HVHS Term 1 Week 11
Newsletter 16 April 2021
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Kia ora koutou katoa
It is the end of term one and what a term it has been. We have been tested on so many fronts yet we are all still smiling and still excited to be a part of the HVHS family.
C-Block mould
As you know, we have shut and sealed a number of classrooms in response to the mould found, initially in C Block and now in other areas of the school. The Ministry of Education is working to correct things. There is currently further testing throughout the school, and we are discussing both short and long-term options with the ministry. The immediate issue is that we can not fit classes into the reduced number of rooms we currently have. We are moving to a combination of remote learning combined with face-to-face learning for Y12 and Y13 students, which will begin from the first day of term two.
We have already shared the learning plan with students and families, but here is a link to the document for you. You must keep in contact with us and let teachers and deans know if there are any issues.
We are likely to have 5-6 satellite hubs for students to go to when they are scheduled to be 'at home'. A student's usual teacher will be teaching as per the timetable using Google Meet and Google Classroom. A staff member will be present at each Hub to support students' online learning. We are hoping to have Hubs in Maungaraki, Eastbourne, Waterloo, Hutt Central, Petone and Moera. I will confirm actual venues before the start of term two. Students can choose to work at a hub or decide to work at home, or use a combination of both options.
I want to thank our whole community on behalf of all students and staff. The support you have given us in the last week alone has been immense. We have had numerous space offers to run our satellite hubs; a group is seriously lobbying our political leaders for action on a rebuild. Other school leaders have sent their best wishes to us, and we even received a message from a Christchurch school that have had the same property frustrations with the ministry. Past pupils and staff have also shared stories of their time in C-Block. Incredible, isn't it, the impact one ugly build can have on generations of Hutt people? I encourage you to keep helping us, guide the ministry and our political leaders to see that we are good, hard-working people who deserve more attention and care than we have received.
We have contacted NZQA regarding the possibility of learning credits. Here is the link to Nick Larkin's letter. Letter to NZQA. We will advise you of the outcome as soon as we receive a reply.
The Ministry of Education's arm in charge of supporting us during this crisis has been very active and forthcoming. Students will have equity Chromebook devices, DVCO and Art packs by the end of the term one break. They have also supported us with the staffing necessary to run our hubs. Please get in touch with us if there are other barriers to your student's success.
On a lighter note. Here is a picture of an impressive, albeit leaky and mouldy cake given to us by a group of staff. It is due to be deconstructed or possibly destroyed with force tomorrow. Thanks to 'The Arts' Dept.
Uniform - shoes
Thanks so much for supporting us in helping your children arrive at school in complete and correct uniforms. Things go in waves and at this time combat /Doc Marten style boots are fashionable, and some students choose to wear them with their uniform. To be clear - boots of any kind are not part of our uniform.
Here is a guide to what is acceptable school footwear - Link/pictures
We are working with staff to ensure that the actions taken and follow up of uniform infringements are as consistent as possible - in saying that, we want to work with students to help them to get things right.
All our students must wear the correct school uniform from when they leave home in the morning until they return home at the end of the day. Where there is a genuine reason for a student not wearing the correct school uniform, the caregiver should provide an explanatory note with contact details included. This note needs to go to the Dean at the beginning of the day.
No student should enter a class in an incorrect uniform without a conversation and/or an action to address the issue.
Our process in dealing with uniform issues at school is as follows:
Verbal warning - staff will work with the student to help them understand the need to comply with our school uniform rules. Teachers will make a note that a conversation/warning has taken place in KAMAR.
Where possible, students will be lent correct uniform items. Deans can assist with this. The school has an ample supply of uniforms that can be loaned or given to students.
Parents and caregivers will be informed if the student continues to wear a non-uniform item despite being offered support. The mentor teacher and/or subject teacher will communicate with home when they see 2-3 separate incidents i.e. a pattern. Teachers will make a note that a conversation has taken place in KAMAR.
Deans will monitor the situation and if the behaviour continues - they will have a formal meeting with the student and their parents and caregivers.
If the behaviour continues after this restorative approach, we will use formal disciplinary action for defiance of our school rules. This may include the student being sent home to change.
If you have any questions regarding uniform please contact Grace Wright (formerly Davey) grace.wright@hvhs.school.nz
Ngā mihi
Denise Johnson
SPOTLIGHT ON A LEARNING AREA - PE
The Health and PE Department had a busy, but successful Term One. The Year started with a hiss and a roar as the team put together the Year 9 Meet and Compete day. This was a great day and saw Year 9’s having fun whilst getting to know their classmates as well as the Year 13 liaison students.
The Year 13 PE students demonstrated fantastic leadership skills when visiting Hutt Central School. It was great to see the connections being made between the two schools.
The Year 12 PE students created a training plan purpose-built for the Hutt Buster. The students had an opportunity once a week to head down to Jenkins Gym and implement one of their training sessions. These training sessions were a combination of their sports training and their personal training sessions designed specifically for the Hutt Buster. As the term progressed student’s started to understand and implement the different biophysical principles within their 8-week training plan.
The Year 11 PE students headed out for an overnight camp up to Butterfly Creek. The weather almost put a stop to one of the scheduled camps, but always on their toes, the PE department moved to the backup day, allowing for over 60 students to explore the outdoors and demonstrate safety management strategies.
Some highlights for our Health programme include having Attitude presentations for all year levels. Attitude is a fantastic organisation that come in to support ranagatahi with different aspects of their Hauora / wellbeing. As always, students loved seeing and hearing from Tamatea.
Year 9, 10 and 11 students also have the opportunity to gain some valuable insight on how to deal with your inner critic and taking your mask off when struggling, when ‘I am Hope’ visit.
Next term, we look forward to the “How to Speak with your young person about…” evening hosted by our Health and PE department as well as Georgia from Family Planning. During this parents/caregivers will have the opportunity to learn about our Junior Health Programme and, of course, to ask questions about how to have meaningful conversations with your rangatahi about various relationship and sexuality topics.
The Inaugural Hutt Buster House Event (pictures above) finally took place last Friday after being a victim of COVID last year and heavy rain the week prior. Every year 9 student took part along with all Senior PE students. At least 600 were involved over all. The event focused on participation and Pukeariki managed to gain the most points.
The pictures will give you an idea of the activities involved. The event will run again next year and we hope to include an extra river crossing and have over 1000 people involved!
Many thanks to all the teachers and students involved who help make the event so successful.
Congratulations
National Youth Jazz competition results:
Theo Thompson 10BSPS had a very successful time in Easter performing as part of two jazz combos in the national competition, Crumbly Jack on piano, and Mel Stevenson on guitar.
Crumbly Jack won a Gold Award and trophies for Best Arrangement and Most Outstanding Jazz Band
Mel Stevenson won a Gold Award and trophies for Best Composition and also shared with Crumbly Jack the trophy for Most Outstanding Jazz Band.
Video links
Crumbly Jack - https://youtu.be/fjKKWsEHZ0o?t=21391
Mel Stevenson - https://youtu.be/fjKKWsEHZ0o?t=27634
Congratulations to Natasha Codyre, 13RS - Cricket Wellington Under 19 female Player of the Year
Community Health Consultation
Upcoming evening on - "How to speak with your young person about ...".
This will be an opportunity to hear about our Junior Health Education programme, specifically our Term Two unit on Relationships and Sexuality Education for Year 9 and 10. During this evening we will have Georgia McCombe from Family Planning to help guide us in learning how to have meaningful conversations with our rangatahi about all things Sex and Sexuality.
When: Thursday 6 May
Time: 6.00 pm
Where: Hutt Valley High School Staffroom
Students unwell at school
As our winter terms are nearly upon us, it is a good time to remind students, families and caregivers of what to do if you are unwell at school.
If you are unwell in class time, let your teacher know and they will send you to the First Aid office to see Jo Canton (First Aid Officer). If you need to go home, she will then contact your parents/caregivers for you to arrange getting home.
Please do not contact home directly as your absence will not then be recorded as medical.
Students can access the First Aid Office directly at interval and lunchtime.
Upcoming Events
- Diversity Concert - 16 April
- Board of Trustees Meeting - Wednesday 28 April, 5.30 pm
- First Day of Term 2 - 3 May
- Community Health Consultation - Thursday 6 May, 6.00 pm, staffroom
- Public Meeting re HVHS Buildings - Thursday 6 May, 7.00 pm, school hall
Bus changes in Lower Hutt
- Route 848 - that previously started at St Peter and Paul’s School at 3.00pm - will now start its journey at Hutt Intermediate School at 3.07pm
- Route 849 - that previously started its run at 7.50am - will now start at 8.00am
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