HVHS Newsletter

Kia ora koutou,

The Supported Learning Centre’s Enterprise Group, Panda’s Heroes, won the Environmental and Sustainability Award on Tuesday night at the YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) Awards. Making the YES Awards even more special was Heather Lear (Head of Tautoko - Supported Learning Centre) winning the YES Teacher of the Year Award for the Greater Wellington region! Heather's award noted her 'unwavering belief in the potential of every student and her tireless effort to guide them toward success make her a standout educator’. What a super achievement for Heather & Panda's Heroes!

Pictured: in the back row - Ina Zeiss, Krystal Te Momo-Pope, Prahas Adidam, Olivia Buckham, and Heather Lear, and in the front row - Molly McStay, Taylor Rigby, Cam Flynn. Not pictured - Brayden Bain, Ash McLeod, William Miller, and Damyen Field.

The Green Pages business team of Mila Haami (12GL), Milithi NMS Hewage (12NB), Tui Denham (12MR) (pictured below) and Lucy Davenport (12CS), Jess Owens (12GL), and Ray Moo (12BG) also competed in their YES Regional Finals. Green Pages is focused on repurposing old books into timeless bouquets and DIY kits, and was one of only four teams (out of 75) selected to present at the YES Regional Finals. A fantastic achievement.

Well done to everyone on your effort with Derived Grade Exams. A huge congratulations to all students who worked hard during this exam period. Now is the time to carefully listen to the feedback from your teachers and use it to prepare for your final exams. With focus and effort, you can achieve great results.

As we begin organising our prize-giving ceremonies, I had the privilege of meeting a donor who has established a scholarship for our students. This scholarship honors her father, who grew up in the 1920s in a single-parent household and overcame significant challenges through education and the support of others.

The scholarship embodies the donor’s desire to “pay it forward” and “open doors” for students who, like her father, need a little extra support to achieve their goals. It’s a powerful reminder that education can change lives, and it’s inspiring to see community members invest in our students’ futures.

It’s easy to forget how fortunate we are to have access to free education. The opportunities that learning provides can shape your future in incredible ways. To make the most of your time here, focus on three key areas:

• Good attendance – aim for 90% or higher
• Positive attitude to learning – aim for 3s or above on your report
• Perseverance – keep going, even when things get tough.

Having scholarships available to support students on their next steps is an incredible bonus. But success starts with the effort you put in every day. Let’s keep working hard, supporting one another, and finishing the term strong!

While the vast majority of our students live up to our school’s values every day, I am disappointed that a very small group - about 0.5% - are not meeting expectations. These students require a lot of our attention. To those students, I want to remind you that education is a privilege. Making the most of your time here is essential—not just for your own success, but for the well-being of the entire school community.

Unfortunately, we have recently experienced several malicious fire alarms, two of which were triggered by outsiders brought on-site by a group of students. Last term, we reminded all students that visitors must sign in at the office if they have a valid reason to be here.

Students involved have been held accountable—some have been trespassed by the police, and one student has lost the privilege of attending our school, others are involved in disciplinary proceedings as we speak. It is challenging to keep a restorative mindset, to be honest - the impact of this behaviour - the disruption, cost, and safety risks caused by these incidents are significant, especially as we enter the critical exam period. I do ask that students stay aware and let an adult know if someone is on-site or hanging around the fringes of the school, that should not be.

Our shared values—kindness, being welcoming, and perseverance—are what make our school a safe, thriving environment where everyone can learn and grow. I urge all students to reflect on their choices, act responsibly, and support the smooth running of our school as we head into this important part of the year. Together, we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

Year 13, you are in the final stretch of your time at HVHS! It has been a joy to watch you grow, explore new opportunities, take risks, achieve great things, face challenges, and rise again—each time becoming stronger and more resilient.

As you approach the end of your journey with us, make these last days count. Stay positive, stay focused, and commit to finishing as the best version of yourselves. This is your moment to leave a lasting impact, not only for yourselves but for those who follow in your footsteps.

We are proud of everything you’ve achieved so far. Let’s continue supporting one another, making the most of the opportunities ahead, and finishing this chapter with confidence and pride.

Finish strong,

Kia kaha,

Denise Johnson (Principal)

Come along and celebrate the talent and hard work of the dancers at HVHS. Entry is a $5 koha, with all proceeds going to Hutt Valley Women's Refuge.

The Dance Benefit starts at 7pm on Thursday, 31 October 31 in the HVHS Hall. See you there!

With NCEA Exams starting on Tuesday 5 November, below are helpful reminders for students:

• Exam timetable - you can view the timetable by clicking here
• Exam start time - be ready at your exam venues at least 15 minutes before your exam starts
• Exam venues - locations will be posted at Reception and V9 (Examination Centre Manager's (ECM) Office)
• Admission slips - no admission slip, no entry! If you don’t have your admission slip or have misplaced it, visit the Student Reception as soon as possible to get a new one reprinted
• What you can/can't bring to NCEA exams - you can bring a clear drink bottle, and blue and black pens. You are not allowed to bring phones, watches, calculator covers, or your own paper
• myNZQA Account - If your exam involves using a device, ensure you’ve logged into your myNZQA account ahead of time to ensure your device is working correctly (if needed).

For any unexpected events that disrupt your ability to take an exam, e.g. illness or emergency, please email Rob Everett (Deputy Principal) at rob.everett@hvhs.school.nz as soon as possible to start the Derived Grade Exams process.

Throughout the year, we feature articles from our Learning Areas - this newsletter spotlights learning in the Languages area.

DELF Exam

In Term 3, eighteen students sat the DELF exam, an internationally recognised language exam organised by the French Ministry of Education. All worked hard to prepare for it, attending lunchtime tutorials and completing extra study. Madeleine Dean (Assistant Head of Learning Area - Languages) and Nicolas Delaire (Languages Teacher) are delighted to announce that all students were successful. Congratulations to:

• Awarded the DELF A1: Ava Arthurs (10BEPC), Patrick Bradley (10BEPC), Stefania Butler (10NSTT) , Ariana Covetta Pastorini (10SKPT), Sahasra Gopi (10PDHA), Lucy McGuinness (10FYBB), Ellie Lawson (10NIWE), Holly Meyer (10HRKO), and Rémy Robert (10SKPT)

• Awarded the DELF A2: Anika Casia (10MY), Kate Gruar (11WD), Wilfred Leicester (11MO), Phoebe Rye (11MY), Myumi Peiris (11BH) and Nicholas Walcott (11KT)

• Awarded the DELF B1: Caitlin Grove (12CW) and Kiara Mamatui (11AD)

• Awarded the DELF B2: Fiona Wu (13FE).

Student Reflections from the Trip to Spain in July 2024

"The 2024 trip to Spain was absolutely awesome. To be exposed to such beautiful architecture, culture, and people was super, super special and I honestly can’t quite shake the idea of going back to explore even more! Big thank you to Profe Elena, Profe Jairo, Profe Katie, and Profe Ricardo for making the trip possible - we are all so grateful for everything you all did!" - Ruby Andrews (12SM)

"The school trip to Spain has inspired me. It was stupendous! I learnt many things about the Spanish culture, met new people, tasted new foods and explored the city and its museums, parks, buildings and shops. The architecture I saw was magnificent and I learnt and want to keep learning more Spanish!" - Abigail Rhoades (12CW)

Pictured: In Madrid with Irene (Tour Guide), in front of the Queen’s Chalecito de la Reina in Park del Moro and in Barcelona with Ana Maria (Tour Guide).

Japan Trip 2024

In September, twenty-four HVHS students went on a study trip to Japan, including a week-long homestay in Tokyo. Students explored various districts in Tokyo, including Harajuku, Shibuya, and Akihabara, went shopping and visited Disneyland.

Students then took the bullet train to Osaka, visiting famous shrines and temples, Osaka Castle in Chūō-ku, Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama and more. It is exciting to have this exchange running again after a long 5-year wait after Covid.

"The best part of this trip for me was getting to spend time with my homestay family. At first I thought it would be awkward but by the end I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them and was sad to leave them.”

Sagaar Kumar (13LG)

Some of the most surprising things about this trip were; how welcoming the homestay families were, Japan’s dense population, train efficiency, how clean it is, the amount of plastic used, food is so cheap and delicious, there are no rubbish bins and how different school life is in Japan.

Alyssha Eglington (13PN) and Brooke Neary (12GL) have been competing at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominion Republic as members of the New Zealand team. Alyssha has also been leading the team as Captain - an incredible honour.

The New Zealand team's tournament has now wrapped up. They played in Group A against Nigeria, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic, finishing with a 1-1 draw against the Dominican Republic, 0-4 loss to Ecuador, and a 1-4 loss to Nigeria. The quality of play was incredible; in the game versus Nigeria, the opposition made 32 attempts at goal, keeping Brooke (picture below) busy as the NZ goalkeeper against their attack. Congratulations again to Alyssa & Brooke for proudly representing New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup!

Photo credit: FIFA / Getty Images.

If you have any summer or winter sports uniforms that need to be returned, please drop them off at the Resource Centre by Friday, 1 November. If the Resource Centre is closed, you can also drop them off at the Main Office.

Please contact the Sports Office with information on our students’ sporting successes by emailing sport@hvhs.school.nz with any information and results.

Photos are also appreciated, as we often share these in the newsletter and on social media too.

College Sport Wellington will host its annual awards on Sunday, 3 November 2024, celebrating the sporting talents from around the Wellington region. We're incredibly proud of HVHS's 26 nominations across 23 categories.

Congratulations to all the nominees:

• Service to School Sport - Yvonne Kingi (12GE)
• Coach of the Year - Mike Sheridan (Coach of the HVHS's NZ Title Holders - Premier 1 Boys and Girls Ultimate Teams)
• Student Official - Jacob Oliver (13LR)
• Athletics - Mikayla Sola (13JD)
  
• Badminton - Adreeta Acharyya (10HRKO) & Aaron Chong (12RI)
• Cross Country / Road Race - Jessie McKenzie (12SM)
  
• Football - Alyssha Eglinton (13PN)
  
• Hockey - Luca Marshall (11AD)
• Netball - Samantha Knox (12AN)
• Orienteering - Jonathan Green (13CN)
• Para Sport - Toby Ireland (12CS)
• Power Lifting - Anna Jamieson (13LG)
• Rowing - Mia Allwood (13JD)
• Rugby Union - Mila Haami (12GL)
• Softball - Mila Haami (12GL)
• Swimming - Hannah Sampson (10MVVY) & Daniel Williams (13JD)
• Table Tennis - Jacob Andrews (9GSSP)
• Touch - Matiu Lowrie-Ronson (12NB)
• Ultimate - Holly Dungey (13LN) & Darren Leishman (12BG)
• Underwater Hockey - Ila Gould (11PL)
• Other Codes - Emerging Sports Category: Charlie Edhouse (10PDHA) for Handball, Mila Haami (12GL) for Judo & Zak Broadway (13FX) for Baseball.

Hutt Valley High School is seeking coaches for our 2025 rugby teams and invites expressions of interest from those interested in coaching our boys' and girls' teams. In 2025, we plan to have six teams representing HVHS - U18 Girl, U15 Girls, First XV Boys, Second XV Boys, U65 Boys & U15 Boys.

If you are interested in coaching any of these teams or have any questions, please email Dan Mills (Sports Coordinator) at daniel.mills@hvhs.school.nz or Jan Lammers (PE & Health Teacher/ Rugby Coordinator) at jan.lammers@hvhs.school.nz with a short blurb on the team you're interested in coaching and why you'd be a good candidate for coaching this team.

Please submit your expression of interest by Sunday, 10 November 2024.

We have 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.

Parents and caregivers were emailed earlier in the week about a concerning situation that has recently come to the school's attention. An unknown individual is reportedly targeting teenagers in the Hutt Valley area through online platforms like TikTok.

The perpetrator or scammer has created a fake profile to build trust and manipulate young people.

As trust develops, the perpetrator shares nudes supposedly of themselves and encourages students to reciprocate. Unfortunately, the situation has escalated into exploitation, with the perpetrator demanding money under the threat of exposing these photos publicly.

If you believe your teenager may have fallen victim to this exploitation, please follow these steps:

1. Stay calm and supportive: Your teenager may feel embarrassed, scared, or overwhelmed. Reassure them that they are not at fault and that you are there to help.

2. Gather information: Find out what communications occurred and whether any images or personal information were shared. This will help the authorities take appropriate action.

3. Report the incident immediately: Contact the local police to report the situation. Online exploitation is a serious crime, and prompt police involvement is crucial.

4. Reach out to Netsafe: Visit www.netsafe.org.nz or call 0508 NETSAFE. Netsafe offers expert guidance on managing online safety issues and can assist with reporting and dealing with online exploitation.

5. Block the perpetrator: Ensure your teenager blocks the individual on all platforms and stops all communication with them.

6. Seek further support if needed: Consider connecting with the school’s counselling team, a Dean, or a Deputy Principal. Their contact details are available by clicking here.

7. Keep your family safe online: Some families monitor their teenagers' social media and online interactions through tools like Family Link or Qustodio.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. By staying vigilant and having open conversations with our teenagers, we can help keep them safe from online dangers.

In Term 3, HVHS students Rosa Watt (12NB) and Abby Howat (13LR) were selected as top 10 finalists for the prestigious Mansfield Short Story Award 2024. Rosa's story, 'The Fox', was highly commended at a special Awards Evening held at the National Library.

During his remarks, judge and acclaimed author Brannavan Gnanalingam praised Rosa's 'impressive and tight control of language'. 'The Fox' delves into the mind of its titular character, driven by the primal instinct: 'Sleep, hunt, eat; repeat. Congratulations to all the finalists, you can read their short stories by clicking here

Photo - Judge Brannavan Gnanalingam with all ten finalists, photograph by Emily Brown

The Drawing Club recently had a challenge to create a portrait of someone they admire. Pictured are some highly commended submissions by Alexander Britton (9SATO), Sophia Barker (10PDHA), and An Nguyen (9KSHD), and the winning drawing by Anaïs Bonneau Le Phong (9SATO). Congratulations to the artists!

Contact Olivia McVey (Art Teacher) at olivia.mcvey@hvhs.school.nz if you're interested in hearing more about Drawing Club.

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: Managing Income and Expenditure, Financial Conflicts of Interest, School Donations and Student Activity Payments / Attendance Dues and Other Income, Expenditure, Asset Management and Protection, Property Planning and Maintenance, Prevention of Bribery, Corruption, Fraud and Theft.

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, 3 November 2024.

We have limited spaces available for junior students to learn trumpet or trombone with our teacher, Matthew Stein, on Tuesdays during Term 4. Instrument hire is $25 for the term.

To enrol a student for lessons in Term 4 or for any questions please email Jhan Lindsay at music@hvhs.school.nz

We've replaced our AED (Defibrillator), and the unit's location has been changed. The AED and its lockbox are now situated at the front of the school on Woburn Road, near the driveway by the Supported Learning Centre (pictured).

In case of an emergency, the AED can be accessed by calling 111 to obtain the lockbox code. The school office also holds the code for quick access during school hours. The AED is available for both the school and the wider community.

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.

We’d like to thank the families who have donated already, as so far we have been able to donate three Chromebooks to students.

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.

Finding your homework hard? Have a test coming up? Wanting some extension work? Didn't get the grade you wanted in the last assessment? Come to the Maths Help Room and get some individualised support with whatever maths you need help with.

The Maths Help Room is open to all year levels and ability levels. It runs from 3:30-4:30pm every Wednesday after school in P4. Every week there are a range of maths teachers available to help. You can bring your own work from class, or we can find you something suitable.

There is no need to book; just turn up. Please email Jill Skinner (Maths Teacher)

at jill.skinner@hvhs.school.nz if you have any questions.

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.

We currently have a shortage of secondhand uniforms to donate to students. We'd greatly appreciate your help, especially with donations of school jerseys/hoodies, black shoes and black jackets.

All donations of secondhand uniforms are given to students to ensure they stay warm and comfortable. If you can help, please drop your donated items off at the School Office, which is open from 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday, during term time.

If you haven’t enrolled your Year 8 student yet, please do so as soon as possible. All Year 8 students must enrol – enrolment is NOT automatic even if you live in-zone, attend Hutt Intermediate or have a sibling at HVHS.

A key reason to enrol now are the upcoming Enrolment Conversations with Year 8 families that start on Monday, 11 November. These conversations allow us to meet with parents, caregivers and students to plan for their learning needs and ensure a smooth transition to high school.

To enrol, please click here https://hvhs.school.nz/how-to-enrol/

If you have any questions, please email our Enrolment Coordinator, Lesley Mackay at lesley.mackay@hvhs.school.nz. Please note that applications for out-of-zone enrolments for all year levels in 2025 have now closed.

Winter sports team photos are now available online to purchase at https://inphotography.store/

On Wednesday 16 October, families were emailed their User ID and Password to login to the online store to view and purchase photos.

Please check your emails, If you need your User ID and Password re-sent, please contact Lana Goddard (Principals' PA) at office@hvhs.school.nz

Bea DnD Games is hosting a spook-tacular 'Trick or Treat - Chaos Sealed Event' this Halloween! Participating players who dare to register will start the event at 6:30pm on Halloween night, Thursday, 31 October. For more info click here or visit in-store at 199 Jackson Street in Petone.

Bea DnD Games sponsors our school's Dungeons and Dragons Group, and Chess & Card Game Club, so we're always keen to support their events. If you're a Magic: The Gathering player, check out the event and support this fantastic local business!

Friday 25 October

• HOSCARS (HVHS's Oscars), 6:30-8:30pm, Hall

Monday 28 October

• Labour Day (Public Holiday, School Closed)

Tuesday 29 October

• Hotuwaipara Awards, 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Wednesday 30 October

• Last day of school for Year 13 Students

Thursday 31 October

• Dance Benefit, 7pm Start, HVHS Hall

Friday 1 November

• Last day for Year 11 & 12 Students

Tuesday 5 November

• Visit from British High Commissioner, 10am
• NCEA Exams Begin (runs till Fri 29 Nov)

Thursday 7 November

• Teacher Only Day (School closed for students)

Monday 11 November

• Year 10 Production Season - Classes FY, KO and MI (runs all week)
  
• Year 9 Social Studies Bus Trips (classes scheduled to Wed 13 Nov)
• Year 8 Enrolment Conversations

Monday 18 November

• Year 9 Camps (classes scheduled over two school weeks until Fri 29 Nov)

Wednesday 20 November

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

Friday 29 November

• Last day of NCEA Exams

Thursday 5 December

• Big 10 Day (for Year 10 Students)

Friday 6 December

• Year 11 Prizegiving, 11:30am - 12:30pm
  
• Year 12 Prizegiving, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
• Year 13 Graduation Prizegiving, 6:30pm - 9:00pm, Lower Hutt Events Centre

Tuesday 10 December

• Supported Learning Centre Production & Prizegiving, 3:30pm Start

Thursday 12 December

• Last Day of Term 4
• Year 9 Prizegiving, 9:30am - 10:30am
• Year 10 Prizegiving, 11:00am - 12:00pm

• Year 13 Leadership Camp

• First Day for New Staff & Liaison Leaders Day

• Teacher Only Day (No classes for students)

• Pastoral Day

• First Day for Year 9 Students (9:00am start time)

• First Day for Students in Years 10-13 (11:30am start time)

• Te Rā o Waitangi | Waitangi Day (public holiday, school closed)

Monday 24 February

• School ID Photos (runs till Tuesday 25 February)

Wednesday 26 February

• HVHS Board Meeting, 5:30-7:30pm

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