A Message from the Principal

Menzies is situated 130 km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Following the discovery of gold, the town was proclaimed a municipality in 1895. During the gold rush period, Menzies boasted 13 hotels, three banks, its breweries and cordial factories, a post office with a staff of 25, a school with 205 students, a public library and four churches.

Menzies School opened its doors in 1897, and the original school building and headmaster’s house are still in use today. Following a pattern typical of many gold mining towns, people drifted away and the area declined. However, despite these changing fortunes, Menzies has continued to survive. Serving a mining, pastoral and local Aboriginal community, Menzies is the home of Wangkatja people, who maintain strong family links to the town and surrounding Country. Menzies is also a popular tourist destination, with nearby Lake Ballard attracting a range of visitors.

Menzies Community School caters to students from Kindergarten to Year 12. Approximately 150 people live in the township of Menzies, and in recent times the school’s student enrolment has ranged between 11 and 31, with predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The school currently has two primary classes: an early childhood education K–2 room and a years 3–6 room. It also has a high school room that caters for Years 7–12. The classrooms are named after animals that are indigenous to the area. Our K–2 students are in Yilpa, named after the goanna. Our Years 3–6 students attend Wanampi, named after the snake, and our Years 7–12 students attend Marlu, named after the kangaroo. Our playgroup room is called Bardi, which means witchetty grub, and our specialist teaching room is called Karlaya, which means emu.

Our vision states the following: In partnership with our families, Menzies Community School provides a supportive learning place to build students of culture and character who contribute to the world. Our vision is underpinned by three core values: Belong, Achieve and Respect. These values permeate all areas of education at our school.

Our learning programmes are designed to cater to the needs of students in our unique environment, providing culturally and contextually responsive opportunities for social and intellectual development. Staff focus on the individual needs of each student through a whole-school cycle of teaching, learning and assessment.

The Two-Way Science program supports our school in building stronger partnerships with our local Aboriginal community. It fosters culturally responsive learning and allows students to learn about science through the world’s oldest continuing culture. The program also integrates Wangkatja language, visual arts, mathematics and writing into lessons.

All staff members — teachers, Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers, education assistants and allied professionals — have high expectations for every student at Menzies Community School. We want our students to reach their full potential in the classroom and be well-equipped to continue their education after high school, enter the workforce, or pursue further training or employment.

Our motto, Pukulpa Nintirrinkula, translates as 'Happy Learning' — a goal everyone attending Menzies Community School aspires to.

I look forward to the future with conviction, hope and great expectations.

Mrs Megan Irving

Principal