The Wave - February 2021

Ignite curiosity

Inspire cr eativit y

Investig ate solutions

The KAUST School (TKS) celebrated its 10 th anniversary as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School this January. We have proudly worked closely with the IB organization to offer our students an IB education for ten years.

A total of 147 students have graduated from the school, having completed the IB Diploma programme since it was first introduced at the school.

For more details about the authorization process, click

the.wave@kaust.edu.sa

tks.kaust.edu.sa

here.

CONTENTS

Director’s Message

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PAC Summaries

Counselors Corner

Fro Kinderg

4 5

15

1

om garten

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Sport news From Elementary

From Secondary 41

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From The Director

Welcome to the Second Semester at the KAUST School!

We have so much to celebrate at the end of this first term. As we look around the world, so many schools are struggling to address the academic, social, and emotional needs of their students. I continue to applaud the dedication of our teachers and families for their commitment to holistic learning for our students. We are fortunate to be in a community that is prioritizing the health and safety of all residents and supporting the on-going learning for our K1-12 students.

As we review our learning data, it is clear that our students continue to make great progress.

Individual student results will be shared with parents in the upcoming conferences and with report cards in February. Later in the year we look forward to sharing a more holistic view of TKS learning data and how our students are performing.

This second term we are also pleased to begin some more student activity programming. In the secondary school students are able to engage in the musical, Model United Nations, and join sports teams. We are also introducing a number of new clubs including Robotics, Videography, and Duke of Edinburgh just to name a few. All athletic practices are still held outdoors and we continue to follow all of the Keeping KAUST safe guidelines. Adding these opportunities help students to connect with others and explore passions beyond the classroom.

We reported earlier in the year that we were undergoing our accreditation process this year and we have received our reports back from both the Council of International Schools as well as from the IBO. We were pleased with their recognition of the growth and improvements that TKS has made in the last five years. They also provided recommendations that will help to guide us in the future.

A comprehensive summary can be found in the following pages in this edition of the WAVE. I look forward to this second half of the school year and continuing to create relevant and wonderful learning experiences for our students.

Dr. Michelle Remington

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In a nutshell Summaries of February’s PAC Meetings Kindergarten PAC: The KG PAC discussed the following topics: - Accreditation Celebration - 10 years as an IB World School - Ramadan hours for students and TKS staff - K1 & K2 Hybrid Learning options; where we were, where we are, and where we hope to be.

- Distance Learning opportunities for TKS students.

Ahad Syed: ahad.syed@kaust.edu.sa Simerjit Kaur: simer.kaur@kaust.edu.sa Margherita Zocca: margheritazocca88@gmail.com

Elementary PAC: The KG PAC discussed the following topics: - Changes made to the semester report cards & the impact of the newly adopted language arts and mathematics curriculum - Ramadan planning options - Share feedback on distance learning and its via bility when families and faculty travel during semester breaks - Playground monitoring

Faisal Wali: faisal.wali@kaust.edu.sa Dareen Monshi: mrs.dareen.monshi@gmail.com Andreia Farinha: andreia.farinha@kaust.edu.sa Adeel Ahmad: aahmad@fakeeh.care Ana Margarida Costa: anamargarida.costa@kaust.edu.sa Ahmad Kadoura: ahmad.kadoura@kaust.edu.sa

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Meet the TKS Counselors This year the counseling department welcomed 4 new counselors and we are thrilled to finally have the whole team on the ground! Bringing a wealth of experience and expertise, the counselors have been working together cross divisionally in order to develop a comprehensive school counseling program that aligns with our school’s newly-unveiled Mission, Vision and Values. This work has involved creating shared belief statements around student achievement and wellbeing. One of our core beliefs is that learners thrive in an environment where they feel “safe, nurtured and a sense of belonging”.

Kindergarten Yasmeen Ghunaim - KG West Counselor Marhaba! My name is Yasmeen Ghunaim and I am one of the TKS Kindergarten counselors. This will be my 10th year at the KAUST school and it has been an absolute honor to be able to support the social/emotional development of our youngest learners. I am mother to Hamza, Farida and Bilal and have qualifications in Special Education and Early Childhood Education as well as certification in International School Counseling. My door is always open so please do not hesitate to pass by.

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Who’s who on the team?

Aisha Oliver - KG East Counselor Greetings! My name is Aisha B. Oliver and I am a school counselor at The KAUST School Kindergarten. This is my seventh year here at KAUST along with my husband and two sons, Omari (14) and Khalil (12). I am from Seattle, WA, USA. I have been working in the field of education for 20 years and my professional background includes both school guidance counseling and school psychology.

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GES Mahri Wooten - Grade 1 & 2 Counselor Very nice to meet you! I am the new G1 & G2 GES counselor. The students know me as Miss Mahri. This is my third year at KAUST with my husband (Mr. Wooten - GSS teacher) and my son (Ren). This is my 8th year working as a counselor and especially enjoy working in the international setting around the world. I completed my Master’s in Counseling Psychology in Hawaii and am a nationally certified counselor in the US. Please come visit me anytime. Here is a little virtual video introduction of myself.

GSS Adam Kuestermann - Grade 6 & 8 Counselor Greetings Everyone, I am Mr. Kuestermann (AKA; Mr. K or Mr. Adam), one of the new school counselors in GSS. This is my first year at TKS and my 22nd year working as an international professional school counselor. I am accompanied by my wife Lailatul who is from Malaysia, and my daughter Bella who is currently enrolled in KG1. We arrived in October from South Korea and are extremely happy and excited to be a part of the KAUST community.

Brett Bowring - College Counselor/Grades 10-12 Greetings. I am Brett Bowring and this year I have joined the GSS Counselling team as the College Counselor. This is my 18th year in education and 11th year working in international schools. Having started the first 7 years of my career in California, I then made the international move by relocating to Jeddah to work at the American International School of Jeddah. After 6 year in Jeddah, I then moved to Turkey where I met my wife and started my family. My wife and I are thrilled to be here in the KAUST community with our one year old son. I look forward to helping students and families learn more about university options and encourage you to contact me with any questions that you may have.

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Mike Vande Loo - Grade 3-5 Counselor Hello KAUST community! My name is Mr. Mike Vande Loo, and I joined the GES counseling team this school year. While this is my first year at TKS, I have 15 years working as an international school counselor, and 5 years working in the United States as a school psychologist. I am originally from the U.S. but my family and I arrived at KAUST after living in the Dominican Republic, where my wife Eneroliza is from, and our children Amaya (7), and Zoe (4) were born. We are excited to be part of our new learning community!

Tara Madrigal - Grade 7 & 9 Counselor Hello everyone! I am so happy to be a part of the KAUST and TKS community. I am Tara Madrigal and I have joined TKS as part of the GSS Counseling team. This is my 8th year as a school counselor and 16th year in education. I have spent my entire career working with adolescents as a teacher and school counselor in the United States and most recently Cyprus. I have my Master's in Counseling from Texas and am a National Board Certified Counselor in the United States. I am passionate about helping young people navigate the challenges of adolescence and look forward to partnering with you to help our students find success.

Meet the TKS Counselors On behalf of the TKS Counseling team, Yasmeen Ghunaim

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2021 Saudi Research Science Institute (SRSI) Inductees

The KAUST School is proud to announce that we have three students accepted into the highly selective SRSI summer program at KAUST. While enrolled in the most rigorous math and science courses, the academic achievements of these students met the demanding requirements set forth by the institute. Having been selected from amongst the highest academically performing students throughout the Kingdom, “these students will work in state-of-the-art laboratories under the guidance of world-renowned KAUST faculty, while participating in holistic activities that combine theory courses, hands-on research, and co- and extracurricular events to encourage greater teamwork and leadership� (Article about Talent Development and Management).

Xenia Tzavara Youssef Elhagrasy Abhisri Vijayakumar Pillai

[Article about Talent Development and Management]. (2021). KAUST. https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en/study/saudi-initiatives/talent-development-and-management

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Class of 2021 University Acceptance

The university application season is well upon us and a number of our senior students have already begun receiving acceptance notifications for various university programs. Congratulations to these students and we look forward to more to come!

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Natasha Dewi Having taught swim lessons to KAUST children over the years, interned in the Early Childhood Department at TKS, and volunteered her summer time as a Daycare Assistant Teacher, Natasha looks to pursue her passion of teaching through a degree in Childhood Education. Additionally, as a heavily recruited, nationally ranked swimmer, Natasha will pursue competitive swimming at her university of choice.

Florida Southern College: United States John Carroll University: United States Augustana College: United States Whitworth University: United States Rollins College: United States University of Hawai‘i at MÄ noa: United States Santa Clara University: United States Loyola University Maryland: United States Wheaton College: United States Loyola Marymount University: United States Marist College: United States Seattle University: United States St. Olaf College: United States University of the Pacific: United States

Ruba Gari As an MUN participant since grade 9, Ruba has long been interested in studying law. Having actively pursued her interest by attending online courses offered by a Harvard professor, and participating in an internship with a local corporate law firm, Ruba is now poised to pursue her passion as a future lawyer.

Arizona State University: United States University of Surrey: United Kingdom Queen Mary University of London: United Kingdom

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Blake Remington A competitive volleyball player who also, as a Boy Scout, has achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, Blake is not one to shy away from a challenge. With time spent in the laboratories of KAUST learning about computer software, fluid dynamics and advanced physics, Blake has laid a solid foundation towards his pursuit of an undergraduate engineering degree.

Montana State University: United States Worcester Polytechnic Institute: United States Drew University: United States

Muhmoud Younis As a future pharmacist, Muhmoud knows that the right prescription for himself and his high school peers is a healthy dose of fun. As a multi-year MUN delegate who has also engaged our community through basketball, football, school band, After-School Tutoring, Table Tennis Coach, football refereeing, and Grade 12 Gala musical entertainer, Muhmoud has the energy required to pursue his future pharmaceutical career.

University of Massachusetts-Lowell: United States

Amy Tulley Through her involvement in the TKS Executive Council, Amy’s passion for advocating for change helped to develop her public speaking abilities and leadership qualities. The arts have also allowed for her creativity and confidence to flourish. These passions will be combined as Amy pursues a Marketing related university major.

University of Manchester: United Kingdom

Abbie Ross Abbie’s passion for the medical sciences was evident early in her high school career when, while volunteering in a care home, she began exploring music's influence on the functionality of the brain. With volunteer experience at a local veterinary clinic, the shadowing of an orthopaedic surgeon, research into the UK National Health Service, and the completion of the Observe GP programme in the UK, Abbie’s detailed focus on the medical sciences has prepared her for her next step into the medical profession.

University of Liverpool Veterinary School: United Kingdom University of Nicosia Medical School: Cyprus

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Chelsea Lai A leader within her community, Chelsea has helped spearhead environmental initiatives and educational platforms through clubs such as Green Beans and Global EDvantage. As an MUN participant of nearly 6 years, accomplished musician, award winning athlete, and scientific enthusiast, Chelsea has established herself as a well rounded student who possesses the qualities for future success in her chosen field.

University of Toronto: Canada

Maryam Ejaz With a passion towards the medical sciences, Maryam’s volunteering experience at a regional medical camp allowed her to learn the importance of an empathetic approach to patient relations. Here she learned that “it is crucial to teach from the heart with a caring approach”. By engaging in an online Virtual Surgical Placement training program during the summer break before her senior year, Maryam has continued to actively pursue her future medical profession.

University of Nicosia Medical School: Cyprus

Marwan Mohammed As an MUN student over the past couple of years, Marwan’s participation in the Yale Model Government Europe program allowed him to network with like-minded students from around the world, further securing his interest in the humanities and social sciences. Marwan’s passion for social justice finds him pursuing the long, yet rewarding, path towards law school.

University of New South Wales: Australia University of Sydney: Australia

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Talib Mohiuddin Talib’s intrinsic desire for the biological sciences has seen him take full advantage of what KAUST has to offer.

His MYP personal project, focusing on bioprinting, found him visiting the Nanomedicine Lab where he used CAD/CAM to retrieve a 3D model of a kidney from an MRI scan. The summer between his 10th and 11th grade years Talib gained research lab safety certification through an internship with the Physical Science and Engineering Division at KAUST, allowing him to work with class 3 and 4 lasers and shock tubes. Talib has made the most of his time at KAUST in preparing himself for a future in the biological sciences.

Loyola University Chicago: United States University of Minnesota Twin Cities: United States Vanderbilt University: United States Case Western Reserve University: United States

Dalal ElJishi An award winning MUN participant, Dalal has developed a global perspective, as well as passion for helping others. She seeks to make the world a more equitable place, and as a future law student, Dalal is poised to make a lasting impact on her community.

Middlesex University Dubai: United Arab Emirates

Vidyasree Mande Having interned in the Biomolecules Analysis Laboratory here at KAUST, Vidya’s intended pursuits in the life sciences spans from medical school to neuroscience. A problem solver who has taken on social issues through MUN and the Yale Model Government Europe, Vidya will undoubtedly be solving medical mysteries in her future career within the life sciences.

University of Nicosia Medical School: Cyprus

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Note from Tiffany Hill, KG Principal

It’s been a semester of many firsts, and we are so very proud as we look back and celebrate all the ways we have grown as a community. We increased the day for some of our students, allowing for more face-to face learning in school. We continue to explore safe ways to extend this to all of our students. We have begun running buses safely and continue to work with SAPTCO to offer more support. In January, returning for the Winter Break, we began the new year with a week of distance learning. This week supported us all in transitioning safely back into our routines and set us up for a successful start to the new year.

Professional learning with Erin Kent Consulting continues as we explore ways that early learners enter story, readers, and writers workshop. Our Kindergarten teachers and students are exploring ways to share stories and ideas through balanced literacy.

This time of year allows us to spend more time learning outdoors. We are lucky to have each classroom with an outdoor learning space designed to support children’s inquiry and development.

Across the KG, classes can be seen outside joyfully exploring living things, earth materials, forces and motion, and artistic expression.

We look forward to celebrating learning with the first semester KG Report Cards and the upcoming virtual Parent-Teacher Conferences on February 16th.

Warmly, Tiffany

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Note from Chye

De Ryckel, GES Assistant principal

Fluorescent pink lights hang suspended above a styrofoam basin filled with water and fresh seedlings. This is what the students see when they enter the GES reception. Delight fills the children’s eyes as they observe the seedlings change shape, size and turn into edible plants. This station serves as a provocation for GES’s young scientists who are beginning to dream about sustainable solutions to today’s challenges such as food and water scarcity. With generous support from Dr. Ryan Lefers and Alba Luna from KAUST’s Red Sea Farms, GES is proud to house its first aquaponics station. Over time groups of students will assume responsibility for the planting, pruning and harvesting of a variety of vegetables. Engagement is a core element in the school’s three-year strategic plan and this partnership with the university will certainly nourish our young learners’ minds.

Earlier this month approximately 30 students participated in the annual TKS science fair which was launched during WEP and was featured on the virtual platform. Through scaffolded scientific investigation, students inquired into a topic of choice such as catapults, robotics, water desalination and plant growth. They must be applauded for their commitment to be responsible and independent learners.

Next year GES is pleased to be adding STEM Enrichment to the program that will run parallel to Islamic Studies.

In this class, students will have additional opportunities to develop their scientific skills, knowledge and conceptual understanding through investigations.

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Note from David Tigchelaar, GSS Principal

PAC in a nutshell - January 2021 - GSS This school year the following items were discussed in the PAC MYP E-assessment, DP Exams and MAP test results In October we reviewed the MYP E-assessment and DP Exam results as well as the MAP test results.

Every year we share these results with the PAC after these data are shared with the Board and before we share these results in a Parent Information Session.

PHE curriculum Parents asked questions about whether there could be an increase in PHE in the amount of physical activity and a decrease in the amount of writing, homework and assessment in PHE. The school responded by stating that PHE in the MYP does need to include some written reflection. The school agrees however that there should be a shift in PHE towards more physical activity.

Student Voice in the school The PAC asked to what degree students have a voice in decisions made in the school. The school explained that every single teacher surveys students about their classes. Sometimes interviews are conducted by the pedagogical coordinators to learn more from students about how we can improve our programme. The school administration also always welcomes student perspectives and students feel free to speak to a member of the secondary school leadership team and to express themselves. The secondary school leadership did however not have a formal communication channel with the students.

In the meantime we have established this channel. We now meet every two weeks either with the President and Vice President of the Student Council Association (SCA) or with the Exco of the SCA, Life Skills in the Curriculum The parents asked about the content of the LIfe Skills curriculum. Two of the counselors visited the meeting to provide more information. The school also explained that, as part of developing K- 12 standards for all subjects, the counselors across the school are now also working on a K- 12 Guidance Curriculum, which will include the Life Skills curriculum in the secondary school.

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Co-curricular activities during Ramadan Since the school opened in 2009, Ramadan has always taken place during the summer months or, recently, towards the end of the school year, which was always outside the co-curricular season. As Ramadan will move earlier in the calendar and will fall within the co-curricular season, we now need to decide whether we will offer co-curricular activities during Ramadan.

The school is in the process of seeking feedback on this question and has collected informal feedback from teaching and non-teaching staff, including Saudi nationals.

Up to now all people consulted informally believe that the co-curricular programme should not be interrupted by Ramadan We have now started a more formal process of consulting parents and students and asked the PAC what they think about this issue.

The PAC all shared the perspective that the co-curricular programme should continue, with some consideration of the timing in the afternoon when the activities will take place. The school has also met with the Student Council Association and is waiting for their reply. After this consultation process has been completed, we will make a final decision on whether we will offer a co-curricular programme during Ramadan.

Language Acquisition student placement The PAC asked a question about the process of placing students in the different classes in the Language Acquisition programme. The school explained that students are evaluated by teachers and placed into phases depending on their reading, writing and oral proficiency levels in their chosen language. This may result sometimes in native speakers being placed with non-native speakers. The MYP distinguishes 5 phases of language development in Language Acquisition with clear descriptors of each language phase. Once a student exceeds phase 5, the student will be enrolled in the Language and Literature programme.

In previous years we often had students from a wide range of phases together in one language acquisition class, which made it difficult for students to learn and teachers to teach. This year, for language acquisition, we combined Grade 7 and 8 together and Grade 9 and 10. This measure allowed us to create more different language level classes with the same number of teachers. Students are now placed with students in the same language learning phase. This will assist the students to learn more effectively.

David Tigchelaar

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Identity Formation Kaushik Merchant, GSS Design & Math Teacher It is widely believed that young people go through an important process of shaping and forming a new identity for themselves. If this is true, the logo project in Design is just what our younger middle school students needed!

While students were familiar with what a logo is and even had a favorite logo, they did not know the intricacies of a logo and how to design an effective logo. Design teachers at the GSS led the students to look deeper and wonder about the emotions associated with a logo’s color scheme. All of a sudden, our young learners noticed the different parts of a logo and wondered what each part meant. What do the symbols represent? Students learned that every shape, shade, symbol and font in a logo has a shared purpose and together, they convey a unique and powerful message.

Learning to analyze logos, sketch and brainstorm ideas required a lot of effort. To their credit, students showed creativity, focus and persistence throughout the process. This Design unit or perhaps this identity formation phase of life had ignited an underlying curiosity in these students. They were thinking: Who am I and how can I represent myself? Now students were well-equipped to apply their learning to explore these questions and create an authentic logo that shows who they really are.

During this unit, students not only learned about themselves but also about each other. While students picked up important Design skills, we hope identities were formed and new friendships forged.

Some of the students’ work is displayed on the next page.

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The KAUST School’s Authorization Visit One of the biggest questions facing any school will always be: how well are we really performing?

In order to address this issue, The KAUST School opted to be authorised by three organisations dedicated to high standards and school improvement. The Council of International Schools (CIS); International Baccalaureate Organisation (IB); and The Middle States Association (MSA) are globally respected educational organisations. In order to be authorised by these organisations we are required to carry out a periodic audit which initially involves an extensive self study. This is then followed up by a school visit which is designed to either confirm or contradict the school’s conclusions.

After two years of intensive introspection, The KAUST School drew up a highly detailed report and then, last November, we welcomed a group of 13 global educators into our school. A daunting enough task even in normal times, but this was a virtual visit, which added numerous logistical challenges along the way. The visit involved making virtual classroom tours, reviewing reams of documentation, examining our results and interviewing representatives from all the sections of our school community. Just two weeks ago, we received the teams’ written reports. The reports are very direct with the school about where the school has strengths and what the recommendations are for improvement. Although essentially different organisations, these reports were split into the same format: commendations and recommendations. The recommendations were further delineated into suggestions and also matters that must be addressed if we wish to continue to be an accredited school.

The combined reports are over 300 pages, so below we have made available so below we have made available an executive summary of the teams’ findings. Anyone wishing to read the full report will be able to access a copy in any of the three TKS libraries (KG, GES, GSS).

1) Purpose and direction The organisations were effusive in their praise for our board and administration. They commended: “The school leadership team and board for their collaborative effort and investment by the school community into revising the guiding statements and making them specific and relevant to The KAUST School.” (CIS) “The school leadership team, faculty, and staff in coordination with KAUST….for their combined action to safeguard students and families in response to COVID-19.” (CIS) Where can we improve?

The teams recommended that we embed intercultural understanding into the school’s culture.

The school should regularly involve representatives from the school community in reviewing our guiding statements and strategic plan.

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2) Governance, leadership and ownership They praised our school community for the warm and welcoming school environment and specifically “The chair of the board and the director for creating a supportive and effective working relationship which enables the board to provide direction and continuity in governance.” along with “The director for leading a consultative and inclusive process for the design of clear and concise guiding statements.” (CIS) They went on to praise the teachers for creating a warm and inclusive learning environment and also our students for “..the way they articulate and express their views on their own learning.” (CIS) The school’s professional development was highlighted specifically in the MYP (“The school for providing teachers with multiple opportunities for IB professional development beyond expectations at evaluation. [IB]); Where can we improve?

We are urged to revisit our policy documents to make sure they are current and reflect IB philosophy.

We are further encouraged to review the role of the coordinators to ensure the MYP and DP coordinators are actively involved in decision making about the implementation of the programmes and the PYP coordinator actively works with all members of those sections of the school.

3) The curriculum There were over 30 commendations for the way in which we plan, teach and assess at TKS. What really shone through was: The ways in which our teachers collaborate The stimulating learning environment (The teachers for “facilitating a wonderful learning environment based on mutual understanding and respect” [IB].)

Our use of IT to further the students’ education The praise for our support for the Extended Essay and Personal Project Nurturing students to become thinkers and inquirers.

Where can we improve?

The school is urged to include Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers in collaborative planning (PYP).

It is recommended that the school further develop the Arabic language curriculum.

The school should develop consistency in the programmes offered in order for students to experience coherence in their learning.

The school should ensure that every student’s language profile is determined when joining the school and the profile is updated to accommodate and provide access the programmes A matter to address is to ensure that all teachers are trained in the specific IB programme requirements within six months of starting at the school.

A matter to address is ensuring that all teachers are trained in the specific IB programme requirements within six months of starting at the school.

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The KAUST School’s Authorization Visit 4) Teaching and assessing for learning The theme of recognising the high quality of our teachers and support staff was continued in this section.

The IT teachers had several commendations for supporting the development of students' digital citizenship, The team was also praised for “..ensuring a seamless transition to the distance and hybrid learning models enforced upon the school by the COVID-19 lockdown”(CIS).

Secondary school teachers were mentioned for “encouraging students to showcase their learning in a multitude of ways.” (CIS) Kindergarten and elementary leadership was praised for facilitating collaboration amongst their staff.

Where can we improve?

The school is encouraged to look at course options - “The secondary school leadership team bring greater clarity to course options and their specific criteria to provide more detailed guidance for students in selecting their appropriate high school pathway.” (CIS).

The secondary school is also urged to “.. review the English language learning provision to ensure sufficient support is available for all students who may derive benefit.” (CIS) 5) The students’ well being Along with congratulating the school on its commitment to provide a safe environment for students in light of COVID-19, the teams pointed out that the school has been proactive in providing support to staff and families in response to the pandemic.

Where can we improve?

We need to develop channels for students to express their views and feedback when it comes to decision making.

We should put in place a timeline for full implementation of the K-12 social, emotional, and well-being curriculum.

The leadership team needs to provide clarity for faculty, students, and parents on the new policies to enhance risk management and emergency response procedures on and off campus.

We are urged to improve our college counselling provision and use feedback to further improve this service.

Leadership is encouraged to work towards creating transition programmes to ensure a seamless and positive experience for students as they move through the school.

6) Staffing The teams celebrated the school leadership for its recent initiative to appoint a K-12 director of learning and innovation.

Additionally, the school was commended for implementing our Saudi Teacher Development Program and Saudi Teacher Assistant Development Program.

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Where can we improve?

It is strongly recommended that we ensure all staff are enrolled in online IB training in their specific programme as soon as possible.

It is strongly recommended that The KAUST HR team ensure the permanent placement of an HR representative on the school campus and ensure all employees receive the same background checks prior to commencing work.

We should review our appraisal process so that it ensures consistently clear documentation with regular feedback to staff, both in person and in writing.

The school leadership team is advised to clearly define pedagogical leadership roles within the school.

The KAUST human resources department in conjunction with TKS Board are recommended to produce transparent guiding information regarding salary ranges and benefits 7) Premises & physical accommodation We were credited with enabling innovative, internationally defined learning practices to influence the design of the new phase of the school’s building project Particular praise was given to our digital literacy and information technology teams for “...ensuring that the IT systems are current, well maintained, and are used to enhance learning across the school.”

(CIS) The operations team were commended for maintaining high safety standards that meant the school environment is consistently clean, safe, and conducive to learning There were no recommendations in this domain.

8) Community & home partnerships In this final area the director and the divisional leadership teams were commended for ensuring communication processes between home and school are clear and informative.

Where can we improve?

The director and the board should consider enhancing and formalizing the role of parent voice in the school decision-making processes.

The school’s leadership should liaise with counterparts at the university to look to formalize the sharing of resources between the two institutions for the benefit of TKS students.

When looking at the reports it became obvious that the authorizing bodies saw that TKS is a well run, stimulating school that is a credit to the community it serves. This is largely supported by the parents, students, staff, board and alumni who in the comprehensive survey which was sent out in February 2020 gave us overwhelmingly positive ratings in almost all domains.

The evaluation reports largely confirmed our self-study. The visiting team recognised areas we had already identified as needing work, and they highlighted many more commendations than we ourselves had identified.

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The KAUST School’s Authorization Visit It only remains for us to thank all those community members who helped us with the self-study. Literally hundreds of people were involved, including teachers, support staff, and Board members. Parents and students all had a role, whether it was taking part in surveys, sitting in on self study teams, or talking to the authorisation bodies.

In many respects the work never stops because, as a school, we are committed to continual improvement. In five years time, CIS, MSA and the IB will once again ask for us to go through this rigorous process, but in the meantime we can face the challenges ahead with confidence.

In the words of the authorising team: “The leadership of the new director and the highly qualified team of flexible educators ensures TKS is poised for greater success for the students they serve and the wider community.” (CIS)

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Eagle Scout TKS is delighted to announce that Allister Huang has achieved the highest rank in scouting: the Eagle rank!

Allister fulfilled all the requirements and passed the Board of Review last week. His Eagle project – a critical and a mandatory component – was highly praised. The project is a virtual community compiled of various teen-led activities to interact through an act of teaching. It is a tutoring program with the name "Global Edvantage." Given the COVID constraints, delivering on such a project is a testament to the creativity of Allister that demonstrates both leadership and a commitment to duty.

This achievement is not strange for dedicated TKS Students. Last year Michael Church was applauded for getting the same eagle rank as Allister.

Only 4% of scouts in scouting history have earned this rank.

Michael fulfilled his requirements and did a fantastic job in the Eagle project (face mask distribution).

Bravo, Michael and Allister!!!

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TKS Visiting Entrepreneurs

By Zoha Ghauri, Grade 8 Photo credit: Reece Lennon In Grade 8 Individuals and Societies, the past few weeks have been spent learning about the world of business. From advanced companies to new startups, we explored a crucial yet often overlooked and forgotten angle of our world. For our summative, we were told to hypothetically create a business and follow the steps of a typical start-up. In our last lesson before the winter break, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Michael Salvador, a technology lead scientist at the KAUST Solar Centre with a background in the solar energy field, to speak about his start-up, Mirai Solar, of which he is a co-founder. Mirai Solar is a company that began as a startup in the KAUST Taqadam start-up program back in 2019. The company's product is a retractable greenhouse solar panel covering. The retractable solar panels were devised to enhance the growth of fresh produce from the cover whilst harvesting energy from the sun simultaneously. Dr. Salvador covered the many aspects of starting any business and gave us a look at Mirai Solar’s journey as well. We were told at one point during the presentation that it's important to run the business with a contemplative eye, but some enjoyment and amusement won’t hurt at all. He ended the presentation by advising us if we were to start a business in the future, to not let anything discourage us from reaching our goal and that criticism was just part of building a company. We were lucky to have someone experienced like Dr. Salvador to come and explain the process of starting a business to us. We can say with absolute certainty that we have understood much about business, perhaps enough information to help us build our own businesses in the near future.

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By Rosário Gomes, Grade 8 Photo credit: Mashael Alfattani Entrepreneurs are an essential part of our community. They create and invest in a business that helps make the community they live in a better place, but the steps to entrepreneurship have always been a mystery. When the visitors from the entrepreneur center at Kaust, led by Dr. Lama Hakem came to visit us to help us build our business, I was ecstatic. The visitors used a canva model to simplify making a business plan, using a Lemonade stand as their prime example. They talked about business in Kaust that they helped launch, like Wayakit and the Red Sea Farm. We made teams and created a “business,” or at least a simulation.

We learned the crucial parts of starting a business and being an entrepreneur. My team’s business plan was about renting out chargers to our fellow students. We looked at the cost, the resources, and the partners of our potential business. This exercise gave us a new perspective on how much work and commitment it takes to build a business. We used this new-found knowledge on our Individuals and Society final assessment to create our own business with our partners.

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G7 Students Advocate for Sustaina

Our words and actions have consequences. For the past several weeks, Grade 7 and act in ways that will improve our community and the world. This culmin where a wide-selection of student-planned and produced videos were shown

Through Integrated studies involving English Language & Literature and In human impact on the environment, possible solutions, and how to promot change. In Language & Literature, students studied rhetorical devices and images can inspire action. In Individuals & Societies, students learned about and selected one to investigate further. They then put their understandings i video connected to their selected SDG. Students specifically targeted at the K to their current context.

Some of the issues included: deforestation, ocean acidification, female empow during the Covid-19 era, and protecting sea life.

Solutions and promoted actions included: reducing use of products using n around KAUST rather than driving; having confidence in your own abilities recognizing and seeking help if experiencing negative emotions; and reducin

By Laura Yates English Language & Literature and Individuals & Societies Teacher

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ability

7 students have been striving to better understand, advocate, nated in the Grade 7 Public Service Announcement Showcase, n during a celebratory viewing.

ndividuals & Societies, our Grade 7 students learned about te those possible solutions in order to advocate for positive persuasive techniques to better understand how words and t the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into action by creating a Public Service Announcement (PSA) KAUST community in their PSAs to make their work relevant

werment, solar energy, sustainable agriculture, mental health

non-sustainably grown palm oil; walking or riding your bike s; buying food from sustainable sources like Red Sea Farms; ng use of and recycling plastic products.

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Girls Fun run/walk

On December 12th, I organized a fun run/walk to the Beacon and back with som to 12. It was a great way to get up early and start the day off right and get som afterwards and to help bond with other girls with a passion for athletics. The w and began at 8 am in the morning and hopefully can be a new annual event.

I would like to thank Mr. Davies, Mr. and Dr. Remington, and Mr. O'Callaghan creation of this event. I can't wait to see this continue for years to come!

Sierra Remington, Grade 10

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me girl's from grade 8 me pancakes and fruit walk/run was about 4k for their help in the

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Grade 7 WEP Week 2021 Franco Cadiz G07

G7 WEP, one of the many times our grade gets to see its unity at its finest. Five stations all in a nutshell didn't feel like enough for our grade. We wanted more ! From playing charades to having fun with computer games with our friends, we communicated with each other through movement, and even tried to synchronize dance performances together. This WEP day was a journey for many of us as it brought friendship, unity, and confidence to the next level. Some of us were able to connect with new people and some of us had a good time with our friends. One thing that our grade enjoyed was the amount of freedom of choice we got during WEP week. We got a lot of choices during each activity making it even more fun for the rest of us. One activity a handful of us enjoyed was going to the park! One reason why we liked it was because we got to connect with each other through playing games like tag, floor is lava, red rover etc! Maybe we liked it a bit more because we got to go out of the school grounds as a group. Concluding this whole WEP day, we learned many things, one being that we have exceptional students in our grade and that our unity is what makes us who we are as Grade 7’s.

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Hour of Code: 180+Countries and Counting

The Hour of Code is a global movement introducing tens of millions of students worldwide to com inspiring kids to learn more, breaking stereotypes, and leaving them feeling empowered ("Hou largest learning event in history"). This year TKS students from all three divisions participated age-appropriate activities. These included solving puzzles, coding, and even learning how Artific is shaping our world.

In the KG, Hour of Code was an exciting experience for children in the Kindergarten. For this age g concepts in coding can be brought to a more tangible level that is familiar to a child’s everyday life concepts such as “debug”, “loop”, or “sequence” adds new vocabulary to familiar experiences su ready for snack break, or troubleshooting our communication.

Children engaged in lessons that varied across the KG. Some children explored patterns with m light table. Others “struck a pose” with their whole body in sequences (modeled by our Principal M looped, including our distance learning students. Some even solved mysterious puzzles by giving coding a character. Coding is an essential skill for children to cultivate their creativity and critical t something that we can all do.

Hour of Code at GES Garden Elementary School was experienced across all grades and provided hands-on unplugged to a variety of block-coding lessons. These activities provided students the o work at their own pace to ensure challenge and success. During this time, students had the oppor different coding concepts such as sequencing, repeats, loops, and debugging.

From 4JH - Many students continue to challenge themselves even when difficulty comes up an student in Mr. Jamie House class, “In one case, there was a student trying to create her own goo animation and she was becoming frustrated when the program she wrote was not resulting in t coded for. To analyze the problem, the student had to look specifically to where her coding wa After about 20 minutes of analysis, she fixed the coding error and her program generated a go followed her original intention from the revised coding.”

Middle School students participated in the Hour of Code during one of their Design lessons. S from individually tailored lists of coding activities based on their experience and personal interes School students also participated in the coding activities, and the Theory of Knowledge classes ethical implications of using Artificial Intelligence to operate self-driving cars.

Thanks to the support of our teachers, Hour of Code was another great success.

By Reece Lennon, Serdar Mutlu, Candace Taylor-Weber & Najla Thabit

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mputer science, ur of Code: The in a variety of cial Intelligence

group, abstract e. For example, uch as getting

materials on the Ms. Tiffany) that directions and thinking, and is

d students with opportunity to rtunity to learn

n example of a ogle label with the output she as likely wrong. oogle logo that

Students chose sts. Many High s discussed the

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WEP Fun Day

WEP Fun Day was a great and amazing experience! Our teachers worked together in making fun activities for us to break the routine. The WEP Fun Day was on Thursday where we worked on creating appreciation cards for all the workers in our school that make it looks beautiful. I personally created a card for the workers that work every day outside to make our school looks colorful and amazing. I believe that they deserve the appreciation and their endless effort mostly these days to make the KAUST School clean and great. I really enjoy coming to school and seeing the biodiversity of the plants and birds in our beloved school. We had another activity where we had a choice in watching different movies. This was one of the best parts of the day as I watched this great movie called hidden figures. After that, we had Sports day where we played sports outside with different teams that increased the school spirit. This opportunity was amazing as we got to see all the people in our grade once again after this Pandemic. Even though Covid-19 is always preventing us from gathering and physically socializing, we all had fun as we were still communicating! My team Orion did not win (we won 3rd place ) but we still enjoyed this experience. Lastly I would Like to thank Mr. Logan who created these wonderful activities that made this experience unforgettable and all the advisory teachers and every single teacher that helped in making this a successful day. WEP Fun day will never be forgettable.

-Sara Basem Moosa G09

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TKS graduate students have done us proud over the years by going to well-known institutes around the world and working at the most renowned companies.

TKS graduate students possess worldly perspectives, critical thinking ability, leadership and communication skills, and a will to challenge the status quo.

A living example we are currently celebrating is

Sami Al Uariachi

achieving All-Canadian status at his university.

Sami is a class of 2017 graduate. We remember him As a student council member and a very talented TKS basketball player. At the 2017 U19 Boys and Girls SAIKAC Basketball Championships, his TKS team won the gold.

To read more about his achievement of all- Canadian status, click here.

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Magpie Monthly Football Tournaments

By Andrew Wright Photos: Luis Salvador (G6), Magpies WFC For the past five months the TKS Sharks Girls Football teams have been playing monthly mini-tournaments against KAUST’s own Magpies Women’s Football Club.

At the end of every month three teams of players gather on Astroturf #2 to play two hours of 11-a-side football in some very evenly-matched games of attacking, defensive and goal-keeping prowess.

Magpies WFC, coached by Alicia Schmidt-Roach, include KAUST students, staff, partners, TKS teachers and TKS Sharks U19 current and former players. They train twice a week on Monday and Wednesday nights at 8pm on Astroturf #1.

For more information about Magpies WFC, you can contact them at: Email: MagpiesWFC@gmail.com Whatsapp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LOgmktWYcF4Ea06DOcGxdI Campus Connect: https://campusconnect.kaust.edu.sa/magpies Meanwhile, the TKS Sharks are also training twice a week hopefully in preparation for an end-of-season intra-school tournament.

The Middle School squad train on Mondays (3:20-4:20pm) and Wednesdays (4:30-5:30pm) and the High School squad train on Monday (4:30-5:30pm) and Thursday (3:20-4:20pm) on the GSS grass pitch.

For

more

information about the TKS Sharks andrew.wright@thekaustschool.org

teams,

email:

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WEP Sport's Day 2021

This year was an immensely intriguing one. And intriguing times call for unique experiences. S evident that WEP this year was a drastic shift from previous years, though it was just as enjoyable. current circumstances, highly anticipated WEP activities were only on a specific, allocated day fo Sixth Grade being Sunday the 17th of January 2021 aligning with WEP week and its lectures and Covid- 19 in mind but a spirit enthusiastic for change, we set out on a day of fierce competition, fast-paced, brain-wracking scavenger hunt around our beloved community. All ninety-eight stud into 10 teams each with a teacher at its lead. After the scavenger hunt was complete, more compe us, this time extremely patriotic as every one of us represented a fellow house: Hydra, Orion, Peg was an “intense and fun” rivalry accompanied by Covid- edition sports, which ended with an ear-p ing competition and Hydra’s Grade level win. Overall, this experience was unique, memorable, an ing, filled with an exuberant competition!

Sabreen Kirati Laiba Shah Pictures, By Reece Lennon, Mashael Alfattani, Mohammad Alghaith, and Kai Ng. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o_lVMa4g2QlCKzY9L-uSpUZb1MkLKkeG?usp=sharing

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So it was fairly Because of the or each Grade; seminars. With starting with a dents were split etition awaited gasus, Aquila. It piercing cheernd history-mak-

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WEP Sport's Day 2021

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