ceramics, and mural design. Dedicating time to a nominated medium allows students to build upon skills gained in the Visual Arts classroom. They are exposed to a broad range of complex techniques and experimental approaches in order to develop a deep understanding of the art form.

The Art Clubs also allow for greater autonomy in the creation of their artworks. Students are often given choice as to what they create, and the teachers are able to give advice and feedback to help them realise their ideas. This ability to experiment and refine ideas builds the students’ levels of creativity and critical thinking skills.

YOUNG CURATORS Young Curators is an initiative of 3:33 Art Projects; a program that enables a small group of students to partner with a leading Australian artist in order to curate an exhibition of the artist’s work. Knox students have had the privilege of working with artists such as Jasper Knight and Reg Mombassa. Students are provided with a range of unique experiences that help them develop an understanding of the artist and the art world, as well as the demands of curating an exhibition. Experiences have included visiting the artist’s studio, viewing their public exhibitions and meeting esteemed art collectors.

The program culminates in students selecting a number of works by the artist to be displayed at Knox. The boys orchestrate all aspects of the exhibition, including artwork order and layout, designing a catalogue and developing promotional material.

Young Curators brings the role of the artist to life.

The ability to engage with renowned practicing artists provides valuable insight into the profession and all that the role entails. Students are also exposed to alternative roles in the industry, such as curatorship. They are given an authentic experience of curating an exhibition, that requires them to form connections between artworks and their audience for the purpose of the school exhibition.

We are privileged to have been given this opportunity through 3:33 Art Projects, and look forward to seeing what 2021’s Knox Young Curators put together.

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LIFE AT KNOX

DOMINIC CUTRONE Year 12 student

As someone who has frequently engaged in acting opportunities at Knox, for example taking Drama as a subject and playing Algernon Moncrieff in Knox’s production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, it has quickly become my passion. Although the disappointment of the cancellation of the live performance of this play due to the pandemic was disheartening, I still wanted to pursue the experience of performing to a live audience. After speaking with Mr Griffiths, he encouraged me to audition for Knox’s musical production of ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

The musical was something I’d never experienced before nor did I expect to ever experience. However, it quickly became something I grew to enjoy a

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lot throughout rehearsals and the final performances. The nerves of singing for the first time in front of much more experienced cast members was quite frightening in the beginning but through the voice training of Ms Bruce, I actually learned how to sing. The musical was highly professional, the facilities like the green room and the technology of the Wenkart Theatre was truly an honour to work within.

This musical allowed me to make new friends from different schools. The linking

of the older years and the younger years working together also provided me with the opportunity to be a role model for some of the younger participants.

As I reflect on this experience, while my acting and singing in front of a crowd was extremely nerve-racking at first, it was also something I enjoyed every minute of.

I believe ‘Beauty and the Beast’ has been the best Knox musical to date and I’m thankful that I had the courage to attend that first audition.

The resilience, gallantry and sheer energy of the young people who performed are the greatest achievements of this production.

– Mr Michael Griffiths, Director and Choreographer

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LIFE AT KNOX

Exploring the Global Issues IN GEOGRAPHY

MR ELLIS KINNAIRD Geography Teacher

Our global future supply of chocolate is in jeopardy!

With demand ramping up and sustainability and growing conditions becoming worse, it seems that cacao farmers are taking more and more shortcuts in their production of chocolate.

Will the Easter egg be replaced? Will Valentine’s Day irrevocably change? The Year 10 Global Issues class wanted to find out.

This was the reason why the newly created elective course, ‘Global Issues in Geography’ went on an excursion to the factory of Adora Handmade Chocolates in Marrickville. Students wanted to investigate claims and find out how much truth there is to the above claims.

At the factory, owner Tina Angelidis kindly offered to explain, in detail, the processes of manufacturing chocolate, from farm to

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consumption. With her vast knowledge, expertise and experience, Tina gave an extremely informative talk. She explained all the processes it takes to produce the chocolate and the environmental, social and economic impacts this has. It was, however, difficult to concentrate at times due to the wonderful aromas of white, milk and dark chocolate wafting throughout the building.

This excursion allowed students to be immersed in the world of chocolate and gave them an insight into an everyday food which is often overlooked and taken for granted.

– Mr Richard Crighton, Head of Geography

There are some positive and negative attributes of cacao production. Some of the negative impacts include child slavery, minimal wages and monoculture in rainforest environments.

Recent estimates by the Washington Post show that up to two million children under the age of 15 work in cacao plantations worldwide. This removes them from any education which, in turn, limits their opportunities later in life as their numeracy and literacy skills are limited. In addition, up to 70% of rainforest deforestation in the Ivory Coast has occurred because of cacao plantations. Finally, on a positive note, cacao growth contributed $3.58 billion USD to the Ivory Coast in 2019.

While students were learning this information, they were able to taste different types of chocolate. Tastings on the menu for the day included raw cacao beans, chocolate truffles, chocolate buds and even homemade marshmallows. Students were given a sample box too, which, for some, didn’t quite make it home!

“It was interesting to see the stages that goes into the chocolate business but I was surprised at the negative impacts cacao production has on rainforests,” said Niall Yeowell (Y10).

needs to be acknowledged and managed in the future. We, as consumers, can make active decisions, which involves treating people and the environment fairly by purchasing chocolates which come from sustainable sources. Logos such as Fairtrade go a long way into fixing this but ultimately, we need to pay more for our sweet tooth so everyone gets a living wage.

While chocolate production provides an income for millions worldwide, it does place pressure on natural ecosystems. This is something which

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LIFE AT KNOX

2021 ANNUAL

Field Exercise NICHOLAS SHANNON Year 12 student, 2IC of the Cadet Unit

With more than 50 percent of the Unit having not previously been on AFX, the lead up to the camp was filled with both nerves and excitement. Senior Platoons worked incredibly hard to design and construct challenging and enjoyable exercises with all cadets learning new skills, overcoming challenges and enjoying camaraderie and mateship – Emma Woodcock, Year 12 Ravenswood student Senior Cadet Under Officer

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Over the course of the last week of Term 1, 1,200 students from Knox and Ravenswood travelled to Marrangaroo Army Base in the Newnes State Forest to the north of Lithgow to conduct the Annual Field Exercise (AFX).

For the past several months, staff and senior cadets have planned various activities, hikes and outlines for the operations of one of the largest field exercises ever run by the Unit.

The Advance Party (consisting of roughly 40 students) arrived prior to the official start of camp to help assist in setting up and preparing for the arrival of the main group. This included establishing the Command Post, preparing camping and activity sites and installing required equipment needed to ensure the smooth running of the AFX. While the start of camp was delayed due to weather, the Advance Party took the opportunity to check and recheck that all prepared activities would be safe and enjoyable for all participants.

With the AFX situated in a relatively new location, all cadets were excited for the challenge that awaited them.

The cadets had the rare opportunity to hike to the Lost City, a large series of rock platforms surrounded by regrowth.

Across the entire camp, recruits partook

in different activities, aimed at bringing them out of their comfort zones while collaborating with peers, and creating lifelong memories in the process. Most activities were student-led, providing older students from both schools with the experience of leadership and activity management. A number of the recruits, who reflected on their experiences of camp, described the mud obstacle course and the high ropes activity as the highlights of their camp experience.

Elsewhere, Alpha Company (a senior company consisting of experienced cadets) operated in a separate large area, allowing them to conduct many exercises to test the skills they had learnt over the past terms. ‘Operation Groundwork’ taught cadets specialist skills such as code breaking, shelter building and tactical night movements. Leading on

from this, Alpha Company participated in several other exercises consisting of tactical movement at night and equipment collection. Operating over such a large area of operations permitted Alpha to run ‘Operation Oracle’, a 1.5 day exercise where different platoons within the company competed for territory and items.

On the whole, the AFX for 2021 was a great success. Such a challenging camp would have been impossible without the assistance and experience of a committed cohort of the staff and we thank them for all their effort.

Interested in more...

View the Cadets video www.knox.nsw.edu.au/ cadet-video

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LIFE AT KNOX

Senior Sport

SUMMER WRAP UP

MR MARTIN HAYWOOD Head of Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy Given so much was thrown at our boys in recent times, particularly around COVID-19, and so much uncertainty leading into the summer season, the School and the Sports Academy could not be more proud of the many wonderful achievements of our boys. Our regular preseason was hampered with so much doubt and many boys and coaches wondered whether we would, in fact, have a CAS season. However, the boys and coaches showed immense maturity, resilience and knuckled down to some serious hard work and a lot of fun. As we reflect back, we have to ask ourselves - who has ever experienced a pre-season on Zoom!

When opportunities did open up, it was particularly pleasing to see our new students experience sport for the first time wearing the Black and Blue … and they were all absolutely

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brilliant. The Year 7 boys also enjoyed the Knox Swimming Trials for the first time followed by the Year 7 House Athletic event whilst also starting their summer sport experience.

Unfortunately, weather played its part and many boys playing outdoor sports were severely impacted through Term 1, 2021.

Whilst I am extremely proud of the efforts and performances of all boys of all levels of ability across all codes, it would be remiss not to congratulate the CAS Premierships from summer 2020-21.

Our First Water Polo team also won another premiership for the second consecutive year, winning the CAS title undefeated - the Len Nixon Shield.

Our First Basketball team have now won three CAS titles in a row (with this season shared with Trinity Grammar School). This was the ninth time Knox has won the Rev Fr A.V. Smith CAS Shield.

Our Knox Chess team also managed to win the CJS Purdy Trophy for the fourth consecutive year and this was the eleventh time overall Knox has been crowned champions of CAS.

KNOX PREP SPORT MR MARK HITCHINER Knox Prep Sports Coordinator Knox Prep boys have achieved some impressive milestones in their sporting endeavours, with several representing the School at the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA), Combined Independent Schools (CIS) and the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) events as well as interschool competition. Our boys have been busy doing their best!

Our First Table Tennis squad won the Independent Schools’ Competition. This is their second win in three years and the boys continue to impress under the guidance of coach, Ms Amy Chen.

Our CAS Swimming team managed their fifth consecutive CAS title in March. This amazing team broke nine records and numerous personal bests. Put simply, the team is simply unstoppable. The strength of this squad is the depth of the talent, and together with the support of the reserves, continues to push this group to amazing heights. The culture in this squad is a true testament to an amazing group of Year 12 students. Thanks and well done to all boys in this squad. Knox won the Thyne Challenge Shield winning 46 of the evening’s 69 swimming events, achieving 563 points.

Mountain Biking managed a great season and the squad won the overall championship (known as Independent Schools’ Inter-schools Competition or Greg Whealing Cup), as well as the Junior and Senior divisions. Knox finished on 593 points.

Other First teams that had an amazing summer season include: Baseball 2nd place, Tennis 2nd place, Volleyball 2nd place, Golf 2nd place, Cricket 3rd place and Diving 3rd place. Congratulations to all involved.

Go the Black and Blue!

The Flippa Ball boys in Years 3 and 4 have been developing their skills ready for their step up to Water Polo. Our Fencing program is continually growing with more than 40 boys participating. The Tennis program is also growing with a 6th and 7th team added as well as a development squad for the Years 3 and 4 boys. Some teams to watch in the second half of the year are our Touch Football 1sts who are currently undefeated; Cricket 1sts are also undefeated and in Basketball, the Knox 5ths, 8ths and 14th teams hold the undefeated title.

In recent representative trials, we had some great success.

All seven of the Football nominees for IPSHA made it through the first field of 100 players into the top 40, with Dominic Hayes, Finn Darke and Sean Twining (Football Captain) making it to the CIS Football Championships.

Thomas Schubert and William Cassar were successful in their pursuit of a spot in the CIS team at the PSSA AFL Championships. In Basketball, both Freddie O’Hara and William Cassar were selected for the IPSHA representative team with William being selected to represent CIS at the PSSA Basketball Championships.

In the pool we saw a 20 year old record broken by the Burns House relay team at the House Swimming Carnival. At the PSSA Swimming Championships, our Knox 4 x 50m freestyle relay team comprising of Finn Morton (Swimming Captain), Lukas Dunn, Freddie O’Hara and Christopher Montana broke the previous set record with a time of 1min 57.50 sec.

Coming in to the Track and Field season, we had some wonderful performances at the IPSHA Cross Country with Owen Dixon taking out first place by a huge margin in the 12 years race. Our 12 years team were the first over the line and will now go on to represent IPSHA at the CIS Cross Country Championships.

Congratulations to all boys for their hard work in their sporting endeavours which has helped provide an enormously successful semester of sport.

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A HOME AT SCHOOL

AN ACTION-PACKED START

for our boarders

STAGE 4 Mr James Norman, Head of Stage 4 Boarding Moving into boarding is no easy feat, but the Year 7 students this year really took it all in their stride, embracing the transition with spirit, determination, and a sense of fun. I commend our Year 8 boys on being such wonderful, welcoming mentors to all our new students, and being excellent examples of what it means to be a Knox boarder.

We started this term with many of our traditional events and activities albeit with some tweaking. Cinema trips were replaced with in-house movie nights complete with pizza and games. We celebrated Chinese New Year together and Shrove Tuesday (with pancakes!) and it was fabulous for our boys to share their culture and traditions amongst the group.

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As a community, we were blessed to attend as a whole, the Boarders’ Chapel and Formal Dinner which was last held in November 2019. At this event we acknowledged our boarders including Jock Carolan (Y7) and Jimmy Irons (Y8) who both received House Manager’s Awards and Jack Wilson (Y8) as our ConneXions recipient.

Aside from our boarders attending Years 7 and 8 Camps respectively, we held ‘Invite a Day Boy to Dinner’ evenings which our boys thoroughly enjoyed. We hope that evenings like this will help our boarding students foster day school friendships, and, in turn, encourage them to engage in weekend leave with their day school peers.

We’ve also been helping our boys foster outside friendships through socials with Pymble Ladies’ College. So far we’ve been both guests and hosts to trivia nights with Pymble and hope to plan similar activities with other schools across Sydney. These events are excellent

opportunities for our boys to practise talking and socialising with girls, as well as broadening their friendships and support networks with fellow boarders who themselves come from all over NSW and overseas. We have found that having a wide support network is important for our boarders to flourish whilst at Knox, and to develop and maintain strong wellbeing. Within the Boarding House, we have also been holding designated ‘Student Wellbeing Sessions’ under the guidance of Wellbeing Leader, Mrs Sarah Glassie. These sessions have been an excellent opportunity for the boys to discuss issues such as connection and belonging within a safe and supportive boarding context.

STAGE 5 Mr James Maloney, Head of Stage 5 Boarding This year has continued the tradition of providing our Stage 5 boarders will opportunities to excel in every aspect of their education: academic, social, spiritual, sporting, co-curricular and emotional.

With the aim to help boys create even more special memories of their time in boarding, the following are some of the significant events and outings that they took part in:

STAGE 6

The Welcome Dinner for Years 9 and 10 was held at the Jai Ho Indian Restaurant in Turramurra. The night was a true highlight for many with “some of the best butter chicken ever” being served. It was a wonderful opportunity for the boys to step out of the Boarding House for the first time in 12 months and we welcomed Year 9 Team Leader, Mr Julien Manuel, to the dinner who enjoyed getting to know the boarders better outside of the normal school day.

Mr Adam Shaw, Head of Stage 6 Boarding

The annual AFX Camp for our boarders who are in Cadets was a wonderful opportunity for them to step outside of their comfort zone and push their limits. Friendships were forged and strengthened through the team activities and the boys certainly grew a lot during this week – just not physically but mentally, socially and emotionally as well. The Year 10 Outdoor Education Challenge Camp in the Snowy Mountains also took place and the boarders taking part enjoyed some wonderful scenery whilst hiking. They, too, were pushed to test their limits and we have also seen significant growth in these young men.

Year 11 boys have been praised by the staff as they’ve settled into their new rooms.

Consistency has been their theme, and it has meant that both boys and staff can instead start strongly in Stage 6 with a focus on improving collaboration and group sessions with tutors which will bode them well for Year 12.

In the final week of term, an exciting time for many was the opportunity to swap rooms. For some, this was not about changing to a different room but also the chance to share a room with another boarder.

The boys are always excited to see who their new roommate is and look forward to forming new friendships and connections.

The Stage 6 boys arrived back in the Senior Boarding Centre, Knox Boarding Centre Level 5, and Gillespie Heritage House with an overwhelmingly positive attitude and have fallen back into their routine seamlessly. It was wonderful to have parents in and around the Boarding House at the end of January which was something that has been missed.

We have been able to come together as a community and engage in some outings and events. As part of the Chinese New Year period, Year 11 visited the Red Chilli Sichuan Restaurant in Chatswood and we commend the number of international boarders who were instrumental in putting together the menu. It was a special evening to watch them share this with their regional peers. We have

also socialised with other school communities including an evening at the Thornleigh Golf Driving Range with Loreto Normanhurst for an evening of golf and pizza.

Year 12 have returned with intent, and the academic prep sessions have been of the highest quality. The highlight of the term was the Year 12 ConneXions Camp at Chowder Bay. It was a streamlined, but action packed program, with a focus on building upon our sense of community as well as focusing on strengths and the resilience skills necessary to navigate Year 12. It was a phenomenal weekend and a lot of fun with the inclusion of raft building, stand up paddling, a group fitness session and an Ice Bath Challenge.

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Social Justice MRS HELEN CLARKE

WOMEN’S DAY ASSEMBLY

Head of Diversity, Justice and Stewardship

Social Justice for 2021 continues to challenge our students and we warmly welcomed new committee members at the Co-Curricular Expo that was held at the start the year.

Our Social Justice leaders, led by Senior Prefect Charlie Herdman (Y12), were impressed by the insights and enthusiasm of the Year 7 students who are now regular members. The Social Justice Club, which meets each Friday at lunchtime, has sub committees that focus on issues such as homelessness, recycling with

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a purpose, human rights and ethical choices, disability support, sustainability and community connections. All boys are encouraged to be aware, advocate for and be active in their support of these key focus areas.

We welcomed former Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace (pictured above) to to this assembly who shared her experiences as a woman in the NSW Police.

Her experiences highlighted the challenges she faced in a male dominated work force, but also the support and respect she received from many of her male colleagues.

Her experiences in some of the most challenging issues in policing led to her nickname ‘the gang buster’. Afterwards, senior boys attended a lunch with her and had the opportunity to ask questions.

We thank Deb for her candid approach which both challenged and inspired the boys.

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARRAMATTA MISSION Our new partnership with Parramatta Mission is an important avenue for the Knox community to support the work of the Uniting Church. Mr Davyn De Brun, the Mission’s Partnerships and Engagement Officer, addressed the Social Justice Club and spoke of the many ways we can support their work amongst the marginalised in our society. Please keep an eye out for future initiatives.

SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL INCLUSION ASSEMBLY

WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE Our annual World’s Greatest Shave event was again an overwhelming success. There were over 50 boys and seven staff who participated and as a community we raised over $48k to spread awareness and raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation. We thank Greg and Karim from That Barber Shop in Wahroonga for their continued support and Tony from Frank’s Barber in Gordon. Congratulations to all involved that placed Knox as the fifth ranked fundraising school.

We launched our annual events at this assembly and celebrated the diversity of our School community.

Acknowledgements of Country in Farsi, Japanese and Gamilaroi languages highlighted our community’s diverse respect and reconciliation with Aboriginal cultures and histories. Alex Goh (Y12) is a boarder from Hong Kong and he shared his experiences of living and learning in Australia. He spoke of the challenges to study remotely under COVID-19 restrictions, undertaking quarantine and the long separation from his family. His courageous attitude highlighted the contribution of our international students to our community.

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Old Knox Grammarians’ Association Founded in 1929, The Old Knox Grammarians’ Association was created for the perpetuation of memories, maintenance of friendship, enrichment of Old Boys and support of the School.

The Association is a group of over 10,000 members, all of whom share the common experience of having attended Knox.

This section of the The Thistle was prepared by the Old Knox Grammarians’ Association.

IMAGE ABOVE Anzac Service 2021 - OKGA President, Rob Johnson (OKG78) with Prep School Captain, Benas Lu

STAYING IN TOUCH OKGA Office Telephone: +61 2 9487 0419 Email: okga@knox.nsw.edu.au www.okga.org.au PO Box 5008 Wahroonga, NSW 2076 AUSTRALIA

SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/OKGAssociation twitter.com/OKGA_online instagram.com/oldknoxgrammarians linkedin.com/school/knox-grammar-school

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President’s Report

ROB JOHNSON (OKG78) President OKGA

As the first six months of 2021 come to a close, I am delighted to be able to report that we can now meet regularly and hold functions which enable the Old Boy Community to come together again. 2020 threw up many challenges and 2021 did not start off so well with the floods which inundated NSW and Queensland and Cyclone Seroja which hit Western Australia. I trust the members of the Knox community are safe and have been able to, literally, weather the storms.

Should you need some form of assistance or have been impacted as a result of these weather events, please do not hesitate to contact the OKGA Office to discuss what assistance might be available.

COMMUNITY OLD BOYS FOR OLD BOYS Over the past few months, our Old Boys for Old Boys Program has been one of our key focus areas. This Program, formerly known as the OKGA Benevolence Program, has been operating for more than six years, and exists for the sole purpose of supporting Old Boys doing it tough.

To ensure we can continue to provide this service well into the future and it becomes the bedrock of our Association, the subcommittee, chaired by Rob Tulloch (OKG75) has developed a strategic plan covering the operational and funding aspects of the Program.

Old Boys get back together again. If you missed out on your reunion last year, or you are due to have your reunion this year, go to page 43 to see the plans for your reunion.

The next big event for us will be the Thistle Sports Lunch to be held on 8 October 2021 at the Kirribilli Club. As the Olympics was also postponed, we are theming this lunch as an Olympics lunch and we have invited a number of ex-Olympian Old Boys to join us for a panel discussion. Tickets will be available for sale on our website early in Term 3 and funds raised from this function will go towards the Old Boys for Old Boys Program and the Affiliated Clubs.

As a first event for this year, now that we can meet face to face, the OKGA hosted a private screening of the movie Penguin Bloom on 18 April and we were lucky enough to have Cameron Bloom (OKG89) and his wife Sam join us for a Q&A facilitated by Gus Worland (OKG86) following the screening. Sam and Cam were so incredibly generous and open in discussing their challenges and successes so far. It was such an inspiration to meet them and hear from them in person. Thanks must also go to Gus Worland for giving up his time to join us and to add his wit and a small amount of larrikinism to the afternoon. All funds raised from this event have gone to the Old Boys for Old Boys Program.

Thanks to all the members of the community who were able to join us.

We also had a tremendous response from OKGA members who were unable to attend the screening of Penguin Bloom indicating strong support, both financial and in kind, for the Old Boys for Old Boys program. We greatly appreciate these offers as we continue to harness the goodwill of our community.

See page 37 for more details about this Program and the recent community event.

CONNECTIVITY REUNIONS AND EVENTS As all reunions and events from 2020 were postponed or cancelled, it means we now have a very full calendar of events in 2021 where our reunion organisers can catch up from last year and finally hold their reunions from the ‘0 and ‘5 year groups together with the scheduled ‘6 and ‘1 year groups. We are looking forward to hearing from all these groups and seeing the

Our Clubs continue to thrive and grow. The Old Knoxonians’ Cricket Club brought home the Jack Pace Shield again this year and the Knox United Football Club and the Knox Rugby Club are enjoying more normal seasons after an interrupted year in 2020.

I am also pleased to note that we have a new OKGA Volleyball team which has been set up by 2019 leaver Craig Xu. While it is a fledgling club at the moment, we are keen to support this group in developing an additional opportunity for Old Boys to get together.

SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL The OKGA has continued to work with the School to deliver careers presentations via Zoom, maintaining the effective format adopted as a result of last year’s COVID-19 constraints.

Following those sessions we reported on in the previous edition of The Thistle (Dec 2020), we have co-hosted sessions featuring Old Boy guest presenters in Information Technology, Allied Health, Medicine and the Defence Forces.

OKGA WEBSITE The OKGA launched a revised website home page in January. This “re-skin” should make it easier to navigate entry to the site, and enables us to more effectively communicate with our community. The old Business Directory and Mentor modules of the site have also been upgraded, and are now contained within the one Business Networking Hub. I encourage all Old Boys to update their details (which can be done in your online profile) and use the Hub to search for suppliers by industry when you are looking for products or services. This is a tangible way of supporting the Old Boy community.

CONTINUITY In line with the strengthening of the operations and governance of the Benevolence Trust Fund, the Finance Sub-committee, chaired

by Hon Treasurer David Sharp (OKG78), has undertaken an investment review and developed a fresh Investment Management Policy. With the help of Chris Hindmarsh (OKG80) a more comprehensive document has been developed and the provision of the investment manager services has been reviewed.

This undertaking will ensure the funds invested on behalf of the OKGA and its members are secured for the long-term benefit of all members.

The OKGA Committee has been bolstered by the addition of Chris Wright (OKG02) and Ed Colyer (OKG13). Chris and Ed have hit the ground running and are actively involved in a number of sub-committees and OKGA initiatives.

OKGA 2020 ANNUAL REVIEW The OKGA’s 2020 Annual Review – released in March – provides a detailed account of our activities and highlights the hard work of our volunteers and community members in 2020.

We hope this report inspires you to become more involved in the OKGA and discover the opportunities and benefits which come from being an active community member.

Visit https://okga.org.au/#okgaannualreview to download the Review online and/or contact the office to request a printed copy to be posted to you.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for future publications.

I want to thank all Old Boys for their ongoing support and engagement with us as we work to build the relevance and value of the OKGA. We are always pleased to hear from anyone who would like to join a sub-committee in an area of interest without the full commitment of being a member of the OKGA General Committee.

If you would like to be involved in any of the OKGA activities or projects please contact me at president@okga.org.au or Sarah Gregory in the office on okga@knox.nsw.edu.au.

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Senior Knoxonians AGM AND MEMBERS’ LUNCHEON 28 APRIL 2021, WARRAWEE BOWLING CLUB

Feature Image: President Ian Frame (OKG64) addresses members of the Senior Knoxonians at the Annual General Meeting Above: David Buckwalter (OKG62), who served in the Infantry in Vietnam, delivering a keynote speech and sharing stories from his youth and National Service; Warwick Doughty (OKG67) in foreground.

Below: John Gibson (Honorary Member) following an interview with Ian MacPherson (OKG55) for the Senior Knoxonians; pictured with President, Ian Frame

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Below: OKGA Vice-President Bruce Craig (OKG77) with newly elected Honorary Treasurer of the Senior Knoxonians, Ian King (OKG69)

Old Boys FOR OLD BOYS To support Old Boys doing it tough and to raise awareness of the Old Boys for Old Boys Program, the OKGA hosted a private screening of the movie, Penguin Bloom on 18 April.

More than 200 members of the Knox Community attended the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Cremorne where they heard Cam Bloom (OKG89) and his wife, Sam, share their very personal story of heartbreak, love and triumph with Gus Worland (OKG86), founder of Gotcha4Life.

The Program is a free service with each case treated in the strictest of confidence with the aim of assisting the person find the support services they need. To date, we have helped more than 70 Old Boys or their families through significant challenges including:

The aim of the Program, which commenced in 2014 (as the OKGA Benevolence Fund) is to make a significant difference to the lives of Old Boys in tough times to achieve a positive outcome. Program Manager, Julie Davis, has a depth of experience in social work, case management, grief and loss support, family and youth advocacy, child protection, addiction and substance abuse work and counselling. Her work is supplemented by the pro bono work of a number of Old Boys who provide legal, medical, financial, psychological or other professional services and advice.

• Loss of family members;

• Mental health issues; • Drug, alcohol and gambling addiction; • Various serious medical conditions including Early-onset Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, PTSD and various cancers; • Assisting elderly Old Boys with no family through the aged care system; • Family breakdown; • Veterans’ support.

The Program is supported financially and operationally by the OKGA and through donations and offers of assistance from Old Boys and their families.

Feature Image L-R Jamie Thomson (OKG86), Gus Worland (OKG86), Cam Bloom (OKG89) and Andrew Wines (OKG87) with Sam Bloom

Interested in making a donation?

For those wishing to make a donation to the Old Boys for Old Boys Program please visit: https://okga.org.au/#donate

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News and Events OF OLD BOYS

DAVID M SCOTT (OKG80) David M Scott (OKG80) was awarded an OAM in the General Division for service to medicine, particularly to anaesthetics, in the Australia Day Honours of January 2021.

LUKE PARKS (OKG19) Luke Parks (OKG19) made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 3 of the AFL 2021 Premiership Season at the MCG. When asked about the moment he heard the words ‘You’re playing this week’ from Carlton Coach, David Teague, Luke said,“My heart just dropped... it felt like my brain came out of my body for a second. You think about it all through school and all through life, and that’s the moment, you’re going to do it. I was absolutely ecstatic.”

While Luke did not play AFL for Knox in his final years at school (he played North East Australian Football League for the Swans, Senior Football for the North Shore Bombers on Saturday and representative football with The Allies), he gives credit to the School’s program and his Knox coaches from his earlier years.

Image below: Fifteen Old Boys dropped everything with three days’ notice to be in Melbourne for Luke’s debut.

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JASON MCILWAINE (OKG11) AND PHIL LAGUDI (OKG13) Jason and Phil, friends from School, started a new business delivering pre-packaged fruit and vegetable boxes during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Sydney. As their first deliveries were well received, the pair progressively started buying and selling produce on more days throughout the week.

They have not skipped a beat since, constantly exploring new ways to grow Produce Drop. With a fun and youthful brand, Jason and Phil are creating excitement about what varieties of fresh produce are available.

BRAEDEN CAMPBELL (OKG19) Braeden made his debut for the Sydney Swans in Round 1 of the 2021 AFL Premiership Season. One week later, in his second game for the Swans, Braeden was nominated the NAB AFL Rising Star of the week.

The midfielder, and former member of the Sydney Swans Academy, was also a part of the School’s sports program, Pathways for Elite Athletes at Knox (PEAK).

“The PEAK program broadened my knowledge about the importance of preparation before games and how it can positively influence my performance. There was a lot of work on resilience, mindfulness and reflection that I was able to add to my repertoire. More than anything, PEAK helped me to achieve balance in my final years at Knox in terms of managing my studies, training and travel associated with my sport,” Braeden said.

DREW BLAXLAND (OKG84) Drew Blaxland (OKG84), Director of Turbine and Engineering Services at the global energy company, SIMEC Atlantis Energy (Atlantis), is at the forefront of marine-based sustainable power generation. In January this year, thanks to a project managed by Drew’s team, Atlantis successfully installed a Scottish-built tidal turbine in Japan. The installation, a first for Japan, has been hailed a success, and remarkable achievement, particularly given obstacles to the turbine’s building program in Scotland because of COVID-19.

EDWARD HUMPHREY (OKG16) A portrait of the singer and activist, Stan Walker, by Edward Humphrey (OKG16), was one of 55 finalists in the 2020 Archibald Prize, and now part of the Archibald 2020 Touring Exhibition. Old Boys can see the portrait before the end of the tour in the regional galleries of Broken Hill, The Shoalhaven or Penrith. Image credit: The Art Gallery of NSW.

JAMIE BRIDGMAN (OKG65) On a special trip from Melbourne, Jamie visited the School late on the afternoon on 16 March to see his photo, which is on display outside The Lawson Centre. Accompanied by his wife Helen and sister Margaret Symington, mother of Robert (OKG02), Jamie met with the School’s Archivist, Julie Mason, and Director of Alumni Relations, Sarah Gregory, for a short tour of the Lawson precinct.

The archival photo of Jamie – featuring him competing at the CAS Athletics meet at the SCG in 1963 – appears on the display established in honour of Bill Lawson (as seen below).

MARK SCOTT AO (OKG80) Mark Scott will commence his new role as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney in July 2021. A former member of the Knox Grammar School Council, and past Managing Director of the ABC, Mr Scott will hold the same role vacated by Dr Michael Spence (OKG79) in January 2021.

Mr Scott said he was honoured to join one of the country’s most prestigious universities and one of the best in the world.

“The contribution universities make has never been more important and it is a great privilege to be given this opportunity to come back to the University of Sydney as Vice-Chancellor at such a critical time in the history of this iconic institution,” Mr Scott said.

His appointment follows more than four years leading the NSW Education Department.

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ANZAC MEMORIAL SERVICE On Sunday 2 May, Old Boys ranging in age from 19 to 83 years returned to the School to attend the OKGA Anzac Memorial Service. Many were supporting family members involved in the Ceremonial Parade of the Cadet Unit.

Above: Will Kablau (OKG19) and Camden Watt (OKG20) Below: Krishna Suresh (OKG17), Tim Hitchcock (OKG10), Richard La’Brooy (OKG10) and Matt Tracey (OKG03) Bottom: Malcolm MacGregor (OKG59) and Rick Hancock (OKG61)

OKGA

Clubs OLD KNOXONIANS’ CRICKET CLUB The Knox Old Boys’ Cricket Club brought home the Jack Pace Shield (JPS) on 7 March, defeating I Zingari in the final.

It is the fourth time the OKCC has taken out the Shield since the JPS City and Suburban competition commenced in 2005.

Above Harry Chapman (OKG15) received both the Kelynack Cross Shield and Bangs Family Players’ Player Award for season 2020/21.

Very well deserved for a great season on and off the field.

40

THE THISTLE 21 – ISSUE 01 JUNE

KNOX RUGBY CLUB BEN KOOYMAN (OKG95) Knox Rugby Club President Knox Rugby Club has had a big start to 2021 after a drastically affected 2020 and is moving ahead with a refreshed vision driven by an involved group of talented players and Committee.

We have welcomed the illustrious Ross Reynolds as Director of Rugby and 1st Grade Head Coach to fill the big shoes of the departing Jac Cameron (OKG11). Also joining our coaching ranks are Chuck Ardron to support the experience of Denis Kelliher, Mick Kelynack (OKG85), Harry Chapman (OKG15), Ashton Craig (OKG16), Scott Tunbridge (OKG79), Nick Nilsson (OKG86), Jack Blamey (OKG13), Henri Schmidt (OKG16) and Andy Cooper (OKG74). Heading up a significantly refreshed playing group as Club Captain, is half-back Andy Jones (OKG14), who consistently lives

and breathes club spirit with a maturity that belies his young age.

I have re-joined the Club as Committee President after my playing retirement in 2019, and as James Gellert (OKG07) completed his tenure. The Club would like to thank James for his incredible contribution of the past few years.

Jack Blamey, Liam Creeley (OKG12) and Pierce Richards (OKG12) have also joined the existing committee members who have worked tirelessly over summer to evolve our 3-year plan with three focus areas: • Building our Club – headed by Lachy Williams (OKG10); • Winning Off Field – headed by Oscar Alcock (OKG14); and • Winning On Field – headed by Ross Reynolds.

Competing in the NSWSRU Division 1 competition for our 17th straight year is a challenging and exciting time and we invite all down to Lofberg Oval to put on the boots or watch their mates showcase some great running rugby.

KNOX UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB DANIEL RAHME (OKG14) Knox United Football Club President For Season 2021, Knox United is fielding three new teams. The Club now has 10 teams and more than 150 registered players. This smashes the previous Club record of 127 players (set back in 2010)! With our continued junior expansion, and two new social teams – one entirely made up of 2020 graduates - the Club started the new season with excitement and enjoyed having a normal preseason in comparison to last year.

The Premier League squad are striving to rise up the table and to move further away from the relegation battle we found ourselves in, in the previous two years. With a strong preseason, the squad is confident we have taken steps forward, but a tough competition draw will test us.

OLD BOYS PIPE BAND The Knox Old Boys Pipe Band had its first engagement since the Wahroonga Village Fair of December 2019 on Sunday 18 April 2021, when they played at the Anzac Service for the Redfern RSL Sub Branch. Fellow Old Boy, Ben Close (OKG16) also played the Last Post and Reveille at the Service.

“It was nice to play for an appreciative group,” said Pipe Major, Allan Watts (OKG77).

The Redfern Anzac Service has been an annual engagement for the band since 1998, and the band is still practising on Sunday afternoons at 5pm.

The Band is always happy to welcome new members. Email Allan Watts admin@knoxoldboyspipeband.org.au to join the fun.

The O35s team will look to make it three premierships in a row after promotion to Division 3, as Tim Eastman (OKG02) and Mark Jennings (OKG95) lead the side once again. All four junior teams will be competing in their respective top divisions – Super Leagues – so it’s great to see junior football being offered at the highest level.

Above L-R: Ben Close (OKG16), Peter Doherty (OKG80), Mike Young (friend), Mark Broadhead (OKG91), Andrew Cheney (OKG11), Anthony Wicht (OKG98), Angus Stewart (OKG79), Ian Watts (OKG08) and Allan Watts (OKG77).

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OKGA

Clubs

Obituaries

CONTINUED

OKGA HISTORY DISCUSSION GROUP The OKGA History Discussion Group, hosted by former Knox teacher John Gibson, continues to meet regularly via Zoom. John started the year with a presentation on Australia’s progression from military autocracy to its first elected parliament, an extraordinary time in our nation’s history.

Special guest, Elena Timokhina, returned for her third presentation on the ‘Meaning of Time in Russian History’.

John Hall (OKG78), spoke about the history of edged weapons, from the development of metallurgy to the swords of the Napoleonic Period, from his home in London.

Most recently, and as a follow up to the Anzac Service for the OKGA, Paul Goodwin (OKG65) shared his father’s story, as told in his book, The Last Navigator: From the Queensland bush to Bomber Command and Pathfinders... a true story of courage and survival against the odds.

Above John Hall (OKG78) and a “curious sword” from the early 1800s.

42 THE THISTLE 21 – ISSUE 01 JUNE

ARTHUR W PARDEY (OKG42) 1924-2020 ANGUS HORDERN (OKG80) & ALEX LLOYD (OKG09) World War II airman, Arthur Pardey, was one of the youngest ever boarders at Knox Prep during the Great Depression, and would often dart into the teachers’ common room after morning tea to grab the remains of any biscuits or scones. He was trained to fly Spitfires, however he found the P-51 Mustang his fighter of choice. Arthur then fought off German air raids against England before being posted to the Desert Air Force to fight against the Axis powers.

Arthur is the last of our 12 veterans featured in the WWII For School and Country documentary miniseries, our first production. Arthur will be fondly remembered for his humour, infectious smile, love of community and, of course, his great service to our nation.

Lest We Forget.

RICHARD (DICK) A YELDHAM (OKG46) 1929-2021 WARREN NORRIS (OKG57) Dick, who passed away in a nursing home in Launceston, attended Knox from 1940-1946.

He served in the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in Korea from 1953-54, and was a Geography teacher at the School from 1960 to 1977, and in 1980. He was also actively involved in coaching Rugby. His brothers, Peter (OKG44) and David (OKG46), and two sons, Michael (OKG75) and John (OKG78), also attended Knox. His daughter Simone attended Abbotsleigh.

Announcements

Calendar

BIRTHS

DEATHS

17 JULY

Fletcher Benjamin Feil, son of Yelena and Jon Feil (OKG04) – 04/03/2021

The OKGA extends its sincere condolences on behalf of the Old Boy community to the families and friends of the following:

1975 Reunion – T he Pymble Hotel and Thai Naan, Chatswood 1976 Reunion – Rag & Famish 1991 Reunion – The Greenwood

Grace Amari Kemsley, daughter of Anidha and Kevin Kemsley (OKG07) – 15/12/2020 Alfred John Adrian Nelson, son of Becky Smith and Paul Nelson (OKG06) – 14/03/2021 Edward Liao, son of Linda and Lachlan Liao – 31/08/2020 Audrey Charlotte Michell–Lowe, daughter of Nicola Michell and Nick Lowe (OKG97) – 24/03/2021

Jan Alblas (OKG46) 11/07/1928 – 15/04/2021

24 JULY

David Spencer Chambers (OKG71) 29/12/1953 – 23/02/2021

2011 Reunion – The Greenwood

Robert (Bob) Anthony Crichton-Brown (OKG60) 29/07/1943 – 10/01/2021

1990 Reunion – The Greenwood

Leigh Gilder Dixon (OKG72) 26/03/1955 – 16/04/2021

1974 Reunion – Northbridge Golf Club

31 JULY 06 AUGUST 07 AUGUST

Jemima Robin Elsie Mackay, daughter of Jess and Stirling Mackay (OKG10) – 06/04/2021

Henry W Groves (OKG49) 20/11/1931 – 30/12/2020

Zoë Lea Mitchell, daughter of Jess and Rohan Mitchell (OKG11) – 30/03/2021

Edward Lee (OKG54) 05/03/1938 – 12/03/2021

14 AUGUST

Oliver Alexander Russell, son of Alice and Nathan Russell (OKG07) – 09/11/2020

Wallace John MacDonald (OKG56) 08/06/1939 – 31/12/2020

21 AUGUST

Oliver Peter Stobo, son of Laura and Matt Stobo (OKG09) – 23/11/2020

Campbell Morton McKinney (OKG51) 18/06/1934 – 16/12/2020

04 SEPTEMBER

Chelsea Alice Vaughan, daughter of Sarah Hedges and Matt Vaughan (OKG07) – 08/04/2021

Ian Cunningham McWhirter (OKG60) 22/12/1943 – 05/03/2021

18 SEPTEMBER

Olivia Alice Wrate, daughter of Jess and Tim Wrate (OKG02) – 10/01/2021

John Albion Mitchell (OKG55) 20/10/1937 – 28/04/2021

Lilah Adele Wright, daughter of Alyce and Chris Wright (OKG02) – 07/10/2020

John Craig Morrison (OKG47) 26/06/1931 – 20/03/2021

1961 Reunion – Warrawee

Arthur William Pardey (OKG42) 25/11/1924 – 31/12/2020

The Thistle Sports Lunch – The Kirribilli Club

Robert Eric Pratten (OKG59) 24/01/1942 – 26/12/2020

1970 Reunion – The Kirribilli Club 2010 Reunion – TBC

Christopher James Robinson (OKG60) 22/04/1944 – 12/01/2021

15 OCTOBER

Roger Arnott Scamps (OKG57) 02/07/1940 – 15/05/2021

16 OCTOBER

MARRIAGES Thomas (Tom) Ditchfield (OKG07) and Ash Ernst – 04/07/2020 Andrew Marsh (OKG07) and Maria Nenarokova – 24/03/2021 Ben Drury (OKG11) and Jess Pixley – 12/03/2021 Lachlan Learg (OKG07) and Karina Peters – 11/12/2020

John Drysdale Simpson (OKG49) 21/01/1932 – 09/12/2020

2015 Reunion – The Greenwood

1995 Reunion – The Buena Hotel, Mosman

2016 Reunion – The Greenwood

1985 Reunion – The Greenwood

2006 Reunion – The Greenwood

24 SEPTEMBER 08 OCTOBER 09 OCTOBER

1965 Reunion – Pymble Golf Club

1971 Reunion – Warrawee Bowling Club

23 OCTOBER

Phillip Francis Vale (OKG54) 31/05/1936 – 30/10/2020

1980 Reunion – The Greenwood

Berman Sidney White (OKG60) 07/01/1943 – 31/12/2020

1981 Reunion – The Kirribilli Club

Alan John Williams (OKG52) 27/10/1935 – 08/05/2021

For more information please visit: okga.org.au/kgsreunions

27 NOVEMBER

Richard (Dick) Anthony Yeldham (OKG46) 06/06/1929 – 04/03/2021 THE THISTLE 20 – ISSUE 02 DEC 43

DISCOVER EXTRAORDINARY

Contact Us Knox Grammar School PO Box 5008, Wahroonga NSW 2076 AUSTRALIA Telephone (02) 9487 0122 www.knox.nsw.edu.au