Chrysalis Steiner School located in Thora Valley NSW faced several challenges with their previous school management systems, which were cumbersome, inflexible, and time-consuming. These challenges hindered staff efficiency and resulted in frustration among teachers and administrators.
Seeking a solution, the school embarked on a journey to find a more intuitive, user-friendly platform that could streamline operations, empower staff to manage tasks efficiently and provide a strong learning and supportive environment for the 225 attending students.
The quest for flexibility and efficiency
Paul Ryan, the Enrolments and Marketing Manager at Chrysalis Steiner School took the lead in exploring alternative school management solutions. Once the decision to proceed with Sentral was made, Paul was later joined by Kathy Kyle who looks after many of the school's administrative functions.
The school's previous system was complex and inflexible, making it challenging to make even minor changes to reports or school communication, which could be frustrating.
"If I was to break it down, I guess a lack of flexibility within that system was a problem.” Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
Staff, particularly teachers, found the technology challenging, leading to resistance often going to admin staff for help.
“...not many people used it … heaps of staff, mostly teachers… would come to ... admin... to find this out because they couldn't do it themselves because it was complicated" Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
Another pain point for the school was generating ad hoc reports, to get the information they wanted they needed to request this information from their previous provider and would wait weeks for a report that would fail to meet their requirements. "...a couple of weeks later, someone might come back to you with a report that vaguely resembles what you're looking for…" Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
An intuitive platform to streamline operations
The primary goal for Chrysalis Steiner School was to transition to a more intuitive platform that could streamline operations, empower staff, and improve communication with parents. They aimed to become self-reliant, enhance staff productivity, and consolidate various systems into one cohesive platform, as Paul Ryan noted they wanted to "move to something that…[would] feel intuitive." The school sought a solution that would be user-friendly, efficient, and customizable to meet their unique needs.
Chrysalis Steiner School selected Sentral as their new school management platform after evaluating various options in the market. Sentral offered flexibility, ease of use, and comprehensive features that aligned with the school's objectives.
Implementation - a catalyst for change
During the implementation process, the Sentral team worked with Chrysalis Steiner School to determine the best way to handle data migration that best suited the school's needs. Sentral and Chrysalis settled on a hybrid approach allowing partial data migration along with some manual entry, the school collaborated closely with Sentral's implementation team which committed to addressing Chrysalis' specific needs providing support and expertise as it guided the school through the transition. Daily meetings and proactive communication ensured that any hurdles were swiftly addressed, fostering a sense of trust and partnership between Chrysalis and Sentral. As a result, the implementation period, spanning an expeditious 12 weeks was characterised by personalised support, collaborative problem-solving, and a gradual realisation of the platform's potential to revolutionise the school's operations.
“ …we felt...really, really cared for [they] listened [to] … what our problems were and fixed what they could and what we could[nt] and we moved forward with [options].” Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
‘Data just flows through the system’
Following the completion of the implementation phase, Chrysalis Steiner School experienced improvements in staff efficiency, communication, and data management.
“It's been lovely to have a place where we can just put in information [This is what's on today]... setting that up in the dashboard in Sentral is wonderful." Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
Key modules such as attendance tracking and enrollment management streamlined administrative tasks, while the intuitive interface facilitated staff adoption.
‘So now all of our online enrollment forms and booking forms …all go through the funnel and then I just push straight through [to] Sentral…[data] just flows through the system. It's beautiful.” Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
“The government reports have been pretty easy as well. They've been pretty straightforward, you know, quite easy to find and to work out.” Kathy Kyle, Administration, Chrysalis Steiner School.
The school plans to further integrate Sentral into various aspects of operations, including parent communication and academic reporting, to achieve a fully cohesive system.
"It's [Sentral] much more intuitive. It's quick, it's efficient.” Kathy Kyle, Administration, Chrysalis Steiner School.
"Big picture dream … a one-stop shop basically for parents, for staff. Instead of having to jump into this app for this and look for this here." Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
Chrysalis Steiner School's transformation with Sentral exemplifies the power of collaboration, personalised support, and innovative technology in addressing complex challenges within the education sector. By prioritising user experience, collaboration and efficiency, Sentral has empowered the school to optimise operations, enhance communication, and focus on its core mission of providing quality education.
"I think everything we set out to achieve, we've got to, [now, it's] learning it and becoming familiar with it." Paul Ryan, Enrolment and Marketing Manager, Chrysalis Steiner School.
"It's been a positive experience from the onset... all our interactions have been very friendly, personal, and timely."
