Glenmuir High back in full swing after Hurricane Melissa

With Hurricane Melissa disrupting high schools across rural Jamaica – many still unable to resume full classes because of infrastructural damage – Glenmuir High in May Pen, Clarendon, has emerged as a rare bright spot.

Located on Glenmuir Road in central Clarendon, the school escaped the worst of the Category 5 storm and has returned to normal operations, with students turning out in large numbers since full resumption on Monday.

“Except for the loss of electricity and running water for a few days, we had no major damage,” said Acting Principal Denavon Hayles, who has been serving in that role for the past nine years. “We returned on a phased system – last Thursday and Friday we had our fifth and sixth formers coming in. We conducted psychosocial sessions with them and addressed CXC examination concerns, as many were worried about that,” he explained.

“School resumed for all students on Monday, and we continued the psychosocial sessions in stages – first and second formers together, then third and fourth formers – and those sessions went very well,” Hayes added.

According to Hayles, more than 1,400 students turned out over the two days. “The school has a population of over 1,600 students, and on both days we had over 1,400 in attendance,” he shared. “Most of those who didn’t turn up were from families badly affected by the hurricane.” He also noted that only six teachers were absent.

Glenmuir High has also opened its doors to help students from other institutions affected by Hurricane Melissa. “At the moment, we have a student from Knox College. We’re currently working with one from Black River, and we’ve been approached to assist another from Hampton,” Hayles concluded.

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