Kia ora koutou,

Yesterday staff shared a pink-ribbon pancakes breakfast that raised funds for breast cancer. A group of Gateway students developed the project and initiative. Thanks to Lucy Twigg (Foods & PE Teacher) and Rob King (Head of Learning Pathways) for guiding and overseeing the event.

The first meeting to begin the design of the new buildings (26 teaching spaces) is on 7 September. The meeting is quite a milestone and sees the beginning of creating our future versus a past of demolition and rehousing. I am also meeting with local iwi to ensure our design and landscaping honour mana whenua and tikanga of this area and tell our story in a mana-enhancing way.

Our new Board met for the first time, and their bios are in this newsletter. We are fortunate to have such a strong board with a wide-ranging skill set. We would love to be able to co-opt a Māori whānau representative to our Board. Please call me if you would be interested in discussing this position.

It has been a hectic few weeks for our sports teams. We have won premier titles (our wonderful Football Girls 1st X1) and played in two rugby finals; well done to the U65s coached by (Kris Dunne, John Kerr and Richard Davies). We played in six netball finals - well done to 9 Pink, coached by students Sophie Hughes (11PF) and Mia Allwood (11MC), 9 Gold, coached by students Jasmine Moor (12WA) and Madeleine Dee (12FE), and 10 Yellow, coached by Renee Sneddon. I must mention 10 B - coached by student Amiria Hynes (13HY) who lost their final in extra time. They demonstrated superb perseverance in a very challenging match. The bumps and bruises will remind them of how close they came to taking the title.

Many talented musicians performed at the HVHS Acoustic Concert this week at the St James' Church. Our orchestra, the Even Now band, the Jazz band, and solo guitarist Anugrah Alookaran Jos (11NA) performed at assembly. Assemblies have been few and far between, and it is so nice for our talented performers to share their craft with their peers.

Last night we hosted 50 people (business people and educators) on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce. We listened to an interesting presentation that challenged businesses and schools to work more collaboratively to better prepare students for the world of work. We are already exploring this with our Technology Teachers and Gateway Programme and are keen to expand into other curriculum areas. Do get in touch if you think there is some way we could connect our learners to your businesses.

Today is a teacher-only day as the staff learns about the upcoming NCEA and New Zealand Curriculum changes. All changes require massive rewriting, creating new units of work, and developing new assessment material. Monday is our scheduled mid-term break. Although for quite a few staff and 172 students, it is the beginning of Winter Sports Tournament week. I wish them well, knowing they will play with HVHS’s core values front and centre.

Ngā mihi

Denise Johnson, Principal

An update from Mark Oates (Head of Learning - PE) on what's happening in our Food, PE and Health Classes this week.

Food Classes

Our Year 10 Food classes are learning about flavours, how to taste and adjust a dish, and different Asian food cultures. Students are designing their own fusion burgers with creations including chicken katsu sushi rice, ramen burgers, burgers using bao buns and banh Mi-inspired creations. Our Year 11 Food class visited countdown to learn to shop on a budget, then they cooked and evaluated their meals.

Year 12 Food students successfully competed in Battle of the Pans, entering the classic kiwi biscuit static competition and the classic burger live competition. The in-school event helps students experience a competitive environment in a fun and non-threatening way, bringing a little of TV’s MasterChef into the learning (and linked to credit achievement).

PE & Health Classes

This week our Year 13 students are working on a Leadership standard this term by coaching our Year 9 PE classes in various sports and games. Year 12 students have the Ōrongorongo trip coming up in week 8 (14-16 September). This is an optional trip but a valuable and fun experience where students are biking and hiking in our local environment. Our Year 11 classes are completing their biophysical unit, which has covered anatomy, biomechanics and exercise physiology.

Our Year 10 Sport students are creating and refining their sports and national identities for the inter-class Olympics at the end of the term. A special thanks to Wellington Free Ambulance, who delivered CPR training to our Year 10 Health classes this week.

Kia ora koutou,

The new School Board took office on Wednesday 10 August. No election was required as calls for nominations for the School Board resulted in five nominations for five parent representatives.

With the new School Board in place, I'd like to introduce myself and my fellow Board Members - Julie Chuor, Miranda Cross, Charles Darr, Graham Dyer and James Wilkinson - to our school community. The profiles we had each prepared in anticipation of an election are here. Our profiles tell you a little about each of us including our backgrounds, skills, and motivations for becoming Board Members.

At our first School Board meeting, we co-opted Susan Dunne to continue to provide financial oversight and support to the school's finance function. Collectively the Board Members possess skills and expertise that will effectively support the Principal and Senior Leadership Team in their roles and provide governance and strategic leadership.

Seeking New Board Member with Expertise in te ao Māori

We feel the current School Board could be more representative of the HVHS school community. To ensure we address this we are looking to co-opt a Board Member who can bring mātauranga Māori, and support our tikanga and kawa. The co-opted Board Member will help us ensure te ao Māori informs our decision making and we are best placed to support Māori student achievement. Please contact me at chair@hvhs.school.nz or Denise at principal@hvhs.school.nz if you are interested or know of someone who is right for this role.

We look forward to meeting you, whether it is around the school campus, at a Pōwhiri, on the sports field, in the drama room, at prizegiving or at one of our meetings.

Ngā mihi nui,

Miranda Cross, Board Chair/Presiding Member (on behalf of the HVHS School Board)

HVHS offers a huge range of sports in term 4 including:

- Cricket for girls 8-side on Thursdays starting Thursday 27 October and for boys on Saturdays starting Saturday 29 October.

- Futsal for juniors at Walter Nash on Thursdays starting Thursday 20 October and for seniors on Fridays starting Friday 21 October

- Touch rugby for juniors only at Fraser Park on Tuesdays on Tuesday 25 October.

- Volleyball for juniors on Wednesdays starting Wednesday 19 October and seniors on Fridays starting Friday 21 October.

Students can also register for events in athletics, cross country, lawn bowls, rip rugby, softball, tennis and waterpolo (for juniors only).

Our Theatre Sports Club meets every Friday at lunchtime in the E5 drama room. It also contributes to Ad Alta.

Every Friday lunchtime students get involved in a variety of drama games as they get comfortable performing in front of everyone. The focus is on creating a relaxed space where students can banter, share a laugh, think on their feet and enjoy getting their creative juices flowing.

Students will learn improvisation (and that it's fun), the rules of Theatre Sports and gain confidence as they work in teams of four making things up on the spot! The club is open to all students and you're welcome to come along to watch or get involved slowly with a non-speaking part.

The Theatre Sports club is student-led by Tom West (13BK) who can be contacted at 18145tw@hvhs.school.nz if you have any questions.

Lots of fantastic achievements this week! Congratulations to:

- Diana Galloway (13JDFX) winner of the College Sports Wellington (CSW) Squash Championship.

- Our netball teams: HVHS 10 Yellow - Collegiate 5 Winners, HVHS 10A - Premier 2 Runners Up, HVHS 10 B - Collegiate 2 Runners Up, HVHS 9 Gold - Collegiate 6 Winners, HVHS 9 Pink - Collegiate 7 Winners and HVHS 9 Orange - Collegiate 9 Runners Up.

- Our rugby teams: U65 Rugby Team won Division 1 - Ian Hansen Cup, U55 Rugby - Runners Up in Division 1 but retained the David Scott Challenge Cup and the Girls Premier 2 Rugby Team who combined with Naenae College and won Premier 2.

Good luck to the following teams in finals this week: Senior Girls Basketball, Junior Boys 1st XI Football, Junior Boys Black Football, and the 172 students (18 teams) from HVHS who are travelling to various tournaments around the country for Tournament Week.

Thanks to all our amazing coaches and managers who have helped our teams get through the season, and the many who are traveling to support Tournament Week teams.

A huge thank you to Pub Charity and NZCT for donating $6,758 and $10,000 respectively in grant funding to help with reducing our Tournament week costs for students and their families.

Andres Cartwright-Salinas (9BAPS) played at the recent NZ Concert Band Association

Festival in Hamilton, playing for Capital City Wind Band, and also a smaller saxophone

ensemble. Both groups received a Silver award.

Former student Alistair Isdale’s recording of the 2021 Loemis Festival has finally been aired

on Radio NZ Concert Programme.

Former student and Violin ITM Alex Vaatstra has been busy conducting Stringendo – with Jimmy Onslow-Osborne (11BQ) playing viola and organizing the IRMT Masterclasses at the NZSM/VUW taken by university tutors. Alex is also playing in the current Les Misérables season.

Vanje Vaafasuga (12BE) played with the Hutt based Arohanui Strings at the recent Classics on Cuba while at very late notice former student Hayden Nickels was called up to play with the NZSO – HVHS’s latest All Black. Hayden and Simon Eastwood played last night in the inaugural performance of a new Wellington Gallery Orchestra.

Former student Owen Moriarty not only played a lunchtime Duo performance at St Mark's last week but was also playing with Orchestra Wellington in the Royal NZ Ballet’s season of Cinderella.

A highlight last week was a visit by former student Dexter Stanley-Tauvao who is about to

study at the Aaron Copeland School of Music in New York on a Fulbright Scholarship.

Dexter spent a morning talking and playing – dazzling the audience with his unbelievable

technique, musicianship and range of skills. He was joined at one stage by student Theo

Thompson (11BS) and teacher Harry Rowland.

Eve Houghton (13MO) Brodin Fletcher (13MT), Seth Houghton (9MTCR) and Eloise Edmonds (13VE) were invited and played at a recent dance at St Oran's College.

Congratulations to both Eileen Wu (11CI) and Fiona Wu (11CI) for passing their Associate Board Royal Schools of Music Grade 8 Theory exam. This is the highest grade level of the rigorous examination system.

Rhiannon Hough (11CI) performed for the Dowse Performing Arts Group accompanied by teacher Gary Wilby. Yesterday Rhiaannon and Hannah Widrig (10GEGU) passed their New Zealand Music Examination Board Flute exams.

Olly Wilkinson (11MC) has successfully auditioned for the Wellington Youth Orchestra

joining Dan Walker (13YU) and George Walker (12SK).

Otis Hill (11HF) and Everett Parker (11HF) have been rehearsing loud and hard in their band Even Now for their forthcoming gig in Wellington.

The Crossover Ensemble is preparing to present the World Premier of The paths by Which We Came by I. Chan. This week by coincidence the Tang Dynasty Ensemble has been visiting HVHS for a concert and workshop.

Former HVHS student and leading NZ pianist, accompanist and teacher Bruce Greenfield,

has recently gained one of 14 Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Awards. Bruce has been

the pianist for Government House since 1967 and has served 13 Governor Generals.

In-Zone Applications

Enrolments for 2023 are now open for students who live in-zone. We ask that parents enrol now so that we can plan for your child's learning needs for 2023 and ensure a smooth transition to high school. A big advantage to enrolling now is that your child will be in the first group to receive the email with subject selections (some subjects have limited spaces). Please complete an online enrolment application.

Out-Of-Zone Applications

The closing date for out-of-zone applications for students in Years 10-13 in 2023 is Friday 14 October 2022. Out-of-zone applications for Year 9 students in 2023 are now closed.

Volunteer 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 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 from October to December. 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.

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.

Monday 29 Aug - Mid Term Break (school closed)

& Winter Sports Tournament Week (begins)

Wednesday 7 Sept - Sports Photos (Day 1)

Monday 12 Sept - Premier Sports Awards, 6-8pm

Tuesday 13 Sept - Sports Photos (Day 2)

Friday 16 Sept - Non-uniform Day

Saturday 17 Sept - Year 13 Leavers Ball

Wednesday 28 Sept - HVHS Board Meeting

Friday 30 Sept - Last Day of Term 3

Monday 17 October - First Day of Term 4