CEESA Newsletter: February 2026 Edition

CEESA Newsletter: February 2026 Edition 

Dear CEESA Community,

It’s hard to miss the “big-stage” energy this time of year – award-show season, halftime spectacles, and the playlists that somehow end up in every hallway. Whether you watched the Grammys, cheered for your favorite curling team at the Winter Olympics, caught the Super Bowl highlights, February has a way of turning everything into a headline.

And with headlines comes a certain kind of drama: a season that loves a showdown – rival teams, rival fanbases, rival predictions… everyone picking a side. It’s exciting, loud, and impossible to ignore.

But here’s what those moments don’t always show: the practice behind the spotlight. The repetition. The feedback. The community. The quiet coaching that turns potential into confidence. Beneath every heated rivalry story is something quieter and more universal: the discipline behind the moment. The early mornings. The coaching. The setbacks. The returning to the basics. The way excellence is rarely born in the spotlight – it’s built long before the lights come on. And often, it’s built not by one brilliant individual, but by a team – a crew of people who show up, support each other, and believe in something bigger than the win.

That’s why the Winter Olympics feel especially fitting for February. The torch doesn’t stay in one person’s hands – it’s carried, protected, and passed forward, again and again, until it becomes something bigger than any single person. It’s warmth in the cold. It’s direction in the dark.

And isn’t that what education is? We carry the flame for a while – curiosity, courage, belonging – and then we pass it on. What we carry – learning, hope, belonging – matters most when we keep it moving forward, together.

And speaking of torches being passed and momentum building… we are now about one month away from coming together as a region in Sofia for CEESA 2026. The countdown is real – and so is the opportunity to refuel, reconnect, and return to school with fresh clarity. We are never more inspired than when we come together.

Year of the Fire Horse!

And if February isn’t already dramatic enough, we also welcome in the Lunar New Year. Year of the Fire Horse:

2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse in the Asian Zodiac, starting February 17, 2026. By all accounts, this year in the cycle will be bringing intense, dynamic energy, symbolizing freedom, passion, and bold action, with a strong call for innovation, self-expression, and challenging limits. It is noted for its potent influence in cultural shifts and personal breakthroughs, though requiring mindful action to balance its fiery impulsiveness.

Not coincidentally, it is also our CEESA’s Executive Director’s year in the cycle, so expect that energy to be coming our way amplified!

Kind regards,
CEESA Team

Kathy Stetson and the AAIE Hall of Fame Award

This month, we’re proud to celebrate our very own Kathy Stetson, who has been honored with the AAIE Hall of Fame Award – a recognition reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions to international education over a decade or more, and who have advanced the mission of AAIE through vision, wisdom, and integrity.

Those words – vision, wisdom, integrity – are not abstract for the CEESA community. We’ve seen them in the way Kathy built bridges across schools and countries, elevated professional learning in our region, and led with a steady belief that community is not a “nice to have,” but the foundation of what makes schools stronger.

Kathy’s work has always been about more than programs and events – it’s been about people: creating spaces where educators feel seen, supported, and capable of growing into what’s next.

Kathy, congratulations. Your impact is unmistakable – and this recognition feels deeply deserved.