purchasing
smart news BETTER BUYING POWER FOR SCHOOLS school
Term 2, 2025 | Autumn Issue
Farewell to David Edwards, but Onwards and Upwards for ASCA
A message from outgoing CEO, David Edwards
After a wonderful 14 years as CEO of ASCA, I am retiring and handing over to Christine Bucca, who many of you will know as our previous Marketing Manager and Deputy CEO. ASCA will be in very good hands.
Over the last 14 years, we have seen ASCA expand to all states and territories, with our membership now over 7,100 schools. Our school canteen services have expanded, and we have a very high-quality group of supplier partners who fully understand the needs of school canteens.
Within the school more broadly, we have over 40 school supplier partners, ranging from the biggest and best-known names to innovative new suppliers introducing excellent new products and services.
With the support of our member and supplier partners, ASCA is now able to channel its funds to 10 charities that support the education of vulnerable children.
It is exciting for me to know that ASCA’s new CEO has plans to improve our services further, and I am delighted to hand over to her.
I am very honoured to become the CEO of ASCA. This organisation has been close to my heart for over six years now, and I am fully committed to enhancing our value to our members.
ASCA not only provides its member schools with essential savings and access to high-quality products and services but also fosters a sense of community and connection among members.
We aim to improve our services by adding even more value to schools and making connecting with us easier, more interactive, and more accessible. This includes enhancing our communications through interactivity and special features.
As part of this project, if your school has a Canteen or Tuck Shop, your Canteen Manager will have been asked to “Opt-Out” of a Printed Newsletter. Rest assured, our Newsletters are still being distributed each term digitally, but we are working toward eradicating the hard copy Canteen Newsletters by 2026. Please speak to your canteen to ensure we have had a reply from them about this. Canteens who desire to continue receiving hard copies will continue to do so.
I look forward to connecting with you all over the coming period.
Christine Bucca, ASCA CEO.
ASCA PROFITS SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES
While ASCA’s primary purpose is to maximise purchasing effectiveness for schools, we also have a secondary purpose which is to direct funds to charities which support the education and welfare of vulnerable school-aged children. As a not-for-profit organisation, ASCA donates its surplus funds each year to a range of registered charities. Learn more by visiting asca.com.au/charities
ASCA’s school supplier partners
ASCA continually reviews the suppliers we recommend to bring your school savings and to assist with buying advice. If we can assist you in your procurement needs, please email office@asca.com.au – visit asca.com.au for more information.
EDUCATION RESOURCES
» EDUCATION PERFECT
» Online teaching and learning toolkit
» ESSENTIAL ASSESSMENT
» Numeracy and Literacy assessment platform
» NÜDEL KART
» Loose Parts Play Carts
» OFFICEWORKS
» General education resources
OFFICE SUPPLY and SERVICES
» eFULFILLMENT SERVICES
» Print and mailing solutions
» ENQUIRY TRACKER
» Enrolment management system
» FLAGWORLD
» Marketing and promotional flags and banners
» JB HI-FI BUSINESS*
» Electrical equipment
» LIVCOR
» First aid training and equipment
» OFFICEWORKS
» General office products
» SCHOOLZINE
» eNewsletters and digital communications
» MORTGAGE CHOICE*
» Mortgage brokers
» THE GOOD GUYS COMMERCIAL*
» Electrical equipment
» THE SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER ALLIANCE
» photography, video and virtual tours
PARENT PURCHASES
» CADBURY FUNDRAISING
» Fundraising for schools
» CAMPION AUSTRALIA
» Printed and digital education resources
» EDSTART
» School fee management solutions
» FLEXISCHOOLS
» Online parent ordering and cashless payments
» GYM AND FITNESS
» Gym Equipment and fit-outs
» MY SCHOOL CONNECT
» Online parent ordering and cashless payments
» OFFICEWORKS
» General home & office products
» THE SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER ALLIANCE
» photography, video and virtual tours
» UNIFORM GROUP
» School uniforms
» UMS
» school uniforms
PROPERTY and FACILITIES
» API ACCESS & SECURITY*
» Locksmiths and security
» BFX FURNITURE
» Innovative furniture solutions
» BORG PROPERTY SERVICES
» Cleaning and facilities services
» BUNNINGS TRADE
» Facilities management and equipment
» CHOICE ENERGY
» Energy solutions advocate
» CROWN PROPERTY SERVICES
» Commercial cleaning and property services
» FLAGWORLD
» Marketing and promotional flags and banners
» GYM AND FITNESS
» Gym Equipment and fit-outs
» HONEYWELL
» Building management systems
» JOHN DEERE
» Turf care products
» MAMACHI
» Energy management – advisory and technology
» RACV SOLAR
» Solar energy solutons
» SO-ECO
» Sustainability programs
» THE GOOD GUYS COMMERCIAL*
» Electrical equipment and appliances SYSTEMS and TECHNOLOGY
» CLASS CREATOR
» Class creation software
» ENQUIRY TRACKER
» Enrolment management system
» JB HI-FI BUSINESS*
» IT equipment
» LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGIES
» IT and Computer hardware
» RTG
» IT equipment and services
» SENTRAL
» School Management System
» SIMON
» Learning management software for schools
» THE GOOD GUYS COMMERCIAL
» IT and electrical equipment
CANTEEN and CATERING
See food and beverage suppliers in ASCA’s Canteen newsletter
ASCAplus STAFF BENEFITS
All school staff members are eligible to make personal purchases from our ASCAplus suppliers. See ‘*’ for those suppliers offering discounts and special pricing to your school staff.
Find what you need, when you need it, with labels. It’s the easy way to keep your workspace organised, whether it’s the kitchen, the staffroom, or the admin office.
Our labels are available in a range of sizes, shapes and colours, including printable and hand writable. All at affordable prices. Discover great value – and priceless peace of mind.
To take advantage of ASCA business pricing instore, present your digital or plastic 30-Day Business Card.
Well labelled, well-organised. *To
To place an order or to sign up for a 30-Day Business Account, email your Education Business Specialist at education@officeworks.com.au
Avery Self-adhesive Dispenser Labels Red 24mm 500 Pack AV937243
Avery 18UP No-iron Fabric Labels 43 x 13mm 3 Sheets AV40720
Avery Handy Labels Rectangle 18 x 38mm 72 Pack AV932022
PPS Inkjet Laser Address Labels 14UP 100 Sheets PPS78163
PPS
Engage Sensory Table
Stacker Stools
SHINE BLUE SIDS for
Shine Blue is an annual giving day, established by River’s Gift to raise funds for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) research and education. River’s Gift was established in 2011 when 4 month old baby, River Waddell, passed away in his sleep from SIDS and his parents vowed to make a difference
Now a national organisation, you can join River’s Gift as we Shine Blue on River’s 14th angel anniversary on Friday November 7th!
As part of Shine Blue, schools and business across Australia wear our blue heart, temporary hand tattoos to initiate conversation, raise awareness and encourage fundraising to save babies’ lives
Kids and teachers alike love wearing the heart tattoos on their hands!
Why get involved?
Share this with the best contact in your school - it may be the St Rep Council, Parents & Friends committee or a special teacher t organises charity days for your school.
Let us know how many heart tattoos you need for your school!
Fundraise via gold coin donations and/or online platform We ca create a customised online fundraising page for you (if required)
Wear blue heart tattoos on your hands on November 7th (or whenever best suits your school)
Experience true peace of mind
Experience true peace of mind
JB
•
• 40mm wide solid zinc body for durability
• Nickel plated steel shackle for cut resistance
• 4-digit set-your-own combination security for keyless convenience
• Restricted override key (sold separately) for backup access and lost code decode function
• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• 4 Dial fully re-settable combination lock has key override for supervisory access
• Easy, dependable four digit locking system
• Stainless steel inner and outer case
• Steel locking shackle action
• Automatic disarranging tumblers
4
Bespoke
70
� In 2025 SIMON will start the rollout of a comprehensive suite of core tools for your school. The platform is being enhanced to feature a school administration system, designed to seamlessly integrate with the existing SIMON modules your school currently uses.
� The platform will also provide integration with best of breed solutions for Data Analytics, Finance, Payroll and Staff On boarding processes
SIMON Core Modules
St Bede’s College Mentone Case Study
Improvements with the Personal Learning Plans in SIMON
About SIMON
SIMON, a not-for-profit, has been supporting schools for 25 years, streamlining workflows and boosting efficiency to save time driven by a passion for helping educators focus on student learning. Nothing makes us happier than hearing good news stories like this one from Renato Thirard, Learning Data Leader at St Bede’s Mentone.
What were the School’s pain points when it came to providing Personal Learning Plans for students?
• Identifying students with PLP
• Staff access to PLP information for students in their class
• Communication to staff of Program Support Group (PSG) meetings and collection of feedback from teachers prior to PSG meetings
• Providing PSG reports to parents
• Compiling documentation/evidence
What has improved?
Identifying students with PLP
The use of symbols in SIMON when viewing members of the class.
In particular the NCCD symbol and the PLP symbol.
Communication to staff of PSG meetings and collection of feedback from teachers prior to PSG meetings
From the Student’s profile, the Learning Diversity administrators can request feedback prior to the PSG meeting.
Notes captured and tagged as NCCD against the student profile provides important information about the student and their learning difficulties. Being able to add different categories such as the Semester Goals and adjustments were beneficial in guiding staff. The PLP component is then added to the NCCD report to remind staff when requesting feedback.
Providing Program Support Group reports to parents
The three phases of reporting to parents include:
Phase 1: Goals and adjustments
Phase 2: Teacher feedback
Phase 3: Evaluation
The ability to enable/disable reporting components for each PSG data collection phase, ensures visibility at the appropriate stages.
Compiling documentation/evidence
Student Profile > Student Notes
When adding notes, being able to tag the note as “NCCD Related” enables a simple way to filter and export all notes related to a particular student. Very useful when compiling NCCD related evidence when audited for funding.
Summary
In summary, the responsiveness of the SIMON team to our requests when working with students requiring extra support has given us the tools and processes to provide timely feedback and communication to parents, teachers and the learning diversity team to deliver overall better learning outcomes for our students. Easily accessing NCCD student reports has streamlined our processes, reduced manual work and created more funding opportunities to support the needs of our learners.
Simplifying Gym Fitouts
“The wide range of equipment that we were able to purchase was a major reason why we used Gym and Fitness and we have been extremely pleased with the quality of the equipment we have purchased, particularly when com-
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, UNLEY HIGH
“Best pricing and range of equipment”
TEAM LEADER, XAVIER CATHOLIC COLLEGE
“I was contacted pretty much straight away by someone just to talk through what I selected and if I needed any further help. Their prompt communication and willingness to assist showcased their exceptional customer service, making the experience seamless.”
HEAD OF P.E, MAREEBA STATE HIGH
“Made the installation and set-up process super easy”
HEAD OF PDHPE, SOUTHERN CROSS SCHOOL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
Is cost reduction and sustainability on your school's agenda?
Commercial solar shows your school as a future-focused, environmentally conscious leader, while lowering your energy bills at the same time!
Why solar solutions with Choice Energy?
Low risk: Quality turnkey solar backed by a generation guarantee, leading warranties and monitoring
ROI focused: Eligibility of government rebates and tax benefits will be explored
Accredited: Trusted solar partner with CEC accreditation and extensive experience in the education sector
Holistic: Lifetime brokering, including further cost-saving strategies such as reviewing your network tariff following the installation
“Our Choice Energy experience has been one that I could not rate highly enough. We would highly recommend Choice to schools who are wanting to improve their green footprint and save money at the same time”
— Paula Ellis, Administrator, Holy Rosary Primary School, White Hills
Access your solar feasibility assessment:
Get in touch with Alycia McCarthy on 0478 670 420 or email alycia mccarthy@choiceenergy com au with a copy of your latest energy bill Alternatively, visit www choiceenergy com au
THE ULTIMATE VOLUNTEER SOLUTION: EASY, EFFICIENT AND ALL-IN-ONE
BY MY SCHOOL CONNECT
Picture this: It’s the week before the school’s annual Spring Carnival, and the volunteers are in full swing—organising the raffle, managing ticket sales and scrambling to ensure everything is ready. But instead of running around with piles of papers, trying to track down forms and cash, they’re effortlessly managing the entire event from their computers or phones (likely with the kids running around them in the background).
This is just one of the ways My School Connect is setting schools up for success in 2025. Volunteers are the lifeblood of any event, generously giving their time (and possibly pulling their hair out) as they organise everything from start to finish. Our all-in-one platform is the best friend they never knew they needed, designed to save time, reduce stress and give your school community a helping hand.
Community events, school fundraisers, Easter raffles…you name it. Let’s take a look at how schools can go digital and smash goals, all while keeping that smile on your volunteers’ faces.
School Events That Plan Themselves
There’s nothing better than a fun-filled school Bush Dance to welcome in the school year, a Spring Fair to bring the community together, or an end-of-year graduation to celebrate success. The hardest part: the planning. The logistics can be overwhelming, from tracking RSVPs to selling tickets, handling payments, and ensuring everything runs smoothly on the day.
That’s where My School Connect (MSC) steps in, so volunteers can focus on the fun part: choosing the songs and picking prizes! Whether it’s a school fair, talent show, or sports day, MSC can help.
Let’s say your school is hosting a Talent Show (who doesn’t love showing off on stage!) to raise funds for new school resources. Instead of frantically collecting paper sign-ups and managing a sea of ticket sales at the door, you set up a dedicated Talent Show registration page where students can register to perform and parents can buy tickets for the event—all online.
As the event approaches, you’ll receive real-time updates on how many performers are registered and how many tickets have been sold. No more confusion about who’s attending or worrying about ticket sales going untracked. The day of the event, you simply check your dashboard to see everything in order. The show goes on without a hitch, and you’ve saved hours of manual work.
Put the FUN Back into Fundraising
That new school equipment won’t pay for itself, but raising funds isn’t easy. From charity walks to bake sales or colour runs, a lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes to bring these events to life.
My School Connect brings back the fun for volunteers, helping to streamline the process from start to finish. Let’s say your school is planning its annual Fun Run to raise funds for new playground equipment. With MSC, you can create a custom fundraising page where parents can easily register their children for the event and make donations. As the fun run approaches, the page will track how many participants have signed up and how much money has been raised in real time.
Parents can also sponsor their children online, with the option to donate a flat amount or per lap completed. As donations roll in, you can watch the fundraising total grow and even offer incentives for top donors. No more collecting cash at the event!
Winner! Winner! Winner!
Who doesn’t love winning prizes? Raffles are a great way to encourage some community involvement in prize donations and excitingly raising funds. After all, you have to be in it to win it!
Easter is just around the corner, and it is the perfect time to test out a school raffle. But forget dealing with piles of paper tickets or trying to keep track of who bought which number. You create a simple raffle page on MSC.
List the egg-cellent Easter-themed prizes, set up ticket pricing, and share the link with your school community via email or social media. Parents and friends can easily purchase tickets online, and MSC will track everything for you.
As ticket sales come in, you can watch your fundraising goal increase, and the platform will automatically send thank-you notes to all participants. When it’s time to draw the winner, you can do it digitally or at a whole school assembly. The lucky winner(s) gets notified, and the prize is delivered, all with minimal effort.
The Ultimate Volunteer Solution
Volunteers already give so much of their time, now’s your chance to make the process much easier in 2025. Whether you’re handling school events, managing fundraising campaigns, or running raffles, MSC has you covered. Here’s a quick look at how MSC can support your school:
Event management: Seamlessly plan and manage school events, from registration and ticket sales to tracking participants.
Fundraising: Create customised fundraising pages (and get creative with it!), track donations and securely process payments.
Raffles: Set up and sell raffle tickets online, track sales, and draw winners digitally without touching a fiddly raffle booklet.
Secure payments: Process all transactions securely, offering parents multiple payment options without the hassle of handling cash.
Data tracking & reporting: Gain insights with real-time reporting on ticket sales, donations, and event participation so you can improve for the next big bash.
Supporting Every School’s Needs
From managing school events and fundraisers to running seamless raffles, MSC makes everything easier and more efficient for staff, students, parents, and, most importantly, the hard-working volunteers.
Whether it’s a fun run, a raffle, or a school fair, My School Connect’s user-friendly platform is designed to take the pressure off your school community.
Ready to make life easier for everyone involved? Start using My School Connect today and experience the difference for yourself! Book a Demo to see how easy it is!
My School Connect
Human Kind Technology for Schools
Streamline School Communication with Schoolzine
Create Newsletters and School websites that celebrate student achievements, and WOW parents
Join over 1,600 Australian schools and discover the power of Schoolzine – the ultimate tool for creating engaging school communications. Say goodbye to the hassle of creating newsletters. Our platform offers intuitive features that make it a breeze to put together professional and engaging eNewsletters, even if you’re not a tech expert.
Bridge the Gap between Schools & Parents with Schoolzine
An industry leader since 2007, Schoolzine is the ultimate community builder for schools. We are not simply a parent engagement platform but a trusted community builder bridging the gap between schools and parents. Our mission is to connect all people with the heart of the community - the school.
Join the 1 in 4 Australian schools that are already benefiting from Schoolzine’s E-Newsletters.
� Built by Schools for Schools
� Unlimited Support & Training
� Simple and Efficient
� Government Compliant
� Plans to suit your budget
� Customisable templates
� Powerful Calendar
� Content Done Your Way
� Insightful Analytics
Newsletters Website SZapp Session Keeper Control Centre
Nüdel is designed to be used across your ENTIRE school everyday, for years and years. PROVEN to develop critical and creative thinking; and personal and social capabilities with no teacher direction... truely inclusive.
These benefits make Nüdel a very smart investment. Nüdels many other uses:
- STEM, Creativity, social skills and wellbeing.
- Leadership programs & self directed learning.
- A low cost playground extension, wet weather timetable option and SO much more…
- Profit goes to charity!
Nüdel Rover
Nüdel Kart
HOW MUCH COULD YOUR SCHOOL SAVE? FIND OUT NOW…
Australian schools are under increasing pressure to optimise resources, reduce operational costs, and improve efficiencies—all while maintaining high standards for student engagement. Yet, many schools are still burdened by outdated, manual enrolment processes that drain valuable time and money.
With over 550 schools already on board, Enquiry Tracker is helping schools take control of their admissions and marketing processes, saving significant time and resources. Now, with the Enquiry Tracker ROI Calculator, schools can receive a tailored cost-savings report in minutes—showing exactly how much they stand to gain by making the switch.
5 Key Areas Where Schools Are Wasting Time and Money
1. Manual Administration Is Costing You More Than You Think
From handling paper-based enquiries to chasing up missing forms, manual processes add up to hundreds of hours per year. Schools using Enquiry Tracker report significant time savings—freeing up staff to focus on higher-value tasks.
2. Paperwork & Printing Costs Are Draining Budgets
Traditional enrolment methods require vast amounts of printing, filing, and storage. Enquiry Tracker digitises the entire process, cutting costs while enhancing sustainability.
by Enquiry Tracker
3. Data Security & Compliance Risks Are Real
With increasing scrutiny on data protection, it’s crucial to have a secure system in place. Enquiry Tracker, proudly
Australian-owned, ensures all data is stored locally and complies with national privacy regulations.
4. Lost Leads = Lost Enrolments
Without an efficient tracking system, prospective families can slip through the cracks. Enquiry Tracker’s builtin marketing tools help schools nurture relationships, leading to higher conversion rates.
5. Schools Need Data-Driven Decision Making
The Enquiry Tracker ROI Calculator provides a personalised breakdown of savings, giving schools a clear picture of how much time and money they can save. The report offers real data to support leadership teams in making informed financial decisions.
Get Your Custom Savings Report… In Minutes
Find out exactly how much your school could be saving. Take our quick online assessment, and our expert team will generate a personalised report detailing your potential time and cost savings, this will be sent free of charge and without any obligation direct to your inbox.
Click here to get your report today.
ASCA partner, with over 30 years experience. With Gary Pretty on your side, you’re never a loan.
Whether you’re buying your first home, investing or simply refinancing, home loan help is closer than you think. As your local broker, I have the training, resources and experience to find the right loan for you now and into the future.
Expert mortgage support your staff can trust.
For each loan settled through this partnership, Gary will donate $300 to your school via ASCA.**
• I’ll help you find the right type of loan, whatever your needs
• I’ll help you secure a competitive interest rate
• I’ll save you hours of research, hassle and paperwork
• I don’t charge to find the right home loan for you*.
IS ENERGY BROKERING WORTH IT IN SUCH A VOLATILE ENERGY MARKET?
BY CHOICE ENERGY
It’s clear schools can no longer ignore the high cost of gas and electricity across Australia.
Electricity prices have continued to steadily increase following the energy crisis in 2022. Wholesale costs have continued to remain high due to high strain on our ageing energy grid, resulting in higher prices at retail level - after all, when the wholesale cost of any product or service is high, so too will the retail cost.
So, with a future market outlook that continues to be uncertain, how can utilising an expert in energy management ensure your costs remain low and you’re optimising your usage?
Expert energy strategy on your side
When times are tough, expert opinions are more important than ever. After all, as an ASCA member, you already understand the power of working together with others to achieve greater outcomes.
Working with a dedicated energy expert can help you understand your school needs, and uncover opportunities that help you use less and save more on energy.
That means not only helping you make contract choices for your grid energy usage that make sense for a high or low market,
but also ensuring your usage is optimised through services like metering and monitoring, network tariff and demand analysis, and significant savers like commercial solar energy.
This is increasingly important for both newer and older schools. For newer campuses and buildings, you may have a series of NMIs or energy meters, complicating your final bills and making it challenging to identify areas of concern, especially if your campus has continued to grow. For older and heritage buildings, it may be the new demands of technology and infrastructure that see your electricity bills out of control, as your needs change while working with older structures.
Similarly, your energy bill consists of a wide range of charges, not just the cost of electricity or gas used. As a result, simply comparing your energy rates to other providers may not be enough to see significant savings each month or quarter. This is why comprehensively reviewing your usage and each charge ensures your energy costs are genuinely optimised.
The benefits to optimisation are truly available across the board, and often simple to set up with as little as a single energy bill required to get the ball rolling.
Working with your school for life
Working with Choice Energy is an opportunity to know your school is protected, but with no obligations.
Your dedicated energy manager keeps track of your current and upcoming contracts, meaning that you can stay focused on growing your school, knowing that you’ve got energy market educated eyes on the high points and the lows that may affect your school as you finish or enter a new agreement. And as always, Choice is here to answer any pressing questions you may have about the energy industry, especially inflammatory headlines or recent government updates such as the national budget.
The energy market can be as instantly reactive as it can be slow, making it challenging to understand let alone strategise. Our current school customers know that their dedicated energy managers are looking at both the current challenges of the market, but also forecasts well into the future, ready to present strategies to you and your team that can open the door to significant savings.
One less problem to shoulder
With the rising costs of goods and services, and the complexities of staffing across the nation, you have enough to manage on your plate. The energy industry is extremely complex, and as you’ve seen in the last few years , vulnerable to a wide range of influencing factors both local and overseas.
Choice Energy is here to support your school, often at low or
no cost, and ensure you are informed in an easy-to-understand partnership.
We aim to empower your decision-making requirements without the burden of going it alone and getting wrapped up in the jargon. Choice Energy’s Australian-based team is proudly here to help growing Australian schools that demand confidence and expertise when it comes to ensuring they are protected and understood when it comes to an increasingly expensive bottom line.
“Our Choice Energy experience has been one that I could not rate highly enough. Everyone from the first phone call to the last, has been a pleasure to deal with. All requests were dealt with promptly and Choice has exceeded our expectations… We would highly recommend Choice to schools who are wanting to improve their green footprint and save money at the same time “ — Paula Ellis, Holy Rosary School White Hills
Access Your Obligation-free Energy Health Check for your school
To find out more or to have an obligation-free energy health check, contact Choice Energy’s dedicated ASCA representative David Perry on david@choiceenergy.com.au or 0416 135 160 with a copy of your latest energy bill, or visit www.choiceenergy.com.au.
SUPPORTING CHARITIES
As a not-for-profit organisation, ASCA donates its surplus funds to the following charities:
