Kia ora koutou,
A Week of Progress!
This week has brought both challenges and exciting progress. We are thrilled to announce the unveiling of the first half of our refurbished administration building. The plastic tent and scaffolding are gone, and the new, modern structure replaces the old, leaky offices with a safe, aesthetically pleasing environment for our students and staff. This is a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to enhance our school’s infrastructure. Unfortunately, the scaffolding and plastic tent have now moved to cover my office for the next six months. My view of our lovely old trees will be gone!
Our school’s eclectic mix of building styles has led to some interesting discoveries during the refurbishment. For instance, our contractors uncovered beams cut off at ceiling height to accommodate office spaces built in the 1980s. We also faced an unexpected challenge when we discovered that the main water pipes, where they shouldn't have been, had shifted slightly due to earthquakes. This, combined with the recent flooding, caused a pipe burst, leading to some disruption as repairs were made. We appreciate your patience and support during this time and understand the inconvenience it caused.
We are excited to continue our refurbishment projects, each bringing us closer to our goal of providing our students with the best possible learning environment.
We now have a date to celebrate the school’s 100th year anniversary: Saturday 8 August 2026. Numerous groups are already communicating about this event. While it is still too early to book flights, I hope you can connect with friends from your school days and arrange dinners, drinks, or other social occasions.
Our plan for the day is to open the school and have our wonderful students share their talents with you - sports, dance, music, and maybe a show. There will be kai, numerous cups of tea, good coffee and places to sit and chat with old friends. While much of the school has changed, a few key buildings full of memories remain, like B-Block and the hall - the oldest buildings on site!
For now, there is not much for alumni to do, but I recommend joining the official Hutt Valley High School Alumni Facebook page. It’s a great way to reconnect with former classmates. A group of alumni volunteers also run the Hutt Valley High School ex-pupils (New Zealand) Facebook group, which is a very active community and a helpful resource.
Student Options and a New Course for 2025
Year 9-12 students have selected their options for next year. Our approach to course selection focuses on staffing based on student choices, ensuring they can pursue subjects that interest them. This makes for a complex timetabling process, but we can accommodate most students' preferred options.
Occasionally, a student may not secure their first choice, particularly in subjects requiring specialised rooms with limited availability. However, most students receive the majority of their selected options, and we are committed to meeting everyone’s needs as best as possible.
I’m excited to introduce a new subject for next year - Māori Performing Arts. This Achievement Standard course, open to students in Years 10-13, allows students to explore their whakapapa (genealogy) and pūrākau (stories) while developing performance skills. Please chat with Whaea Krystal (Te Ao Māori Teacher) or email her at krystal.clarke@hvhs.school.nz if you would like to know more about this course.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We will be pleased when this week ends, and we can start fresh next week. It has been a tough one.
Good luck to all our sports competitors travelling all over New Zealand to compete, and a huge thank you in advance to the volunteer coaches, managers, van drivers and officials supporting them and making it possible.
Ngā mihi nui,
Denise Johnson, Principal
At HVHS, we encourage students to bring their own device to school. With over 90% of our students arriving in Year 9 with a Chromebook they are well equipped to access course materials, resources, and assessments through Google Classroom. Unfortunately, for some families, the $400 cost of a basic Chromebook is out of reach due to financial hardship.
To bridge this gap, we work with these families, using the support of our community and whānau to provide solutions. In previous years, we have been fortunate with our annual request to gift Chromebooks to our students most in need. If you think that this is something you can do to help a student - we would love to hear from you.
How to Make a Donation to the Chromebook Appeal
To donate, simply make your contribution to Hutt Valley High School's bank account below using the references 'Chromebook' and 'Donation'.
Hutt Valley High School
02-0528-0030654-00
For more information, please contact Principal Denise Johnson at denise.johnson@hvhs.school.nz to discuss your donation. All contribution, big or small is greatly appreciated and can be truly life changing for many students.
A massive thank you to the Year 13 students who organised Wednesday's yellow non-uniform day fundraising for the Cancer Society's Daffodil Day. Our students did a fantastic job of getting the word out to students and staff despite the school being closed on Monday and Tuesday!
The kind donations made by our school community will help support the Cancer Society's mission, tāhuhu, of reducing the incidence and impact of cancer in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
One donation can save up to three lives!
The New Zealand Blood Service will hold a mobile blood drive in the school hall this Wednesday (4 September) from 9am – 2pm.
The Care of Children Act 2004 allows people 16 years and over to make their own decisions about whether or not they wish to give blood. Students may choose to donate blood at this session. New Zealand Blood Service recommends that students discuss becoming a blood donor with their family.
This is open to students, staff, parents, guardians and whānau who meet the New Zealand Blood Services' eligibility criteria and are willing to donate. We will have a booking form for students at the Student Reception and walk-ins from our school community on the day are always welcome.
Visit New Zealand Blood Services' website for helpful resources on becoming a donor, including information on eligibility criteria. For any questions about Wednesday's Blood Drive, please email Joanne Canton (First Aid Officer) at joanne.canton@hvhs.school.nz
Do you have a student who is struggling to connect with classmates at school? The Dungeons and Dragons Club is a welcoming and inclusive place for students to foster more connections at school.
We are currently seeking junior students who would benefit from joining the D&D Club. With senior students increasingly focused on their NCEA exams, we have several new groups forming, providing an excellent opportunity for junior students to get involved.
The D&D Club meets every Thursday after school in room V8 until 5:30pm. Teachers are on hand to support students, especially those who may feel shy about joining a group.
If you have any questions, please contact Marcus Blomquist (Maths Teacher/Assistant Head of Restorative Practices) at marcus.blomquist@hvhs.school.nz.
Enrolments for 2025 are open for in-zone applications for Years 9-13 and out-of-zone applications for Years 10-13. Please note that out-of-zone applications for Year 9 have now closed, and we are no longer accepting applications.
All enrolments are now completed online. Please go to the enrolment page to find the online enrolment form and key enrolment deadlines.
We strongly encourage parents and caregivers to enrol their children as early as possible. Year 8 Enrolment Conversations are scheduled for mid-November. These enrolment conversations allow us to meet with parents, caregivers and students to plan for their learning needs and ensure a smooth transition to high school.
If you have any questions, please email our Enrolment Coordinator, Lesley Mackay at lesley.mackay@hvhs.school.nz
Contact Information
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