Salesian College’s search for a new learning management system started with a bigger question about learning: how could the school put more focus on the growth of each individual student?
The College was already reviewing its approach to assessment, feedback and developmental rubrics. At the same time, it was considering what it needed from its next LMS and how that platform could support the direction teaching and learning was heading.
Those two pieces of work came together through Schoolbox.
“How do we turn our school from a traditional school on achievement according to particular standards, to one that was really focused on the growth of individual students?”
Making the next step clearer
Developmental rubrics became an important part of that shift. Across Years 7 to 10, students began using rubrics built around clear “I can” statements. Those statements help students understand the skills they can already demonstrate and what they need to work towards next.
For teachers, it changed the kind of conversation that could happen after an assessment. A percentage might tell a student how they performed. A developmental rubric gives them something more useful to work with.
“They can see on the rubric, okay, where do I need to go next?”
One teacher described the change from a student seeing “50%” and moving on, to being able to identify the actual skill they needed to develop next. The focus became less about simply improving the number and more about understanding what improvement looks like in practice.
Students noticed the difference too.
“The instant feedback helps because you can understand how you’re going sooner, and then [you’re] able to improve on that with more time to keep improving.”
Bringing feedback closer to the learning
Salesian also used Schoolbox to introduce continuous reporting.
Previously, parents received paper-based interim and end-of-semester reports. Feedback from families showed they wanted information that was more personal and available closer to when the learning was happening.
Continuous reporting gave students and parents access to results and feedback throughout the year. That means a student can act on feedback while the learning is still current, and families have more context for conversations at home.
“The more information we can give them in a timely way really activates them as part of the learning as well.”
The result is a more continuous picture of progress, with teachers, students and families all able to see what is being worked on and where the next opportunity for growth sits.
Choosing an LMS around the school’s direction
Salesian approached the LMS decision as a whole-school process.
The selection panel brought together leaders responsible for learning and teaching, student wellbeing and digital learning, alongside a classroom teacher who could assess each option from a practical teaching perspective.
Staff, students and parents were also asked what they valued in the existing system and what they wanted to see from the next one.
The College gave itself time to establish criteria, review the options and consider how each platform would support its broader goals for teaching and learning.
“We’ve found it very useful to bring all the strands around our improvement plan and processes into a system that is now affecting classroom practice and parent and student engagement.”
That connection between strategy and classroom practice is a big part of the Salesian story. The LMS became a way to support work the College had already identified as important, from developmental rubrics and continuous feedback through to parent engagement and a clearer picture of student life.
Giving the change time to take hold
The rollout was deliberately staged.
Staff were introduced to Schoolbox first, followed by students and then parents. Professional learning included workshops, videos, guides and support within faculty meetings, giving teachers multiple ways to build confidence.
The College also created templates and minimum expectations for course, unit and class pages. Teachers had a clear foundation to work from rather than starting with a blank page.
That structure helped build consistency while giving staff time and support to make Schoolbox part of everyday practice.
“You can have the best system in the world, but if you don’t have your staff on board, then you’ve really wasted your time and effort.”
Planning an LMS review or rollout?
Keeping growth in view
For Salesian, the impact of the change is most visible in what students can do with their feedback.
They can see where they are, understand the skill behind the result and identify what comes next. Parents have a clearer view of that progress too, while teachers have a common way to make feedback more useful throughout the year.
The College’s LMS review became part of a much broader learning and teaching journey, helping turn its focus on student growth into something students can actually see and act on.
