Welcome to the Alaska Association of School Business Officials e-newsletter! |
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ALASBO's Mission: To promote the highest standards in school business practices. |
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ALASBO's 2022 Annual Conference is Coming Soon!
Mark your calendars! ALASBO's Annual Conference provides members with excellent professional development and an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the state.
- Saturday, December 3: NBMI (New Business Manager Institute)
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Sunday, December 4: School Business Academy Part 2 and Pre-Conference Sessions
- December 5-7: Annual Conference sessions and presentations
- Watch for registration and information about sessions by early October.
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Meet Annual Conference Keynote Speaker Janice Litvin
Janice Litvin is on a mission to help leaders and teams banish burnout in their organizations so employees can come to work healthy, happy, and ready to work. Her Banish Burnout presentations and book, Banish Burnout Toolkit, offer simple techniques to help teams manage stress to prevent burnout, by changing the way they react to stress, from the inside out. All attendees of ALASBO's Annual Conference will receive a copy of the Banish Burnout Toolkit! Click here to read about How to Prevent Burnout in Your Workplace.
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Message from ALASBO President, Andy Ratliff
Hello all, and welcome back to a new school year! I hope everyone was able to get some much-needed rest over the summer and take some time off to spend enjoying some of the adventures that our great state has to offer. As I write this article, my own children are finishing up their first day of school, and while they were sad to see summer come to an end, they were excited (and a little nervous) to head back to school and see all their friends and teachers again.
Just like clockwork, along with the new school year comes a new crisis. For this year’s main crisis, our district, like many others, has been beleaguered by staffing shortages causing some suspended bus routes and hot lunch service, among other issues. While we work through these issues, it is important keep our focus on student achievement and what positive impacts we can make with the resources we have. Read the rest of Andy's message here.
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Executive Director's Message- Darcy Carter
'Tis the season to grow Alaska’s students into beautiful, radiant flowers!
As the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, we can feel that fall is in the air. But while the season is fall, for those in education it is spring. It is the time of year full of new beginnings, hope, nurturing and growth.
If students are the flowers, our schools and the students’ homes are the gardens. Everyone who works in education plays a part in tending their part of the garden so it can provide what students need in order to bloom into unique and exquisite young people. All staff can be the rays of sunshine that kids need to blossom. Thank you for taking such good care of each lovely flower that is Alaska’s future.
A quote from Lady Bird Johnson: Where flowers bloom so does hope.
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ALASBO Education Director News- Jennifer Schmitz
As most of you know, I retired from being a school principal a few years ago. As a new school year is beginning and I see my principal and teacher friends returning from some time off to get schools going again, I now realize that people working in the school business field are working ALL throughout the year to get things done behind the scenes to assure schools and districts are running smoothly. Thank you for that.
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Member Spotlight:
Jimmy Love
Our member spotlight shines on Jimmy Love. Jimmy is the Chief Accountant at Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.
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Phil Hullett Earns Certification for Fiscal Credibility
The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) is pleased to announce that Philip Ryan Hulett, SFO, Business Manager, Dillingham City School District, has earned the Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations® (SFO®). School business professionals who earn the SFO certification have proven that they have the required knowledge, expertise, and fiscal credibility to lead their school district and effectively manage the district’s finances. Click here to view the press release.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
The following ALASBO members won professional development grants and scholarships for 2022:
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Freeman Grant sponsored by CORE, Inc to attend ASBO AC&E, Portland, OR: Katie Parrott
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Swarner Shaping the Future Leadership Grant to attend ALASBO Summer Leadership Conference in Fairbanks: Michelle Shatswell, Becca Moore, Terri Kohn
- ASBO Emerging Leaders Scholarship to attend ASBO AC&E, Portland, OR: Sandy Friendshuh
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ALASBO Member Wins ASBO Scholarship
The 2022 ASBO International Emerging Leaders have been selected! These 18 rising school business leaders will each receive a $2,000 scholarship toward attending the Annual Conference & Expo, September 14–17, 2022, in Portland, Oregon. Congratulations to ALASBO member Sandy Friendshuh on being a recipient of this scholarship. View recipients here.
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Upcoming Power Lunches
September 20 @ 11:00 - Employee Leave Types: Open Discussion
October 11 @ 11:00 - Indirect Cost Rate Calculation presented by Meredith Jones, DEED
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ALASBO Seeking Volunteers for Two Work Groups
1. HR Work Group - volunteers are needed to work on compiling best practice HR resource documents to be available to school districts. This activity will begin late September or early October 2022. If you are interested in being involved with this important work, contact Jennifer Schmitz at jennifer.schmitz@alasbo.org by August 31, 2022.
2. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Work Group– volunteers are needed to review and update best practice procedures to ensure alignment with the recently updated AASB Article 3 Business and Non-Instruction section of model board policy. Contact Melody Dougals at melody.douglas@alasbo.org by August 31, 2022 if you are interested in working on this project. The SOP Work Group will begin meeting late September or early October 2022.
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EQUITY and ACCESS
Dr. Lisa Parady, Executive Director, ACSA
Broadband and bandwidth are a crucial part of 21st-century education, with numerous schools integrating tablets and computers into their classrooms. However, many communities in Alaska, especially rural and remote school districts, can’t provide students with the same opportunities due to a lack of bandwidth infrastructure. Geography should not determine opportunity in Alaska!
During the pandemic, we saw first-hand the digital divide (chasm!) between schools in urban and rural or remote communities. Schools in urban Alaska could pivot to offer online instruction to their students, while many in rural Alaska were limited to paper and pencil packets.
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Reemployment of Retired Teachers
Several questions have arisen recently regarding hiring retired teachers. SB 185 Reemployment of Retired Teachers is contained in AS 14.20.043 and allows districts to hire retired teachers following a prescribed procedure including adopting a policy by resolution that describes a shortage or anticipated shortage of applicants other than retired teachers, public advertising of teaching positions for 10 business days and other specific requirements.
Use this link to the Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits, Ak DRB > SB 185: Reemployment of Retired Teachers (alaska.gov) website to learn more about the requirements to implement SB 185 to hire retired teachers such as Bona Fide Separation, health care benefits, who pays for TRS benefits and other benefits, other requirements, steps for processing the resolution and FAQs.
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ALASBO Strategic Plan Update
by Melody Douglas, Associate ED
After asking for member input in the May newsletter and at the Summer Leadership Conference, the ALASBO Board of Directors (BOD) met to update ALASBO's Strategic Plan July 18, 2022. This meeting was facilitated by David Lewis, ASBO International's Executive Director using the plan developed in 2015 as a base from which to work.
The ALASBO Board will discuss the draft Strategic Plan during the September board meeting after which the draft plan will be distributed to ALASBO members for input. The BOD will approve the Strategic Plan later this Fall after members have had an opportunity for input. Click here for more details.
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Four Ways to Save Schools Time and Money by Black Mountain Software
Looking for ways to make your school offices more efficient and less wasteful? Your software applications and add-ons may deliver benefits your school might be missing out on.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting allows you and your staff to work anywhere there’s an internet connection, even from the comfort of your own home. Updates and backups are handled automatically Look for a service that provides the highest rated security, reliability, and responsiveness available so you can get the job done.
Electronic Payment Options
Are you ready to fully embrace the freedom from clutter and cost reduction with a paperless process? Payroll and accounting applications make automated bank drafting, paying vendors via ACH credits, and recording funds electronically withdrawn (electronic checks) a snap—no printing required.
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Thank You!
Silver Level
Sponsor
Black Mountain Software
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Thank You!
Conference Gold Level
NBMI Bronze
and
SBO of the Year
Sponsored by GCI
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Thank You!
NBMI Platinum Level Sponsor
Altman, Rogers & Co.
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Altman, Rogers & Co. combines the experience of a large firm with the personal attention only a small firm can provide. We provide auditing, accounting, consulting and tax services from our offices in Anchorage, Soldotna and Juneau. We specialize in working with government entities, non-profits, and Alaska Native corporations. We proudly serve over 36 Districts across Alaska and are thankful to be celebrating 30 years in business in 2021. 907-274-2992 altrogco.com
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Thank You!
Silver Level Sponsor
First National Bank
ALASKA
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