Jan. 25 Weekly update

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🐾 Panther Family Update: Arctic Air & Artistic Flair

Happy Sunday, Panther Families!

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm indoors today. It is officially “extra blanket” weather in New Brunswick! Between the sub-zero temperatures and the biting wind, it’s a great weekend to hunker down.

We also want to make sure all our Panthers are bundled up in layers for school tomorrow—frostbite can happen in minutes at these temperatures, so let’s keep those ears and fingers covered!

Here is what’s happening at KPES for the week of January 26th:

⭐ Big Win: French Special Funding Project

I am thrilled to share that our application for the “French Special Funding Project” was successful! We have been awarded $3,500 to go towards language learning at KPES.

We will be using this for a major French resource refresh (new books and games!) and for celebrating French Language Week (March 16–20). Here’s a sneak peek:

  • A traditional Tintamarre parade with noise-makers.
  • Sampling maple taffy on sticks.
  • Learning French history and facts over the announcements.
  • We are also in the process of securing a school-wide performance by the incredible Roland Bibeau!

💻 Laptop Update: A “Full House”

The good news keeps coming on the tech front. Our District IT team was able to “top us up” by one additional laptop for free! We now have 26 laptops, which gives us a full class set for even our largest classes. This is such a game-changer for our Grade 3–5 students.

🎨 Learning Snapshots: What’s Happening in Class?

It has been a week of deep dives and hands-on discovery across the grades:

  • Kindergarten (Mrs. Howe): Our youngest Panthers have been studying Polar Bears! They even did a “blubber” activity using shortening and ice water to see how animals stay warm. Did you know: A polar bear’s paw print can average between 30–38 centimetres? I certainly didn’t…yikes! Kindergarten Pic 
  • Grade 4 (Mrs. Moore): Students have been getting messy with geography, moulding the provinces of Canada out of clay and painting them to highlight lowlands, highlands, and other geographic features. Grade 4 pic 
  • Grade 5 (Ms. Goodine): Students did a deep dive into the works of Van Gogh. They created their own landscapes, basing their colour choices and brush strokes on their feelings at the time. Very cool! Grade 5 pic 

🗓️ Important Dates & Reminders

  • Jan 28 (Wednesday): Family Literacy Day 📖 We encourage students and staff to dress as their favourite literary character or author!
  • Jan 29 (Thursday): School-Wide Assembly 🖤💛 Please wear your Black & Gold to show your school spirit! Our theme for this month’s assembly is Perseverance.
  • Healthy Learners Update: Our Healthy Learners Nurses have created a lovely newsletter filled with helpful tips.Please have a look using this link. 
  • Online Safety Session: Christina Barrington (Principal of Saint John High) invites you to a session on Online Safety. This includes vital information for families with children of all ages, covering platforms like Minecraft and Roblox. [Link/Info Here]. 

🎻 ASD-S String Program: New Beginner Class

The ASD-S String Program is starting a beginner class in March.

  • Information Sessions: Feb 11th OR Feb 12th at 7:00 PM at Glen Falls School.
  • Who: Open to any student able to attend the weekly evening lessons.

[Click here for the full Information Letter/Link] 

⭐ Looking Forward

We have a fantastic, busy week ahead of us. Between the creativity of Literacy Day and the school spirit of our assembly, there is so much to look forward to. I can’t wait to see the hallways filled with book characters and Black & Gold!

Thank you for being the heart of this “Small School with the Big Heart.” Stay warm, and we will see you tomorrow.

🐾 Melissa Principal, KPES