HVHS Newsletter
Week 6, Term 4 - Friday, 14 November, 2025
Kia ora e te whānau,
As we move deeper into Term 4, the energy across HVHS remains vibrant and full of momentum. While many might assume things quieten down once our seniors depart for study leave, the calendar tells a very different story!
Our Year 9 students are at camp this week and next, some have now returned sun-kissed, muddy-shoes, wet tents and full of stories. It’s always a joy to see friendships deepen and confidence grow in these outdoor settings. Thanks to the staff who made this event happen - you give up your family time to help our Year 9 students connect and grow their sense of belonging with this kura.
A huge thank you to our staff and students for the smooth and focused start to NCEA exams. The calm, well-prepared atmosphere is a testament to the collective mahi of teachers, whānau, and learners.
There’s no shortage of exciting activities ahead:
Big 10: Our annual celebration of junior achievement and growth.
Junior Volleyball Nationals: Best of luck to our athletes heading to compete on the national stage.
Year 10 Speech Finals: Always a highlight, our rangatahi speaking with courage and conviction.
Year 10 Market Day: Innovation and enterprise on full display.
Tertiary Visit for Migrant and Refugee Students: Supporting pathways and aspirations.
International Students Exploring Wellington: From Weta Workshops, Matui Island, Craft Days, Harakeke gathering and weaving, to Staglands, they’re soaking up the best our region has to offer.
Academic and Graduation Prizegivings: Our major end-of-year ceremonies are fast approaching—moments to honour excellence, effort, and community spirit.
This year, we added a new event to the Term 4 calendar: last night’s Junior School Music Concert (pictured below). Our junior students demonstrated their talent, creativity, and collaboration in front of a supportive and appreciative audience.
Creativity and problem-solving are also thriving in our DTEC and DVCO classrooms. In Design Visual Communication (DVCO), students continue to produce high-quality end-of-year portfolios that showcase their creativity and realism. Meanwhile, our Digital Technology (DTEC) and Computer Science (COMP) students have embraced a range of technologies to develop digital outcomes, and have the opportunity to gain real-world insight into Tech careers by engaging with industry, with opportunities such as a visit to Cyber CX to learn about cyber security and Shadow Tech day to experience what a work day looks like in the Tech industry.
Just this week, we wrapped up the year with the International Students Technology Day, which everyone really enjoyed. Sarah Guenther (13JM) from Germany, shared: "It was nice being able to create something creative on your own... It was fun to see the laser cutter work and make my own product." We extend a huge thank you to our community supporters: MJH Engineering for material donations and welding professional development, and Datum Machining and Orrsum Laser Services for invaluable help at no cost for one of our senior students.
Looking ahead to 2026, we need your help! We are keen to connect students with local tradespeople, engineers, architects, and digital experts to share their career pathways. If you can spare an hour to inspire our students next year, please get in touch with Katie Long (Head of Technology Learning Area) at katie.long@hvhs.school.nz who will pass on your details to the appropriate contact within our Technology team!
There’s lots to celebrate this week in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards programme. Congratulations to Ragavan Ranchan (10BQMA) who has achieved his Bronze Award.
Congratulations also to Alex Turner (10KSHD) on completing his Silver Award. Alex is our first student to have completed two-thirds of the programme, having earned his Bronze earlier this year.
Here’s what Alex (pictured) shared about his journey so far:
“It’s been really good doing Duke of Edinburgh. I’ve played football for my physical activity, learnt guitar as my skill, and volunteered to coach an under-10s football team.
Last school holidays, I did a three-day, two-night tramp in the Tararuas with students from high schools around the North Island. We stayed in two different huts and walked around 40 kilometres. We had to do our own mapping and planning for the trip, which were good skills to learn. I think Duke has helped me commit to doing things I wouldn’t usually do. I’m now going to start working towards my Gold level, which I hope to complete before I leave HVHS.”
Toby Ireland (13CS) has now completed and had his Gold Award approved. Toby is our first student to complete the Gold level, a significant milestone that reflects 18 months of hard work, community service, perseverance, self-management, and determination. Congratulations, Toby! We look forward to seeing you receive your award at Government House in the not-too-distant future.
Here’s Toby’s reflection on his experience:
“I started the Duke of Ed Gold when I turned 16 last year. I was encouraged to do it by my dad, who completed Bronze, Silver and Gold while he was at school, and by a few friends doing their Gold at other schools. It seemed like a lot of work at first, until I realised I was already doing many of the requirements anyway. So I set my goals and started logging my hours.
I was already learning piano and practising every day, so that became my skill. I was running 3–4 times a week, which I used for my physical activity. I thought my volunteering at school with Greenfingers Club and other committees would be enough, but it wasn’t, so I began volunteering at Woburn Rest Home. Later, I was appointed to the Halberg Youth Council, and those hours counted too.
For my adventurous journey, I was lucky to receive a scholarship to attend Outward Bound. Because of its length, it counted as my training, practice, and qualifying expedition. My residential component was a six-day music camp at Rathkeale. If anyone is unsure, I’d encourage you to give it a go. I made some awesome friends on Outward Bound and met some really interesting people through the Rest Home and Youth Council.”
Do You Sew? We Need Volunteers!
We are seeking volunteers to assist with sewing long wrap-around skirts. The skirts are for members of the HVHS Volante (choir) to wear when performing. A total of 17 skirts need to be completed. Volunteers should bring a working sewing machine or overlocker. Fabric, patterns, and thread will be provided.
A lunch of home baking, tea, and coffee will be available for all participants. Date and time to be confirmed. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Jhan Lindsay (TIC Itinerant Music Programme / Performing Arts Coordinator / Music Teacher) at music@hvhs.school.nz.
Hire Instrument Returns
As part of your end-of-year checklist, please ensure all hire instruments are returned following prize giving performances. Instruments can be dropped off at the Music Department on Wednesday 3 December and Thursday 4 December, or at the HVHS Student Office (open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm during term time).
Students can help themselves to two packets of period products per month. We also encourage students to take products home during their study leave and for the upcoming school holidays to cover their full menstrual cycle.
Period products are located in the tall white cupboard in the hallway to the IT Help Room. Available to students are pads and tampons in sizes regular and super, and also liners.
College Sport Wellington (CSW)- Sportsperson of the Year (SPOTY) Awards Winners
On Sunday 2 November, the Sports Office team and fourteen HVHS students, finalists for their respective sporting codes attended the CSW SPOTY Awards.
We had four students who won their code's Premier Award, congratulations to:
AWD (Athletes with a Physical Disability) - Toby Ireland (13CS)
Cross Country / Road Race – Jess McKenzie (13ST)
Ultimate – Bianca Philip (12MO)
Ultimate – Ben Coubrough (13AN)
New Zealand Representative in Floorball!
Congratulations to Lily Osborne (10CNPA) who has been selected for the New Zealand Women's U19 floorball team. Lily will be travelling to the World Floorball Champs (AOFC Qualifications) in Perth, Australia in January 2026. What an outstanding accomplishment - best of luck, Lily!
HVHS Volleyball Junior A Girls Team Win Regionals!
Congratulations to the HVHS Junior A Girls team who won the recent Regional tournament. Well done to the players who were also selected for the College Sport Wellington Regionals Super 7 Tournament Team for their outstanding performance over the two day event:
- Liv Turner (10CNPA)
- Yasemin Tekin (10SATO)
- Mackenzie Gwerder (10GSSP)
- Tram Vo (10SATO)
A special congratulations to Liv Turner (10CNPA), named MVP of the Tournament Team.
The team is now getting ready to attend the Junior Volleyball National Tournament in Auckland next week. A huge thank you to aibGROUP Insurance for their sponsorship support of our Junior A Girls Team, look out for their logos on the back of our girl's playing tops. We wish our Junior A Girls all the best, play hard, play fair and enjoy the experience.
At HVHS, we encourage all students to bring their own device to school. With over 90% of our Year 9 students starting at HVHS 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 alongside these families, using the support of our community and whānau to provide solutions. Thanks to donations received through last year’s appeal, we were able to gift six Chromebooks to deserving students. If you’re in a position to help, we would love to hear from you. Every contribution makes a difference.
How to Make a Donation
Please make your donation to the Hutt Valley High School bank account:
Hutt Valley High School
02-0528-0030654-00
When making your donation, use the references Chromebook and Donation.
For more information or to discuss your donation, please contact Principal Denise Johnson at denise.johnson@hvhs.school.nz. All contributions, big or small, are greatly appreciated and can be truly life-changing for our students.
The Chinese Learning and Testing Centre in Wellington is offering a unique opportunity for 14-30 year-olds to visit Beijing and Chengdu from 6–17 December 2025.
The tour features cultural experiences, hands-on activities, and academic engagement. To learn more, click here or email the Chinese Learning and Testing Centre at ctcnzoffice@gmail.com.
Below are helpful reminders for students undertaking NCEA exams in November:
- Need a device for a digital exam? Please email Katie Long (Head of Learning Area - Technology/ Principal’s Nominee NZQA) at katie.long@hvhs.school.nz with the name of the exam, date and time you need a device for.
- Not sure if your exam requires a device? Check your Exams Admission Slip and by the exam name it will list the initial D next to exams that require a device.
- Exam timetable - You can view the timetable by clicking here.
- Exam start times - Students need to be ready at their exam venues at least 15 minutes before their exam starts.
- Exam venues - Exam locations will be posted outside the School Office and V9 (Examination Centre Manager's 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.
- Non-uniform is allowed for students during their NCEA exams.
- Reminders for numeracy exams - Students are required to bring a ruler and a calculator. If a student needs to borrow a calculator, please see the Maths Learning Area for assistance. Any calculator on NZQA's Approved Calculator List may be used.
- 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).
- Reminders for digital exams - Students need to turn off the following: screen savers, update notifications, pop-ups and VPN. If students are not sure if their device passes the NZQA Digital Device Check - click here for more information.
- Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - For students with special assessment conditions please follow the instructions sent from the Learning Support team, and ensure you have joined the 2025-SAC Google Classroom.
For any unexpected events that disrupt your ability to take an exam or that have impacted your exam performance, e.g. illness or emergency, please email Katie Long at katie.long@hvhs.school.nz as soon as possible to start the Derived Grade Exams process.
As students begin planning for tertiary study in 2026, and with the recently reported meningococcal cases in NZ, we would like to remind those intending to live in Hall accommodation next year that they are eligible to receive two free meningococcal vaccines (MenQuadfi and Bexsero) to protect them against this serious disease. They are eligible 3 months before they move into the accommodation.
No appointment is necessary — simply visit Wellworks Pharmacy, 135 Witako Street for more information or to receive your free vaccination, or phone 04 555 0070.
We understand how costly calculators can be for families. To help with this, the Maths Learning Area is trialling a new initiative offering discounted calculators through the Resource Centre. All models available to purchase are NZQA-approved.
Available to purchase:
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fx-9750GII (refurbished, 1-year warranty) – $87
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fx-9750GIII (new, 1-year warranty) – $111
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fx-82AU PLUS II 2nd edition (new, 1-year warranty) – $46
The fx-9750GII and fx-9750GIII are graphics calculators, recommended for students in Years 11–13, and the fx-82AU PLUS II is a scientific calculator suitable for Years 9–10 (not suitable for Years 11–13).
During the school term, the Resource Centre is open Monday to Thursday, 11:00am to 2:30pm and closed on Fridays. Please note that the Resource Centre is closed during the upcoming school holidays. Stock is limited for this trial, but more will be purchased if there is demand.
If you noticed a school item was missing during the school holidays, our Lost property is still overflowing with unnamed items we’d like to return to their student owners. These include glasses, hoodies/sweatshirts, lunchboxes, jackets, jewellery, shoes, t-shirts, and water bottles.
We encourage parents and caregivers to remind their students to stop by and check if they are missing any school items. Students can check lost property at the Student Reception in the School Office between 8:45am and 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. Any unclaimed items at the end of the term will be donated to a local charity.
An online lost property form is also available for students (and parents/caregivers) to complete when an item has been misplaced. Click here to access the form, which is also available on Google Classroom for students.
Information for students, parents, caregivers and your school community:
Measles is circulating and is very contagious. There is now measles in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu, Nelson and Wellington, and we expect further cases across New Zealand.
Watch out for symptoms – fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes, and a blotchy rash. For more information on the symptoms of measles visit: Measles – Health New Zealand
Anyone with measles symptoms must stay at home and should seek urgent advice by ringing their doctor or Healthline on 0800 611 116.
Anyone who is closely exposed to a measles case must stay at home. Heath New Zealand will provide individuals with advice on a case-by-case basis (including when they can leave quarantine at home).
Health New Zealand is actively working with the schools that currently have measles cases. (Note - at the time of writing there are no confirmed measles cases at HVHS).
People are considered immune to measles after having two doses of a measles vaccine from 12 months or older, or if you have had measles before. For more information on measles immunity visit: Measles immunity – Health New Zealand
Encourage families and whānau to check their own and their child/childrens’ immunisation status through My Health Record: My Health Record – Health New Zealand
Anyone born between 1969 and 2004 may have only received one vaccine dose and might not be fully protected. It’s safe to get extra doses. A free vaccine can be booked online - Book my vaccine – Health New Zealand or via the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26.
Now’s the perfect time to get their enrolment sorted and tick it off your to-do list! We've starting Enrolment Conversations with enrolled Year 8 students and their families to help us plan for their smooth transition to high school. Subject selections for 2026 are also open and some options have limited spaces. Once enrolled, families will also receive information about booking their child's uniform fittings in Term 4.
Important reminder: Enrolment is not automatic – all Year 8 students must apply, even if they live in-zone, attend Hutt Intermediate or already have a sibling at HVHS. To enrol now, click here: https://hvhs.school.nz/how-to-enrol/
Please note that applications have closed for out-of-zone enrolments for Years 9-13 in 2026.
A huge thank you to those of you who have supported our students by donating kai in the past to help us supplement our breakfast club we run each day from Te Korowai.During the colder months, we've seen an increase in students coming in for food, and it's been great to offer sandwiches and fruit alongside the regular breakfast programme.
We’re grateful for your ongoing support. If you’d like to contribute by donating sandwich spreads or fillings, please contact Claire Ross (Head of Wellbeing) at claire.ross@hvhs.school.nz, or drop off donations at the School Office (open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm during term time).
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