Panther Weekly Update Feb. 17 Posted on February 17, 2026 🐾 Week of February 17–20 Happy Monday, Panther Families!We hope you’re enjoying a cozy Valentine’s/Family Day long weekend. Thank you for all the joy, kindness, and treats that filled our school last week—it was truly felt! Here’s what’s coming up this week at KPES: 💛 Thank You, KPES Families! A huge thank‑you for making Staff Appreciation Week so special. We were spoiled with daily treats, special lunches, and parent volunteers who stepped in to help with lunch duties. Our team felt incredibly appreciated. And thank you as well for helping make Valentine’s Day a wonderful celebration. The cards, treats, and surprises made the day extra sweet for our Panthers! 🧧🌙 Celebrations This Week This week marks two important cultural celebrations: Lunar New Year, February 17 Ramadan begins Tuesday evening, February 17 Students will explore these celebrations through stories, discussions, and activities that support cultural understanding and inclusion. 🧮 Congratulations, KPES! Several KPES teachers applied for the Innovative Math Grant, and their applications were approved!Together, they received $2,400 to purchase new math manipulatives for their classrooms. We’re proud of their initiative and excited for the hands‑on learning this will support. ✊ Black History Month: Sharing Love, Gratitude, and Learning As part of our Black History Month learning, many of our KPES classes wrote Valentines to Black Atlantic Canadians—both living and no longer with us—to honour the incredible work, leadership, and contributions they have made to New Brunswick and the Atlantic region. On Saturday, I delivered the Valentines to the New Brunswick Black History Society Museum, and had the privilege of visiting with Ralph “Tiger” Thomas, the co‑founder and Project Director. He was so touched by the messages from our students and took the time to read every single card. He shared that he plans to have his team create a special feature highlighting the Valentines and the learning our students have been doing throughout the month (and beyond). What a meaningful way for our Panthers’ voices and learning to be shared with the wider community. We are so proud of the empathy, respect, and genuine curiosity our students have shown as they learn about Black Excellence in our region. 📅 This Week at a Glance Week of February 17–20 Tuesday Bi‑Weekly Achievement Update sent home Lunar New Year Ramadan begins (evening) 🎉 Coming Soon: Spirit Week (Feb 23–27) A quick preview of next week’s fun: Monday: Superhero Day 🦸 Tuesday: Black & Gold Day 🖤💛 Wednesday: Wild, Whacky & Pink Shirt Day 💗 Thursday: KPES Olympics (PM) ❄️ Friday: Jammies or Cozy Winter Clothes + Stuffie Day 🧸 Afternoon Assembly Theme: Inclusion More details to come in next week’s update! 💛 Wishing You a Wonderful Week Ahead Here’s to another great week together at KPES—learning, growing, and taking care of one another. See you tomorrow morning! Melissa 🐾