TASS Orbit: Your All-in-One School Communication Solution

School communication has come a long way, but the problems haven’t changed. Parents still miss emails. Newsletters go unread. Phone calls get ignored. Permission slips disappear into backpacks. And often, the message that should reach a parent or staff member… doesn’t. 

Today, the challenge isn’t just sending information - it’s cutting through the noise. 

According to the Telecommunications Usage Survey Report, 97% of Australians use a smartphone, and 60% of people spend three to four hours per day on mobile devices; mobile use is no longer optional. It’s where your families already are. 

If your school is still relying on email, SMS and scattered systems, communication becomes fragmented, slow and overwhelming for everyone. And that’s precisely why schools are turning to TASS Orbit Apps. 

Why Mobile-First Communication Matters More Than Ever 

From banking to shopping, mobile has become the default way to manage life. So why should school communication be any different? 

A dedicated, integrated mobile app gives schools the power to: 

• Increase parent engagement 

• Deliver faster, reliable communication 

• Reduce admin workload 

• Improve parent experience 

• Ensure staff always have access to accurate student data 

But here’s the catch… 

Most school apps are generic solutions connected to your existing system through API connections. They promise integration but deliver inaccurate data, fragmented communication, poor user experience, and security vulnerabilities.  

The Communication Gaps Affecting Schools Every Day 

The NSW Department of Education's 2024 Audit of Teachers' Administrative Tasks identified absence reporting as one of over 100 high-workload tasks burdening schools. The traditional process - parents phoning the office, submitting follow-up forms, and providing medical certificates - requires staff to manually update attendance records across multiple systems, contributing to what schools describe as "frustrating, painful, and overly complex" administrative processes. 

With numerous separate touchpoints, it’s no surprise that information often arrives incomplete or delayed. Parents need a single, mobile-friendly way to report absences, upload documentation, and update medical details, especially when they’re juggling work, travel, or urgent health situations. 

Payment reminders present another ongoing challenge. Emails can be easy to miss, often getting buried beneath promotional offers, newsletters, and everyday communication. When parents don’t see reminders until it’s too late, schools are left chasing overdue payments, applying late fees, and fielding frustrated phone calls. A lack of timely and prominent reminders slows down payment collection and increases the administrative workload, despite parents’ genuine intent to pay on time. 

Health notifications highlight the final significant communication gap. When students attend sick bay, schools typically rely on phone calls to alert parents. These calls can go unanswered during meetings, work hours, or commuting. Delayed callbacks and voicemail chains create unnecessary stress and slow down communication at a time when parents need to be informed the most. These breakdowns don’t happen occasionally; they occur every single day across school communities. 

How TASS Orbit Solves These Challenges: A True Extension of TASS 

Orbit isn’t another app. It’s the mobile layer of TASS, designed to remove friction, automate communication, and keep parents and staff connected. 

Parent Orbit: Designed for Fast, Accurate, Stress-Free Communication 

Parent Orbit makes everyday school communication dramatically faster and more convenient for families. Whether a parent is sitting in a doctor's waiting room or travelling between appointments, they can instantly create an absence, upload medical certificates or doctor’s notes, and update their child’s medical details - all from their phone. There’s no need to bring paperwork into the school or follow up with separate emails and calls. This real-time, mobile-first process eliminates communication delays, ensures accurate records, and provides families with complete flexibility when life gets busy. 

Payments become just as effortless. When a parent receives a push notification reminding them of a due or overdue fee, they can pay on the go within seconds. There’s no digging through inboxes, logging into portals or remembering key dates. This simple, on-the-spot experience reduces late payments for schools and removes a significant stress point for families who genuinely want to stay on top of their commitments.  

Parent Orbit also brings peace of mind during the school day. Instead of missing phone calls or listening to long voicemail messages, parents receive immediate notifications when their child is logged into sick bay. Even while at work or in a meeting, they can see what’s happening instantly, removing unnecessary delays and eliminating the frustration of phone tag. It’s a vital parent communication app that is fast, accurate and designed around how parents live.

Staff Orbit: Giving Staff the Tools They Need - Wherever They Are 

Staff Orbit equips school teams with the ability to communicate instantly and operate confidently in any environment. When events run behind schedule, such as a school bus returning late from an excursion due to traffic, staff can notify parents immediately through push notifications. Rather than sending multiple emails or making time-consuming phone calls, they can keep families updated in real time, preventing confusion and ensuring parents feel informed and reassured. 

Access to student information remains uninterrupted, even in challenging situations. If mobile coverage drops during an excursion or camp, Staff Orbit still provides offline access to essential data such as medical records, emergency contacts and roll details. This is crucial in moments of panic, such as a medical incident, where staff need immediate, accurate information regardless of connectivity. 

During emergency evacuations or power outages, Staff Orbit keeps roll marking reliable and stress-free. Traditional paper rolls can be inaccessible due to damage from weather or simply impractical when time is critical. With digital roll marking designed to operate in various conditions, staff can quickly confirm student safety without relying on systems that fail when needed most. It’s a level of resilience, speed and accuracy that supports schools in both everyday routines and high-pressure situations. 

Is Your School Ready for Mobile-First Communication? 

Ask yourself these questions: 

• Do parents regularly miss essential communications? 

• Is your front office overwhelmed with phone calls? 

• Are payment deadlines frequently missed? 

• Do staff struggle with outdated information during excursions? 

• Would parents appreciate instant updates instead of email chains? 

If you answered yes to even one question, it's time to explore TASS Orbit. See how TASS Orbit can enhance your operations by downloading the brochure below.