Theo Thompson (12HU) recently competed in the Tauranga Jazz Festival as part of a group called 'Miro, Evie and the McSwingsters Live in Concert '. Theo's combo was awarded a Gold Award at the Festival, and they also won the Best of Festival Trophy for the most outstanding jazz band. This is a great accomplishment for Theo and his fellow musicians, and they should be proud of their success at the Festival.

The school has been busy over the last three weeks - final designs for our new buildings are being completed, and we hope to share them with you in early May. Designs for the extensive weather-tightness work have been presented to us, and I have included a picture of what the remediated administration block will look like in the image below.

Alongside the new build and weather-tightness work in the Admin & Deans Block, the Main Gym, the roof of parts of B-Block, A-Block roof, and the Hotuwaipara (Marae) roof will be either replaced or repaired. The Hall will have parts of the roof repaired and some cladding replaced. Our days of leaky buildings are coming to an end. We will have some disruption in the coming years as some classrooms will be out of action while repairs occur. Additional Portacoms will likely be put on site, and we may begin to use the Market Grove Hub for some senior classes.

PPTA (Post Primary Teacher Association) has advised that teaching staff will continue with their ban on doing any internal relief for teachers who are away. We managed this throughout term one without disrupting student learning as we have a super team of regular external relief teachers. However, during term two, there may be times when we cannot employ external relievers due to the number of trips and events and increasing winter ills. In this event, we would have to roster a year-level or year levels home. We will do all we can to avoid this happening.

The PPTA has also confirmed to our School Board that the one-day strike will go ahead this Wednesday (10 May).

Further industrial action will include the rostering home of particular year levels on certain days of the week. The rostering home plan PPTA has shared with schools is as follows:

Week 3 - Tuesday 9 May - Year 12 students rostered home

Week 3 - Thursday 11 May - Year 13 students rostered home

Week 4 - Tuesday 16 May - Year 9 students rostered home

Week 4 - Wednesday 17 May - Year 10 students rostered home

Week 5 - Thursday 25 May - Year 11 students rostered home

Week 6 - Tuesday 30 May - Year 13 students rostered home

Week 6 - Thursday 1 June - Year 12 students rostered home

Week 7 - Tuesday 6 June - Year 10 students rostered home

Week 7 - Thursday 8 June - Year 9 students rostered home

There is a continuing ban on meetings outside school hours (8.30 am - 4.30 pm) in term two. This may affect events and meetings outside of ‘normal’ school hours. We will communicate any changes to our calendar as they come up.

Ngā mihi nui,

Denise Johnson, Principal

Te Korowai is the Wellbeing Team at Hutt Valley High School . If a student is going through a difficult time, our Team is here to help. We are a team of four counsellors and five youth workers dedicated to helping students find the support they need. Whether a student just needs someone to talk to, or you're looking for ongoing support, we're here to help.

The Counsellors building is located directly behind Tautoko and opposite the Dean's Area. We have a youth worker in our downstairs space where students can drop in, grab some kai, have a chat, or make a counselling appointment. We also run a breakfast club every interval.

Students, teachers and whānau can make a referral for counselling support through our online referral system. Alternatively, students can fill out a note in the referrals box at the bottom of the stairs in Te Korowai or ask a youth worker to make a referral for them. Referrals can also be made via the QR code below.

We understand that everyone's needs are different, and our team is here to help students find the right support they need. So if a student feels overwhelmed or just needs someone to talk to, don't hesitate to contact us.

We'd also like to thank our school community for the donations of kai. Food donations are greatly received and help our students who haven't had breakfast and are without kai for the day.

Below: referrals to the Wellbeing Team can also be made via the QR code below or through the online referral system.

Join us on Tuesday 23 May, for HVHS's Open Evening from 6-8pm. Guided tours start from the hall and give parents/caregivers, and students interested in attending in 2024 an opportunity to walk around the school, see learning areas on display and hear an introduction by our Principal. No registration is required. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Congratulations to Cameron Johns (9FYBB), Daniel Zhang (9NSTT), Michael Li (10BRBU), Nitesh Tappeta (10MKTJ), Aisha Gemala (11CW) and Luca Mitchell (11AN). They performed in the top 15% of competitors in the first part of the Otago Junior Mathematics Competition, and have gained entry to the second part in Term 2.

This year is the 38th year of the Otago Maths Competition. The competition is for students in years 9 to 11. Learn more about the competition here - https://www.maths.otago.ac.nz/jmc/

The HVHS Board is raising funding for the refurbishment of the lower Gymnasium into a Fitness Centre which will be an asset for our students, staff and the wider community. Refurbishing the Lower Gym will create a significant asset for HVHS students to support their athletic aspirations, education about fitness, health and wellbeing and instil lifelong habits that will be beneficial throughout life.

Disability access for all areas of the new facility will also ensure an inclusive approach for students and the community. The refurbishment also aligns with the goals of our school and the aims of the Hutt City Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) of providing key infrastructure, connecting communities together and providing equitable outcomes.

Fundraising for the new gym has begun! If you would like to make a donation which would be

greatly appreciated, then please click on the link: https://hutt-valley-high-school.webflow.io/sponsorship

If a student becomes sick or is injured during the school day, they must go to the First Aid Office. Our First Aid Officer will assess the student and ensure they receive support and/or treatment if required. The First Aid Officer will also contact the student's parents/caregivers if the student needs to go home.

Following this process ensures the school is able to keep track of our 1,788 students and their health and safety. This is particularly important in an emergency situation such as a fire evacuation or lockdown.

We ask parents to assist us in having their students follow the correct procedures regarding sickness and injury at school. Thank you for your co-operation.

Reader/writers assist students with learning differences and disabilities during their exams and assessments. As a reader/writer you’ll get the satisfaction of helping support students with dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, physical disability or a sports injury to their writing hand!

We’re always looking for volunteers with clear spoken English, good reading skills, and either good handwriting or the computer skills to quickly type answers and navigate around an online exam. Training will be provided, and acceptance is subject to a satisfactory Police check.

What’s involved? Volunteers are needed at HVHS during school hours, especially in June for year 10 & 11 literacy and numeracy assessments and from October to December for end-of-year assessments. A reader/writer might help for 2-3 hours each term or up to 10 exams a year. We’ll match your availability and willingness to our student’s schedules. You can also say no if a day/date doesn’t suit you.

Contact Raewyn at (04) 566 4584 or email raewyn.kerr@hvhs.school.nz to learn more. Please note, current HVHS students aren't able to volunteer as Reader/Writers.

Winter Sports Volunteer Appreciation Evening

The Sports Department would like to invite our Volunteers helping with Winter Sports to an Appreciation Evening on Monday 15 May from 6-7pm in the HVHS Staff Room. Light refreshments will be served. If you're able to come along, please RSVP sport@hvhs.school.nz.

Student Results

• Congratulations to Oliver Tewatiya (13HM) for his recent New Zealand U19 Cricket Squad selection.
• Bree James (13LR) has been selected for the New Zealand 17 and under Girls' Indoor Cricket Team to compete in the World Cup in Dubai later this year. This followed on from her selection in the Wellington 17 and under girls team. The team attended the Junior Provincial Indoor Cricket Tournament which took place in Auckland last week. They won their grade without losing a game. A fantastic result.
• Congratulations to Finn McQueen (13EV) a member of the Wellington 17 and under Boys Indoor Cricket Team who won their grade at the Junior Provincial Indoor Cricket Tournament.
• Nicholas Green (13WR), Jonathan Green (12SP) and Callum Cross (10TWOH) attended the North Island Secondary Schools Orienteering Champs at the end of the holidays in rainy Whanganui. Nicholas won the Seniors Boys' Sprint Distance and Nicholas and Jonathan were 'unofficially' 2nd in the Schools' Relay. Callum was at his first major event and running in forests for the first time. He performed consistently well all weekend.
  
• Congratulations to the Premier 1 Netball Team who recently won the Atiawa Toa FM Tournament. A wonderful result to kickstart their season.

Basketball Coaches Needed

We're looking for basketball coaches to help our teams. If you're interested in becoming a basketball coach, please get in contact with Kristi Tia (kristi.tia@hvhs.school.nz). What's involved? Running a one-hour training for your team and going to the game each week You'll be supported by a Team Manager who lets the team know about upcoming trainings and game times.

Keeping in Touch

Please help us celebrate our students' sporting successes by emailing sport@hvhs.school.nz with any information and results. If you can also include any photos, we can share them on our social media pages. For reminders, news and results follow HVHS Sports on Facebook and Instagram.

Images below: Nicholas Green, Jonathan Green and Callum Cross at the North Island Secondary Schools Orienteering Champs, Premier 1 Netball Team who won the recent Atiawa Toa FM Tournament and the NZU19 Cricket Team list naming Oliver Tewatiya.

As part of the School Board's policy review cycle, the following Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) policies are open for review:

• EOTC Planning and Review
• EOTC Risk Management
• EOTC Coordinator
• EOTC External Providers
• EOTC Staff Competence
• EOTC Event Categories
• EOTC Communicating with Parents

The close-off date for feedback and input is Wednesday 14 June. To access the policy reviews: https://www.schooldocs.co.nz/ - search for Hutt Valley High School, and then use the username: hvhs and the password: Adalta

Schools around the world are grappling with new tools that students have access to, and we are working to determine practices that ensure assessment integrity. Our recent email to parents and caregivers outlined the HVHS's Guidelines on Ai including language tools such as ChatGPT.

The email was a reminder that assessments need to be the work of the student submitting the work so that teachers can identify what has been learnt and understood, which supports their planning. If students are to submit work that is not theirs, their work could be deemed invalid and will most probably be graded as 'Not Achieved'.

Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine the validity of the assessed work, and we will increase our post-assessment interviews to gauge student understanding. Staff are talking with students as we determine the conditions of assessment, and we will be increasing the discussions about referencing support materials.

We have received a number of helpful emails from our school community with support for our policy. For any questions on this policy, please contact Rob Everett (Deputy Principal) at rob.everett@hvhs.school.nz.

Additional Resources

- 'Guide to ChatGPT for Parents and Caregivers', Commonsense Media

- 'ChatGPT: What is it, and why is it being banned in some places?', Radio New Zealand

- ChatGPT did not title this podcast, Re:Thinking Podcast with Adam Grant

- 'How your kids can use ChatGPT safely, according to a mom', Article on ZDNet.com

Our newly relocated Resource Centre is based in the Library. All uniforms and some stationery and other subject resources can be purchased here. The Resource Centre's opening hours are now 11:00am to 2.30pm Monday to Thursday.

Payments for trips, school donations and sports can also be made at the Resource Centre. Other online payment options are available via the Kamar portal on the school's website. For parents and caregivers visiting the Resource Centre please enter via the school's main reception area. Students are welcome to access the Resource Centre through the Library. For any queries, please email resource.centre@hvhs.school.nz.

Student portrait and composite class photographs are available online to purchase at https://inphotography.store/. Families received their User ID and Password on Tuesday 21 March to login to the online store; please check your emails.

Need more information? If you need your User ID and Password re-sent, please contact the School Office at office@hvhs.school.nz. InPhotography's also has a helpful FAQ page - https://inphotography.store/FAQ.

The team at Dirt Duathlon (a local charitable trust) runs three events in the Wellington region between June and August. They have recently lowered the entry age to 10 (there is no maximum age). Get in touch with Dirt Duathlon if you'd like to register for an event or three! You can contact Dirt Duathlon via their Facebook page or website.

Tuesday 9 May

Year 12 Students Rostered Home

Wednesday 10 May

• PPTA Teachers Strike (School Closed)
• HVHS School Board Meeting, 5:30-7:30pm

Thursday 11 May

Year 13 Students Rostered Home

Tuesday 16 May

Year 9 Students Rostered Home
Wednesday 17 May

Year 10 Students Rostered Home

Thursday 18 May

Summer Sports Photos

Friday 19 May

Non-Uniform Day

Tuesday 23 May

HVHS Open Evening, 6-8pm, Hall

Thursday 25 May

Year 11 Students Rostered Home

Saturday 27 May

Heats for Rockquest (at Sacred Heart College)
Tuesday 30 May

Year 13 Students Rostered Home

Wednesday 31 May

Blood Drive, Hall, 9am-2pm

Thursday 1 June

• Curriculum Day (students learning at home)
• Year 12 students rostered home
• Online Student Enrolments Open for 2024

Friday 2 June

Teacher Only Day (No school for students)

Monday 5 June

King's Birthday Public Holiday (School Closed)

Tuesday 6 June

Year 10 Students Rostered Home
Thursday 8 June

Year 9 Students Rostered Home

Friday 9 June

Learning Conversations (Day 1)

Monday 12 June

Pride Week Starts

Friday 16 June

Non-Uniform Day

Tuesday 20 June

Learning Conversations (Day 2)

Friday 23 June

Year 11 Market Day

Wednesday 28 June

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

Friday 30 June

Last day of Term 2