HVHS Newsletter

Congratulations Jessie McKenzie – CEO of the Year!

We are delighted to announce that Jessie McKenzie (13ST) has been awarded CEO of the Year in the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) competition! This achievement highlights Jessie's leadership, creativity, and dedication. She is a talented sportswoman and a promising entrepreneur, showing a great balance of ambition and transferable skills.

A huge congratulations to Jessie McKenzie (13ST), along with Stella Franklin (13CW) and Sylvia Bassett (13RI) for the success of their business, Sablé and Swim! Their innovative product, highlighted in the article below, would make an excellent Christmas gift. We also extend our congratulations to Eric Speakman, who was named YES Teacher of the Year for his invaluable support to the students throughout their business enterprise.

Celebrating the Hotuwaipara Awards

On Tuesday night, we gathered for the Hotuwaipara Awards—a beautiful evening filled with whānau, warmth, and celebration. As always, it was a powerful reminder of the talent, leadership, and excellence our Māori students bring to every corner of our kura.

Congratulations to all the award winners! Your achievements reflect dedication, pride, and a deep connection to kaupapa Māori. We also extend a special acknowledgement to the students who MC’d the evening—you were poised, confident, and absolutely amazing. Thank you for helping shape such a memorable event. Ngā mihi nui to everyone who made the night so special.

Wishing Our Senior Students Well for NCEA Exams

As our senior students begin their examination leave and step into the NCEA exam period, we send them our warmest wishes for the challenge ahead. These exams mark the culmination of a year filled with hard work, perseverance, and commitment—and we hope each student is rewarded for their efforts.

Success doesn’t happen by magic. It’s built through preparation, resilience, and a willingness to keep going—even when things feel tough. It’s never too late to complete a little extra revision, revisit key concepts, or seek support. Every bit counts.

Ngā mihi nui,
Denise Johnson

What started as three Year 13 Business students wanting to fix the problem of sand sticking to beach towels has turned into something way bigger than we ever imagined. Sablé & Swim creates sand-repellent, eco-friendly towels made from recycled plastic bottles and we’ve been blown away by the support we’ve had along the way. Our towels exhibit the designs of your very own HVHS students and have thus proven very successful.

We’ve sold over 150 towels which is over $5,700 in revenue, landed a substantial business to business sale with Kiwi Spa & Pool Services, and even worked with Olympian Lewis Clareburt to grow our online presence; our social media reels now average 5,000 views!

Our efforts were rewarded by the Young Enterprise Scheme where we pitched as one of six finalist businesses at the Young Enterprise Scheme Regionals. At the YES Awards night, Eric Speakman won Teacher of the Year and Jessie won the Deloitte National Excellence CEO of the Year, taking us all the way to Nationals, in December, which still doesn’t feel real!

From 30+ student design submissions to all the local love at markets and on social media, this journey has shown us how powerful our community really is. In the future we are looking at an article in the New Zealand Seafood magazine gift guide, some summer visits to the Brewtown Farmers Market, continuing our product placement in Welly Collective, pitching to Deloitte and perhaps expanding to order another batch of towels!

– Jessie McKenzie (13ST), Stella Franklin (13CW) & Sylvia Bassett (13RI)

Stay in touch, support our journey or place a Christmas order:

🌐 Visit: www.sableandswim.com - Learn more and order your new favourite towel

📸 Instagram: @sable_and_swim & 🎵 TikTok: @sableandswim - Follow our journey!

✉️ Email: sableandswim@gmail.com - We’re always happy to answer questions or chat!

We know Term 4 is busy for students and families. Below are upcoming dates when the school is closed or when students may be rostered home due to proposed PPTA strike action. Please note that strike action is confirmed by the PPTA three working days before the scheduled date; we will update the school community as soon as information is confirmed.

• Wednesday, 5 November – Proposed PPTA Two-Hour Strike from 1:15pm to 3:15pm, Years 9–10 Rostered Home (Note - does not impact NCEA exams, these continue as scheduled).

• Tuesday, 11 November – Teacher Only Day (school closed for students, except those attending NCEA exams on this date, these continue as scheduled).

We’ve launched a new HVHS Careers website that provides helpful information and resources on tertiary study, work/careers, scholarships and more. Students and their families can use the new website to:

• Research tertiary study, apprenticeships, and scholarships.

• See the latest university, industry and career events.
• Book a meeting with the Careers Team.
• Learn about HVHS programmes e.g. Gateway & Employment Ready.

• Find resources to help with writing CVs, job hunting, and to explore career options.

We’re adding new information each week, so check back often, especially if your student is finishing at HVHS this year.

Students and parents can book appointments with the Careers Team by emailing either:

📧 Amanda Walters (Careers Advisor) – amanda.walters@hvhs.school.nz
📧 Jude Allen (Head of Careers & Transition Pathways) – jude.allen@hvhs.school.nz

The defining characteristic of the Arts is that our product is an act of communication. Music is composed and performed to be heard, photographs are taken to be seen, theatre and dance crafted to be absorbed by an audience.

As the senior years draw to a close, it seems an apt opportunity to thank you, the community, for the crucial part you play in Arts education at Hutt Valley High School, by so consistently and loyally providing the audience that completes, and makes sense of, the artistic process. Thank you for selling out this year’s musical, Clockwise, for laughing and tapping your feet and sometimes even singing along.

Thank you for pushing our hall to bursting point for the recent Dance Benefit, for honouring our graduating drama students by filling the seats for their performance of Closing Time, for supporting our budding film makers at the Hoscars and 48 Hour Film finals, for being there for all the very many musical performances and, in advance, for attending our Junior Music Concert on Thursday, 13 November and Art Portfolio Exhibition on Monday, 17 November.

We aim to teach our students that art is about having something to say to the world, the precise reason why there is no such thing as AI-produced art, and to you, the people we get to say that thing to, thank you for turning up. You lift the students’ aspiration and help them understand what creativity is. We appreciate you.

For any questions, please contact our Co-Heads of the Arts Learning Area, Anna Flaherty at anna.flaherty@hvhs.school.nz or Adrian Cartwright at adrian.cartwright@hvhs.school.nz.

Image below: Group photo of the student performers at the Dance Benefit rehearsal.

On Tuesday 28 October, HVHS celebrated the success of our Māori ākonga. Awards acknowledged achievement across a range of areas, including ō mātou mātāpono (our values), service and leadership, kapa haka, hākinakina (sport), to ao haka and toi whakaari (performing arts) and mātauranga (academics).

The recipients of the awards below have been recognised for our school value of Eke Taumata (Achievement) and are awarded to the top Māori students in Years 9-12:

• Casey Gee (9GFNA) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 9 Taitamahine
• Ethan Masters (9BESD) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 9 Tane

• Aramahea Walker (10CNPA) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 10 Taitamahine
• Jacob Williams (10GSSP) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 10 Tane
• Margeaux Mouton (11NI) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 11 Taitamahine
• Joshua Kessell-Haak (11VY) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 11 Tane
• Sanne Kiddle (12OH) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 12 Taitamahine

• Kaitoro Walker (12MO) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 12 Tane

Special congratulations to our Whaia te iti kahurangi Premier Award recipients. This category exemplifies the school's motto of striving for something of value:

• Ada Kiddle (13CR) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 13 Taitamahine (Top Year 13 Female Academic)
• Zach Devery (13SD) - Aronga Matauranga Tau 13 Tane (Top Year 13 Male Academic)
• Izzy Driscoll (10GSSP) - Taitamahine Teina (Outstanding Female Junior Student)
• Māui Holland-Waterson (10GSSP) - Tamatane Teina (Outstanding Male Junior Student)
• Māia Waldegrave (13JD) - Taitamahine Tuakana (Outstanding Female Senior Student)
• Wade Ronson (13RI) - Tane Tuakana (Outstanding Male Senior Student)

Following their regional win at the Wellington 48 Hour Film Competition in Term 3, HVHS For the Wings was nominated for Best National School Team - placing them in the top four school teams across the country. While they didn’t take out the national title, the nomination alone was a huge honour and testament to their talent. You can now watch their award-winning short film DreamGirl.ai by clicking the link below.

Credit : HVHS For the Wings - Miles Baldwin (13SM), Grace Haggie (13KO), Zuri Hazlehurst (13GL), Zach Devery (13SD), Ashton Elliot (13AN), Ruby-Jean Willis (13LR), and Devon Reddaway (13JD), with support from their teachers, Ioanna Koroniadis-Armishaw and Liv Woodmass and @48hoursnz

Recently, the HVHS Junior Premier Debate Team competed in the semi-finals of the Wellington Regional Schools' Debating Championships. After winning their quarter-final debate, the team, including Izzy Longson (10GSSP), Izzy Driscoll (10GSSP), and William Sanders (10TUTS), travelled to the Victoria University Rutherford House campus to debate against Scots College.

After being given a motion about space exploration, they had just 30 minutes to prepare an argument and respective speeches. Both sides provided a strong performance, and after a very close debate, the win went to Scots. Philippa Plewinski (Maths Teacher) and student coach Ruby McGregor (12PL) accompanied the team and were impressed by their debating skills and captivating speeches.

Throughout the season, the team (which also includes Anjali John (10SRBZ), Teram Manze (10GSSP), Alexander Liu (10CNPA), and Miriam Water (10GSSP) has shown remarkable improvement and teamwork, finishing in the top four out of 16 schools.

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.

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.

Every Wednesday after school in P6 from 3:30pm-4:30pm. Each week, a range of Maths teachers (sometimes supported by student helpers) are available to help with any maths-related questions. The Maths Help Room is open to students of all year levels and ability levels.

Come along to get help with homework, studying for assessments or preparing for the Numeracy CAA. Students are welcome to bring their work from class or we can help you to find suitable work. No bookings are necessary - just turn up on the day.

Extra Maths Help Support During the NCEA Exam Period

Additional drop-in revision sessions will be running for senior students throughout the NCEA exam period. These are running from 9:00am-3:15pm every school day in the Pavilion through to Wednesday 12 November. Students should bring past papers or other work with them and may drop in at any time throughout the day. Students do not need to wear their uniform at these extra sessions.

Senior Students (Years 11–13)

With NCEA exams starting next Tuesday, extra Science Help Room support will be available for senior students in B11 during the school day, with additional classrooms opened as needed. Subject teachers will be rostered during each school day of the NCEA exams to answer questions and help clarify concepts.

Subjects will be prioritised in the three days before their NCEA exam, however, students are welcome to attend at any time. Keep an eye on Google Classroom for the latest updates.

Junior Students (Years 9–10)

The Science Help Room will continue to run every Thursday after school in B11 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm throughout Term 4. All students are welcome to drop in for support from a range of teachers or to use the time for homework and revision. Senior students are also welcome to attend.

For any questions, please contact Kylie Miller at kylie.miller@hvhs.school.nz.

Recent Sporting Achievements

Charlie Edhouse (11NI) competed in the New Zealand U17 Handball Team that finished 2nd overall in the Oceania IHF Trophy in Rarotonga. Charlie's team won 3 out of 4 games, and also achieved the highest winning margin that any New Zealand Handball team has achieved against Australia.

The New Zealand U17 Handball Team has now qualified for the Intercontinental Tournament which will take place in 2026.

College Sport Wellington Finalists for Sportsperson of the Year Awards

The annual College Sport Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards recognises the achievements of secondary school student-athletes, coaches, and volunteers in the Wellington region. The event honors individuals and teams for their excellence across a wide range of codes.

Congratulations to the following HVHS students named as finalists in the 2025 Sportsperson of the Year Awards:

• All Rounder of the Year – Jacob Williams (10GSSP)
• AWD (Athletes with a Physical Disability) – Toby Ireland (13CS)
• Badminton – Adreeta Acharyya (11HR)
• Cross Country / Road Race – Jessie McKenzie (13ST)
• Futsal – Ethan Nash (12MO)
• Golf – Sam Jiang (11TT)
• Orienteering – Cameron Johns (11BB)
• Orienteering – Jacob Williams (10GSSP)
• Swimming – Hannah Sampson (11VY)
• Ultimate – Bianca Philip (12MO)
• Ultimate – Ben Coubrough (13AN)
• Ultimate – Darren Leishman (13JD)
• Ultimate – James Bowen (13BH)
• Underwater Hockey – Ila Gould (12PL)
• Underwater Hockey – Morgan McKeown (12KT)
• Volleyball – Jess Owens (13JD)

College Sport Wellington will host its annual awards this Sunday, 2 November 2025, we wish all of our finalists the best of luck!

Help Needed - Basketball Coaches for 2026

Next year we are expecting a high volume of basketball registrations and a higher number of basketball teams than previous years. If you would be interested in coaching basketball next year please email Dan Mills (Sports Coordinator) at daniel.mills@hvhs.school.nz to register your interest.

Outstanding Winter Sports Uniforms

We still have a lot of winter sports uniforms that haven’t been returned. If you have any at home that still need handing back, please return these to the Sports Office as soon as possible.

Term 4 Summer Sports Fees

If your student is playing a sport in Term 4, your sports fees have been loaded on their school account. Payment of Summer Sports Fees was due on Friday, 24 October. If you still need to pay, this needs to be done as soon as possible - thank you!

If your Year 9 student is considering undertaking their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award, or has already started they can use the upcoming Year 9 camp to meet the requirements of their adventurous journey.

To learn more about the Duke of Edinburgh Awards which are open to all year levels, please click here or for any questions, please email Sarah Coales, HVHS's Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator at sarah.coales@hvhs.school.nz.

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.

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:

• Bullying and Harassment
• Behaviour Management
• Searches, Surrender, and Retention of Property
• Minimising Physical Restraint
• Stand-down, Suspension, and Exclusion
• Staff Wellbeing and Safety

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 Friday, 14 November 2025.

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.

All of our violins are currently being hired by students, and we already have a waiting list for lessons starting in 2026. Do you have a violin at home that needs to be played? We welcome all violins, even those needing repair or restringing.

Donated violins can be dropped off at the School Office, open 8am–4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. For any questions, please email Jhan Lindsay (Itinerant Music Programme / Performing Arts Coordinator / Music Teacher) at music@hvhs.school.nz.

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.

Now’s the perfect time to get their enrolment sorted and tick it off your to-do list! Next week, we’re 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.

Has your child achieved something amazing? We’d love to hear about and celebrate our students’ successes outside the classroom — whether in sport, music, speech, dance, or other activities.

If your child has a sporting achievement, please email the details to Kristi Tia (Sports Director) at sport@hvhs.school.nz. For all other achievements, contact Lana Goddard (Principal’s PA) at office@hvhs.school.nz.

During term time the Resource Centre is open Monday to Thursday, 11:00am to 2:30pm and closed on Fridays. For families with a Year 8 student enrolled to start at HVHS in 2026, please check your emails for information on how to book a uniform fitting this term.

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).

Monday 3 November

• Year 8 Enrolment Conversations Begin, Runs through to Friday 7 November
• Year 10 Production Season (Class KO/WN), Room S1 & HVHS Hall, Runs through to Wednesday 5 November

Tuesday 4 November

• NCEA Exams, Runs through to Friday 28 November
• School Board Meeting, HVHS Boardroom, 5:30pm-7:30pm

• Proposed PPTA Two Hour Strike from 1:15pm-3:15pm, Years 9-10 Rostered Home (Note - for students with an NCEA exam on this date, the exams continue as scheduled)

• Year 9 Camps Begin, Runs through to Thursday 20 November
• Year 10 Production Season (Class FY), Room S1, Runs through to Wednesday 13 November

Tuesday 11 November

• Teacher Only Day - School Closed (Note - for students with an NCEA exam on this date, the exams continue as scheduled)

Thursday 13 November

• Junior School Concert - S1, 6:30pm-8:30pm (Koha Entry)

Monday 17 November

• Art Portfolio Exhibition

Wednesday 26 November

• Year 10 Speech Competition, 3:30pm-4:30pm, School Library

Tuesday 2 December

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

Wednesday 3 December

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

Thursday 4 December

• Tautoko, Supported Learning Centre Production, 3:30pm-5:00pm

Friday 5 December

• Big 10 Event (for Year 10 Students)

Monday 8 December

• 2026 Year 13 Liaisons & Mentors Camp, Runs till Tuesday 9 December

Tuesday 9 December

• Last Full School Day for Students in Years 9 & 10

Wednesday 10 December

• Year 9 Prizegiving, HVHS Hall, 9:30am-10:30am (for invited students and their families only - due to limited seating)
• Year 10 Prizegiving, HVHS Hall, 11:00am-12:00pm (for invited students and their families only)
• Last Day of Term 4

Monday 26 January

• Year 13 Camp for Student Leaders, Runs till Tuesday 27 February

• First Day for New Staff

• Teacher Only Day, No Classes (School Closed)

Friday 30 January

• First Day for Year 9 Students

• First Day for Students in Years 10-13

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