Back to School Guide
Hello Kalama School District families! Welcome to our 2024-2025 Back to School Guide, where you'll find resources and information to help your family prepare for the upcoming school year.
Note: This page will be updated as additional resources come online.
KEY DATES
Monday, August 26:
Kalama Elementary School Drop-In, Drop-off
Drop off your school supplies and meet your teacher!
Hours: 4 to 5 PM
Kalama Middle School 6th Grade Orientation
Welcoming the 6th Grade class to Kalama Middle School!
Hours: 5:30 to 6:30 PM
Kalama High School 9th Grade Navigation
Welcoming incoming Freshman to Kalama High School!
Hours: 6 to 6:45 PM
Wednesday, August 28:
1st day of school for grades 1-12
Tuesday, Sept. 3:
1st day of school for Kindergarten & Transitional Kindergarten
KMS/KHS picture day
Monday, Sept. 16:
KES picture day
You can find more important dates and holiday information by clicking here or on the calendar image below.
SCHOOL HOURS & EARLY RELEASE INFO
Regular school hours are as follows:
Kalama Elementary School: 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Drop-off gate and doors open at 8:10 a.m.
Kalama Middle School & Kalama High School: 8:40 a.m. - 3:10 p.m.
School will be released one hour early every Wednesday (KES at 2 p.m.; KMS/KHS at 2:10 p.m.). This includes Wednesday, August 28, the first day of school for grades 1-12.
SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS
Use the links below to open your school's 2024-2025 supplies list.
Kalama Elementary School supply list (all grades, including Pre-K/TK)
Kalama High School - supply lists assigned by individual teachers
6-12 BELL SCHEDULE
Kalama Middle School and Kalama High School will utilize a six-period daily schedule during the 2024-2025 school year. This schedule includes a new homeroom period called "Chinook Time," which is designed to provide students with:
Targeted academic support and/or extension courses
Dedicated time to enhance students' social-emotional skills, fostering their overall well-being and personal growth
Click here to view the bell schedule for the 2024-2025 school year (grades 6-12 only)
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL
Kalama Elementary: The pick-up and drop-off location takes place in the back parking area (Kindergarten playground loop). Parents, please follow the existing traffic flow pattern during pick-up and be sure that your student’s name placard is visible in your car window to expedite the process.
KMS/KHS: Please see the campus parking map for the designated parent pick-up/drop-off location.
BUS TRANSPORTATION
Bus transportation is provided to registered students by KWRL. Head to their website for registration details and route information.
DINING SERVICES
Kalama Elementary School is now eligible to provide free meals to all students throughout the ‘24-’25 school year as a result of a state bill passed last year.
Under HB 1238’s Meals for Washington Students program, school districts must provide meals (breakfast and lunch) at no cost at elementary schools where 30% or more of enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. In Kalama, Kalama Elementary School qualifies.
While the program provides meals for free to all KES students, ala carte items (such as milk on its own) are not included and must be purchased. The cost to purchase milk is 30 cents.
The program does not extend to Kalama Middle School or Kalama High School. Meal pricing for those schools is as follows:
Breakfast: $1.75
Lunch: $3.40
CHINOOK STATION
Elementary families: Chinook Station is open to all K-5 registered students before school from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m., and after school from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Transitional Kindergarten students are not eligible. Learn more about the program by clicking here.
PARENTSQUARE
From the classroom to the district office, our schools utilize ParentSquare, a simple and unified school-to-home communications platform, to reach and engage families.
If you are new to the district, or have yet to activate your ParentSquare account, you can get started today! Head to the ParentSquare login page and create your account with the same email address you have on file in Skyward.
Learn more about ParentSquare by visiting our ParentSquare Communications page.
STUDENT MEDICATIONS
Parents/guardians must submit updated doctor's orders by the start of the school year for any medication or treatment that their student is required to have on hand at school. This includes any medications that students may be carrying on their person.
Examples of medications or treatments that need a doctor's order include, but are not limited to:
Inhaler
EpiPen
Diabetic orders
G-tube feedings
Ibuprofen
Tylenol
Benadryl
Medications must be in their original prescription bottle or container, and match the doctor's order. They must also be signed in at the school office by a parent or legal guardian.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Kalama Elementary School
Website: Kalamaschools.org/o/kes
Phone: (360) 673-5207
Address: 549 China Garden Rd., Kalama, WA 98625
Principal: Billina Dolezal, billina.dolezal@kalama.k12.wa.us
Kalama Middle School
Website: kalamaschools.org/o/kms
Phone: (360) 673-5212
Address: 550 China Garden Rd., Kalama, WA 98625
Principal: Jennifer McCallum, jennifer.mccallum@kalama.k12.wa.us
Kalama High School
Website: kalamaschools.org/o/khs
Phone: (360) 673-5212
Address: 548 China Garden Rd., Kalama, WA 98625
Principal: Heidi Bunker, heidi.bunker@kalama.k12.wa.us
District Office
Website: Kalamaschools.org
Phone: (360) 673-5282
Address: 548 China Garden Rd., Kalama, WA 98625
Superintendent: Dr. Wesley Benjamin, wesley.benjamin@kalama.k12.wa.us
School Bus Office (KWRL)
Website: kwrl.org
Phone: (360) 841-2023
Address: 989 Frazier Lane, Woodland, WA 98674