TOSHIBA SOLUTIONS FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

 

Success Story

Customer: Maranatha Christian School 

Country: Australia

Industry: Education

As providers of high quality education and focused on enabling each student to achieve individual excellence, they have been "leaders in Christian education" for over 40 years.

The oldest Christian school in Victoria, Maranatha is set over three campuses at Doveton, Endeavour Hills and Officer, has over 1100 students from Prep to Year 12, and more than 150 staff members.

The Challenge

 

In 2013, Maranatha Christian School decided it was time to explore the market for a new solution to their print and document management needs. At the time, Maranatha had a large number of small printers around the senior school and several multifunction devices (MFDs) in both junior and senior campus. In addition to this fleet they also have a dedicated print room to manage larger print jobs.

Rob Sanderson, Business Manager at Maranatha, said that their previous system was costly and fostered a large amount of wastage. They knew that more efficient and up-to-date technology was available to help them reduce waste, expenditure and provide greater access to resources for staff and students.

“We had been with another provider for many years but they were not able to provide us with the flexibility we required in terms of incorporating new methods of document management. Under our previous solution, we had far too many smaller printers around the school which were costly to run and meant that we were spending far more than we wanted to” said Rob.

Maranatha were looking for a provider that could help them to achieve their long term goal of moving to a more paperless, e-learning environment, which would allow students to integrate their own devices with, integration across all 3 campus sites.

“We sought a solution that would allow us to reduce printing and move to an electronic system of sharing information through a Learning Management System. We required a simple way of getting information into a digital form, which would allow staff and students to retrieve it as required,” said Rob.

Andrew Hawthorn, IT Technician at Maranatha, said that they were also looking for more user friendly devices and a way to monitor device usage, something their previous solution lacked.

“We wanted our solution to provide a way to clearly track use of devices to help us achieve our goal of incorporating some accountability for usage to reduced waste,” said Andrew.

The Toshiba Approach

Toshiba proposed a staged process, starting with the implementation of new hardware and waste reduction software to enforce printing rules, such as default double-sided printing. This would allow for a more economical solution, even in the short term, with the progressive elimination of small, high cost units, redirecting printing to more cost effective MFDs.

“Find me” printing has also been incorporated where staff and students log into a device to release their print job. This functionality helps to reduce waste through the auto-deletion of print jobs that are not collected.

“We are looking to roll out a swipe card system to release printing. However, we want these cards to have various functions throughout the school, so it will require a coordinated effort to provide a fully integrated swipe card solution, and the Toshiba solution will provide this” said Rob.

Maranatha now also have on-site software that can provide comprehensive reporting on device utilisation throughout the school.

The next phase of the roll out will focus on integrating the e-learning system through Toshiba Capture and Store software. This will allow staff to scan documents to online folders for students to access rather than printing it for them. Staff and students can now scan hard copy originals to editable formats like Microsoft word and share the documents without the need for printed material. Staff can now also scan documents to any destination across all 3 Maranatha campus sites.

“Toshiba could provide us with the most dynamic software solution functionality to achieve our aims with the paperless Learning Management System,” said Rob.

Toshiba Managed Service (TMS) solutions allow for complete tailoring of solutions for clients working on the principle that no two client’s requirements are the same. In this way, they were completely unique in their offering to Maranatha Christian School.

“Toshiba showed that they understood our long term vision. They saw us as a distinctive client and offered us the greatest flexibility, allowing us to continually review our solution along the way and make any improvements necessary,” said Rob.

The Transition

Stage one of the solution was implemented in the January 2014 school holidays.

Implementing the first stage during school holidays helped to minimise disruption, and staff and students took the change in their stride.

Staff are realising the benefits of being able to print on any device on the network and the security that the pin-to-release provides,” said Rob.

The Results

“We have already reduced our overall ongoing costs. The Toshiba solution provides more devices at a lower monthly rate than our previous solution, through the implementation of more efficient devices and removal of the costly devices we had previously,” said Rob Sanderson.

IT Technician, Andrew Hawthorn, agreed. “We have noticed an impact on waste. The software enforced printing rules and pin-to-release are making staff think twice about printing,” he said.

Maranatha are also pleased with the new technology and progression towards their long term strategy.

“The upgrade in technology has been a major plus, we now have more user friendly devices, colour printing facilities and the technology to support our aims with the paperless Learning Management System,” said IT Technician, Andrew.

The relationship between the School and Toshiba is positive and continues to grow.

“We are satisfied with service and support we are receiving, the response times are quick and seamless. We are in constant contact with the development team at Toshiba as we continue to build on our solution, they have been very responsive”, said Andrew.

The Outlook

The Toshiba Managed Services agreement between Maranatha and Toshiba includes periodic reviews to assess the success of the solution in reaching objectives. Maranatha will sit down with their development team at Toshiba mid-year for the first review of progress and to plan for the next phase of the project. Both parties are excited as they continue to work together to realising this cutting edge solution.

“We have embarked on a journey to get to our ideal environment in terms of document management. We are looking at creating a cultural shift within the School.

Ultimately, we want our devices to be a gateway to access our online system, moving to a more paperless method for teaching and learning. We are looking forward to achieving our vision with Toshiba in the coming months,” concluded Rob.

Maranatha Christian School
104-108 Reema Boulevard
Endeavour Hills VIC 3802
Australia

Telephone (03) 9709 7200

www.maranatha.vic.edu.au

Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd
Building C, 12-24 Talavera Road
North Ryde NSW 2113
Australia

Telephone 1300 794 202

www.toshiba-business.com.au

Download Case Study

 

Success Story

Customer: St Mary of the Cross Catholic Primary School

Country: Australia

Industry: Education

Planning document management from the outset

 

St Mary of the Cross Catholic Primary School opened its doors at the start of the 2014 school year, supporting one of Melbourne’s fastest growing western suburbs. The first school built in Point Cook’s Saltwater Coast estate, St Mary of the Cross started with 170 pupils (P-6), and is projected to grow over the next five years to accommodate around 800 pupils.

Challenge: Eliminate the need for paper-based document storage space

All schools are faced with the need to keep documentation on each student for at least 7 years and in some cases, indefinitely. Principal Leon Colla wanted to break new ground and implement a first class document management system from the outset. “At my previous school, the costs escalated to well over $25,000 to establish a paper-based archive system and computer index. It was futile, as it didn’t actually solve the storage problem as the archives continued to grow,” says Colla. “Buying more filing cabinets is not solving a storage problem - it’s creating one.”

When designing the floor plan of the new school, Leon Colla decided to use the space traditionally allocated to filing cabinets in a smarter way, so they allocated space to the library reading area instead. “We knew we had to look at options that gave us a ‘digital’ footprint rather than a physical one.” The vision was clear, so Colla investigated the options available to provide him with a flexible document management system.

Solution: Scanning to Google Drive with Toshiba and Synergetic

 

The school needed a document management solution that was, above all, practical and had longevity. Working with Rob Colonnello from Toshiba Managed Services, Leon Colla discovered that the reality of setting up a streamlined document management system was easier than expected. “After seeing a live demonstration of the workflow options, it became clear that Toshiba Capture & Store software, along with our Synergetic management system and Google Drive would provide an efficient, managed solution.” says Colla. “Once the documents are scanned, an editable master list of files is created. The Toshiba software and hardware connected seamlessly to our existing Synergetic system, and provides easy access to staff who need it.”

Rob Colonnello, an Education Specialist at Toshiba, says that schools are seeking digital alternatives to document handling and the system used by Leon Colla is a great example. “Leon refused to let St Mary of the Cross become burdened by paper- based documents and had the foresight to prevent paper based storage from becoming an issue. Considering the issues we’ve seen at established schools in recent years, this will save some real headaches in the long run.” says Colonnello.

Toshiba Capture and Store is a document capture middleware/software that is simply embedded in the multifunction device, then acts as a bridge between paper and electronic document flows, helping to streamline the processing of information and increase efficiency. “In this case, the software enabled staff at St Mary of the Cross to scan, direct and store their documents using their existing Synergetic document management system.” says Colonnello. “Our software is inexpensive yet powerful, making it perfect for schools.”

Staged implementation

The scanning and storing process has been implemented in stages, with existing paper-based archives being progressively scanned by an administrator each week. “There are already paper-based assessments, enrolment documents and special reports existing for each child at the school, even though we’ve been operating less than a year.” says Colla.

Short transition phase

Establishing good document management processes at the outset means there has been only a short technical transition time. “As the software was new to the market, and we were one of the first to implement it, the technicians from Toshiba and Synergetic had to work together to ensure there was a smooth interface between the Toshiba Capture and Store software and the Synergetic document management system.” says Colla. “Our IT maintenance team were also involved to make sure the school network could handle the new technology and functionality. Coordinating all three parties to work together was probably our greatest challenge and in the end it was really a non-event.”

Approach:

• Best practice document management techniques used from the beginning
• Implemented scanning to Synergetic and Google Drive which solves storage, security and access issues before they occur
• Establishing early staff protocols reduces risk of errors and cost of retraining long term.

Results:

• No long-term storage issues, compliance requirements now under control
• Avoided the mountains of documents that traditionally plague most schools
• Increased speed and accuracy when searching through records of current and past students
• One seamless, easy-to-manage, future-proof document management solution.

Simplified way of life for staff

St Mary of the Cross staff are integrating document management into their daily practices. “Administration staff are taking on the scanning at this stage, so the protocols can be established and maintained. Other staff leave documents at the office in a small box, and they are scanned and filed then returned quickly.” says Colla. “An administrator initially devoted half a day a week to scanning and storing the backlog. We predict that by the end of our first year in operation, we will have 100% of current documents scanned and stored electronically.”

A benchmark for other schools

The Catholic Education Office has announced that it will be encouraging all Catholic schools to adopt scanning to Synergetic and Google Drive and make the move to digital document management systems.

About Toshiba Capture and Store

Toshiba Capture and Store software can be integrated seamlessly with most document management systems, making it perfect for school use. With clever features, smart functionality and a dedicated technical support team, Toshiba Capture and Store can revolutionise your paper-based document archives.

St Mary of the Cross Catholic Primary
1 Hiddick Road
Point Cook VIC 3030
Australia

Telephone (03) 8376 5400

www.smocptcook.catholic.edu.au

Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd 
Building C, 12-24 Talavera Road 
North Ryde NSW 2113
Australia

Telephone 1300 794 202

www.toshiba-business.com.au

Download Case Study

Success Story

Customer: Donvale Christian College

Country: Australia

Industry: Education

Located in the leafy outer suburbs of Melbourne on a large campus, Donvale Christian College is an independent Christian school with a prestigious reputation. Established in 1975, its student population of over 1,000 (P-12) co-educational students has an enviable academic record and it is considered one of Melbourne’s more progressive schools.

CHALLENGE: KEEP AHEAD OF USERS’ TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

The executive team at Donvale Christian College has long believed that technology is best used when it enhances learning and the quality of human interaction. As a school, this means selecting the most appropriate devices for educational outcomes and having world-class IT support and infrastructure.

Walk the halls of Donvale Christian College and you’ll meet students and teachers who embrace technology and love to learn. Technology use is vital in education delivery and it endeavours to assist students to become better thinkers, better writers and better readers – so much so it forms part of the school vision. 

Each primary school class has sets of surface devices and iPads, and there are large display screens in every classroom. At the secondary level, every student has a laptop with a range of software packages used to support curriculum subjects such as Multimedia and IT. David Conn, Manager of Risk & Business Systems says that from a document perspective, students were driving the need for change. “Our students are living in an increasingly digital world and paper documents become a frustration at school when the students are using apps, emails and software to develop ideas and communicate.” says David. “Scanning enables the students to convert and store documents electronically, which is becoming vital in this environment".

With a fleet of laser printers spread around the campus and three different print vendors, the ICT department was finding it a challenge to manage their printing and document processes. “We had a rudimentary print management system in place but it was too basic for our needs. The small desktop printers had limited functionality and to be honest they were becoming inconvenient for users. We just felt that seeing as technology is so important to the school that it was time to implement a modern, future-proof printing and document management solution.”

THE SOLUTION: DIGITISING PAPER DOCUMENTS