SBO Perspectives

We’re in a brand new state for SBO Perspectives: New Mexico! Martin Romine, Director of Finance at Zuni Public School District shares his one of a kind background, how he got into school business and lessons he’s learned over he’s storied career. He’s also part of the ASBO International Legislative Committee and we’re get an insight into all of their important and impactful work on behalf of school districts nationwide.

Today we’re excited to bring on a friend, colleague and fellow ASBO NY Board member, Dr. Chris Abdoo, Assistant Superintendent for Support Services at the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District. Chris tells us about his unique background that lead him to his SBO role and how he’s balancing all of his commitments now that he’s on the Board of Directors!

The start of school is right around the corner and we as SBO’s should be considering the state of our school security. Tom Wohlleber, Executive Director of Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association, helps prioritize what to address in a school district’s culture and uses his 40+ years of experience on strategies to prepare for emergencies.

As you’ve heard in previous episodes, technology is nowhere near slowing down. That’s why it’s so important that the business office and technology department work hand in hand. That’s why the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) comes in! Join us as we speak to Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN and Pete Just, Immediate Past Chair of CoSN about the collaboration between the business office and tech, their take on AI and some new funding opportunities that are coming down the pike!

Today you’re getting a different type of interview…a behind the mic discussion with your very own host, Dr. Jack R. Mitchell. Jack is the president elect for ASBO New York and we wanted to shed some light on the process of making your way through the association ranks and what he’s excited about in his upcoming year!

To say we’re excited would be an understatement! Dr. Marguerite Roza, Director of the Edunomics Lab and Research Professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy joins us to talk about her brainchild, the Edunomics Lab and how their focus on the study of education finance is providing unparalleled insights into district spending throughout the country.

To check out more on the Edunomic Lab and all of their amazing work, visit them on their website at https://edunomicslab.org/

Artificial Intelligence seems to be the focus of everyone’s attention these days and it’s certainly one of ours. We’ve talked about AI and the potential changes in the world of school business and today we’re taking a deeper dive on the tech and what’s to come. Brian DeBoyace, Staff Developer at Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES in New York joins us to offer his perspective on the exciting potential of AI and also some of those pitfalls to look out for.

Weighing the pros and cons between staffing internally and looking to outsource can be challenging. Luckily for you, we have an expert to talk about how to approach the possible decision, what you can do to communicate these delicate topics to your stakeholders and why it could save your district’s budget. Maria Parry, School Business Administrator at Monmouth Regional High School in New Jersey breaks down this complicated topic so you can make the best staffing decisions for your district!

How often are you taking the necessary time to check in with yourself and your mental health? Today we’re taking that time! Dr. Jane Crawford, Assistant Superintendent of Support Services at Ferguson-Florissant School District in St. Louis, MO gives us great tips and tricks to deal with self care, what she’s seeing in public education and how to best address those times where we need self care most.

It’s audit season…wait…isn’t it always audit season? Tune in with Shari Diamond, Partner at Cerini and Associates, LLP, who dives into the claims audit process, how Artificial Intelligence can affect our processes and what to look out for down the road.