When : 30 September, 2026
Where : St Philip's Christian College - Newcastle SPCC Theatre
Thank you to our sponsors:
8:00 - 8:50 (50 mins)
Coffee, Registration
Location: Education Centre
9:00 - 9:10 (15 mins)
Welcome, Acknowledgement of Country, Housekeeping
Hayden Shaw & Lance Gierhart
Sponsor Introductions
9:30 - 10:00
(30 mins)
Overview of ICT at St Philip's Christian College
Hayden Shaw
10:00 - 10:30
Session 1 - Bridging ‘Networks’ – The Power of Real-World Learning
IT leadership isn't just about the systems you run; it's about the community you build. Matt draws on more than 25 years of experience in education IT, along with hands-on involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Army Cadets, to share how genuine, real-world connections with students build trust that no helpdesk ticket ever could.
Speaker: Matt Darby – Head of ICT - St Aloysius' College
10:30 - 11:15
(45 mins)
Morning Tea
11:15 - 12:00
Panel: Beyond Ticket Counts: Measuring ICT Service Quality and Building a Culture of Service
ICT service delivery is about far more than tickets, response times, and technical support. Our panel will explore how ICT teams in Edu create value through relationships, community engagement, and service culture to enable teaching and learning across the school.
What does success really looks like in Edu IT, why people choose to serve in this space, and how ICT teams can move beyond break-fix support to become trusted partners in their school communities.
Panelists: Andrew Kolasinski (SPCE), Dallas Gill (Charlton Christian College), Lance Gierhart (Central Coast Grammar School)
12:20 - 1:00
(1 hour)
Session 3 - See IT in Action: A Guided Tour of Systems, Spaces and Student Learning Environments
A tour of the St Philip's Christian College Central Office and Newcastle site, exploring technology initiatives, learning spaces, and operational practices. Rather than attempting to provide all the answers, this session aims to showcase areas of interest to ICT Services teams to facilitate discussion around the common opportunities and challenges facing us all. You will be encouraged to share ideas, experiences, and perspectives with peers, and hopefully take away something valuable for your own school.
13:00 - 13:15 (15 mins)
MITIE Update
13:15 - 14:30 (75 mins)
Lunch
Session 4 - A Hitchhikers Guide to Payroll Replacement in Schools
Suddenly put in charge of replacing your school’s core payroll platform? Don't panic.
Designed specifically for School IT heads thrown into the deep end, this session acts as your crash course in evaluating, selecting, and implementing a new Payroll (and HR) ecosystem.
We will discuss strategies to identify the most appropriate vendors, audit their Payroll and HR compliance claims, avoid costly integration traps, and confidently lead a system replacement project—even if you've never run a pay cycle in your life.
Speaker: Damien Lumley, Senior Education Consultant, Accucom & Graeme Kachel, ISNSW
15:15-15:30 (15 mins)
Sponsors Session & Door prizes
Networking Drinks
WIFI Username : Password:
Getting There: 57 High Street, Waratah.
Parking for St Philips Christian College - Newcastle is via the Harriet Street gate.
Bibliographies
Graeme Kachel Bio:
Formerly Director of Technology at both Loreto Normanhurst and St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill, Graeme brings a deep, battle-tested understanding of school IT infrastructure to the table. Over the last three years with Independent Schools NSW (ISNSW), he has worked directly alongside school leadership teams, helping them cut through the noise, untangle complex technology stacks, and strategically plan for seamless, future-proof change.
Damien Lumby Bio:
With nearly 20 years on the frontlines of complex enterprise transformation, Damien has guided organizations through HR and Payroll system overhauls—from the high-pressure of Swiss Banks during the GFC to helping grow agile tech startups. Since 2020, he’s brought that battle-tested expertise directly to the education sector, helping Independent Schools de-risk critical replacements, bridge the gap between technical infrastructure and operational compliance, and navigate their most challenging Payroll change journeys.
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MITIE Incorporated. ABN 85 607 373 857.MITIE Incorporated. ABN 85 607 373 857.