Mitchell Mackay has worked with the WA Department of Education for 35 years and has been the Principal of John Curtin College of the Arts for the past 12 years. During this time he has acted as Assistant Regional Executive Director (2015) and Director of the School Improvement and Support Unit (2017). Previous to this he was Principal of Rossmoyne Senior High School and Leeming Senior High School, Manager of Operations of the Fremantle-Peel District Office, and has been a Deputy Principal, Head of Learning Area Mathematics, Year Coordinator and teacher of Mathematics.
In 2007 Mitchell helped transform John Curtin College of the Arts into the only fully selective arts college in Western Australia. In 2009 the college was one of the first 34 public schools to be selected to become one of the State’s first Independent Public Schools. He has presented at many forums both in WA and in other states for principals and colleagues on leadership, Independent Public Schools and change management.
He was recognised as runner up Principal of the Year in the 2011 Western Australian Education Awards and in 2012 he won an Australian Council for Educational Leaders Certificate of Excellence in educational leadership. In 2016 he was selected to travel to Harvard University, USA to complete the Principal’s Fellowship Program in Educational Leadership.
He has a Masters of Education in Educational Management and Administration and a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Science.
