In any school, the ability to share the right information with the right people at the right time is vital. It’s what keeps the entire community connected and focused on student success. But when data lives in separate systems and communication breaks down, even the most dedicated staff can feel the strain.
For Narelle Little, who oversees the administration of Tyndale Christian School’s database and the privacy of student and staff information, those challenges were becoming all too familiar. Teachers, parents, and administrators struggled to access what they needed, when they needed it, leading to inefficiencies and frustration across the community.
By partnering with Veracross, Narelle and her team are transforming that experience. With a unified system designed to make information accessible, accurate, and actionable, teachers can now focus on what matters most: supporting students. And for administrators, the shift means fewer workarounds, better collaboration, and a renewed confidence that every piece of information finds its way to where it belongs.
What were some of the biggest frustrations you and your team were experiencing with the SIS tool you used before Veracross?
Some of the frustrations we had as a school were getting information that pertains to students across to the people who need it the most — our teachers in the classroom. It was quite difficult to share some information without sharing all of it. That was quite frustrating for us in the administration office, trying to do workarounds and trying to fudge it so that we could show some things without showing them everything they didn’t need to know in their role. The teachers were frustrated that they weren’t getting what they needed to do their core duties and to help students in the classroom, and we were frustrated because we couldn’t give them what they needed.
How did those challenges impact your day-to-day?
It was getting to the point where staff were starting to create their own systems and go around the systems that we had, which was problematic because information wasn’t being passed on and added to the student record. We also had problems with parents not being able to give us information correctly; not knowing where to put the information or who to give it to. So communication became fragmented and information was in silos. That’s not ideal in a school setting because you want everyone that needs the information to be able to put their fingertips straight on it, for the benefit of the student and the family and the staff.
Before deciding to switch to Veracross, how did you feel about the future growth of the school and meeting the school’s objectives?
If we hadn’t made the decision to move to Veracross, I think we would have ended up with a lot more frustration and less trust amongst staff. Within the community, we wouldn’t have confidence that information was correct. For example, a parent gives information to the school, and they don’t know if it’s going to get to the correct place. That was probably going to implode at some point … information wouldn’t be where it needed to be so people couldn’t access it when they really needed it.
What operational or administrative improvements are you hoping to achieve with the new SIS?
Part of the thinking behind moving to Veracross is that we have products that talk to each other, that we can do more things in one system. That way, things are more seamless. For staff, there will be more productivity because you only have to do it once, and then you can put it where it needs to be so it’s visible to everyone that needs it.
With the current products that we’ve been using, there has been an inability for us to be as productive as we could be. Moving to Veracross will allow us to be far more efficient and be able to use the information that we currently have in other products — to integrate it into one so it will be accessible and seamless.
When you were looking for a new SIS solution, were there any non-negotiables that you put on the table?
When we were looking for a new solution, there were things that were non-negotiable for us, things that we wanted in a product, and I think this is why Veracross was chosen. One of the key things was the accessibility for staff, for teachers to be able to see the information that they needed to see to assist students in the classroom and outside the classroom. The wellbeing of students, families, and teachers is really paramount for us, that was one of the non-negotiables. Being able to access data immediately when you need it, in the moment.
We’re currently in the middle of the implementation of Veracross, and one of the things that I’ve been encouraged by is the excitement that my staff have as they look at the product and at some of the things that can assist them in their role. There’s challenges because some of our processes have to change, but that’s also one of the positive things for us, that we’re going to improve our processes. We’re going to have a better outcome. We’re going to be communicating better with our staff and families. It’s a great thing. A little bit hard sometimes, but overall, the benefit is going to be extremely good for our community.
What has impressed you so far about working with Veracross?
What I love about Veracross is the queries. I can get the information I need, I can put it together in the format that I want, and then I can use that information and take it and improve things, giving answers to people quickly and reporting quickly. That’s one of the things that excites me and impresses me about Veracross. So far, Veracross has been really supportive. Other staff have made comments to me about that as well, that they’ve found the training and videos and information they’re getting very helpful.
How are you preparing your staff and the community for this shift and ensuring a smooth transition?
Training is really important when you start a new product, and Veracross has this amazing Veracross University module that staff can do. So we’ve put a lot of thought and time into allowing staff to have on-the-job training so they can do the university and look at a demo site and then the live site. We’ve done a lot of work with staff — talking about it, preparing them for it, giving them training.
What do you hope this change will unlock for your school in the months ahead?
Moving to Veracross, we’re hoping to achieve a higher level of transparency with our staff and families about what information we have on students, doing it in a way that doesn’t breach privacy.
That will be a very positive step that will, in turn, give confidence to staff that they’re seeing everything they need to see. I’m really excited that staff will have confidence in the information the school holds, that they will know that when changes are made, they’re done quickly, and that it will be available to them straight away. Parents will be able to give us information and it can be updated very quickly and efficiently.
What are your expectations for how this will improve communication and transparency with the families in your community?
We’re hopeful that Veracross will allow parents to have confidence in the information they see. They can tailor it to their own family situation, therefore they’re only seeing what is pertinent to them, and not getting inundated with information that’s not relevant. They can just use the system for their family and their needs and get the information they need quickly and efficiently, which means less frustration.
That’s one of the highlights that we’re excited about. Putting everything in one place, parents will know where to go, where to find it, because currently we have things in a few different places. It will be a better outcome for families, particularly parents who are busy. They can now think: “When’s that on again? I’ll just go to the portal. I’ll have a look. It’ll be there.” That’s what we’re hoping for.
For other schools considering a SIS change, is there one bit of advice you would give them as they embark on that journey?
When you’re looking for something new, it’s really important to be open-minded and to look at things that perhaps you haven’t considered before. Look outside the box. I think Veracross might be a little out of the box for most Australian schools, but I think it’s really a wise platform to choose.
Ready for change at your school?
Book a demo with our team to learn what’s possible with a Veracross SIS.
