Our principal and staff
Our school team is committed to every student’s learning, wellbeing and sense of belonging.
We work together to create a supportive and inclusive school where every child is set up for success.
Welcome from our Principal
“I’m excited to welcome you to our school, where we create a supportive environment for every child to thrive. We value respect, curiosity and teamwork.
We’re proud of our dedicated staff and strong partnerships with families. Together, we ensure students feel valued and inspired to learn.
I invite you to explore our website to discover what makes our school special. We look forward to welcoming you into our community.”
Amanda De Carli, Principal of The Hills Sports High School
Welcome to The Hills Sports High School. Located in Seven Hills NSW, our school has a strong and long-standing tradition of high standards in both academic and sporting pursuits. The school is considered as one of the leading sports high schools in Australia and continues to attract students within the local community, as well as beyond, including overseas. We are one of the seven schools within the NSW Sports High School Association and proudly stand with our partner sporting high schools in fostering talent and success.
The Hills Sports High School offers a broad and rich academic program enabling students to explore their passions, as well as prepare themselves for further academic study, apprenticeships, and the workforce. Our scope of academic study enables students to balance their academic, sporting, and other extra-curricular commitments, as well as engage in flexible delivery whereby being able to fulfil both Record of School Achievement (RoSa)and the Higher School Certificate (HSC). Our students excel in their chosen pathway, enabling them to access both high-quality teaching and learning, as well as coaching in their given sport. We facilitate TAFE and Vocational Educational courses including hospitality so that our students are exposed to a variety of opportunities and experiences. We value academic achievement, hence, also offer an approved HSC pathways program to support our elite sports students in both their sporting and academic commitments.
Inspire – High potential and gifted education (HPGE) is at the forefront of The Hills Sports High School. We are committed to identifying high potential and gifted students and nurturing their abilities and learning pathways across the stages of high school. Through a range of diagnostics, we provide a specialised stream to support our HPGE students, cultivating an environment where students are extended and challenged to achieve their potential.
In addition to HPGE pathways, we offer students from Year 7-10, the opportunity to apply for our Self-Select stream classes. This stream supports our most independent, driven learners to provide academic enrichment and extension strategies enabling highly motivated students to further excel in the learning spaces.
The Talented Sports Program (TSP) offers students the opportunity to engage in an elite sports program. The program is offered across 15 sports and enables students with the opportunity to receive specialised, elite coaching in their given sport, along with the opportunity to compete for the school and hold representative duties beyond school level. Students participate in a rigorous three-tiered application process to gain selection into the program. The school has strong partnerships with the Australian Olympic Committee, NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS), the University of Sydney, UNSW and the Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE), along with holding the status of a high-performance school in partnership with Baseball NSW and Cricket NSW.
The school also prides itself on strong and effective student wellbeing structures, with an outstanding values framework which empowers our students to live into our school values each day; Respect, Accountability and Courage. Our wellbeing team is comprised of the Principal, Deputy Principals, Head Teachers, Year Advisors, Learning Support Staff, and the school Counsellor to work strategically to ensure that every student is known, valued, and cared for.
With outstanding facilities including a fitness centre, strength and conditioning facilities, two gymnasiums, swimming centre, cricket training nets, synthetic football pitch, hospitality trade kitchen and STEM room, the school is able build upon the outstanding opportunities it provides students.
I am extremely proud to be the Principal at The Hills Sports High School and I am certain that your child will not only receive an outstanding education, but also a wide range of opportunities that foster happiness and success.
Amanda De Carli
Principal
Our school leaders
Our deputy principals guide teachers and students. They help create a school culture where every child is supported to grow and thrive.
- Karen O'Connor, Deputy Principal
- Amy Harriman, Deputy Principal
- Michael Gadow, Deputy Principal
Our teaching staff
Our professional, university-educated teachers encourage students to develop a love of learning and a desire to succeed. They maintain the highest integrity and concern for your child’s wellbeing.
- Administration - Lesley Potts
- CAPA - Kate Jameson
- Director of Sport - Luke Jorgensen
- English - Lidia Di Scala
- HSIE - Roderick Simmons
- Inclusive Education - Subhag Kumar
- Mathematics - Linda Simbolon
- PDHPE - Deborah Hancock
- Science - Anne Christensen
- Secondary Studies - Brett McDonell
- Teaching and Learning - Vanessa Almonte
- Technology and Applied Studies - Melissa Taylor
- Wellbeing - Nicole Gadow
Contact our school to learn about our teaching team
CAPA:
- Kate Jameson (HT)
- Ros Arnold
- Sean Cassidy
- Laura Clarke
- Vanessa Almonte
English:
- Lidia Di Scala (HT)
- Chantelle Andrews
- Georgia Macmillian
- Jeremy Odang-Rohan
- Margo Daly
- Pamela Melaisis
- Rajni Pathak
- Richard Montgomery
- Sangeeta Sharma
HSIE:
- Roderick Simmons (HT)
- Andrew Morris
- Christin Shea
- Daniel Bello Salcines
- Dylan Clarke
- Gurpreet Kour
- Maria Michalos
Mathematics:
- Linda Simbolon (HT)
- Danny Haynes
- Herman del Aguila Meza
- Lesley Potts
- Nora Darwish
- Tamsyn Zoghby
PDHPE:
- Deborah Hancock (HT)
- Daniella Costaganna
- Charlotte Moore
- Jamie Slater
- Josh Petero
- Patricia Raikadroka
- Sarah Gaul
- Sharlette De Carvalho
- Simon Greaves
- Terrance Rone
- Torrie-Jo Mitai
Technology and Applied Studies:
- Melissa Taylor (HT)
- Amy Ye
- Cameron Robson
- Mitchell Roeder
- Penelope Hill
Science:
- Anne Christensen (HT)
- Deepika Gunawardane
- Kanchan Katoch
- Laxmi Joshi
- Sandhya Kottooli
- Shanthi Soundararajan
- Swapna Thomas
Inclusive Education:
- Subhag Kumar (HT)
- David Laraghy
- George Thomas
- Julie Cheetham
- Kristine Smith
- Rita Saleh
- Sharene McDonald
- Suresh Maharaj
Year 7 - Swapna Thomas
Year 8 - Christin Shea & Maria Michalos
Year 9 - Danielle Fraser
Year 10 - Sean Cassidy
Year 11 - Daniella Costaganna
Year 12 - Vanessa Almonte
Our teachers make the difference
Committed to your child’s success
Our teachers ensure every student can thrive. They use proven ways to teach and tailor learning support for their students
Expert, connected and accredited
Our teachers are part of a strong education network. They may hold advanced accreditation. This ensuring high-quality teaching for your child.
Teachers who never stop learning
Our teachers are lifelong learners. They stay current through regular training and keep improving how they teach students.
Teacher–family partnerships
Our teachers build trust through clear communication. Our families know that their child has support and is ready to learn.
Wellbeing and support staff
Our wellbeing and support staff guide student wellbeing, learning needs and inclusion. They work with teachers to make personalised adjustments. This means each child can take part fully in school life. We make our school welcoming and accessible to every child.
- Head Teacher Wellbeing - Nicole Gadow
Contact our school to learn about our wellbeing and support staff.
Administrative and operations staff
Our administrative and operations staff keep our school running smoothly. They support students, teachers and families every day. You can find them in our front office or on the school grounds.
- Business Manager - Lyn Bailey
- School Administration Manager - Learne Devine
Contact our school to learn about our administrative and operations staff
Have a question for our principal or teachers?
Our friendly office team can help you get in touch.
Additional learning support
Find out how we support students with disability or additional learning needs.
Stories and highlights
Hear about stories, wins and proud moments from our staff and students.