Sean Carlisle is no stranger to Uplands, having grown up in the Lowveld and having taught at both the Preparatory and College in his younger years. After studying to be a teacher at the University of Johannesburg, he taught History for a very short time at Roosevelt High in Johannesburg.
Sean started his Uplands teaching career in 1994 as the Deputy Boarding Master in the Prep and had to check the water pumps each day, and then ended his rounds doing a fence-line security check each evening. He was part of the team that launched Uplands College, spending over eight years with us, in amongst time overseas teaching at Woodbridge School in the UK.
Sean has spent the past 11 years at Hilton College in several teaching and sporting roles. He was a member of Hilton College’s Executive Committee, having finished his contract as Executive Housemaster and Housemaster of Pearce House.
Sean has a wealth of knowledge and extensive experience working in both close communities and high-profile schools with demanding standards. As a former member of the Hilton College strategic planning review team, he helped shape a whole new contemporary approach to boarding that is proving to be highly successful. A seasoned educator who is greatly respected, Sean has a calm, thoughtful, collaborative and inclusive approach to work. His strategic, holistic and team experience will serve Uplands well, as our ‘One School’ moves into a new and exciting era.
Outside the academic day, Sean has coached both 1st team Rugby and 1st team Cricket, as well as a whole range of other sports. He is married to Kerry and they have two daughters, Megan and Hannah.
Allan Laing comes to Uplands from Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal where he was Deputy Rector: Pupils. Allan was born in Kabwe in Zambia and obtained his Honours and Master’s degrees from the University of Johannesburg. His independent teaching experience started at St John’s College in Johannesburg. After 11 years at St John’s, Allan moved to Michaelhouse in KwaZulu-Natal.
Allan has always been passionate about Pastoral Care, and Boarding in particular, for the past 25 years. He has thus made it his goal to increase the development of all involved in this vitally important aspect of the care of young people within schools. Allan is a Lay Minister in the local Anglican Church as well as at Michaelhouse and is also the National Director of the Boarding Schools of Southern Africa Association.
Allan is married to Caireen and they have four sons – Andrew, Jonathan, Ross and David. He enjoys a number of hobbies and interests, including sports, reading, fly fishing, caravanning and the bush.
Scott Hauptfleisch was schooled at St John’s College and studied both locally and overseas. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and education. He joined Uplands as the Headmaster of the Prep School in 2021. Prior to that, he was at St Peter’s for the past 11 years. He also spent time at Brisbane Boys College, St John’s Prep School, St David’s Marist Brothers, Corpus Christi and Cyril Jackson Primary School in London. His time at St Peter’s took him through several teaching roles. As a result of his passion for IT and Pastoral Care, Scott was appointed the ICT Integrator for both the boys’ and girls’ schools, as well as Deputy Head of Pastoral Care and Additional Learning for the Boys’ Prep School.
Scott has also worked in the private sector outside of education. He has always had a passion for leadership, teaching and mentoring - and leads by example each day. He sees himself as an innovative, positive, patient, empathetic and compassionate leader who loves working with people. He is also well known for being highly competitive on the sporting front! Scott’s wife, Lorin, is an Educational Psychologist also working at Uplands as Head of the Learning Support Unit and they have two boys, Sam and Joey
Violah has a Primary School Teacher’s Diploma, a BA in Education from the University of the North, an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) from the University of Pretoria (for pupils with special needs), an ACE from the University of Johannesburg in School Management and Leadership and a BEd Honours in Education Law and Management from the University of Pretoria. She is passionate about nurturing capable and confident school leaders, working with children, acquiring knowledge, travelling, development and interacting with people. Violah is married to Jan Moya and has two daughters, Fiona and Sihle, a graduate of Uplands College.
As the new Business Manager at Uplands, Jaco Diedericks has a wide-ranging role that encompasses many aspects of the complex operations at school. Undaunted, Jaco says, “I am extremely fortunate to work daily in my dream occupation. I believe that quality educational institutions, available to everyone alike, are the key in making a lasting impact for a better and harmonious world. Education holds the key to breaking poverty cycles and creating leaders for the future that are responsible, caring global citizens.” Jaco believes that his contribution to quality education is working within educational institutions to develop and improve all aspects of the finance, operations and management of the school and to keep teachers teaching: i.e., making sure we support that their work hours are dedicated to what they do best and our team will take care of them and operational challenges they face. In his role as Business Manager within an ISASA school for over 10 years, Jaco knows that what we do is unique and that we all contribute to sharing knowledge, best practice, support and develop staff within our circle to deliver what is needed to make schools successful in an ever-changing educational sector. There are no grey areas when it comes financial management, legal compliance, confidentiality, respect and integrity.
Jaco is passionate to work in a school environment, hearing the laughter of children, watch kids develop into holistically educated young adults. His passion extends to the teaching staff as well as operations and outsourced staff. His philosophy is that everyone works hard and contributes to the success of our pupils and a happy and effective school.
Three decades of marketing experience and an Uplands parent since 1997 ensures that Cindy Walker is well positioned to grow Uplands and the brand effectively. She has several marketing and business qualifications qualifications and has a deep understanding of the requirements of school marketing. Cindy is extremely positive about the potential of Uplands and her passion for the province and community will support her marketing endeavours.
Janine Stott, the incoming Head of Uplands Pre-Preparatory, is an experienced educator and school leader with over 30 years in the field, including 20 years dedicated to Early Childhood Development and management. She holds a Higher Diploma in Education, specialising in Remedial education, and has a deep passion for supporting children with special needs. Janine established the first remedial unit at Sun Valley Primary School and successfully ran her own pre-school for 19 years, creating a nurturing and inclusive environment. She served as the principal of Jacob's Ladder Pre-Primary School.
Janine’s passion lies in managing staff, overseeing curriculum development, and fostering a supportive community for young pupils. She is committed to continuous professional growth, actively seeking new learning opportunities and innovative teaching methods to enhance educational outcomes. Her energetic leadership and dedication to fostering a positive learning atmosphere make her a valuable asset to the Uplands family.