Newsletter 2000/11 [August 2000]

Hutt Valley High School Crest

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Section Title
1 Principal’s Letter
2a Coming Events
2b Congratulations to…
2c Uniform Shop
Shop Hours
2d Talent Quest
2e Introduction to Rowing
2f Road Safety Education Campaign
2g Discovery
2h Homestay Programme
2i HVHS Music Festival
2j Fee Donation Reminder
2k HVHS Friends – Former Pupil/Staff Register

August 2000

Newsletter No. 2000/11

Dear Parents/Caregivers

We welcome Mr T O’Connor back to the staff for the rest of the term to replace our HOD Chemistry, Mr Booker, who sadly had to return to England at short notice.  Ms Harris leaves at the end of this week, and we wish her well in her new post at St. Oran’s College.  Julie has made a huge contribution to the school in both her teaching and sports co-ordinator’s role, and we will miss her.

Amidst the tales of woe that assail a Principal it is always rewarding to come across unsolicited praise for the school and its students, and there have been two examples lately.  Several of our students befriended an overseas traveller during a train journey in the holidays, and so impressed her with their sociability and awareness that she wrote to the school to commend them.  We in turn were delighted to be able to identify the students and give them the credit they deserve.  A lot of you were involved in billeting the rugby players from the Campion School last week, and made an excellent impression.  The adult supporters with whom I spoke were full of praise for the students and families they had met, and for the positive and welcoming atmosphere of the school.

There are a number of student achievements, both individual and team efforts, outlined in this newsletter, and we do try to celebrate success in all fields through assemblies, newsletters and the Hutt News.

The winter weather tends to bring out the coloured clothes in the wardrobe, and I would like to ask once again for your support in matters of uniform.  If you have any doubts over what is allowed, please phone the office or the uniform shop.  The prospectus states quite clearly that one sleeper in each ear is the only permitted jewellery.  I am concerned at the number of comments I hear about the state of our students’ uniform.  We have high expectations and do our best to encourage compliance, but in the end we cannot do it without your support.  I would welcome any feedback on the blazer/tie experiment.

We are looking ahead to arrangements for the start of next year, and find as a lot of schools have, that the official starting date of Thursday, 1 February, does not allow for a particularly smooth start, with the Waitangi Day holiday on the following Tuesday.  We would therefore like to propose starting on Tuesday, 30th January 2001.  All other holiday dates will remain unchanged until the end of the year, when the last day would be Friday, 7th December 2001.  Please can you let me know if this would create problems.

We have one more teacher only day this term, on Wednesday, 13th September and all teachers will once again be involved in NCEA training.  You will have read conflicting views on the NCEA in the papers and will be aware that there are a lot of issues still unresolved.  Mr Marrison will speak about the NCEA at the Parents’ Association meeting on 21st August, so do come along if you wish to learn more.  I feel strongly that the time has come to work positively to make the new qualification system happen, and to give it the best chance of success.  That is not to say that I can see no flaws in it, but we have had uncertainty for too long now in this area, and in the end that becomes a distraction.

Until our next newsletter in week 10, may I wish you all the best, and assure you of my commitment to enabling each and every student to find success.

Yours sincerely


Sylvia Burch
Principal

Coming Events

Month Date Event
August Monday 21 Parents Assoc. Meeting – 7.30 p.m. in staffroom – NCEA – all welcome
Thursday 24 Talent Quest – 7.00 p.m. in the hall – admission: a gold coin – see notice below
Wednesday 30 Careers Evening 7.00 p.m. in the Hall, C and D Blocks
September Friday 1 Victoria University Study Day – Form 7
Monday 4 to Tuesday 12 5th Form Exams
Wednesday 13 Teacher Only Day (NCEA Training Day)
Tuesday 19 Hutt Valley High School Music Festival
Thursday 21 Pacific Island Fashion Show
Friday 22 Form 6 reports issued
End of Term 3
Saturday 23 Rockquest National Finals
October Monday 9 Term 4 commences
Friday 20 Form 5 reports issued
Monday 30 to Tuesday 14 November Form 6 examinations
November Tuesday 14 Form 7 Senior Prizegiving – Town Hall 7 p.m.  Leavers supper afterwards
Thursday 16 Last day for Bursary students
Form 3 and 4 exams commence – continue until 21 November
Wednesday 22 Sixth Form Certificate course completion
School Certificate commences
Thursday 23 University Bursary commences
Thursday 30 Wanganui sports exchange
December Friday 8 Forms 3 and 4 reports issued
Forms 3  (9.45 am) and 4 (11.20 am) prizegivings – all parents welcome

Congratulations to…

Nick Willis who came first in the Under 18 New Zealand Cross-country Championship in Auckland;

our Underwater Hockey teams who achieved the following results at the Wellington Secondary Schools’ Competition:

  • Junior Girls: 2nd in Wellington
  • Senior Open: 4th in Wellington
  • Senior Girls: 3rd in Wellington

the Junior Girls’ team and Senior Open teams will compete at the National Secondary Schools’ Tournament in Kilbirnie on August 24-27th;

the Boys’ 1st 2nd and 3rd Table Tennis teams who came 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively at the Hutt Valley Championships;

the Girls’ 1st XI Soccer team who won the College Sport Wellington Competition without a single goal being scored against them!

Ad Alta Apparel – Uniform and Stationery Shop

Shop Hours

Day Hours
Monday – Friday 8.15 a.m. – 10.00 a.m. daily
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Thursday evenings 6.30 p.m. – 8.30 p.m.

Any enquiries please do not hesitate to phone during shop hours on 570-3551.

We currently have a number of sixth formers wearing the formal school uniform.  This consists of blazer, white business shirt, school tie, grey school trousers for the boys, school skirt and black tights for the girls.  We would like to encourage fifth and sixth form students to wear the formal uniform.

All formal uniform items are available for sale from the Uniform Shop.  The more students purchasing their own blazers will enable the cost to come down as the more we have made per order, the less we pay.  Currently the blazer is $180.00.

Talent Quest

Parents who would like to view the range of talent uncovered by the annual talent quest now have an opportunity on Thursday 24th August at 7.00 p.m. in the School Hall – Admission is a gold coin.  The concert will feature the 12 semi-finalists and hopefully some of the mystery staff  entries as well.  It should last approximately one hour.   The final will be held at lunchtime on the same day.

Introduction to Rowing

For parents, senior students and teachers a course called “Introduction to Rowing” will be held on Sunday 3rd September at the Coaching Centre, Sport Wellington, Level 2, 113 Adelaide Road, Wellington.  The course covers the role of the coach, equipment, technique, training methods and going rowing.  It is a free course (a manual will be provided).  Register your interest with Colin Shields (565-1050 home;  565-1075 fax) before 25th August.

Road Safety Education Campaign

The Wellington Road Safety Education Campaign is currently running a telephone appeal in Wellington.  Your household may be rung during the campaign and asked for a donation towards road safety education in your area.  The funds from this campaign will purchase flags and first aid kits for primary schools as well as fund a really exciting, safe driving education programme called Prodrive, for college students.  Prodrive is run through schools by Motor Sport New Zealand.  A Prodrive Co-ordinator will visit each secondary school in Wellington and talk to students about the course.  They can sign up for it at their school and get a day of hands-on tuition at the Hutt Valley trotting track with cars supplied by Toyota, and with instructors from the local car club.  They learn basic techniques for safer driving skills, and it’s free to secondary school students who have a drivers licence.  This will be happening early next year.

The Wellington Road Safety Education Campaign is organised by the Children At Risk Education Foundation (C.A.R.E.).  who are not asking for your help, just informing you about the campaign so that you know who they are when a fundraiser phones.  Any queries, please telephone (04) 385-2068 or 0800 504 CARE (0800 504 2273)

Discovery

Many people go through their whole lives without discovering their true potential.  Discovery is a week-long adventure offering new skills in education and relationships.  It provides an opportunity for teenagers to understand their true potential and use it.  The course, a seven day residential accelerated learning programme for 13-18 year-olds is led by a team of internationally acclaimed professional educators.  For further information ring 576-5661 (Julia Scholtens.  Free information evenings will be held at Johnsonville Community Centre, 3 Frankmore Avenue on 6th September from 7.30 – 9.30 p.m.

Homestay Programme (11 December 2000 – 12 January 2001)

Some carefully selected German students aged 15-18 years are interested to spend about four weeks in New Zealand living with a Kiwi family. The German students wish to come to New Zealand to experience our way of life here and to improve their English, which usually is already of a good standard. Host families should therefore involve their guest in regular family and cultural activities.  Knowledge of German is not necessary.

The host family will receive $800 for the duration of the homestay, payable in advance. While host families in previous years agreed that this amount is adequate to offset expenses incurred in hosting a student from Germany, we wish to point out that families will be unlikely to make a profit.

The programme is organised by both Professor Kneufermann of Waikato University and the Ministry of Education in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.  If you are interested in offering a homestay please contact Mr Bachmann in the Languages Department at Hutt Valley High School (Ph. 570-3555).  Deadline for applications is 28 August 2000.

Hutt Valley High School Music Festival

Festival 2000, our annual Music Festival will be held in week 10 this term, on Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th September.  This Festival showcases our extensive musical talent in choirs, band, orchestras and solo performances.  Tickets will be available from the school office from Monday 4th September at a cost of $5.  An early purchase will ensure that you don’t miss out this year!

Fee Donation Reminder

Thank you to those who have already made a donation for the year 2000.  The school’s Board of Trustees sets a recommended level of donation of $165.00 per student each year with a maximum of $330 per family.  The Board understands that some families are unable to make a contribution, and I am able to waive any obligations on request.  These requests are handled in absolute confidence.  Thank you for your support.

Friends of Hutt Valley High School – Former Pupil/Staff Register

If you were a former pupil or staff member of Hutt Valley High School in the past and would like to be on the register for our Reunion in October, 2001, please answer the below and return to Hutt Valley High School, Private Bag 31909, Lower Hutt:

  • Surname
  • First names
  • Maiden name – women, and name previously known as
  • Present address
  • Phone – home, work and or fax
  • Years at school
  • Pupil or staff member?
  • Date of Birth
  • Occupation, Interests