The Knox School (Australia)

The Knox School is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational day school, located in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Wantirna South, Victoria, Australia. The school is a member of the Eastern Independent Schools of Melbourne association. [http://www.knox.vic.edu.au/OurSchool/index The Knox School: Welcome] (accessed:03-08-2007)] There are about 800 students at the school and class sizes are capped at 24 students.Fact|date=August 2008. Fees range from $7,900 to $14,920 p.a.Fact|date=August 2008

History

The Knox School was founded as Knoxfield College in February 1982. The school took over the Bialik School campus at 220 Burwood Highway. The first principal was Dulcie Flinn, who was previously of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne. From 1982 to 1985 there were eight portable classrooms - five for the Junior School and three for the Senior School. In 1985 Stage II building work was done.

The second principal was Baxter Holly. Under Holly's leadership, Knoxfield College developed Stage III, including the Performing Arts Centre and the Art Gallery. 1987 saw the first Year 12 class. 1992 saw the purchase of a 1.6 hectare block of land adjoining the school from a plant nursery. That area is now the Tew Field (named after Wally Tew, a local councillor), the school's synthetic hockey pitch. This was opened in 1996. The third principal was Tony Conabere. He was appointed in July 1995. 1996 was another year of building, including the Pre-Prep campus and Tew Field, as well as the adjoining Pavilion.

In 1998 and 2000 the Knox School was ranked in Victoria's top ten schools, and in 1998 won the gold medal for Assessment Practice. 2000 saw the renaming of the school to Knox Grammar, however only a year later the school was further renamed to The Knox School after a "disagreement" with Knox Grammar School over the naming.Fact|date=January 2008

In 2002 the Information Common was opened by the then-Governor of Victoria, John Landy. This building incorporates a library, many computer facilities and a multimedia studio. The Knox Alumni had their first Annual General Meeting, and a gala dinner was held at the Crown Palladium.

In 2004 the fourth and current principal, Suzanne McChesney, was appointed. Also in that year the Philip Island Discovery Campus was purchased, but the project was scrapped due to the large amount of renovation required before it would become usable. In 2005, the Junior School building was named the D. G. M. Flinn building after the school's first principal. 2006 saw the renaming of the Arts Centre to the Founders' Building, in honour of those who started the school.

In 2007, The Knox School celebrated its 25th anniversary, along with unofficially opening its new auditorium, and beginning renovations to part of the Senior School, with renovations to the science labs and the conversion of two rooms into a hospitality kitchen. This is expected to be completed by the start of the 2008 school year. The school also contributed to the building of a crossing over Burwood Highway, the main road students have to cross to catch outbound buses. Also, a gala dinner was held at the Crown Palladium to celebrate the 25th Anniversary, which was combined with the Year 12 Valedictory dinner.

House system

The four Houses used for sporting and arts competitions and carnivals are Chisholm (named after Caroline Chisholm), Flinders (Matthew Flinders ), Lawrence (Marjorie Lawrence ) and Paterson (Banjo Paterson).

Schools

There are three schools: The Junior School (Playgroup, Early Learning Centre, Prep to Year 4), Middle School (Years 5 to 9) and Senior College (Years 10 to 12)

References

See also

* List of schools in Victoria

External links

* [http://www.knox.vic.edu.au The Knox School]