Elementary School
| Jeff Woodcock – Elementary Principal
I would like to welcome your family to the Elementary School at TKS. In the elementary school our focus is on ensuring that students are successful with their social and emotional learning, as well as their academic learning. We know that students are more successful academically when they feel a sense of belonging and safety within their school. We also know that students are more successful when there is a strong school-family partnership. Therefore, we create plenty of opportunities for parents to take part in their child’s school experience such as through Parent-Teacher Conferences, Open Houses, school assemblies and musical showcase events, plus lots of opportunities to volunteer in classrooms.
| IMPORTANT DATES
ES New Family Orientation
Thursday August 15 1PM-4PM
ES Main Entrance
ES First Day of School
Monday August 19
For more specific information about our school calendar, including important dates, holidays and school vacation please see our 2024-25 School Calendar.
| SUPPLY LISTOver the summer, we ask that you acquire a few items to support your child’s learning and experience at school. Many of these items they might already possess.
Pencil Case
Water Bottle
Running Shoes for PE
Headphones that plug in (Inexpensive ones, eg those given away on airplanes).
| ES HANDBOOKOur updated handbook will be available on our website in early August. We will also share the link with you via your Open Apply account.
| SCHOOL HOURS
School begins at 7:50 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. with the exception of Tuesday. Tuesday is an early release day, and students are dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
| GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL
Students in Grades 2 and 3 arrive and enter through the main doors of the elementary building located on Rihan Lane.
Students in Grades 4 and 5 should arrive and enter the Elementary Extension Building (often referred to as the “Elemex”). This building is located next to the main Elementary
Building. Please see our interactive map for more details.
Walk: Many elementary students walk to school. Students should be aware of vehicles when walking to school, use the sidewalks provided and cross the road at the designated crosswalks.
Bike: Bikers need to ensure they follow the rules of the road, wear a proper helmet and park their bikes at the bike rack.
Bus: Some students choose the school bus option. Please note that priority will be given to students in Grades 2, 3, 4 and students in grade 5 who are living in Palms and Island, and you should only register for the bus service if your child is going to take both the morning and afternoon bus. To register, send an email directly to es.reception@thekaustschool.org and include the following information: ● Your child’s first name and last name
● Your child’s grade and teacher
● Your house number (i.e. G-0000)
● Parent contact number
New registrations will be processed as soon as possible, and parents will be contacted with information on availability. Bus pick-up and drop-off times will depend on the bus route and location of your home.
Buses normally arrive and depart from school at the following times:
● Morning bus arrival time at the TKS Elementary School is 7:35 a.m.
● Afternoon bus departure time from TKS Elementary School is 3:10 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 2:25 p.m. on Tuesday, our early release day
Students are expected to follow appropriate behavior on the school bus.
Car drop off: If you drive your children to school, please ensure that you use the designated drop-off sites.
| SNACK, LUNCH, RECESS
Mid-morning, students enjoy 20 minutes for snack time (brought from home), plus 20 minutes for recess. Please note, for snack time there is no option to purchase food in the cafeteria.
Mid-day, students have 20 minutes of lunch, plus 20 minutes of recess.
Elementary Students have the option to bring their own lunch, or purchase a hot lunch in the cafeteria. To purchase a hot lunch, students must use a prepaid voucher. Food vouchers are 17 SAR each and are available for purchase in the following locations: Harbor Club restaurant, IRC Deli, Steak Seven restaurant, Pure restaurant, 10th Hole Golf Club Restaurant and Campus Diner. Cash and credit cards are not accepted in elementary school.
Snack, Lunch and Recess times vary based on grade level and class.
| PHYSICAL EDUCATION
In ES students wear clothing and footwear that is suitable for being active. Students swim for one cycle a year and will be required to bring swimwear on those days. That information will be shared by classroom teachers in advance of starting the swim cycle.
| AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
SchoolsBuddy is used to manage the sign-up and allocation process for co-curricular activities. All students and parents get their own access to SchoolsBuddy. Within your accounts, you can sign-up for activities and check for upcoming activities. Activity group communication will be done within SchoolsBuddy by staff sponsors of activities.
Parents and students receive a welcome message from SchoolsBuddy at the start of the year (or after students are assigned to a teacher) inviting you to activate your accounts. You can access SchoolsBuddy via the SchoolsBuddy website and/or your mobile app, which is available to download for both iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store).
