Te Whānau o te Kura o Haewai
Home & School
When your child enrols at Houghton Valley School, your whānau automatically becomes part of the Home & School Association. You’re already part of it, and we’re so glad you’re here!
Our Home & School Association is made up of HVS whānau, led by an executive team that works alongside the school and our community to create the best possible environment for our tamariki.
Our Purpose
Our Home & School Association exists to strengthen connections between whānau, staff, and the wider HVS community. We also raise funds that enhance our school through projects and initiatives beyond the school’s operational budget, such as the flying fox, bike track, the chicken coop, and many other improvements around our kura.
What We Do
Home & School brings our community together in lots of different ways, including:
Holding termly hui to plan events, share updates, and connect over kai.
Supporting Class Whānau Reps to help families connect and stay informed.
Managing the HVS WhatsApp Community for class chats, groups, and announcements.
Organising community events like quiz nights, discos, and other opportunities to connect.
Running fundraisers such as bake sales, quiz night, and our biggest annual fundraiser; the much-loved HVS Fair. t
Get Involved
Whether you have five minutes or five hours, there’s a way to get involved.
Help at a bake sale, volunteer at the fair or quiz night, come along to a hui, or simply share your ideas with the exec team. Every contribution helps make our school community stronger!
Our termly hui are relaxed, welcoming, and open to everyone. Come along to share ideas, hear what’s happening around the school, enjoy some kai, or simply see what Home & School is all about. Meeting dates are shared in the school newsletter, on the website calendar, and through the HVS WhatsApp Community.
Contact Us
If you’d like to know more or get involved, we’d love to hear from you.
Co-Chairs
Carlie Uivel & Amy Palmer
homeandschoolchair@houghton.school.nz
Secretary
Kelly Neighbours
homeandschoolsecretary@houghton.school.nz
Treasurer
Luke Cartmell-Gollen
homeandschooltreasurer@houghton.school.nz
Houghton Valley School Home and School Association is a Registered Charity (CC38525).
Me te mahi tātou mo te oranga o te katoa. Let’s work together for the wellbeing of everyone.
"Carlie Uivel, Co-Chair
Carlie has been part of the Houghton Valley community for over a decade and is mum to three energetic boys. Her eldest has now moved on from HVS, while Otto is in Year 4 and Wolfgang is in Year 2. She runs on caffeine, dry humour, chaos, and encouraging lowered expectations. Passionate about holistic student wellbeing, Carlie is committed to building strong connections between whānau, staff, and the wider community to help create a vibrant, inclusive school where all our tamariki can thrive.
Amy was born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau and has called the South Coast of Te Whānganui-a-Tara home for the past 14 years. Amy has 2 children at HVS, Atticus (Year 4) and Piper (Year 2). Amy has been in various childcare roles for over 18 years, and is an ECE teacher at Adelaide Early Childhood centre. As Co-Chair of the Home & School Association, Amy loves being part of such a vibrant school community and feels incredibly lucky to call this beautiful corner of South Wellington home.
With both Corné (Y6) and Anya (Y3) taking their first two-wheeled wobbles on the school bike track, HVS feels like an extension of her and partner Niel’s backyard. As a proud Kiwi/Cape Town mash-up, the family embraces the best of both worlds: community spirit, sport, and a shared tolerance for brisk breezes. Kelly comes from a background in sports admin and is hoping to unleash more school Touch teams on the field. She's also snuck her way onto the payroll, and is stoked to have joined the teacher aid posse at school.
Luke, Megan, Louis (Y5) and Charlie (Y2) have lived at the end of Buckley Road for 10 years. For hobbies Luke juggles trying to stay fit against the pull of the couch and any football he can watch. Whilst he loves getting out on his bike(s), if the counter-factual involves Arsenal, the couch always wins. He has worked in electricity and sustainability for most of his career and loves a conversation on any of the aforementioned topics!
Photos of the Home and School-run HVS Fair 2022
