HVHS Alumni Newsletter
Friday, 3 April 2026
A Century of Connections!
Dear Alumni,
As I sit in my office today - looking out at the old Pōhutukawa trees, cabbage trees, and the crooked concrete fence on Woburn Road that has weathered a century of seasons, I am struck by the sheer volume of stories held not only outside of the HVHS grounds but within these walls. We have so many staff, myself and Deputy Principal Tim Fox included, who have family links to HVHS.
Whether they walked these halls five years ago or fifty, they are an essential part of the history of our school. Here are a few of the stories of our staff:
Nicole Webber, a leader in our Visual Art Department, has links to HVHS stretching across her brother, sister-in-law, and cousins. At one point, there were four Webbers on the roll simultaneously!
Pathways Assistant, Jodene Fitness’s grandmother was a foundation pupil. Jodene attended HVHS, as did her two boys, and her mother did as well.
A current pupil, Kiri, is a great-grandchild of a foundation pupil. Wow!
Accounts Administrator, Rachel Thompson’s mother and her five siblings attended in the 60s and 70s. Rachel and her brother attended, and now her two children do. Plus, her mother worked in the archives and helped with Past Pupil and Friends Association (PPFA) events.
Science teacher, Emily Morris’s (née Ly) grandfather attended HVHS in the 50s. Emily has just discovered one of her grandfather’s reports: “Paul’s behaviour this term has occasionally deteriorated alarmingly.” They certainly didn't mince words back then!
Alana Charlton (Maths Teacher/ Numeracy Coordinator), who attended the school from 1997 to 2001, shares a deep connection with the school, as she met her husband here. The school's history is further intertwined with her family, as both her parents were also students in the mid to late 1960s, where they, too, met as high school sweethearts.
Learning Support Assistant, Lesley Robinson has deep roots in the school community, with multiple generations of her family attending and serving. Her grandfather was on the Board of Governors in the late 1930s-40s (surname Fisher). Her father and brother attended in the 1930s-40s, and her three children attended from 2000-2008. Lesley has been on staff since 2004. Plus, her husband, his siblings, uncles, and cousins all attended from the mid-1960s to the early 70s.
Paul O’Reilly, a key member of our Property staff, attended here, he was the 1st XV captain in 1976. Allan Peachey, a staff member, was the coach. They won 18 games, drew 3 and lost 4. They played in what was then the Wellington Under 19 Championship.
English teacher, Jane Paterson’s older brother attended HVHS from 1994-1998. She shared a lovely story: the family lived on Woburn Rd at the time, so he used to leave home when he heard the school bell in the morning.
The stories of our staff remind us that while much changes the human connections forged here are timeless.
I am very keen to collect memories from alumni and share them with participants on the 100th Celebration Day. Our plan is to turn rooms in B-Block into Reunion Rooms for each decade, spaces where alumni can connect, rest, and relax on Saturday. The plan is to display these memories on the classroom walls for each decade. Please complete the form below (see the green link) and share your memories with us.
Ngā mihi nui,
Denise Johnson, Principal
Alumni from our Class of 2004 are already gearing up to be part of the HVHS 100th celebrations. After a special 20th reunion earlier this year, they’re keen to get the crew together again.
Plans are underway for a Class of 2004 year group catch-up on Friday, 7 August 2026, in the evening, potentially at The Crooked Elm nearby to HVHS, with everyone joining the full school celebrations at the Open Day on Saturday, 8 August 2026.
Matt Renata and a group of classmates and friends are helping to coordinate plans for the Class of 2004. If you’re part of this year group and would like to be involved, please get in touch with him to connect and stay updated by emailing Matt at matthewrenata@outlook.com
The Hutt Valley High School Music Department is proud to share that our Brass Tutor (trumpet and trombone, Matthew Stein is travelling with the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band to Gallipoli in April. The Royal New Zealand Air Force Band is one of New Zealand's premier military bands.
Matthew (pictured) will be performing The Last Post on ANZAC Day. In military tradition, the Last Post is a poignant bugle call that signifies the end of the day's activities. It is also sounded at military funerals to indicate that the soldier has gone to his final rest, and at commemorative services such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.
After cruising through the inner sounds, we are out in the strait and looking east, this is going to be good day. In no time at all Denise is in the water at 7:17am from Dog Rock (pictured, Denise leaving with Perano Head in the background) now the big grid starts. Denise settles into a steady rhythm of 60 strokes a minute a feat that she will keep up all the way, what a mission! At 8am Denise is going to have her first feed of many, every half-hour, so let me run through what goes on.
Denise has a very special diet set out for the crossing all with different combinations of food
supplements and sugars that are designed to provide energy and fluid up-take. Sati would check the chart to see what Denise is going to be fed and make up the required fluids into a feed bottle.
At five minutes to feed time Sati lets the skipper know and we all get into position the feed is mixed and bottled, at three minutes Denise is shown three fingers so she knows feed time is coming, Sati yells one minute, we get prepped, I go to the windward and swell side of the boat and let Sati, Bruce and Kiri know what the swells are doing as they are completely open to the sea we don’t want them to fall in, if we have big swell coming we just hold the feed up for a few seconds.
At the same time the skipper positions the boat closer to Denise. This ensures the feed bottle can be dropped as close to her as possible. At the first feed time Grant and Kiri are very anxious to see how long Denise is going to take to get down about 50mls of liquid. Its time, Denise is in the right place, Bruce gets the bottle to her spot, and the call out of ‘''hurray", Denise drinks it in eight seconds the team erupt what a success. The rate at which she feeds is vital as you can lose time and position in the water, the tides will move you round and you can drift away backwards which happened a few times, you must be swimming.
Feed time is also time to ask Denise questions; this gives the team an indication of her state of mind. The grid continues in an easterly direction, what are we doing on board, giving Denise
encouragement, and feeding ourselves, Denise later commented she could smell the bacon butties.
The North Island in sight but still a long way to go. We find a friend (an allbatross, pictured with Denise) along the way and show the colours!
The North Island is a lot closer only 4km to go, Denise is still stroking at 60 per minute, it is time for the last feed which is flat coca cola. The last feed provides us with some entertainment, Bruce throws the feed bottle Denise grabs it and it’s not attached to the retrieving rope, bye bottle, clips, and all Denise has said this may be her last big ocean swim was this a sign.
The final hurdle is a small reef about 30 meters from land over she goes, Denise commented she was worried that she might cut herself on kina but no worries, it’s the final struggle up the rocky beach and success whistle blowing and ship horn sounding, she had done it. Now it’s a swim back to the boat, time to wrap up warm.
One of the planned highlights of our upcoming 100th Celebrations on Saturday 8 August will be a massed musical performance of our school waiata, E Tipu. Current students, staff and alumni are warmly invited to take part in this special item, bringing our community together.
To help everyone prepare, below you can now download the instrumental parts to practise in the lead‑up to the big day in August 2026. They are also available on the school website, and by clicking on the links below. We've had a fantastic response to the planned massed performance with hundreds of alumni now dusting off their instruments and learning E Tipu for the performance at the 100th Open Day on Saturday, 8 August.
For any questions, please email Jhan Lindsay (Performing Arts Coordinator / Teacher in Charge – Itinerant Music Programme) at music@hvhs.school.nz
Music Parts for E Tipu Performance
- Bass Instruments (Easy) e.g. bass guitar, double bass & tuba
- Bass Instruments (Intermediate)
- B Flat Instruments e.g. clarinet, trumpet and tenor saxophone
- C Instruments e.g. violin & flute
- E Flat Instrument e.g. alto saxophone
- Guitar, Chords
- Viola
Friday 7 August 2026:
- 1950s Luncheon - Summerset Rest Home, 11am Start*
- HVHS Teachers & Staff Reunion - HVHS Staffroom, 4pm to 7pm
- Class of 2004 - Currently Being Organised*
Saturday 8 August 2026:
- HVHS Open Day 100th Celebrations - HVHS, 10am to 4pm
- Groovy 70s Meet n Greet - Venue To Be Confirmed, From 5pm Onwards*
- 1960s Decade Dinner, Lower Hutt Event Centre*
Being Planned:
- Class of 1980 depending on interest, may also host an event ahead of the 100th Celebrations on the 8 August.
* To register, please refer to the articles in the newsletter above from the event organisers. Registering early is strongly recommended!
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