SBO Perspectives

Whether you’re brand new to being an SBO or have been in the field your entire career, professional development is arguably something that everyone can benefit from. Leslie Peterson, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Management Services at Arlington Public Schools tells us her story about starting the first three years of her career with no opportunity for PD to becoming a presenter, ASBO President and professional development aficionado!

Today we’re coming to you LIVE from the ASBO New York Education Summit trade show floor with non other than Siobhan McMahon, Interim Executive Director of ASBO International. We talk all things ASBO Int’l and flag down those passing by to get their take on such a wonderful organization!

Finding good employees seems to get harder and harder theses days, but fear not! We have someone who has really made the most out of finding great candidates and has some tips on what to look for when interviewing potential hires in your district. Kari Austin, Chief School Financial Officer/Director of Finance at Mountain Brook Schools in Birmingham, AL lets us know all about great practices on finding your ideal candidate!

Have you considered that maybe it’s time to upgrade your financial reporting? We all have to do annual audits, but there’s an option out there that takes your financial reporting to new heights and is a great opportunity to showcase your district’s sound financial condition. Sara Kirk, CPA at Heinfield, Meech & Co. and Kelly Benusa, Director of Business Services at ISD 279 Osseo Area Schools, break down this comprehensive report and all the benefits to putting in a little extra work!

We love to hear all of the personal stories on SBO Perspectives and we have another great one lined up today! Join us as we speak with Paul Bobek, CFO at West De Moines CSD in West De Moines, Iowa. Paul fills us in on some of the challenges he and his colleagues are facing related to state funding and parental choice, but also the unique methods used to keep the grounds tidy!

Most of us have been involved with E-Rate at some point or another, but do you feel like you have a handle on everything that goes into making it work for you? Fear not! Winston Himsworth, Senior Director at E-Rate Central breaks the process down for us, talks about where the program came from and how you can be successful with this funding mechanism in your district!

When you rely heavily on your reputation and credibility, trust and relationships are more important than anything. Chris Shishko, Partner at Guercio & Guercio LLP, spells it out for us as well as previewing what’s on the horizon for school districts in the courts.

It’s not too often that you find yourself having worked on both the eastern and western coasts of the United States, but Dr. Victor Hayek, Deputy Superintendent, Business Services at Conejo Valley Unified School District has done just that! From New Jersey to California, Dr. Hayek has traveled coast to coast, bringing his expertise in school finance (and his ice scraper!) along with him.

Solar installations are becoming more and more popular as the cost of energy increases, putting strain on district budgets. Energia sits down with us to review all the benefits of this renewable energy and how schools can take advantage of multiple funding mechanisms to make as little negative impact on the budget as possible.

Dr. Anthony Dragona joins us today with over 47 years of experience in public education! Hailing from Union City, NJ, Tony tells us what it’s been like to have grown up in the same district he’s spent his entire career. He also let’s us in on a little secret: if you can’t build out, build up!