HVHS Newsletter

Kia ora e te whānau,

We are excited to introduce ourselves as your 2025 Head Students. It is a privilege to represent our school community, and we are eager to make this a positive and successful year for everyone. Together, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where every student can thrive.

Our guiding message for this year is “Lift Each Other Up". We believe that when we encourage and support those around us, we create a stronger, kinder school community. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the sports field, or during extracurricular activities, small actions can make a big difference. This could look like helping a classmate who’s struggling with their work, cheering on your peers during sports games, or simply being a positive voice when others need it most.

We encourage all students to embody this message in 2025. We are here to listen to your ideas, represent your voices, and work alongside you to make this year one to remember!

Ngā mihi nui,

Lucy, William, Annabel and Aaron.

Image: Annabel Dee (Deputy Head Student), William Uriaro (Head Student), Denise Johnson (Principal), Lucy Davenport (Head Student) & Aaron Chong (Deputy Head Student).

Kia ora koutou,

It’s hard to believe we’re already at Week 4! Most students are now well-settled into their learning and committed to their chosen subjects.

You will have received the first Attitude to Learning Grades – these regular reports are the best indicator of how a student is tracking. As I often say, Attendance + Positive Attitude to Learning = Success. Being present, engaged, and giving their best effort will help students connect, feel they belong, and ultimately succeed. If you notice anything concerning in these reports, please don’t ignore it. My advice? Sweat the small stuff before bad habits start to form.

Uniform Reminders

Just a quick reminder that we are a uniform school, and we have a simple expectation: if it doesn’t have wings, it doesn’t fly. If shoes and jackets are not plain black, they shouldn’t be wandering around our campus! We haven’t made any changes to our uniform guidelines, so if you hear otherwise, know that our uniform remains the same.

To help, here are a few visual reminders. We appreciate your help in keeping our school uniform looking sharp and consistent!

Exciting School Events & Activities

We are nearly halfway through Term 1, and so many exciting things have already happened, with even more to come!

• Duke of Edinburgh Scheme – We have had hundreds of students sign up, which is fantastic! If your teen is still interested, they can contact Sarah Coales at sarah.coales@hvhs.school.nz. As explained at the recent Information Evening, this qualification showcases perseverance, service-mindedness, and commitment – all qualities employers and universities value.

• House/Taumata Meetings – We held our first House meetings of the year. Leading a group of 350 teenagers is no small feat, especially at 17 years old! A huge shout-out to our House Leaders and Student Leaders, who did an incredible job.

• Showquest Auditions - Students packed the Hall at lunchtime on Wednesday to audition for this year's group performance at the St James Theatre.

• Whānau Hui - Last night's event supporting Māori rangatahi was made even more special by our student speakers, Kaitoro Walker (12MO) and Māia Waldegrave (13JD / Māori Leader) and the manaaki shown by our students, who demonstrated great organisation and maturity as they prepared kai and served tea and juice with generosity and warmth.

• Athletics Day is next Thursday! Your student should have come home with clear instructions about the day, including their House colour (which means it’s time to dig out or create a super costume!).

Ngā manaakitanga,
Denise Johnson, Principal

Hutt Valley High School’s annual Athletics Day is happening on Thursday, 6 March, at Hutt Recreation Ground. All students need to meet at Hutt Recreation Ground for the start of the school day.

Key Information for Students and Parents

• Start of the Day: All students must meet at Hutt Recreation Ground by 9:00am for Mentor time. Meeting points will be clearly marked
• Attendance: Students must stay for the full day. This includes Year 13 students. If a student has an appointment, they need to see a member of the Senior Leadership Team for a pass to leave the grounds
• Events: Students do not need to sign up in advance - just turn up and compete! For non-competitive events, students can choose to participate at stations where they feel comfortable
• Food, Hydration & Sunscreen: Students should bring their lunch, plenty of water and sunscreen. A hydration station with filtered water will be available, and the canteen will operate from Hutt Old Boys Clubrooms at Hutt Rec
• Weather Updates & Cancellations: If the event is postponed due to weather, we will update our SchoolBridge App and HVHS Sport Facebook page by 7:00am. The postponement date is Tuesday, 11 March
• Dress Code: Wearing your House colours with pride is encouraged! Don’t forget to get creative for the Fashion in the Field event.

This is a fantastic day for students to get involved, have fun, and support their House. We look forward to seeing everyone there! For any questions, please contact Sarah Coales at sarah.coales@hvhs.school.nz

Students are able to receive support from our dedicated Science teachers at Science Help Room, which runs from 3:30-4:30pm every Thursday after school in B11.

Many senior students also choose to attend regularly to work through their homework. Science Help Room is open to all students, and no bookings are necessary - students are welcome to drop in anytime.

For any questions, please email Kylie Miller (Assistant HOLA Science / Teacher in Charge - Biology) at kylie.miller@hvhs.school.nz

Hutt Valley High School extends a massive thank you to the New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) for their generous $4,000 grant to purchase cricket match balls for the 2025 season.

Every cricket game requires a new match ball, with costs ranging from $34 to $101, depending on the grade and type of ball needed. Thanks to the generous support from NZCT, our school can now ensure that teams have the necessary match balls to play each game without placing an additional financial burden on families.

Coco Holland-Waterson (12WL) competed in New Zealand Hyrox competition. Hyrox is an epic fitness sport made up of 8 strength and endurance challenges with a 1km sprint in between each exercise. Coco competed in the 16-24 age category and was the youngest competitor in the event, which included international competitors too. Coco finished 6th - a fantastic result.

Jacob Williams (10GSSP) competed in the North Island and South Island Colgate Games events, the two largest annual athletic club competitions for young athletes. Winning gold in the 1,500m and silver in the 800m at both events. Jacob also secured gold medals in the mixed medley in both islands and a gold medal as part of the 4x100m relay team in the North Island, capping off a hugely successful event.

Jacob also competed at the Oceania Orienteering Championships 2025. The four-day event draws competitors from all over the world. In an action-packed schedule, Jacob placed 5th overall in the long course and 7th in the short course.

Isla Hughes (13AS) competed in the Wellington Senior Athletics Championship, placing 1st in the Hammer and Discus events for the under 18 age group.

Liv Turner (10CNPA) represented the Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) Team at the recent Māori Cricket Nationals. Held in Tāmaki Makaurau over four days of tough competition, the team finished 2nd overall.

Good luck to the following students and teams competing at upcoming events:

• HVHS Dragon Boaters compete at the Wellington Dragon Boat Festival this Sunday (2 March). The event runs from 11am to 4pm (times are approximate), and supporters are welcome. It's a fantastic day celebrating the best high school paddlers.
• Annabel Dee (13JD), Emma McRobbie (13FL), Blake Taylor (12WD) and Kaitoro Walker (12MO) are competing at the Aon North Island Secondary Schools Rowing Championships held at Lake Karāpiro from 7-9 March.
• Good Luck to Ben Coubrough (13AN), Névé Groom (12KT) and Morgan McKeown (12KT), who are competing at the Sailing International Regatta on the 6-9 March.
• Shakira Abel-McEwen (9DMST) will compete at the New Zealand Marching Championships in Southland from 13-15 March.

If you have a sporting achievement you'd like us to celebrate, please email the details to sport@hvhs.school.nz

A reminder to return any outstanding 2024 sports uniforms to the Resource Centre as soon as possible. The Resource Centre is open Monday to Thursday from 9:00am to 2:30pm during Term 1.

Congratulations to Aaron Shaji (11NS) on successfully completing the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.

It was great to see so many students and their families at last Monday's Duke of Edinburgh Information Evening. If you weren't able to attend, please visit the school's website for information on how to register and a helpful letter for parents and caregivers compiling information about the Awards by clicking here.

For any questions, please email Sarah Coales (Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator at HVHS) at sarah.coales@hvhs.school.nz

In 2024, our kura opted into a wellbeing-focused initiative led by the Ministry of Education and New Zealand Police. This initiative ensures schools are notified in a timely manner when one of its students has been affected by a family harm episode.

The Ministry of Education manages and monitors alerts from the Police and sends a notification to the enrolling school or kura with no other detail other than the student's name. As a result of these notifications, kura are aware that a child has experienced an event within the last 24 hours, enabling staff to provide support, including sensitive behaviour management and the provision of additional support when required.

This programme aligns with our Child Protection policy and ensures that a small group of selected staff can provide extra care to Tamariki who may need it. We have strict processes in place to keep this information private and securely stored.

If you have any questions, please speak with Grace Wright (Deputy Principal) or email grace.wright@hvhs.school.nz

At Hutt Valley High School, our School Board adheres to a three-year policy review schedule to ensure our policies remain current and effective.

This term, we are reviewing the following policies:

• Health, Safety and Welfare
• Safety Management System
• Risk Management
• Worker Engagement, Participation and Representation
• Healthcare
• Recording and Reporting Accidents, Injuries and Illness.

The School Board welcomes feedback and input from the school community on these policies. To read the policies click here and search for 'Hutt Valley High School', and enter username 'HVHS' and the password 'Adalta'. The close off date for feedback is Sunday, 16 March 2025.

In Term 4, we introduced a new online form for students to complete when they have lost an item. Please click here to access the form, which has also been uploaded to Google Classroom for students to access easily. Parents and caregivers can also use this form too.

All lost property is dropped off at the School Office. All named items are immediately returned to students. As unnamed items come in, we will match the lost item against the register.

To help us reunite lost items with their student owners, please name all items.

The HVHS English Department is excited to announce the annual Senior Speech Competition, taking place in Term 1.

Public speaking is a vital skill, and this competition provides a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their talent, confidence, and ability to engage an audience. If your student has a passion for speaking and wants to challenge themselves in a supportive and competitive environment, please encourage them to enter.

Competition Details:

• Speeches must be between 4 and 6 minutes long
• Students can speak on any topic
• Open to students in Years 11-13
• To enter, email Megan Tompsett (English Teacher) at megan.tompsett@hvhs.school.nz by Friday, 7 March 2025 (end of week 5).

We look forward to watching the heats during week 7.

Hutt Valley High School students have the opportunity to put their spelling skills to the test in this year’s Spelling Bee competition! This is a fantastic way to build vocabulary, strengthen spelling accuracy, and challenge yourself in a fun, competitive environment.

Students in Years 9 and 10 will receive a weekly spelling list of 12 words in weeks 3, 5 & 7 this term. During these weeks, they will study their words at home and take part in a spelling test during class time. The top-performing students will progress to the final competition.

Spelling Bee Final

Finalists will be announced in Week 9 and will receive a final spelling list to prepare for the championship round. The grand final will take place on Thursday, 10 April, in the HVHS Library, where students will compete for the titles of Year 9 and Year 10 Top Speller, with prizes awarded to the winners.

For any questions on the Spelling Bee, please email Megan Tompsett (English Teacher) at megan.tompsett@hvhs.school.nz

Each year, we see students arriving at school who haven't had breakfast and are without kai for the day, and this year is no exception. Unfortunately, some of the charities that previously provided support are no longer able to do so. As a result, we are reaching out to our school community to see if whānau can help.

Donations of spreads for sandwiches, grab-and-go foods such as muesli bars and food items students can easily put in their school bags would be greatly appreciated. If you’re unsure what to donate, grocery vouchers are also a fantastic way to contribute. If you’d like to help, please contact Claire Ross (Head of Wellbeing) at claire.ross@hvhs.school.nz.

All new students have received a copy of the New Student Handbook 2025 during their orientation. We highly recommend that new families read the New Student Handbook.

The handbook is the go-to guide for all things HVHS, covering:

• School values, behaviour, and uniform expectations
• Daily timetable and school map
• Arriving late, reporting absences, and leaving school during the day
• Student Reception, storing large items, e.g. cricket bags & the IT support
• Hotuwaipara (school marae) and the HVHS karakia, waiata and haka
• Ad Alta Awards, school houses and extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, groups and music and dance opportunities).

Registrations for free music lessons accepted all year round. Music lessons are offered for the following instruments: bass guitar, cello, clarinet, double bass, drums, flute, french horn, guitar, percussion, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, viola, violin and voice.

Due to student demand there are now waiting lists for a number of instruments. To apply for free music lessons in 2025, please click here

Thursday 6 March

• Athletics Day (Years 9-13), Hutt Recreation Ground

Tuesday 11 March

• Athletics Day (Postponement Date), Hutt Recreation Ground

Monday 17 March

• Senior Speech Competition Heats (runs till Friday 21 March)

Tuesday 18 March

• School ID Photos (Catch-Up Day)

Wednesday 19 March

• Summer Sports Tournament Week, Coaches & Managers Night, 6:00pm-7:00pm, HVHS Staffroom

Thursday 20 March

• Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka, Introduction Presentation for Year 13 Students, 1:30pm, Library
• Suginami Exchange (runs till Thursday 27 March)

Monday 24 March

• NZ Secondary Schools Summer Sports Tournament Week (runs till Friday 28 March)

Wednesday 2 April

• HVHS Board Meeting, 5:30pm-7:30pm, HVHS Boardroom

Thursday 3 April

• Senior Speech Competition, Finals, 3:30pm, Library

Friday 4 April

• Summer Sports Team Photos

Thursday 10 April

• Junior Spelling Bee Finals, 1:30pm

Friday 11 April

• Last Day of Term 1

Monday 28 April

• First Day of Term 2

Tuesday 29 April

• Winter Sports Codes, Coaches & Managers Volunteers Evening, 6:00pm-7:30pm, HVHS Staffroom

Wednesday 7 May

• Learning Conversations for Students & Families in Year 9 & 10.
• Students in Years 11-13 Learning From Home

Monday 19 May

• NCEA Co-Requisite Testing Begins

Wednesday 21 May

• HVHS Board Meeting, 5:30pm-7:30pm, HVHS Boardroom

Tuesday 27 May

• HVHS Open Evening, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Friday 30 May

• Teacher Only Day (No Classes for Students)

Monday 2 June

• King's Birthday (Public Holiday, School Closed)

Email: office@hvhs.school.nz
Website: hvhs.school.nz
Location: Hutt Valley High School Woburn Road, Woburn, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Phone: 04 566 4584