High School
| Dr. Robert Blanchard – High School Principal
Welcome to high school, where each student will hopefully feel challenged and cared for within an inspiring and safe climate for learning. Transitions for students in high school can be both exciting and challenging, and our high school team aims to support your student and family through a smooth process of adjustment and settling in. We hope that parents feel an immediate sense of partnership, while we hope that students quickly feel a strong sense of belonging in our welcoming community as a TKS Shark with a clear sense of agency and purpose as learners.
We believe in giving students choice, voice, and ownership as learners. Our curriculum, programs and culture are designed to help students to dream big, be curious and try new things, be creative, reflect and grow as people, and be open to engaging with meaningful work that promotes respect, inquiry and problem-solving - and ultimately leads to success in life. Whatever the aspirations, we hope that each student feels nurtured here from day one and makes the most of the high school journey at TKS.
| IMPORTANT DATES
MS/HS New Family Orientation
Thursday August 15 9AM-12PM
MS/HS Main Entrance
MS/HS 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.
| HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION
Course Selection for the 2024-25 school year will be confirmed in August. The building of the high school master schedule build and course selection verification is an extensive process. The process normally starts with current grade 11 selections going into the system to ensure the continuity of the two-year DP program of study. For current grade 10 students, we’ve used information sessions, individual student conferences, teacher recommendations, and your plans for future opportunities to help inform the right decisions. Another important factor in helping families with these decisions is reviewing academic performance in Grade 10 - the school will review the end-of-year reports as part of the process to confirm final placements. In cases of concern or when key prerequisites have not been met, a family meeting is called, and alternate selections normally take place. For students currently in grades 9 and 8, choices are generally limited, though there are still important matters for the school to confirm, such as final Math placement and electives. Also, in some cases the master schedule simply does not allow for us to schedule a requested course, in which case the student is invited to make an alternate selection. For more information, please reach out to the High School Counselors Brett Bowring: brett.bowring@thekaustschool.org or Isabel Pacios: isabel.pacios@thekaustschool.org of the IB Coordinator Greg River: dpcoordinator@thekaustschool.org
| SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST
The high school supply list can be found here.
| HS HANDBOOK AND PROGRAM OF STUDIES
Our updated handbook and program of studies will be available on our website in early August. We will also share the link with you via your Open Apply account.
| SCHOOL HOURS
7:50 am - 3:10 pm: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
7:50 am - 1:20 pm: Tuesday
Students may arrive between 7:30am and 7:50am. Students who arrive after 7:50am will need a late pass from the reception.
| GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL
Most High School students walk or ride bicycles to and from school, while some families drop-off and pick-up their children by car. There is one KAUST community bus line from the Island and Palms serving the Secondary School campus.
| Bikes and E-Scooters
Bicycles and e-scooters are the most commonly used method of getting to school. Helmets are required for all bikers and E-Scooter riders on KAUST Campus. Students should also be aware of the right of-way rules of the road. Students must park their bikes and e-scooters neatly in the bike racks and e-scooter areas provided.
| Scooter or Car
Students may drive a motorized vehicle to school when they are 17 years old or older and hold a valid driver’s license. Students may park in the North Parking Lot only during school hours. All motorized vehicles, must be parked outside of our school grounds, in the designated areas.
| DRESS CODE
Students are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate for the activity, the climate, and for the expectations and customs of our host country and the KAUST community. Clothing, hairstyles, jewelry or makeup should not distract or interfere with the social and learning climate at school.
| LUNCH AND SNACKFor snack and lunch, high school students may choose from the a la carte menu or select a combination meal with a fixed price. Students are also welcome to bring their snack and/or lunch from home, but they may not order food from off the school grounds during the day. Drinking water is available in the cafeteria and water fountains throughout the school. Gum is not permitted. Lunch vouchers can be purchased at Harbor Club restaurant, IRC Deli, Steak Seven restaurant, Pure restaurant, 10th Hole Golf Club Restaurant and Campus Diner. Cash and credit cards are also accepted at the MS/HS Cafeteria.
| ATHLETICS AND ACTIVITIESAthletics and Activities are a great way to broaden your student’s experience here at TKS. We encourage all students to participate in athletics and activities at TKS. These programs encourage students to develop socially, compete in athletic settings, learn and implement new skills, and develop leadership qualities. We are confident that your child will benefit from committing their time to the program and we are committed to providing our students' opportunities to learn and grow inside and outside the classroom.
Two tasks will require your attention to sign up for activities for the 2024-25 school year:
1. Parental permission to participate in the co-curricular program must be given BEFORE the student can sign-up and participate in any activities. This permission is given by completing an E-collect form on the student's profile, accessed via the PowerSchool Parent Portal, as part of the (re)enrollment process to TKS. The E-collect form on each child's PowerSchool profile in the Parent Portal is titled: 'Co-Curricular Permission Form 2024-2025'
2. TKS uses SchoolsBuddy to manage the sign-up and allocation process for co-curricular activities. Parents and students will receive a welcome message from SchoolsBuddy at the start of the year inviting them to activate their accounts. Guidance/information about how to use SchoolsBuddy can be found here.
| PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION(PHE)The TKS PE uniform and good running shoes are required for high school PE classes. Appropriate swimwear and a towel are required for swimming lessons. Protective sunscreen and a hat are also recommended. PE uniforms can be purchased at The KAUST Matjar store in Discovery Square and the pop-up store during New Family Orientation.
