HVHS Term 2 Week 1
Newsletter 7 May 2021
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Kia ora
Week one of our new way of doing school at HVHS is over. Honestly, we all feel like it is week 3 of the term. Many meetings, a lot of work, and an incredible amount of energy were used to keep us on an even keel this week. A huge thank you to our staff, students and supportive community for their patience, flexibility and trust.
Week one has gone well. Students are using the Market Grove Hub, and I suspect this will only increase. They have been delighted that there is complete autonomy over how they use their time at the Hub, where they work and who they work alongside. In a way, it is a mini university setting for them to experience ahead of time. I’ve already shared photos and a video on FaceBook - here is the link if you have not seen them yet. Some students love the independence working from home provides and are thriving, but others prefer the motivation of their friends and staff. The Hub has three teachers who are there to help and support. Mrs Balshaw is a Mathematics specialist, and Mrs Fox and Mrs Charlton can assist with English and Social Sciences. The Hub even has Ministry of Education officials wandering around who I am sure will help if asked.
Yesterday our senior students took their learning to parliament. Students can learn anywhere, anytime, and on any device - and this is just what they did. However, all our students would prefer to be on-site, in a warm classroom, learning in a face to face way. Now that the term two plan is underway, we will put our creative hats back on to ensure that face to face learning for Y12 and Y13 increases in term three. Already staff have offered face-to-face teaching combined with an online option at the Hub. This morning Ms Koroniadis met ½ her Y13 Media class at the Hub and supported the other ½ who were working from home. This flexible way of working will increase as staff and students begin to explore the possibilities of our new senior school set up. Some Technology students can work in long blocks, meaning they miss no valuable workshop time. The Technology staff have the workshop going from 8 am to 4 pm. Our Trades students have moved to an individual learning programme under the guidance of Kirsty Hall so that their progress is not affected. We are incredibly hopeful that we will create a new timetable for term three that involves 4-5 portacoms and actual face to face classes at Market Grove and the Longroom. It will be a little mucky, and we will all get fit, and maybe a little wet in the rain running between campuses, but it will enable us to be with each other and minimise the number of classes taught online. I will share more of this plan as it evolves and timelines are confirmed.
We value and respect our students' voice, involvement, and contribution. We work with our students - their views are important, worthy and should be listened to. And, wow, didn't they stand up for us on Thursday at parliament. We are incredibly proud that this student-led initiative was completed with such poise and impact. Here are links to some of the news coverage in case you missed them.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018794389
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.
Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead
Ngā mihi nui
Denise Johnson
SPOTLIGHT ON A LEARNING AREA - Science
Term One was a term like no other. Things are always busy at the start of the year and there were a lot of Science opportunities and challenges available; our students did not disappoint!
Senior Biology and Chemistry students were kept busy running independent investigations over a number of days, with many giving up their own time to collect their data.
Year 11 students settled into their first year of NCEA with an internal assessment based around the Carbon cycle. This focused on how Carbon moves between living things, the earth, the ocean and the atmosphere and how it is extremely important in the context of global warming and CO2 emissions.
In our junior programme, our Year 9 students put all of their new skills and knowledge to the test by carrying out an investigation into solubility and analysing their own results. Year 10 students got a glimpse into the workings of electricity and how to create various circuits. Imagine a world without electricity… Life was very different 200 years ago.
Students also have the option of completing Science badges which allows them to explore different areas of interest. Well done to Morgan Grummitt who completed her Psychology badge mid way through the term.
Nadia Prasetyo was also awarded a Silver award by the New Zealand International Biology Olympiad committee and was selected to attend the final selection camp in the school holidays for a chance to attend the international Olympiad which is being hosted virtually by Portugal in July.
This term we look forward to our students taking part in the STEMM student challenge where students will go up against other schools from the Wellington region. Our Greenfingers club and Science club will also be getting underway.
We would also like to make everyone aware that we run a Science help room every Thursday afternoon from 3.30 - 4.30 pm in B11. This is open to all students and we will have a range of support for general Science as well as Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
NCEA Teacher Only Day - Tuesday 11 May
All schools and kura have been allocated eight additional teacher only days to use by the end of 2022. These eight days will not extend the school year. In 2021 three days have been scheduled nationally: 11 May, 5 August and 1 December.
These days are set aside to support the implementation of changes to NCEA, and wider strengthening of curriculum, progress and achievement practice.
The first of these days in 2021 is Tuesday 11 May 2021. There will be no classes for students.
Congratulations
Congratulations to HVHS Ultimate Frisbee teams who competed at the school nationals in March. The girls came runners up (again) and the boys third,
Congratulations to Toby Ireland 9CSSN, who competed in the Blind Sailing and HANSA Nationals. Toby was 1st in the Blind doubles and 4th in Para Open Doubles.
Team HVHS 'White' have bowled their way to Division 2 Lawn Bowls Champions at the CSW Wellington Regional Finals. Congratulations to Elliott Kenning 9COHG, Ishaan Gulati 9CVRB and Lochie Cook 10GWHF.
NCEA Information for Year 12-13 Students and their Caregivers
Following consultation with NZQA the following measures have been put in place to assist Year 12 and 13 students in Term 2.
They are very similar to what we already do as a school with the aim of supporting students as much as appropriate in this 50/50 split of offsite and onsite teaching for the term.
Teachers will and are, where appropriate:
1. re-working programmes and assessments to help students complete and achieve their NCEA standards
2. being flexible with due dates
3. discussing with students (and caregivers) about which standards they are best to be entered into to achieve their NCEA Qualifications
4. providing guidance and feedback during assessments, and using templates from NZQA to help gather evidence towards internal and external credits
5. using differing methods of submitting work, while still meeting the NCEA Achievement and Unit Standard requirements.
If you have any questions please contact nick.larkin@hvhs.school.nz
Upcoming Events
- NCEA Teacher Only Day - Tuesday 11 May
- Year 10 WelTec Demo Day - Friday 14 Friday
- Year 12 Te Awakairangi Trip - Monday 17 May
- Lincoln and Canterbury University Visits - Tuesday 18 May
- Non-uniform Day - Tuesday 25 May
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