Centenary Celebrations – Save the Date!
We’ll be opening the school doors for a special Centenary Open Day on Saturday, 8 August 2026, 10am to 4pm – a chance to revisit your old classrooms (those that are standing!) see what’s changed, and reconnect with friends and former teachers. There will be displays, performances, concerts, sports events, student-led tours, spaces to relax and reminisce, share kai, and maybe a coffee from the student-run cafe.
We’ve done all we can to ensure this celebration is inclusive and accessible to everyone. While some will remember gala balls and huge sit-down dinners, we know that in reality, few people want to pay for that kind of formality today. Instead, our focus is on creating a weekend that welcomes everyone — regardless of cost — and allows for meaningful connection.
There is no fee to attend the Centenary Open Day. We’re planning decade group photo sessions and casual morning and afternoon teas in the library and staffroom. The day will begin with a mihi whakatau — a warm welcome back to HVHS on Saturday morning, and I’m sure there will be a cake to cut at some point, as no celebration is complete without one! We hope this relaxed and inclusive approach allows as many people as possible to reconnect, share stories, and enjoy the incredible talents of today’s students.
HVHS Teachers and Staff Reunion
A HVHS Teachers & Staff Reunion is planned for Friday, 7 August 2026, from 4:00pm to 7pm, upstairs in the staffroom. Light refreshments will be available to enjoy. All former teachers and staff are welcome to attend!
Register Now
To help with planning Hutt Valley High School’s Centenary Celebrations in August 2026, please click on the registration link below to register your interest in attending the following:
- The HVHS Centenary Open Day on Saturday 8 August 2026, 10am – 4pm
- The Reunion for Teachers and Staff on Friday 7 August 2026, 4pm – 7pm
- Other alumni-organised gatherings or events connected to the Centenary celebrations
Please complete this form so we can keep you informed and help our Alumni organisers with connecting with old classmates and friends.
Alumni Organised Events – Celebrating the 100th
We encourage alumni to organise decade gatherings or catch-ups on Friday, 7 August 2026, or Saturday, 8 August 2026 (in the evening after the Open Day). There is always debate about how to structure decade groups! We’ve gone with a pretty straightforward approach:
- 1940 – 1949
- 1950 – 1959
- 1960 – 1969
- 1970 – 1979
- 1980 – 1989
- 1990 – 1999
- 2000 – 2009
- 2010 – 2019
- 2020 – 2025
If you’re planning something, please let us know! Email the details to Deena Anderson at alumni@hvhs.school.nz, and we’ll help promote your event on our Facebook Alumni page and in our Alumni newsletter.
Need help finding old classmates? Contact us at archives@hvhs.school.nz with the year and class list you’re looking for, and we’ll do our best to find the pages of your old Yearbook listing your classmates.
Get Involved in the 100th
There are lots of ways to get involved:
- Host a reunion or year group gathering
- Send us stories or photos from your time at HVHS to contribute to the archives
- Share your journey since school — we’d love to feature alumni profiles and today’s students learn so much from the stories of former students.
Please get in contact with Deena Anderson at alumni@hvhs.school.nz if you’d like to send us your story or for help promoting your reunion or finding classmates.
Keeping in Touch
- HVHS Alumni Facebook – follow us by clicking the link and hitting the ‘Like’ button https://www.facebook.com/hvhs1926
- HVHS Alumni Newsletter – email Deena Anderson at alumni@hvhs.school.nz to register to receive the alumni newsletter.
- Read the latest copy of the HVHS Alumni Newsletter, simply click here
- Question for the Archivist? Judith Gardiner kindly volunteers as our school’s Archivist. You can email Judith at archives@hvhs.school.nz
The School Office will be closed for the Term 3 holidays from Monday, 30 June to Sunday, 13 July 2025, re-opening on Monday, 14 July 2025, to help with any questions.
100th Snippets & Stories
Whakanui Tipunga – Massed Ensemble Performance for the 100th
Titled Whakanui Tipunga (Celebration of Growth), the project will unite current student groups including Volante, Kapa Haka, Poly Club, String Ensemble, and other musicians with alumni who once performed on stage or played in the school’s music rooms.
The idea behind this new project is to bring together a massed ensemble to perform on the 100th Open Day on Saturday 8 August 2026.
HVHS music teacher Nicholas Kovacev is writing the instrumental arrangement for this. From Term 3, 2025, copies of the sheet music will be available to download from the HVHS website, so participants can print and learn an instrumental part or sing along using the lyrics and melody line.
Neil Whitehead’s Bagpipe Tribute to HVHS
When Neil Whitehead (HVHS 1956–1960) emailed the school recently, we were delighted by what he had to share. Now 81 years old and still actively playing the bagpipes, Neil fondly recalled his time at Hutt Valley High School particularly being Pipe Major of the school’s former pipe band. He even piped guests into the hall for our 90th anniversary celebration.
Looking ahead to 2026, Neil hopes to be part of the 100th celebrations and he’s also composed a brand new pipe tune for the occasion and generously shared it with us by email. To listen to Neil’s specially composed tune click this link and enjoy – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bWh2h94RbTaILOp_Z_S58DBXlmlCgNgD/view?usp=sharing