Mezi Community School was named after Mezi Beaulieu, a respected elder who built the first cabin here sometime between 1850-1865 in what is now called Whatì. He is buried on the rim of land opposite the community where his grave is used as a place of prayer and feasting. Originally held in a wall tent in 1953, the school progressed to a log cabin in the early sixties to a larger log school, to the use of a community hall and a portable classroom to a modern school facility which was opened on the edge of the community in January 1983. Due to continuing growth, the school is now in the center of the community.
Programs
Mezi Community School offers programming from kindergarten through grade 12. Our students are primarily Tłı̨chǫ and their native language is called Tłı̨chǫ . We have a cultural program that carries on the traditional culture of the Tłı̨chǫ communities. We have an Aboriginal Language teacher who teaches Tłı̨chǫ from K -12. All of our students (K-8) receive Dogrib daily. There are three credit Tłı̨chǫ language courses offered at the High School Level.
We offer courses in Career and Technology. We offer special programs in Academy of Reading and Academy of Mathematics to those who are in need of extra help. Reading A-Z, Razkids (Reading Program), Star Fall (Reading), Super Sonic Phonics (Reading), LIPS (Reading), Reading Journey (Reading). This is coordinated through our Program Support Teacher (PST). We have a Positive Participation Program (PPP). The students are given ballots for doing something positive during the week. We have EBS program that has been used the last three years. We have a breakfast program that runs from the end of October to June. We have a cultural program that uses the equipment that the school has such as cabins, snowmobiles, boats etc. We usually have O Canada, morning prayer, and announcements in the morning. We have the Feeding the Fire Ceremony, which is performed, at the beginning of the school year. We have morning greeters.
