The start of this school year looks a little different in the east of the island. Pares Secondary School has officially welcomed students and teachers from Glanvilles Secondary, creating a single, much larger school community.

Roughly 330 to 340 students now fill the classrooms and halls of Pares, alongside more than 50 teachers, including 16 who made the move from Glanvilles. It’s a change that Education Minister Daryll Matthew says is less about starting something new and more about building strength through unity.

“This isn’t a brand-new school,” the minister explained. “It’s Pares Secondary absorbing Glanvilles. When you combine the talent pools—whether that’s academics, sports, or the arts—you create greater opportunities for students.”

That idea of strength in numbers is already familiar. Last year, when the two schools joined forces on the cricket field, the combined team made it all the way to the finals. Administrators point to that success as proof of what can be achieved together.

Director of Education Clare Browne sees the merger as a chance to restore Pares’ former prominence. “We are no longer two schools standing side by side—we are one, moving forward with a shared vision,” he told the assembled students and staff at Monday’s ceremony.

Principal Letitia Harris-Lawrence compared the process to blending families. “We want to respect the identity and culture of both schools while building something stronger together,” she said. She added that special attention will be given to helping students adjust emotionally to their new environment.

The merger comes just as Pares Secondary marked its 54th anniversary, giving extra meaning to this new beginning. With a bigger student body and a deeper bench of teachers, many believe the school is poised to reclaim its reputation as both an academic and sporting powerhouse.