Headquarters:

43 Kenthurst Rd

Year founded:

1982

Number of employees:

200+

Phone:

0296 542 111

Email:

reception@hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au

Website:

hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/bishop-druitt-college

“We put our customers at the centre of our business, responding to brokers in a proactive and timely manner and working with the customer to understand their unique risk profile and tailor appropriate solutions”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Karen Yager

Principal

David Hamper

Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

Sarah Black

Head of Junior School

Leadership

A progressive and creative leader, Karen Yager brings over 26 years of rich experience to Hills Grammar, most recently serving as the deputy headmaster K-12 at Knox Grammar. Her dedication to education has been recognised with numerous accolades, including the NSW Professional Teachers Council Award for Outstanding Service to Education in 2019. Yager is passionate about developing each student’s unique strengths, agency and voice. She is committed to nurturing and inspiring Hills Originals, helping them reach their full potential and achieve greatness. Since becoming Hills Grammar’s fifth principal in January 2022, Yager has thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Hills Grammar community – students, staff and families alike.

Principal

Karen Yager

Joining Hills Grammar in May 2022, David Hamper brought with him 25 years of diverse experience in the education sector. He has held several senior roles in independent schools across Sydney, overseeing areas such as teaching and learning, wellbeing, innovation, staff development, human resources and school operations. In addition to his school leadership, Hamper has taken on special advisory roles in curriculum design and assessment with state and national education authorities. He has collaborated with universities in Australia and the United States on teacher education and contributed to professional learning initiatives with various associations. A prolific writer, Hamper has authored, edited and contributed to numerous books, journal articles and atlases, covering a wide range of topics from the humanities to professional development.

Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

David Hamper

Sarah Black is a dedicated specialist in inclusive education, having worked with students from Pre-K to 12 since joining Hills Grammar in 2010. Before that, she gained valuable experience in various roles, including educational consultancy, positive behaviour support specialist and leader of professional development across key areas. Black believes deeply in the power of building genuine and meaningful connections with students, families, staff and the wider community. She recognises the significance of each individual in the Pre-K to 12 journey. As a staff member, parent and alumnus, she has a unique perspective on the value of the “original” student – past, present and future.

Head of Junior School

Sarah Black

Erica Kofie, QBE

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Leadership

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Leadership

Geoff Gates

Director of Learning and Teaching

As the director of learning and teaching for Pre-K to 12, Geoff Gates collaborates closely with the heads of Early Childhood Education and Care, Junior School, and Senior School to ensure a high-quality curriculum is implemented across the school. He also partners with curriculum leaders and teachers on initiatives like Cultures of Thinking and Deep Learning, focusing on developing innovative, 21st-century approaches to learning and teaching. Gates began his teaching journey at Hills Grammar in 2004. Before that, he taught in Sydney, London and Hamburg, covering a range of curricula including HSC, GCSE, IGCSE and IB Diploma courses. His previous leadership roles have included literacy coordinator, student services coordinator, and head of English. He has presented at various educational and university conferences, sharing insights on pedagogy, literature and creative writing practices. Gates holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing (2007), a Master of Education in Leadership (2013) and a Doctor of Creative Arts degree (2023). He is also the author of two novels and has contributed to both professional publications and literary journals.

Director of Learning and Teaching

Geoff Gates

Yass Sidaros

Director of Co-curricular Programs

Yass Sidaros has dedicated over 16 years to Hills Grammar, gaining valuable insights into how each student’s needs can vary. As the director of the co-curricular program, he oversees the operation and strategic development of the school’s offerings, ensuring that every student can explore their interests to the fullest. The program encompasses six core areas: music, leadership and service, sport, outdoor education, STEM, and the creative, spoken, and performing arts. Through these initiatives, Sidaros is committed to maximising opportunities for all students to thrive.

Director of Co-curricular Programs

Yass Sidaros

Hills Grammar is a vibrant early childhood to Year 12 school, set on 53 acres of pristine bushland in Kenthurst. The school’s vision is “to foster each student’s potential for greatness through outstanding teaching in a unique learning environment.” Hills Grammar has implemented interdisciplinary guided inquiry units of work grounded in overarching concepts and prioritise problems that require critical and creative thinking, so students can develop their ability to:

“We continue to see cyber as a key opportunity and will be further developing customer-centric solutions across various geographies and segments in line with our growth aspirations”

Erica Kofie, QBE

Christine Furner

Director of Professional Learning

Lily Ng

Director of Business Operations

Claire Napoli

Director of Advancement and Engagement

Adam Wollins

Director of ICT

Christine Furner has held various teaching and leadership positions across both state and independent schools. A career highlight for her has been completing a PhD focused on enhancing teacher learning at all career stages to improve practices and accelerate student learning outcomes. She is passionate about creating whole-school staff development initiatives and professional learning programs that inspire and empower teachers and leaders, guiding them towards achieving “outstanding teaching.”

Director of Professional Learning

Christine Furner

With over 15 years of experience as a business manager in independent schools, Lily Ng brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge to Hills Grammar, understanding the intricacies of managing independent schools as successful businesses. She recognises that these institutions have fiduciary, financial, risk management and governance responsibilities just like any other business. Committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, Ng ensures that all management practices are conducted with the best interests of Hills Grammar at the forefront.

Director of Business Operations

Lily Ng

As the director of advancement and engagement, Claire Napoli oversees a wide range of areas, including internal and external communications, enrolments, branding, school events, community relations, alumni relations, archiving and reception. With a degree in business and over 20 years of experience in marketing and business development, Napoli began her career in public relations and event management. She then transitioned into marketing and business development roles within the professional services sector, particularly in corporate law firms. Her diverse background equips her with a unique perspective that benefits Hills Grammar and its community.

Director of Advancement and Engagement

Claire Napoli

Joining Hills Grammar in July 2023, Adam Wollins brings over 20 years of experience in the education sector, having worked in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in effectively creating, developing and leading high-performing teams in ICT transformation and operational support. Wollins’s expertise and commitment to innovation are valuable assets to the Hills Grammar community.

Director of ICT

Adam Wollins

Director of ICT

Adam Wollins

Director of ICT

Adam Wollins

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Principal Karen Yager says, “Interdisciplinary learning is about connecting disciplines through an overarching concept, igniting curiosity and passion and enabling students to synthesise and develop deeper learning.” This internal innovative approach is worked on and looked at by all staff. The pace of change in the world at large means staff are constantly assessing and reassessing how they deliver their programs and the outcomes needed to prepare students for their future. Action learning teams, student-led program teams, executive meetings and school council reviews are regularly looking at potential innovations. Students are also credited for their passions through the Hills Education Passport for the Future, which is a micro-credentialing system that validates student achievements beyond the curriculum. The concept for the program is based on giving young people the courage and confidence to contribute to their school and community. Students learn beyond the classroom and develop their creativity, collaborative and critical thinking skills, becoming agentic, responsible and resilient citizens. Additional initiatives that Hills Grammar has undertaken include:

ask questions identify problems design investigations interpret evidence form explanations and arguments communicate solutions and findings

joining the One Planet Education Network focused on sustainability in 17 countries launching The Learning Centre, focusing on professional learning and development collaborating with the University of Technology Sydney to deliver accredited university courses to students in Year 10

“The rate of change in society and the workplace is such that all we can say for certain is that the future will be very different,” says Yager. “We ensure that we offer our students the fullest possible realm of experiences and learning opportunities that we can and foster their sense of mastery, purpose and agency by recognising what they do beyond school, so that they are as future fit as possible to navigate our rapidly changing world.” A belief embedded in Hills Grammar is that students learn best in a supportive environment with passionate and inspiring teachers. The staff takes pride in working at a beautiful school that values students, staff and the community alike. Yager says, “We surround our students with positive, creative and inspiring people, enthusiastic about their own learning and keen to immerse students in the spirit of life-long learning across the whole community.”