Headquarters:
43 Kenthurst Road, Kenthurst
Year founded:
1982
Number of employees:
More than 200
Phone:
02 9654 2111
Email:
principal@hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au
Website:
hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/school/hills-grammar
“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 more than 26 years of experience to Hills Grammar School after her most recent role as deputy headmaster K–12 at Knox Grammar. Her work in the education and academic world has been recognised with numerous awards, including the 2019 NSW Professional Teachers’ Council Award for Outstanding Service to Education.
With an emphasis on developing each student’s unique strengths, agency and voice, Yager will continue to nurture, grow and inspire the Hills Originals to achieve their potential for greatness.
Principal
Karen Yager
David Hamper joined Hills Grammar in May 2022, bringing 25 years of experience to the school. He has held a number of senior roles in diverse independent schools across Sydney, with portfolios including teaching and learning, wellbeing, innovation, staff development, human resources and school operations.
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School
David Hamper
Sarah Black is a specialist in inclusive education and has worked in pre-K–12 since joining the staff of Hills Grammar in 2010. Prior to this, she worked in a range of settings, including educational consultancy, as a positive behaviour support specialist, and as a leader of professional development across a number of key areas. Black believes strongly in the importance of building genuine and meaningful connections with students, families, staff and the wider community and understands the importance of the individual in the pre-K–12 journey.
Head of Junior School
Sarah Black
“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
“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
“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
Leadership
Geoff Gates
Director of Learning and Teaching, K–12
As the director of learning and teaching from pre-K to 12, Geoff Gates works closely with the heads of ECEC, junior school and senior school to ensure a high-quality curriculum is in place across the school. He also works closely with both curriculum leaders and teachers on projects such as cultures of thinking and deep learning, where the aim is to develop innovative, 21st-century approaches to learning and teaching.
Director of Learning and Teaching, K–12
Geoff Gates
Yass Sidaros
Director of Co-curricular Programs
Yass Sidaros has spent over 16 years at Hills Grammar, which has enabled him to see that what works for one student may be different for another. In his role as the director of the co-curricular program, he oversees the operation and strategic development of the school's co-curricular program, ensuring it is able to maximise the opportunities for all students in their areas of interest. The program has six core areas, including music, leadership and service, sport, outdoor education, STEM and the creative, spoken and performing arts.
Director of Co-curricular Programs
Yass Sidaros
The Hills Grammar School, in New South Wales, is following its ambitious 2022–2025 Strategic Plan. The aim is to empower students to make decisions and take actions that contribute to creating a sustainable society and ecosystem.
Several key initiatives will allow Hills Grammar to achieve this:
“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
Chris Furner has held a number of teaching and leadership positions across state and independent schools. A career highlight has been the completion of a PhD on how to boost teacher learning across all career stages as a means to improve practice and accelerate student learning outcomes. She enjoys developing whole-school staff development initiatives and professional learning programs that inspire and encourage teachers and leaders and coaching them towards “outstanding teaching”.
Director of Professional Learning
Christine Furner
As a seasoned business manager of independent schools for over 15 years, Lily Ng brings to Hills Grammar her vast experience and in-depth knowledge in the commercial management of independent schools as successful businesses.
Ng is acutely aware that independent schools have all the fiduciary, financial, risk management and governance duties legally required by businesses. She expects and delivers the very best management and conduct with the highest integrity, with the best interests of Hills Grammar as her central focus.
Director of Business Operations
Lily Ng
As the director of advancement and engagement, Claire Napoli’s role encompasses internal and external communications, enrolment, branding, school events, community relations, alumni, archiving and reception. She has a degree in business and over 20 years of marketing and business development experience. Napoli started her career in public relations and event management before moving into marketing and business development roles in the professional services sector, particularly corporate law firms.
Director of Advancement and Engagement
Claire Napoli
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
Adam Wollins joined Hills Grammar in July 2023. He has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, including in schools, TAFEs, universities and the NSW Department of Education. He has a proven track record in the effective creation, development and leadership of high-performing ICT transformational and operational support teams.
Director of ICT
Adam Wollins
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“We have a group of students who are passionate about it, led by a leader of sustainable innovation,” says principal Karen Yager. “What we are doing and aim to do is substantial and challenging, but when you do it as part of your strategic plan, your vision and your whole school focus, and it’s embedded in the curriculum, it’s not challenging; it’s inspiring and enjoyable.”
Among Hills Grammar’s impressive programs is the installation of CO2 emission sensors by students. The data is gathered on a weekly basis and shared with other schools globally that are part of the One Planet Education Network.
Other programs that have had significant impacts include the following:
school curriculum K–10 inquiry units and geography focused on environmental stewardship
micro-credentialing with the Hills Education Passport for the future for students demonstrating skills and actions achieved beyond the curriculum
global connections for students and staff include partnering with the One Planet Education Network on sustainable agriculture, climate change research and air quality and pollution mitigation
sustainable environmental initiatives on campus, such as recycling, reduction of plastics, waste and energy, and protecting local fauna
master planning by incorporating a green sustainability focus in the construction and powering of new buildings to achieve net zero
Solar panels reduce electricity bills by over 64%.
Over 70% of staff and students use TerraCycle Zero Waste Boxes on campus to minimise waste created by masks and promote reusable materials.
The Project Change team of over 40 students raised more than $1,500 for the protection of the platypus in Cattai Creek.
There are even more ambitious plans afoot.
“Ideally, by the year 2025, I’d like to think that we will be generating 100% of our electricity,” Yager says. “However, we have to keep in mind that the school doesn’t just operate during business hours; we have lights on our football fields for training until 9:30 pm, which means it will be difficult to be completely off the grid.”
In addition, $100,000 has been allocated for an innovation centre. Not only will it make use of solar panels, but veridian glass is also being used in the windows and flooring, as it keeps heat out in the summer and traps it inside during cooler conditions. The lights will be LED, and the furniture will be sustainably sourced.
Hills Grammar plans to be net zero by 2035, and Year 10 students will be working with UTS experts on identifying the challenges that could stop it from reaching net zero and developing solutions.
Yager says, “As principal, and with the school council’s support, I will commit to implementing the solutions. Our students are not only learning these amazing skills about collaboration, creativity and problem-solving, but they are looking at a real, authentic problem that will contribute to the future of this school and perhaps the future of the planet.”