ASBA 2025: Navigating School Challenges – Data, Compliance, & Resilience

Welcome to a special episode of The Business of School podcast, recorded live from ASBA 2025 in Garramilla/Darwin. This is Part 1 of our deep dive into the most pressing issues facing independent K-12 schools across Australia and New Zealand today.

Running a school in our current landscape comes with its own unique set of complexities, from managing ever-evolving data requirements to ensuring rock-solid compliance and fostering resilient teams. In this episode, we bring you direct insights from experts and school leaders on the ground, sharing their challenges and practical approaches.

In this episode, you'll discover:
Data Governance & Information Management: Kyle Young from Konica Minolta unpacks the critical importance of data governance, offering health checks for Microsoft environments and strategies for managing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) across platforms like OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint. Learn why adherence to legislation and knowing where to start are the biggest hurdles for schools, and how this prepares you for AI adoption and Privacy Act changes.

Compliance & Strategic Pressures: Brenden Hood, Business Manager at Our Lady's College, highlights the significant challenges of compliance and governance, particularly around debt collection, privacy, and data security, noting the added pressure on busy roles. Jacques Cronje, CFO at St Philip's Christian Education Group, shares insights into juggling commitments and focusing on future sustainability and financial margins.

Staffing & Team Resilience: Greg Gapp, Business Development and Operations Leader at Silkwood School, discusses the major challenge of keeping and finding specialist staff, and how this impacts team resilience when existing staff take on more. Brenden Hood also shares valuable strategies for empowering and supporting his team to build resilience and stay connected to their core 'why'.

This episode offers a practical look at the solutions and strategies emerging from the ASBA 2025 discussions, essential for any school leader focused on efficient operations and sustainable growth.

Don't miss out! Tune in for expert insights and actionable takeaways that can help your school navigate its biggest challenges.