HVHS Beginning of 2022
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Ngā mihi o te tau hou, and welcome to the 2022 school year.
We are already preparing for the arrival of 1700 students on 3 February. However, there are many important dates and events before that day. This newsletter will hopefully clarify the beginning of year processes for you.
A special welcome to our Year 9 students, parents, caregivers and whānau. We are very much looking forward to meeting and working with you. Your Deans - Ms Arnell and Mr Keane - have already created your mentor and subject classes. There is just some tweaking to happen for those who have enrolled this year. You will find out all about this at your first school assembly.
We will welcome all new students with a powhiri in the school hall at this stage. Because our school hall is so small, we invite parents, caregivers and whānau to watch a live stream in the school staffroom and join us for kai, tea and kawhe after students head off with their new teacher. You will also be able to watch the powhiri from home via our live stream.
It would be lovely if existing whānau members or parents could support us in the staffroom. Please email me if you are available.
Some important dates:
February 1st - Senior students course changes. Please note changes are only possible if there is room within the subject. This will be held in the hall from 1.00 - 3.00 pm.
February 2nd - Year 9 powhiri and first day. Please come in school uniform and bring your Chromebook if you have one. Students please meet at 9.00 m outside the hall.
Please have a look at this document shared with contributing schools last year - Getting ready for HVHS 2022
February 3rd - Everyone is back at school.
Year 9 starts at 8.45 am; everyone else is due onsite by 11 am to meet and greet friends and their go to mentor classes at 11.30 am. The regular timetable for all begins at 12.30 pm spell 4.
I think we can all agree that last year was particularly challenging on so many levels. We are hopeful that this year will be smoother - but must also be ready for any surprises.
I would like parent, caregiver, and whānau support with three things:
Punctuality and attendance
The respectful wearing of our uniform from the time a student leaves home in the morning
Bringing chromebooks and devices to school.
While these three things seem insignificant and small, they cause considerable angst, annoyance, and work when mucked up. To be honest, staff would prefer to start the day with positive, welcoming conversations with their students and not negative confrontational ones because the uniform is appalling, a Chromebook has been forgotten, or they are 10 minutes late.
Our school will function a lot smoother if all the adults supporting a student could be on the same page, with consistent expectations.
CHROMEBOOKS
We encourage all students to have a Chromebook or other device. Surveys last year during lockdown showed that 98% of students had a device. We were given 10 devices last year by members of our school community. These were gifted to Year 9 students who did not have access to a Chromebook. Please email me if this is something you could help with this year.
The school has 60-80 equity devices available for loan from the library. There is no reason students should not have a device for their learning. However, some students choose not to bring their devices to school. During the lockdown, we offered numerous devices to families we thought did not have access, only to have them tell us that their child had a device but was too lazy to bring it to school! (quote from a parent). The flow-on effect for staff is annoying and time-consuming.
If devices are required on a particular day, a teacher needs to book a set of devices, cross the school to pick them up and get to their teaching class. Where a child does not bring their device from home, they sometimes loan one from the library - using up stock that we have purchased for equity and to cover broken or damaged devices. This means needy students miss out.
Please, please expect your child to bring their device to school. It is not correct when they say I don't need it. It is correct that they will not use the device 100% of the time, but this is not a reason not to have it in their bag for when needed.
ATTENDANCE
All students must be present at school to participate and engage in learning. Every year our statistics tell us that students whose attendance is low underperformed.
By law, and in the interests of student safety, we must know who is present and who is absent. We check the roll in every class of the day. The law clearly puts the onus on parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are encouraged to maintain full school attendance - this includes attending class on time.
We consider lateness - truancy. So please look at the Kamar portal to see if your student is regularly late to class. A student who is 10 minutes late to class all week misses 40 minutes of learning, disrupts their peers and frustrates their teacher.
Please help your students be respectful by encouraging them to make punctuality a priority.
Finally - UNIFORM
We have worked hard to give our student's agency and choice whilst remaining a uniform wearing school. We believe that wearing a uniform is more inclusive. You will see that any student can wear any item. The words simple, discreet and natural feature in our recommendations. We are not afraid to change or adapt aspects of our uniform to meet the needs and expectations of our community.
We expect students to wear all approved items of uniform well. Look good, feel good and be a visible part of our community.
The strategic survey in 2019 indicated that our community wanted to be a uniform school - so I ask that parents, caregivers, and whānau help students wear the correct school uniform respectfully.
Here are a few things that some students tell their families:
"It doesn't matter that I wear a grey hoody - no one cares".
This is not true - we do care, but sometimes staff get so busy they don't pick up on the incorrect uniform - or as is often the case, the person wearing incorrect uniform also comes to class late, and staff are just grateful that they have finally arrived!
"It doesn't matter; everyone wears them".
This is also not true - we predict that about 10% of students wear an incorrect uniform at some stage during the week. Most of our students are compliant and respectful.
"Doc boots are okay".
No, they are not and have never been acceptable footwear. We allow students to wear any brand or style of plain black, leather, synthetic leather standard school shoes. Black upper and sole, no visible branding. See our Uniform Shoe Document
"MLB hats are okay" (hats with a basketball logo) No, they are not - plain black or school hats are the only acceptable hats.
"Black tracksuit pants are okay."
No, they are not. Plain black, tailored trousers or in other words smart-casual trousers are okay. Plain black lavalavas are okay.
Here is a copy of our uniform for your guidance. If in doubt - please ring your Dean or the Resource Centre to check before purchasing what can be expensive, fashionable items that are better suited for weekend wearing.
I hope that this clarifies things for parents and caregivers. We understand that teenagers like to challenge rules and boundaries and show a little of their own personality within the confines of a uniform. Please encourage them to do this by staying within what is acceptable. They actually have a lot of choices. Many of the items students come to school wearing are for mufti days or the weekends - please ensure everyone is clear on the difference.
Mā te wā, see you soon
Denise Johnson
Principal
Year 9 and new student Powhiri
We invite parents to attend and watch the live stream from the staffroom.
Please remember we can only have fully vaccinated visitors on our site, wear your mask and scan the HVHS QR code.
Stationery Lists
Stationery lists are on the website for Years 9 to 13 and the Supported Learning Centre. Please follow this link: https://www.hvhs.school.nz/future/uniform-resource-centre
Students will find out their options when they receive their timetable on their first day. Just a refill and pen is enough to bring along on the first day.
Resource Centre Hours until 21 February 2022
Monday 17 January to Friday 21 January 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Tuesday 26 January to Thursday 27 January 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
(NB: Closed 25 January Wellington Anniversary and Friday 28 January)
Monday 31 January to Tuesday 1 February 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Wednesday 2 February to Friday 4 February 8.00 am - 4.00 pm
NB. first day for Year 9 and new enrolments is 2 February
Monday 7 February - Closed Waitangi Day
Tuesday 8 February - Friday 18 February 9.00 am - 4.00 pm
Monday 21 February - Normal hours resume
Uniform fittings are by booking only.
Log in to our on-line service website - SchoolPoint - https://huttvalley.schoolpoint.co.nz to book an appointment.
Please remember you need to sign in at the front office and wear a mask before entering the Resource Centre.
Term Dates 2022
Term 2: Monday 2 May - Friday 8 July
Term 3: Monday 25 July - Friday 30 September
Term 4: Monday 17 October - Friday 9 December
Observed Public Holidays
Good Friday: Friday 15 April
Easter Monday: Monday 18 April
Queen’s Birthday: Monday 6 June
Matariki Monday: Friday 24 June
Labour Day Monday: Monday 24 October.
Teacher Only Days
Friday 3 June
Friday 26 August
Monday 29 August (Mid Term Break)
Friday 25 November
Thursday 1 December
HVHS App
Sign up now. This is the easiest way for students to see the daily notices here at school. Is also the best way for parents to let us know if your student is absent, late or needing to leave early for an appointment.
If you have already downloaded the app, make sure you change the year level of notifications you want to receive.
To download the app for free on iPhone or Android go to the play store and search for SchoolApps NZ. Once you have downloaded choose Hutt Valley High School.
Upcoming Events
- Year 9 Only Day - Wednesday 2 February
- Full School attends - Thursday 3 February
- Waitangi Day Holiday - Monday 7 February
- Gateway Big Day Out - Monday 14 February
- Year 9 Parents Meet and Greet - Tuesday 15 February, 6.00 pm
Contact Us
Email: principal@hvhs.school.nz
Website: https://www.hvhs.school.nz
Location: Woburn Road Lower Hutt, 5010 Wellington
Phone: +64 4 560 1568
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hvhs.school.nz