Hoërskool Menlopark

Die Hoërskool Menlopark
[2]
Menlopark school crest
Excelsa petamus (Latin: "We strive for the highest values")
Location
Menlo Park
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Information
Founded 1963
School district District 4
Authority Gauteng Department of Education
Headmaster Dr Carel Van Der Merwe
Staff approx. 50 full-time
Gender Mixed School
Enrolment 1,300 pupils
Language Afrikaans
School Colour(s) Blue, White and Red
Slogan Excelsa Petamus
Song Hou Hoog Die Vaandel Wit en Blou
Fight song Ons Skool Sal Saamstaan
Nickname Menlo
Newspaper The quarterly Die Eggo, the weekly Menlo-Insig
Yearbook Die Eggo
Website www.menlopark.co.za

Die Hoërskool Menlopark (Menlo Park High School) is a public Afrikaans medium co-educational high school located in Menlo Park, Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Learners call themselves Parkies. Menlopark is one of the most prestigious schools in South Africa.

Contents

History

The school was established in 1963, starting with 12 class rooms and 372 learners in grades 8, 9 and 10 (then called Standards 6, 7 and 8).[1]

Menlopark today

Menlopark has four values which every Parkie knows by heart and strives for in their every day life: Integrity, diligence, respect and loyalty.

The Student Representative Council (SRC) is called the "Parkieraad" which consists out of two learners (boy and girl) from every class. The current council consists out of approximately 100 learners (50 boys and 50 girls).

Menlopark participates in a variety of sports:

Menlopark has achieved many outstanding achievements throughout its existence and is considered as one of the top schools in South Africa.

§Menlopark is the current title holder of the Jacaranda Prestige Inter High Athletics Competition (A-league) champions and has won this title for the tenth consequetive year now. The girls' competition was won by the Menlopark girls 16 out of 16 times.

‡Menlopark is the current title holder of the Swimming Inter High Competition (A-league) champions for the third consequetive year. Menlopark's swimming academy is part of Olympic gold medalist, Ryk Neethling's Players Academy. The school owns a 50m (Olympic size) heated swimming pool (one of only two schools in South Africa) on campus.

Menlopark has its own soccer league called the Menlo Soccer League (MSL) where any students of any age group in the school can apply to play in this league and compile their own teams. This was a student initiative that was established in 2006. (Logo: [3])

Other activities that Menlopark offers are:

‡The Menlo-choir is currently the best mixed school choir in South Africa after winning the National ATKV Applous Choir Competition in July 2011 and achieving a Cum Laude award (90%+). They are also known as the "Van Papendorp-Engeltjies" (Van Papendorp Angels in English) which comes from their director, Jeanmari van Papendorp's surname. The choir is one of Menlopark's biggest prides. The choir consists out of approximately 110 members and has participated on provincial, national, as well as international levels. Their piano accompanist is Philip Loots. The choir has undertaken several national and international tours and visited many countries, including Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Turkey, Austria and Egypt.

Menlopark has its own acting theatre on campus, called "Die Blou Teater" (The Blue Theatre in English), where several productions are performed by students in which they can improve and embrace their acting skills.

Notable alumni

In order of final year at Menlopark (date in brackets)

List of head boys

List of head girls

List of Parkieraad chairpersons

Menlo Alumni Association

The association, known as Menlo Alumni, was founded in 2006.

School anthem & fight song

The school song was written in 1965 by Mr J J Botha (lyrics) and Mr O A Van der Stoep (music).[1] The lyrics (in Afrikaans):

Hou hoog die vaandel wit en blou
Ons simbool van trots en trou
Ja, ons hart,
en ons hand -
Aan ons skool is dit verpand.
Hier sal ons streef en werk en bou,
Waai ons vlag hoog, wit en blou!
En al wat ons skool sal vra,
Is om trots sy naam te dra,
Excelsa Petamus! Excelsa Petamus! Excelsa Petamus!
Streef die hoogste na.
As Hugenote kinders trou,
Sal ons hul geloftes hou;
Eer betoon,
Sonder loon,
Diensbereid en plig getrou;
Ons werk en spel getrou volbring;
Om Sy naam die lof te sing
en wat Sy gebod ons vra,
Streef ons in ons harte na.
Excelsa Petamus! Excelsa Petamus! Excelsa Petamus!
Streef die hoogste na.

The school's fight song is called "Ons Skool Sal Saamstaan". The tune is based on the Welsh National Anthem (Land of My Fathers). The lyrics (in Afrikaans):

Ons skool sal saamstaan
gekleed in wit en blou.
Ons bou saam en werk saam
in trots en in trou.
In wen of verloor
dra die Parkies hul spoor
en streef ons die hoogste na.
Menlo, ons sal jou altyd onthou.
Die tyd gaan verby,
in ons harte sal jy bly;
'n Anker vir jou en vir my.

Coat of arms

Menlopark's school crest was designed by South African artist and legend, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard, who was a big fan of Menlopark. Her daughter, actress Jana Cilliers, was also a learner at Menlopark.

The meaning of the crest:

Motto and credo

Menlopark's motto is Excelsa Petamus which is Latin for "We strive for the highest values".

The school's credo is Absolut Menlo which takes every aspect of Menlopark into consideration and describes the school as a whole.

Menlopark annual social events

Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c d School website, accessed 9 September 2008
  2. ^ accessed 9 September 2008.
  3. ^ Koos Kombuis en die First National Band on Flickr, accessed 9 September 2008.
  4. ^ Logista website, accessed on 9 September 2008.
  5. ^ Anti-fraud Network website, Accessed on 9 September 2008
  6. ^ [1]

External links

Alternative schools
Private schools
Public schools