Alma Parris Academy starts term two with great expectations

Staff and students at the Alma Parris Academy marked the start of term two with a renewed sense of purpose, outlining ambitious plans for learning, personal development and continued growth.

The school, which was closed from 2017 and reopened in January 2025, offers an alternative style of education and was initially established for students who scored poorly on the Common Entrance Examination. 

On Tuesday’s opening day, Annella Michael of the Human Ecology Department said the new term would be shaped by a unifying theme centred on the sea.

As part of the theme, Michael said students would engage in hands-on experiences tied directly to marine life and coastal resources.

“We’re going to do everything related to the sea, whether it’s tours, whether it’s food, whether it’s drink,” she said,

A similar cross-curricular approach is being echoed across departments. 

Cosmetology tutor Tahirah Payne-Johnson said the theme reflects both the island’s geography and the school’s focus on growth.

She noted that lessons will be intentionally aligned across subjects.

“For the new term, we want to continue to grow with the students. Our theme for this term is the sea, since we’re so close to the sea.

“Every single thing that we’re looking at this term is going to be surrounded by the sea,” Payne-Johnson said, describing the approach as one where subjects “are aligning with each other.”

From an advisory perspective, guidance counsellor Marcia Webster said expectations for term two are high, particularly after notable progress in 2025.

“When we think about 2026 [and] term two, the expectations for our students are great,” she said. “We’ve seen much improvement over the last year.”

Reflecting on behavioural and emotional development, she said significant progress had been made.

“We’ve seen so much improvement in terms of self regulation,” Webster said, adding that students have been “polite, more expressive, and increasingly willing to share with one another.”

Webster also highlighted the continuation of Affirmation Fridays, an initiative aimed at building confidence and self-worth among students.

“We’re expecting that we can see this year more of our students sharing what they would have done and affirming them in so many positive ways to remind them that there is potential in each and every one of them,” she said.

Acknowledging the challenges some students faced when they first joined the Academy, Webster pointed to measurable academic progress.

“Some of them unfortunately couldn’t even recognize some of the letters of the alphabet, and we’ve seen progress throughout the terms. So we are looking forward to even greater heights and greater achievements,” she said.

On the academic front, numeracy teacher Dominique Jordan said the focus for 2026 is building confidence and creating well-rounded students.

“My hope for the new year is that we continue to work with our students to help them to develop well rounded,” she said.

Recognising that many students require additional support, Jordan expressed confidence in the staff’s collective effort.

“The students at Alma Parris, we know that they need the extra help, and I pray that my colleagues and I can give them all the help that they need to help build their confidence,” she said, adding that the goal is to “turn them into successful citizens for Barbados.”

With 33 students currently enrolled, staff at the Alma Parris Academy say their priority remains creating a nurturing environment grounded in support and unity. 

The aim for term two is to maintain the school’s strong family feel while encouraging continued academic, behavioural and personal development of the students.