TASS Conference 2025 - The Alpha School System

Welcome

Attendees at TASScon 2025 were met with a warm welcome from our CEO, Lee Fisher. Lee shared a corporate update, including a shared vision driven by our purpose, innovation, customer connection, and global growth.

With major strides across TASS, Orbit, and TrackOne Studio, we launched new features, expanded internationally, and deepened our commitment to empowering educators and uniting school communities.

From AI adoption, revamped API program and UI/UX enhancements, to a record number of customer success meetings and events across Australia, more doors were opened to unlock every child’s potential through great education.

Strategic Priorities

We’ve been listening closely and making moves. Highlights included dedicated product roadmaps for each area of the platform, a new API program rebuilt from the ground up, major UI/UX improvements underway, and international expansion with TASS Finance now live in the United Kingdom.

Support & Partners

Our customers are supported by our 94 team members and a growing network of certified integration partners.

In addition to refreshing and expanding our API program, we already have 33 certified integration partners. We will continue assessing new partners to further extend the overall value of the TASS ecosystem.

On the Road

A truly national community we serve, TASS on Tour in 2024 reached 138 schools across 5 states, engaging 410 attendees.

That makes it a total of 12 events across 6 states that brought us closer to the community!

Celebrating Our People

We honoured long-standing team members - some with over 30 years of dedication! Their passion and commitment are the backbone of providing better educational outcomes.

Plenary Session

Case Study: Kingsway Christian College

We were privileged to hear from Roger Smith, Director of IT at Kingsway Christian College, a K–12 independent school in Perth dedicated to nurturing students academically and holistically within a Christ-centred framework.

With over 25 years of enterprise IT experience, Roger shared his strategic insights on building secure, scalable technology platforms that prepare students for purposeful lives in a fast-changing digital world.

Joined by Meredith Borger, Customer Success Consultant, the session explored practical approaches to change management, system harmonisation, and the evolving role of school technology leadership.

Student Admin Stream

Led by Student Admin Product Owner, Peter Cramb, this breakout session kicked off with vibrant group discussions on managing student health and data privacy.

Attendees shared real-world challenges and best practices, sparking fresh ideas for smarter, more secure school operations. It was a powerful reminder of how connected thinking drives better outcomes across our school communities.

IT Stream

A powerful mix of strategy, storytelling, and security insights. This stream run by Carl Meyer and Paul Tunn highlighted the urgent need to futureproof school IT ecosystems. From real-world disaster recovery to cautionary tales of forgotten accounts, we explored the critical role of planning, identity management, and cyber resilience.

With practical takeaways and bold conversations, the session reinforced that in today’s digital world, strong governance and a connected culture are just as vital as the tech itself.

Finance Stream

A hands-on, forward-thinking session led by Finance Product Owner, Jack Lee-Rendell, showcasing how TASS transforms finance, payroll, and HR workflows through powerful new APIs and automation.

From streamlining HR onboarding and debt collection to tackling the annual budgeting headache with off-the-shelf tools and agile MVP thinking, attendees explored practical, scalable solutions to everyday challenges.

Teaching & Learning Stream

From student wellbeing to academic achievement, the Teaching & Learning Stream was a masterclass in creating meaningful impact across the entire school journey.

Damien Snare led a thoughtful session that explored how TASS supports pastoral care, learning support, and assessment as tools for transformation. Attendees shared stories, swapped insights, and walked away with fresh inspiration and practical ways to elevate student outcomes.

Stream Sessions

Day One Breakouts

Student Admin Stream

Dr Tim O'Leary

With twenty years of experience in education, Dr Tim O’Leary is a strong advocate for using evidence to support decision-making in schools.

His presentation covered the effective use of data to differentiate teaching and learning, how to identify areas for improvement, and monitoring the implementation of initiatives and practices.

IT Stream

Various Panelists

For this panel, we were joined by Matt Gurr (Senior Security Specialist, AWS), JP Haywood (Lead Security Consultant, Acumenis), Paul McIntyre (Founder, Secure ISS), and Tim Gardiner (IT Operations Manager, Newcastle Anglican Schools).

Conversations covered a range of information security concerns in schools, from data retention policies to managing shadow IT, threat intelligence and more.

Finance & Payroll Stream

John Somerset

John Somerset is an expert in financial governance and developing risk mitigation measures for schools, with 27 years of experience supporting and advising non-government schools.

He led attendees through the just-released results of the Somerset Education 'Financial Survey for Schools', presenting the latest financial data and information on current trends.

Teaching & Learning Stream

John Somerset

John Somerset is an expert in financial governance and developing risk mitigation measures for schools, with 27 years of experience supporting and advising non-government schools.

He led attendees through the just-released results of the Somerset Education 'Financial Survey for Schools', presenting the latest financial data and information on current trends.

Vyom Sharma

Day One Keynote

Dr. Vyom Sharma - Medical Doctor & Mentalist

In a time when burnout feels like a badge of honour and “just push through” is the norm, Dr. Vyom Sharma’s keynote delivered a refreshing reality check.

With his signature blend of science, storytelling, and mind-bending demonstrations, he reframed burnout not as a personal weakness, but as systemic failures. He debunked myths like burnout being caused by too much work, or can be fixed with yoga, and instead spotlighted six critical domains that drive wellbeing: workload, autonomy, reward, fairness, community, and values.

Backed by neuroscience and practical tools, Dr Sharma opened a door for leaders to design healthier systems, prevent crisis-mode culture, and build environments where people can thrive, not just survive.

Dr. Selena Fisk - Data Storyteller

In a sector overwhelmed by data but unsure how to use it meaningfully, Dr. Selena Fisk’s keynote was a game-changer.

With warmth and clarity, she showed educators how to move beyond spreadsheets and start telling stories that matter, drive action, and improve student outcomes.

Drawing on her 16 years of teaching experience and global work with schools and systems, Dr. Fisk shared practical strategies for building data-informed cultures. From her books to her Make Data Talk podcast, she’s helping educators worldwide turn numbers into narratives that spark real change.

Selena Fisk

Entertainment

Conference Gala Dinner

School EasyPay sponsored the Conference Gala Dinner, which gave attendees a chance to eat, drink, and network with their peers as a way to close out Day One.

Indeed, it was quite a way to wind down TASScon Day 1 with a sit-down dinner, drinks, and dessert, all while grooving and rocking to bangers from Radio Club Band, playing tunes from the 80s to the latest hits! Not to mention gasping at magic tricks by illusionist Josh Norbido and having us still wonder where he made our selected playing card disappear to!

Student Admin Stream

For the second day of the Student Admin Stream, Product Owner Peter Cramb brought smart, real-world solutions for handling daily room changes and teacher substitutions, all without disrupting the master timetable.

We saw firsthand how Staff Orbit can supercharge emergency response coordination, turning chaos into clarity. With live demos, interactive Q&A, and a buzz of ideas, it was a session that blended innovation with impact.

IT Stream

We followed a deep dive into the evolution of TASS APIs, led by Software Development Manager, Brad Fleming, who showcased how far the platform has come and where it’s boldly heading.

From fragmented legacy systems to a sleek, secure, and fully RESTful API built on .NET Core 8, the session highlighted the power of granular data control, modern authentication, and real-time integration. With a live demo and roadmap reveal, attendees got a firsthand look at how TASS is futureproofing connectivity across schools and systems.

Finance Stream

This session, run by Jack Lee-Rendell, spotlighted the power of Parent Lounge Payment Schedules to streamline school finances and empower families with flexible, secure payment options.

But the real highlight was the collaborative workshop on upcoming Payday Super changes, where attendees rolled up their sleeves to craft user stories; crucial tools for shaping future-ready workflows and ensuring compliance. By getting clear on what users need and why, the session reinforced that great solutions start with great stories!

Teaching & Learning Stream

Hosted by Sue Radke, this session featuring TrackOne Studio showcased how data analytics can transform recognition into impact.

Attendees explored how TrackOne’s award reports and GPA insights empower schools to celebrate academic excellence, effort, and improvement with precision and ease.

With just a few clicks, schools can generate tailored award lists, freeing time and ensuring every student’s achievements are recognised meaningfully to drive better outcomes.

Bastien Treptel

Day Two Keynote

Bastien Treptel - Cyber Security Expert

A powerful keynote from Bastien gave us a wake-up call on the evolving cybersecurity threats facing schools, highlighting how AI is lowering the barrier for cybercriminals to launch sophisticated attacks, from deepfakes to social engineering and zero-day exploits.

With schools being data-rich and often underprotected, the message was clear: proactive defence is no longer optional.

To stay ahead, organisations must think like hackers, prioritise identity protection, enforce strong authentication, and build a culture of digital vigilance from the ground up.

Plenary Session

Product Update

Talk about a showcase of innovation across TASS, TrackOne Studio, and Orbit! Updates and a flurry of exciting things to look forward to were brought to the stage by Brad Fleming, Peter Cramb, Jack Lee-Rendell, Nick Conroy-Harris from Orbit, and Deb Ferdinands from TrackOne Studio.

The team unveiled powerful enhancements and evolutions across the board, and showcased data-driven award reports and learning analytics, helping schools celebrate student success with precision and ease. With experimentation, agile development, and a growing team behind the scenes, the future of connected school operations looks brighter than ever.

tasscon-2025-product-update

Stream Sessions

Day Two Breakouts

Harness the Power of Your Data With TrackOne Studio

Damien Snare

For this breakout, we learned how to harness the power of your school's data with TrackOne Studio and the Learning Analytics Suite. Damien demonstrated how to convert your school's data into insights that support proactive, data-informed decision-making.

Challenges of Identity Management

Dean Downes (K12 Solutions)

K12 Solutions presented their challenges on identity management, and how the Parent ID Passport solution can help your school remove the burden of parent account management.

Supporting Parents through the current Economic Climate

Jack Stevens (Edstart)

For the finance breakout, we were joined by Edstart CEO, Jack Stevens. Jack discussed the impacts of inflation and growing costs on household budgets and how your school can support parents through the current economic climate.

Stream Sessions

Panel Discussions

IT

A dynamic and thought-provoking session hosted by Josh Matthews, featuring expert insights from Trevor Ciminelli at Chairo Christian School, Andrew Russell at Lourdes Hill College, Karli Anderson at King’s Christian College, and Dean Downes from K12 Solutions.

Together, they tackled the evolving role of IT in schools, from service desk support to strategic leadership - exploring how digital integration, data-informed decision-making, and AI are reshaping education. The panel dove into key challenges and opportunities, including building digital culture, balancing best-of-breed tools with platform cohesion, and embedding IT strategy at the governance level.

Student Admin Hosted by Peter Cramb, the panel featured Debra Batley at Carinya Christian School, Sebastian Tabulo at Ambrose Treacy College, and Rowan Clark from Consent2Go, each offering unique perspectives on streamlining processes, enhancing parent communication, and embracing innovation.

The conversation was rich with insights and real-world examples. Fresh strategies were given to elevate student admin workflows and strengthen connections across their school communities.

Finance Hosted by Jack Lee-Rendell, the panel featured insights from Kate Hatch at Genesis Christian College, Amanda Locke at Marist College Ashgrove, Marama Tahuriorangi at All Hallows' School, John Somerset at Somerset Education, and Kevin Butler from School EasyPay.

From evolving family payment behaviours and fee collection strategies to financial health, risk management, and future-focused systems, we left with fresh perspectives on streamlining processes, improving resilience, and preparing for what’s next in school finance.

Teaching & Learning Hosted by Peter Silversmith and featuring Teagan Deer at Toowoomba Anglican School, Tracey McLeod at St Patrick’s College Mackay, and Josh Ravek from Toddle, the panel exchanged ideas on how schools are identifying and supporting at-risk students, leveraging data to refine teaching practices, and enhancing assessment and feedback to drive academic growth.

Discussions also delved into strengthening communication and engagement, embedding digital systems into everyday teaching, and imagining the future of education. With practical insights and forward-thinking strategies, the panel inspired educators to embrace innovation while staying grounded in what matters most - student success.

The TASS team delivered major highlights across Student Admin, Finance, and Payroll.

Highlights included the launch of a new Markbook with a modern UI, bulk data entry, and view-only mode, replacing the legacy webBook.

Schools can now manage student medication scheduling and dispensing with Parent Lounge integration and expiry tracking. Daily room and teacher changes are now easier to manage, with expanded room codes and LISS publishing support.

In Finance, updates focused on flexibility and automation:

Drag-and-drop event/payment setup
Split payment support for families
Bulk updates to payment schedules
Enhanced leave applications

These improvements aim to reduce admin overhead while improving transparency and control.

Nick delivered updates on rapid development across both Parent Orbit and Staff Orbit, with a clear roadmap. Key features included:

Ghost login and SSO for Parent Lounge
Extra Curricular Scheduler with fixtures and results
Biometric attendance preferences

Staff Orbit now supports roll call, pastoral care, notifications, and student notes. The roadmap includes emergency management, custom roll reports, staff-to-staff communication, and homepage customisation with colour themes, tile layouts, and image sliders. Offline mode for Staff Orbit was also introduced, enhancing usability in low-connectivity environments.

TrackOne Studio continues to empower educators with data-driven insights and award automation. Since TASScon 2023, 34 new schools have adopted the Learning Analytics Suite. Enhancements include:

Class Summary and Placemat views
Subject Movement and Leaders reports
LMS → TrackOne → TASS sync for seamless data flow

With the Awards module, your school can easily celebrate student success by creating award lists tailored to individual achievements in areas like GPA, effort, and engagement.

Exciting updates are on the way, starting with a new mobile-friendly Parent Portal designed to keep families better connected. Soon after, students will benefit from a refreshed portal that makes it even easier for them to share feedback, set goals, and take part in their school journey.

TASS

Orbit

TrackOne Studio

The TASS team delivered major highlights across Student Admin, Finance, and Payroll.

Highlights included the launch of a new Markbook with a modern UI, bulk data entry, and view-only mode, replacing the legacy webBook.

Schools can now manage student medication scheduling and dispensing with Parent Lounge integration and expiry tracking. Daily room and teacher changes are now easier to manage, with expanded room codes and LISS publishing support.

In Finance, updates focused on flexibility and automation:

01. Drag-and-drop event/payment setup

02. Split payment support for families

03. Bulk updates to payment schedules

04. Enhanced leave applications

These improvements aim to reduce admin overhead while improving transparency and control.

Nick delivered updates on rapid development across both Parent Orbit and Staff Orbit, with a clear roadmap. Key features included:

01. Ghost login and SSO for Parent Lounge

02. Extra Curricular Scheduler with fixtures and results

03. Biometric attendance preferences

Staff Orbit now supports roll call, pastoral care, notifications, and student notes. The roadmap includes emergency management, custom roll reports, staff-to-staff communication, and homepage customisation with colour themes, tile layouts, and image sliders. Offline mode for Staff Orbit was also introduced, enhancing usability in low-connectivity environments.

TrackOne Studio continues to empower educators with data-driven insights and award automation. Since TASScon 2023, 34 new schools have adopted the Learning Analytics Suite. Enhancements include:

01. Class Summary and Placemat views

02. Subject Movement and Leaders reports

03. LMS → TrackOne → TASS sync for seamless data flow

With the Awards module, your school can easily elebrate student success by creating award lists tailored to individual achievements in areas like GPA, effort, and engagement.

Exciting updates are on the way, starting with a new mobile-friendly Parent Portal designed to keep families better connected. Soon after, students will benefit from a refreshed portal that makes it even easier for them to share feedback, set goals, and take part in their school journey.

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