Fellow Combermerians, as always it is a pleasure and a privilege to greet you.  At this time of writing, we have celebrated Easter, a time of traditions namely kite flying which brings back so many memories especially as this year there was not much of this, here in Barbados, due to restrictions.  For those of you residing overseas, spring is here or near at hand; however, we look at it, there is a renewal that comes at this time of year, a blooming of hope and a poignant reminder amidst challenging times.  Even now, Mother Nature speaks as Là Soufrière in our sister isle, St. Vincent, has erupted scattering ash across the seas.  As I look outside grey skies are ever present and the ash is beginning to accumulate.  Those of us old enough, will remember this occurrence in 1979 while for some, it will be a new feature.  My son thinks it is cool, probably because he has not had to deal with the clean-up process. 

It seems as though so much has occurred in the past few weeks and this month, our students will return to our alma mater; an essential move to get students back into the framework and structure for examinations.  As mentioned in the last issue of the Pulse, there are a number of projects that are on stream to make life that much easier and comfortable for our returning students.  We continue to look at the implementation of WiFi across the school compound and we are hoping, with further assistance, to outfit the school grounds with additional benches.  

Through the efforts of Major Patrick Skeete past student and former teacher in Spanish at Combermere, a new scholarship programme will be initiated to assist those students in need of necessary resources to help them achieve more.  It is an opportunity to provide mentorship, coaching and additional tutelage to those students who need this kind of impetus to succeed.

The days are indeed challenging as we face various obstacles and for those in the southern Caribbean especially Combermerians here in Barbados, there is now a mighty undertaking in terms of cleaning up our premises, school, and country.  We are, however, ready for the task at hand. As restrictions gradually lift in Barbados, even as those in some jurisdictions experience a 3^rd wave of this pandemic, wherever you are, I caution everyone to remember the social protocols of physical distancing, sanitizing and wearing of masks, as we each continue to play our part in safeguarding ourselves and families, and also to remember that we are equipped to deal with these challenging times.  Let us endeavour to stay connected and stay safe.

Up and On!