Branksome Hall Asia, the sister school to Branksome Hall in Toronto, Canada, is situated on the picturesque Jeju island in South Korea. As a boarding school catering to both local and international students, Branksome Hall Asia faced unique challenges in managing student safety, communication, and operational efficiency. Under the leadership of Kerry Norris, Head of Boarding, the school adopted Orah to modernize its processes, enhance child protection policies, and strengthen its competitive edge.
Challenges
Before implementing Orah, Branksome Hall Asia relied on fragmented and manual systems for managing boarding operations. Kerry highlighted the inefficiencies:
- “We had a spreadsheet for everything and a Google Doc for everything. It was constantly like, where’s the signup for that? Where’s the schedule for that?”*
Key challenges included:
- Tracking student whereabouts was unreliable. A house laptop system required students to sign in and out manually, but there was no follow-up to ensure compliance. Kerry noted: “It really bothers me when we don’t know where a student is. You need to know where every single student is.”
- Communication between boarding staff was disjointed due to rotating shifts, leading to inconsistent handovers.
- Managing pastoral information was cumbersome and lacked centralized documentation, resulting in anecdotal rather than data-driven discussions about student welfare.
- Outdated paper-based leave processes took up to 48 hours to approve and reflected poorly on the school’s professionalism: “It just looked so kind of Mickey Mouse,” said Kerry.
The Solution: Implementing Orah
Branksome Hall Asia adopted Orah to address these challenges and elevate its boarding operations. The platform’s comprehensive features streamlined processes and improved oversight across multiple dimensions:
Student Safety
With Orah’s real-time location tracking, boarding staff could immediately identify where students were and resolve discrepancies. Kerry emphasized: “Where is Sally? We look it up, and we can see the location for Sally. If there’s an error, we figure out what happened.”
Centralized Pastoral Management
The pastoral care platform enabled staff to document, track, and analyze student welfare data:“I downloaded a pastoral summary into a PDF and popped it up into team notes during a meeting. It showed the power of documentation and how it can be used in all parts of the school,” said Kerry.
Improved Communication
Orah facilitated seamless handovers between staff shifts, making operations more efficient:“Having that communication between teams is way more seamless. They almost don’t have to meet or talk because it’s all in Orah.”
Streamlined Leave Requests
By digitizing the leave approval process, Orah transformed a previously slow, paper-based system:“Parents get to interact with the system when applying for leave. It makes us look slick and professional,” Kerry noted.
Results
The adoption of Orah has had a transformative impact on Branksome Hall Asia:
Student Safety
Real-time tracking and clear record trails ensured staff always knew student locations.
Boarding Operations
The streamlined leave approval process and centralized communication tools set the school apart from competitors.
Data-Driven Decisions
Comprehensive pastoral data empowered staff to identify patterns and make informed decisions about student welfare.
Improved Staff Collaboration
Efficient handovers between teams ensured continuity in student care.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on the implementation process, Kerry shared valuable insights:
Start Early and Involve Everyone
“I wish all teams had participated in the slow rollout. When we started the full launch, it would have been easier to troubleshoot together,” she said.
Showcase Benefits to Stakeholders
Orah’s impact on safety and professionalism has become a key differentiator for Branksome Hall Asia in a competitive market: “Why would someone come to Branksome when they could just go next door? This is a huge one for us.”
Conclusion
For Branksome Hall Asia, Orah has revolutionized boarding operations by enhancing student safety, streamlining processes, and fostering data-driven decision-making.
With Orah, Branksome Hall Asia is better positioned to stabilize and grow enrollment while delivering exceptional care to its students.
