A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT . . .

Jan Miller-Hook

I hope you had the opportunity to attend our annual meeting/spring conference in Ames. As I mentioned in the last newsletter, one of the recommendations that came from our July 2011 Leadership was to have board members assigned to lead small committees (board member and 2 regional directors) to make three or four suggestions concerning breakout sessions for fall and spring conferences. This process seemed to work really well as we received input from across the state, and there seemed to be something for everyone in the sessions that were offered. It was good to have another fingerprinting opportunity, as July 1st is only a few months away! The conference ended with the great theatrical performance of our own talented “Family Feud” stars and support folks. I am sure the performance will not soon be forgotten-who says our type can’t have fun?? And speaking of fun, good times were had once again this year at Perfect Games! Either folks have been practicing since last year, or we just have some pretty good bowlers among us!

Congratulations to the officers for the fiscal 2013 year: President Karron

Stineman (Louisa-Muscatine), President-elect Angie Morrison (West Branch), Secretary Craig Mobley (Knoxville), Director District 2 Shirley Maxwell (Red Oak), Director District 1 Kevin Kelleher (Dubuque), and Treasurer Trudy Pedersen (Storm Lake). Others installed at the annual meeting included Advisory committee members Lisa Groth (St. Ansgar) and Jim Rotter (College Community). It takes a great deal of time and commitment to serve on the IASBO Board of Directors and Advisory committee - a special thank-you to Past President Kurt Subra (West Des Moines), Secretary Doug Nefzger (Cedar Falls), Director District 1 Angie Morrison, Director District 2 Kristy Hansen (Council Bluffs), and Advisory committee member Joan Loew (Oelwein) all who will fulfill their terms at the end of June.

Dr. Scharff and I attended the ASBO Intl. Executive Leadership Forum in

February which included work with the Disney Institute and the work of Stephen M.R. Covey. We discussed elements of the book “The Speed of Trust”, and found basically that trust is the one thing common to every relationship for success and how quickly the lack of trust can destroy any relationship. Simply put, trust is based upon competence and character, both key characteristics important to our profession.

Thanks for allowing me to serve as your President this last year, it has been a

wonderful experience. As I mentioned at the conference, IASBO is a great organization with a web of support networks that truly make this organization one

Iowa ASBO 2011-2012 FISCAL YEAR OFFICERS

President Janice Miller-Hook - Johnston CSD

President Elect Karron Stineman - Louisa-Muscatine CSD Past President Kurt G Subra. - West Des Moines CSD

Secretary Doug Nefzger - Cedar Falls CSD

Treasurer Trudy Pedersen  - Storm Lake CSD  

District Directors Angie Morrison - West Branch CSD Kristy L.Hansen - Council Bluffs CSD

Executive Director Dr. James R. Scharff Iowa ASBO Office 62 Hidden River Ct. Tipton, IA 52772 Email: iowaasbo@gmail.com Ph: 563.265.1855 Assistant Executive Director Nancy Blow Iowa ASBO Office 62 Hidden River Ct. Tipton, IA 52772 Email: iowaasbo@gmail.com Ph: 563.265.1855  

IASBO MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the Iowa Association of School Business Officials is to provide programs

and services that provide the highest standards of school business management practices and professional growth.

Fourth Quarter Newsletter 2011‐2012 

in a million. You are true professionals-leaders in every way, and I am proud to be a part of this team. I hope to see you at the Iowa School Business Management Academy May 16th-18th!

Jan Miller-Hook Iowa ASBO President 2011-12

2012 Iowa ASBO Annual Conference and Vendor Show The 2012 IASBO Annual Meeting and Spring Conference, held March 28 and 29, was attended by more than 375 members, presenters and guests. Wednesday 18 breakout and cracker-barrel sessions and two general sessions with a special "Family Feud" performance by the IASBO Acting troupe.

Sixty vendors had booths for members to visit.

GASB Family and Family Feud Host

  

$100 drawing winners Carrie Fortin & Rita Merta       

The Wednesday evening activity included social time with "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader", bowling, laser tag and food at the Perfect Games venue. The conference concluded on Thursday with an informative Academy general session on Fund Transfers, Categorical Funding, SBO Standards and Criteria with a Department of Education update.

Elected Iowa ASBO officials for 2012-13

The individuals shown below were elected to fill positions for the 2012-13 year.

Shown above: Jan Miller-Hook – Past President, Karron Stineman – President Elect, Jim Rotter and Lisa Groth to 4 yr terms on the Professional Growth Committee to the Academy, Kevin Kelleher – District Director, Angie Morrison – President, Craig Mobley – Secretary, Shirley Maxwell – District Director, Kurt Subra – recent Past President who administered the oath of office.  

IASBO Professional Leadership Awards – 2012

This award is provided in recognition of those school business officials who have demonstrated excellence in service to their school district, communities and the profession.

Recipients receive • A $500 Scholarship to present to a graduating high school senior from each recipient’s school district. • A plaque for the recipient’s office • Invitation to Iowa ASBO Leadership Conference • Reimbursement up to $1,000.00 to attend the next ASBO International Conference (Orlando - 2010)

Criteria to earn the award: Leadership in the Schools Leadership in the Profession Professional Development Leadership in the Community

Prior Recipients • 2006 recipients: Jan Culbertson – Paul Bobek • 2007 recipients: Shirley Mcadon – Craig Hansel • 2008 recipients: Jackie Black – Joe Hintze • 2009 recipients: Marsha Tangen – Mike Hamilton • 2010 recipients Ed Chabal - Duane VanGorp • 2011 Recipients Ramona Jeffrey – Trudy Pedersen

2012 Recipients

Michelle Wearmouth – Leslie Finger

Michelle Wearmouth 12 years at Dallas Center – Grimes Business Manager 1 - Leadership in the Schools: Responsibilities include:

• All functions within the business office including AR/AP/Payroll, certified budget, negotiations, line item appropriation preparation, reconciliations, Audit / CAR

• board secretary • human resources-benefit manager • construction budgeting/ monitoring, bonds / rating / other debt borrowing • projections of all types • in-service for all clerical staff • member of the administrative cabinet

2 - Leadership in the Profession: IASBO Regional chair 2 years IASBO mentor 6 years Professional Growth Committee to ISBMA Presenter at 11 IASBO conferences IASBO resource on spec educ funding issues IASB finance policy committee Guiding committee for EMC Safety Group

3 – Professional Development

Attended all 10 IASBO Conferences past 5 yr Graduate of Iowa School Business Management Academy

Attended 2 recent ASBO Intl Conferences Helped organize IASBO social committee function in 2011. Taught Financial Health Analysis, Line Item budgeting, and Financial Health Issues Courses for ISFLC

for 8 years.

4 - Leadership in the Community: • member of the Dallas Center Rotary Club since 1998 with two terms as president. • Sunday school teacher • social committee at my church and women’s leadership committee chair. • Waukee Park and Recreation board four years and implemented Wauktoberfest • served on numerous committees at sons’ schools • Dallas Center Chamber Celebrations committee

Presentation of scholarship to Michelle by President Miller-Hook

at DC-G School Board meeting

Leslie Finger 18th year at Iowa City Schools as Director of Business Services Leadership in the Schools: direct responsibility for or supervising:

• payroll and accounts payable departments • line item budget preparation and monitoring; member of district insurance committer • coordinated district’s successful application of GFOA and ASBO International Certificates of

Excellence for past 5 years • Implementation of district’s voluntary insurance program • Implementation of district’s p-card program and card administrator

Leadership in the Profession:

• IASBO Board o Pres. 2009-2010 o Board Secretary 1 year

• IASBO Audit Committee 2 years • Mentor 3 years • Presenter at two recent IASBO conferences • Presenter at two recent IASB conferences • ISBMA Professional Growth Committee 6 years • Academy instructor 10 years

Leadership in the Community:

Iowa City Noon Optimist member 20 years Church Council & treasurer 3 years Board of Directors for Iowa Children’s Museum 2 years Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball coach 8 years Iowa City Girls Softball coach 5 years Youth soccer coach (2 teams) 6 years Co-President of City High Band Parents 3 years Parent stage crew for 4th Avenue Jazz Company (show choir group) 4 years

  

Presentation of scholarship to Leslie by Assistant Director Blow

at Iowa City School Board meeting

Exiting the wonderful world of school business “officialdom” Every year several of our Iowa ASBO family elect to pursue a new look at life after the years of serving in the working world of our public schools. All IASBO members want to congratulate these dedicated public servants on their fine careers serving the interests of our students. The years of dedicated service will long be remembered by many people in the school district and community. Those attending the annual conference to receive a certificate from Iowa ASBO and the public appreciation of their peers are shown below.

In order from left to right: Karen Abrahams – Northwood Kensett,  Mike Hamilton – S.E. Polk,  Gloria Bartlett – North Mahaska, Jack Christensen – Ft. Dodge,  Delphine Wittrock, Bev Colbert ‐ Highland  Those not attending the annual conference but known at the time of this writing to be exiting at the conclusion of the fiscal year include: Bob Gronstal – Treynor and Connie Waite.  

Construction Lab - From the Ground Up IASBO in conjunction with SAI and IASB will hold a new one day seminar Thursday, September 27, 2012 designed to walk school district officials through the entire school construction process-- beginning with how to finance the project, moving through planning and delivery options, bidding and contract drafting tips, construction administration and payment procedures and ending with project closeout issues and various dispute resolution procedures. This seminar will be conducted by various attorneys from Ahlers & Cooney P.C., each of whom specialize in one or more of the areas that will be addressed. This is a must attend seminar for responsible personnel from any school district currently constructing, beginning construction or even considering construction in the future. Renewal credits will be available for the SBO Authorization. The one day workshop will be held at the Marriott Courtyard in Ankeny. Registration and site details will be available on the IASBO website this summer. Please mark the date on your calendar. Agenda ‐ Construction Lab ‐ From the Ground Up September 27, 2012  1.  Financing the Project  (Beth Grob & Ron Peeler)  2.  Project Planning, Delivery and Bidding   (Danielle Haindfield)  3.  Construction Contract Drafting and Insurance   (Danielle Haindfield,  Jim Wainwright and John Seefeld with  Jester Insurance)  4.  Payment Procedures, Bonds, Closeout, Chapter 573 Claims (Jim Wainwright)  5.  Dispute Resolution ‐Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation  (Ed Remsburg and Randy Stefani)  6.  ICAT service available through IASB  

 

FBI warns of new banking scam By David McMillin · Bankrate.com Some crafty criminals are aiming to steal one of the most valuable pieces of your personal property: your banking information. In a new warning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warns account holders of a new spam email scheme that involves a type of malware called "Gameover." The scheme involves fake emails from the National Automated Clearing House Association, the Federal Reserve or the FDIC. These messages attempt to trick recipients into clicking on a link to resolve some type of issue with their accounts or a recent ACH transaction. Once you click on the link, Gameover takes over your computer, and thieves can steal usernames, passwords and your money. The FBI also warns the thieves' hacking capabilities can navigate around common user authentication methods banks use to verify your identity, which is certainly a cause for concern. Those additional authentication steps -- often personal questions, birth dates or other pieces of private information -- are meant to provide some extra security padding. While phishing scams are nothing new to the world of online banking, this type of warning serves as a reminder of just how susceptible account holders can be to malicious attacks. As more account holders begin to jump on the mobile banking bandwagon, it's important to remember that a smartphone essentially acts as another computer. While this additional connection to the Internet is convenient, it also serves as another outlet where your information can be compromised. Here are a few crucial steps to take to avoid falling victim to this type of Internet crime.

• Keep your computer and mobile device updated with the newest versions of anti‐virus software. 

• If you have any doubts about an email sender's authenticity, do not click on any embedded links. 

• Remember, banks never request any personal information via email. 

• Be vigilant about checking your account balances. The sooner you notice and report any type of fraudulent activity, the more likely you'll be able to be reimbursed for any missing funds. 

Annual IASBO Boot Camp IASBO will hold the annual summer Boot Camp on July 17 at the Scheman Center in Ames. This full day session is designed for those individuals early in their responsibilities as business managers and board secretaries. The purpose is to provide new business officials with some basic knowledge and also to begin developing a professional network of experienced individuals upon whom they can call for advice and direction. The focus is to help new people know what is expected of them and how to manage those first critical months with payroll, end of year reporting and the startup of a new fiscal year. Registration will be available soon on the IAjseefeld@jesterinsurance.comSBO website

School Foundation Formula Task Force: Preliminary topics for discussion The task force was originated by IASB and included SAI, IASBO, D.E., Dept. Mgmt, SBRC, AEA, ISEA and others. Discussions occurred approximately twice a month beginning in January 2012. It is anticipated the school funding formula will receive specific legislative review during the 2013 legislative session. The following list has been developed to begin dialogue among the interested parties to arrive at a consensus regarding topics to pursue for change and those that should be preserved. SBOs are encouraged to begin thinking about the implication each item has for their district finances as you will be asked to prioritize them as legislative initiatives are developed. General Fund Issues 1 Inequity-State Cost per Pupil vs District Cost per Pupil 2 Inequity-Teacher Salary Supplement Cost per Pupil 3 Inequity-Professional Development Supplement Cost per Pupil 4 Inequity-Early Intervention Supplement Cost per Pupil 5 Operational-Special Education level weightings and GPE% 6 Operational-Supplemental Weighting-Sharing 7 Operational-Supplemental Weighting-At-Risk formula 8 Operational-Supplemental Weighting-ESL 9 Operational-Supplemental Weighting-Reorganization Incentives 10 Operational-Budget Guarantee 11 Inequity-Instructional Support levy-loss of state aid 12 Inequity-AEA costs per pupil 13 Inequity-Uniform/Additional Levies vs Foundation Level 14 Inequity-Tax Increment Finance valuation impact 15 New-income surtax as option in General Fund 16 Return allowable growth calculation to formula 17 Adequacy of funding 18 Remove juvenile detention education costs from state aid deduction 19 Modify SBRC MAG for dropout prevention 20 New-Low SES weighting 21 New-create innovation funding Other Issues 22 Operational-Special Education funding outside General Fund 23 Operational-Transportation costs outside General Fund 24 Operational-Concurrent enrollment rules 25 Operational-Pre-school (5-year old) 26 Operational-Extra income surtax authority 27 Maintain spending authority concept 28 Modify rules around revenue bonds for sales tax dollars 29 Change annual settlement requirement (279.33) re: banking and secretary records 30 New-Sparsity of population weighting 31 New-AEA facilty costs 32 Operational-Review revenue sources and fund uses 33 Should we look at a totally different approach to funding schools? 35 Special Education-maintenance of effort (K12 & AEA's) 36 PTER funding – implications for other funding approaches 37 Minimum district size

IASBO New Member Webinar Series For the past two years the IASBO Board members have provided monthly webinars for new members. The focus is on the upcoming topics, reports, and activities the new members can expect for the next month. This is a very unique and valuable service the Iowa ASBO board provides to our new members. IASBO Board member, Kristy Hansen, will lead the Calendar of Critical Dates webinar on Wednesday, May 23 at 10:00. Kristy will present year end reminders and talk about approaching deadlines and requirements as the school district fiscal year comes to a close. Curriculum is driven by the Critical Dates Calendar found on the IASBO website. Webinar attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions about upcoming year end activities. President-elect, Karron Stineman, will lead the June webinar on Wednesday, June 20. If you wish to participate in the webinars (even if you are not a new member) and did not receive an email invitation, please contact Nancy Blow at iowaasbo@gmail.com or call 319-931-1833.

Webinar recordings now available If you are unable to attend the live webinar, IASBO will have a recording of the webinars available to send via Dropbox. Dropbox is a secure website that allows IASBO to share videos, pictures and documents that are too large to be sent via regular email. A recorded version of the April webinar titled "What Your Insurance Agent Should Do For You" is available for members . John Seefeld from Jester Insurance presents a very thorough picture of what school districts should expect from their property and casualty insurance agents. Contact Nancy if you wish to receive a recorded version of the April webinar or a future monthly webinar.

 

P-Card Program Update: Iowa Schools Participation in Illinois p-card program: The following report shows the activity through the program year (May-April). The “rebates” are not big dollar amounts but can become significant if the system is used. In our current economic situation $$ “in” is much better than $$ “out.” Want to know more? Check out the information below. For a “true” interpretation of the program call a business official at one of the participating districts for their perception and recommendations (Woodbury Central and West Des Moines are the highest users on a per pupil basis). Should your district be joining the Iowa P-card program? First it is necessary to know the definition of “Procurement Card – Purchase Card – P-Card.” The terms are all used interchangeably and mean the same thing. The basic concept is that a p-card is essentially a credit card which can be set up with many internal controls. The following paragraphs will discuss the rationale for evaluating the current PO process for purchases, advantages of using a p-card, what controls can be placed on the cards, why the Illinois program was selected, and how to begin the process. Other banks and credit companies offer similar programs. When comparing credit card options due diligence reviews need to read through the “fine print” as there are some that require a minimum amount of usage by each card each month to receive any rebate, charge for additional / replacement cards, do not provide on-line and telephone support, and are developed for the advantage of the lending card company. The Illinois program was designed by ASBO to meet the needs and interests of the schools, not the credit card company. Why would schools be interested in using a p-card? For many years schools have used a traditional purchase order (PO) process to secure goods and services for school operations. The process often becomes quite labor intensive with multiple copies required for the purchase to occur. Some of the negative features of our traditional PO system include:

� Paper Intensive / Mountains of Paper � Same Process Regardless of Transaction Value � High Average Per Transaction Cost to School District

� High Average Per Transaction Cost to the Vendor � Not Cost-Effective for Small Purchases

An analysis of a district’s purchasing and payment function helps identify some of the questions and benchmarking opportunities that may be achieved with a p-card system.

� How many non-payroll checks are written each month? � How many of the non-payroll checks are for less than $500? � How many of the non-payroll checks are for less than $25? � How many POs are written each month? � What can you eliminate? � What can you save?

Why is the Streamlining of Small Purchases Significant? The majority of transactions in most organizations are for relatively small amounts

• Could these small transactions each month be consolidated into one payment? • Who are the employees creating all of these small purchases? • What does it actually cost to complete a PO from request to payment?

What Controls can be placed on p-cards that do not exist on regular credit cards? The following controls can be placed on the use of p-cards

• Transaction limits per charge • Monthly or annual limits to prevent exceeding budget allocations • Preferred Supplier Restriction to encourage purchasing from suppliers offering better discounts for school supplies / services • You control what can be purchased, where it can be purchased from and limit the amount

The forms and instructions can be found on the Iowa ASBO website to download. The program year is May-April with regard to rebate calculation though districts may join at any time during the year. Iowa ASBO pCard History

$ processed # districtsRebate to districts

2007-08 111,258$ 8 779$ 2008-09 1,009,427$ 15 8,075$ 2009-10 3,124,996$ 21 26,250$ 2010-11 6,268,942$ 26 54,164$ 2011-12 12,883,007$ 39 $ 113,370 *

* projected

 

Reminder on workplace  giving rules   If the school district, AEA, or community college allows payroll deductions for charitable giving, according to Iowa code, all workplace‐giving federations (e.g. United Way) in the state must be given equal presence and allow for participation by public employees. In Iowa there are three state recognized federations: United Way, Iowa Shares, and Community Health Charities. Each one must be allowed to participate in the workplace given campaign or payroll deduction. Contact information for all three is as follows: Community Health Charities Iowa ‐  877‐517‐6266;  Iowa Shares ‐ 319‐338‐1446 and United Way 515‐246‐6513.  What’s Your Body Language Saying? At work or in a job interview, you probably think a lot about what you're going to say, and how you're going to say it. But here's what else you should be thinking about: The majority of the message you communicate (55% to be exact, says a widely cited study by UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian) is conveyed through your body language‐not your words.   Think about it: How often do you look at the way people are dressed, the way they're walking, or the confidence or awkwardness of their interactions, and make assumptions about who they are? If he's kicked back with an untucked shirt and feet on his desk, you might think he's lazy. If she's walking at a rapid pace with strained precision, you assume she's rigid or a perfectionist (or, well, maybe just late). Right or wrong, accurate or incorrect, we assume and we assign. And people do the same with us!   Those assumptions of may not have a direct impact on your life as you're walking down the street, but in the workplace, how others perceive you is extremely important to your success. So, how can you make sure you're coming across as professional, confident, and engaged? Check out these easy strategies for making sure your body is sending the right message. Hint: Body language is often subtle, so pay attention to the details!  Shake it Good Often times, your handshake is one of the first ways you'll be evaluated. Think back to the last time someone shook your hand. Was it clammy and weak? A finger shake? An overbearing grab? Or a firm‐but‐relaxed greeting that conveyed confidence and capability? The latter is exactly what you want. To do it, first, make eye contact and smile, which both show that you're confident, friendly, and relaxed. Then, extend your hand for a firm, brief handshake: Keep your fingers closed, make sure the web between your thumb and forefinger meets the other person's, wrap your fingers around her hand, and shake. Two to three pumps from your elbow‐not your wrist or shoulder‐is perfect. And make sure you maintain eye contact the entire time! This isn't necessarily as easy as it sounds. If you're about to hit the interview circuit and there are a lot of handshakes in your future, consider practicing with a friend.   

Stand Up Straight Having good posture is good for your back, but it's also good for business. Whether you're seated or standing, your posture can say that you're interested and engaged‐or exactly the opposite. When you're seated in a meeting or interview, sit so that your back doesn't touch the back of the chair. This prevents slouching (which naturally occurs when you're sitting), plus it can give off the impression that you're too comfortable. Plant your feet on the floor or cross your legs at the knees‐though this is generally seen as more casual and relaxed, it's absolutely appropriate. You can also cross your legs at the ankles or press your knees together, slanting your legs to one side. (Just remember that no matter how you cross your legs, a skirt becomes shorter when you sit!) When you're standing, put your shoulders back, hands at your sides, and keep both feet on the floor, your weight evenly distributed between both legs. And be still‐fidgeting or shifting conveys that you're nervous or anxious.   Mind Your Mannerisms Of course, it can be awkward to sit, stand, or talk and not know what to do with your arms and hands. People often solve this by crossing their arms in front of their bodies or by fidgeting, tapping their fingers, or twirling their hair. But the best, most professional stance is to keep your arms right at your sides. If this feels uncomfortable, make sure you have something to hold, like a notepad or file. Don't stick your hands in your pockets, which can convey reluctance or cautiousness. Also try to think about the movements of your hands. Your mannerisms should be small and intentional, and never a distraction to what your mouth is saying. Using too much movement when you talk may give the impression that you're emotional or unsure of what you're saying, and motions like pointing at someone, even if your voice is friendly, can be misinterpreted as anger, an ultimatum, or an accusation.   Face It They call it poker face for a reason: Your facial expressions, like raising your eyebrows, breaking into a smile, or furrowing your brow, can speak volumes about your thoughts and emotions. Think about what your face is saying, even when your mouth isn't moving. A small, calm smile will always make you appear neutral, friendly, and approachable, and nodding and raising your eyebrows shows that you agree. Keep eye contact with the person who's speaking (or shift between everyone in the room when you're doing the talking). Looking up, down, or to the side (or rolling your eyes) all send different messages‐and probably not the ones you want to send.   Whether or not you're doing any talking, your body language will make some strong statements for you. And it's all in the details. So pay just as much attention to what you're doing as what you're saying, and you can be sure you send exactly the message you mean to.  

U.S. data chief rolls out plan for nation's info system The Iowa native's work at Microsoft honed his vision for a cyber future. Des Moines Register, Mar. 30, 2012 Written by MARCO SANTANA President Obama named Iowa State University alum and Cherokee, Ia., native Steven VanRoekel as the nation’s chief information officer on Aug. 5. Ever since then, VanRoekel has rolled out an attack plan to bolster the country’s information systems. The initiatives the former Microsoft employee has championed include a “cloud-first” approach, meaning information should be stored on a cloud system rather than at individual computers. VanRoekel talked about what his rural Iowa upbringing has meant to him, cloud services and how technology will contribute to the economy as it recovers from the most recent recession. Q. What are some of the challenges we face today in terms of cyber security? A. The challenge we face is it is ever-evolving. We are so much more of a connected society than even three years ago. The great thing is that we are, as a government and as a society, really investing a lot to keep pace and make sure we are doing all of the things we have to do (to bolster cyber security). At work, I now stick a secure card into my laptop to access the network, and I did that in the private sector before coming to government. With the increased consumerization of technology, we’ll probably all start doing stuff like that in the future. But it has to be sensible and easy to do in order to get mass adoption. Q. Among your initiatives is a “cloud-first” approach to data storage. How will this affect taxpayers and the systems the government has in place? A. It gives us an opportunity to modernize our IT infrastructure. The cost savings we are seeing, because you don’t have to staff up the people power you run on, you can rely on the great American businesses to run it. The Department of Agriculture took all of their emails and moved them to the cloud, and it now costs one-third of the price for storage. That’s tens, hundreds of millions of dollars of savings over the years. Q. What role will technology have in the U.S. economy going forward? A. It is playing a role now and it will continue to. I hearken back to when I was a kid growing up in Iowa in the mid-’80s. I remember vividly, coming out of that recession, how people were saying our best days were behind us and we were destined to become a services economy, and other parts of the world, like Japan and China, were cleaning the world’s clocks on innovation. ARPANET (which would lead to the Internet) was a lot of investment in entrepreneurs that were starting to foster a quiet phenomenon behind the scenes. That then became the personal computer phenomenon. This administration (is) focused on entrepreneurs and driving this new wave. We still have another great moment waiting for us ahead. Q. How did your work at Microsoft prepare you for the work you have done since you left? A. When I was hired right out of ISU, Microsoft was still a pretty small company. I got to manage and work at an American company that saw incredible growth over its time. I came to this job with the expectation of a pace of innovation and a set of expectations of driving results. Every day (at Microsoft) was focused on driving profits up and costs down. Now, the profit is services offered to American citizens, and our shareholders are the American people. Cost-containment is the order of the day and we have to focus on how to innovate on a flat or declining budget.

Q. What do you miss most about growing up in Iowa, and what did you take from your childhood in Cherokee and time at ISU? A. My favorite activity was going fishing with my dad and going to Arnolds Park in Lake Okoboji. I miss that. The Midwestern values that just come along with growing up in the Midwest. Work ethic and focus on family and everything else. I miss the sweet corn in the fall. When Microsoft hired me out of ISU, they moved me to Dallas. People all around brand Iowans with a strong work ethic and it probably comes from the rural roots of growing up in Iowa. Also, I really value the public educational system in Iowa. I have held my own with people from everywhere else, and it was the Iowa state education system that started it.

DOES NOT CHANGING RISK EXTINCTION? Mike Cormack – D.E. Legislative Contact – (excerpt from April School Leader)

Have you shopped lately at Montgomery Ward, Borders, Woolworth, Circuit City, or Builders Square? Want to test drive a new Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mercury or Ply-mouth? Dine at a Howard Johnsons or Chi-Chi’s? Fly on TWA or Braniff recently? Why did those companies fade away? They were once thriving businesses that held major market share in this country and once provided services that produced profits. Still other companies survive today but are not the market leaders they once were. I still shop at Sears and Kmart, but I find fewer folks who do. I can remember a time when Kmart was dominant, and there was some little company from Arkansas moving into our state. I also remember a convenience store opening down the street and how exciting it was for a slush machine to appear in my neighborhood. Walmart and Casey’s are innovative. Sears and Kmart are struggling to survive. Starbucks and Subway both have more customers than Burger King, which would have been unthink-able earlier in my lifetime. Which of those three hasn’t been innovative or creative during this time period? How about the renaissance of Apple Computer, which struggled to remain relevant and now can’t do wrong in the marketplace with any of its products? As a former teacher, coach, and legislator, my question is simple: Has education been innovative during this time period? Would a classroom today look much different than a classroom of 20 years ago? Is the Iowa educational system Kmart or Walmart? We were once the undisputed education leader in the nation. Are we that today?

CONGRATS!!! To our Iowa ASBO legal beagle

At its business meeting in Boston on Saturday, April 21, the National School Boards Association, Council of School Attorneys elected Danielle Haindfield to its Board of Directors. COSA is a membership organization of 37 affiliate state councils, over 3,000 attorneys nationwide, who work to improve the practice of school law and prevent lawsuits against public schools. Danielle carries on a Firm tradition of service to COSA. Both Ed Bittle and Jim Hanks are former presidents of the COSA Board. Danielle has served as Iowa ASBO’s legal counsel for several years and has been a most valuable resource to IASBO members. Please extend your congratulations to Danielle.

We are suffering from a trust deficit. Indeed, we have a trust deficit in this country as big if not bigger than the federal deficit. Almost everybody is wondering who they can trust.

You see it in RELATIONSHIPS ... where cynicism has overtaken faith. Many people feel like singer Rod Stewart quipped, "Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house." You see it in the MEDIA ... where biased advocacy has replaced unbiased reporting. As Alvin Toffler, the author of "Future Shock," wrote, "We are increasing the sophistication of deception faster than the technology of verification. The consequence of that is the end of truth. The dark side of the information technology explosion is that it will breed a population that believes nothing, and perhaps even more dangerous, a population ready to believe only one 'truth' fanatically and willing to kill for it." And you see the trust deficit in POLITICS ... where the occasional stupidity of some politicians has gotten more attention than the good things they have accomplished. You simply expect the talk shows to be filled with jokes about politicians. As Groucho Marx put it, "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies." More recently, Jay Leno noted, "Barack Obama said today that politics has become too gummed up by money and influence ... and then he had to leave to attend a fundraiser." The point is simple. If we're going to have organizations and relationships that work, we've got to be in the business of trust building. The challenge of establishing trusting relationships takes time, for trust does not sprout quickly or automatically last forever. Rather it emerges over time and requires careful ongoing attention. Trust "requires careful ongoing attention with the following elements to be critical in that process. 1. Be open. Tell it the way you see it. Share the way you feel. Refrain from being secretive or coy. Let people know you ... because it's very difficult to trust an unknown commodity. It's a lesson that Rusty had to learn the hard way. As his friend Mike described it, they were at a dance one night ... during which Rusty struck up a conversation with an attractive young woman. Soon afterwards, Rusty came over to Mike with a big smile on his face and a scrap of paper in his hand. "She works for the phone company, and I think she likes me because she gave me her number." Rusty beamed. Then he unfolded the paper. It read "Dial 0." She wasn't open ... which was her choice, of course. But a lack of openness will always destroy trust ... if that is what you are trying to establish.

By contrast, Jack Benny demonstrated his willingness to be seriously open despite the fact he was a well-known comedian. He did that when he was invited to perform at the White House. When he arrived at the White House gate with his violin case under his arm, a burly guard blocked his way and tersely asked what was in the case. "A machine gun," Benny replied. The guard said, "Oh that's fine, Mr. Benny. Go right in. For a moment there I was afraid it was your violin." Quick to respond, Benny said, "I'm not going to play the violin, I promise. But I'm going to talk about some things that may be equally unpleasant." If you're going to build trust, you've got to be open but beyond openness, you must... 2. Be honest. The fact is ... dishonesty and trust cannot co-exist. You've got to be honest ... even if it hurts you once in a while. An employee received an unusually large pay check one day, but she decided not to say anything about it. The following week her check was less than the normal amount; so she confronted her boss about it.

Her supervisor asked, "How come you didn't say anything when you were overpaid?" Unruffled the employee replied, "Well I can overlook one mistake -- but two in a row?" The employee's lack of candor did nothing but hurt their working relationship. Candor is a compliment; it implies equality. It's how true friends talk. One caution: Some people think that they've found a real friend or a true ally if another person will lie for them ... occasionally ... when needed. I don't buy it. I say, "People who will lie for you will lie to you." They can't be trusted. 3. Be competent. You probably know people who have the previous two qualities; they're open and honest. But you still can't trust them because they're incompetent. Many people are promoted to a position of leadership because of their technical competence, but they may not be interpersonally competent. And then everyone suffers as a result. To inspire trust and confidence in people, a leader must have a degree of competence in both areas. If the leader doesn't have that, if the leader is incompetent, he takes the focus off the organization's vision and values and places it on to his own behavior. If the people working for an incompetent leader have a high degree of skill, they're continually worrying about their leader messing things up. And if the employees don't have much experience, they won't know what to do. Either way, productivity and morale suffer when people can't be trusted.

4. Be concerned about the other person's welfare. To have someone trust you, they need to know that you have a genuine interest in their interests. Indeed, the best salespeople do it all the time. They get to know their customers and prospects. They learn about their customers' and prospects' likes and dislikes, goals, dreams, pet peeves, hobbies, and hot buttons. One of my friends demonstrated that when she called her father from the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. In amazement, he asked her what she was doing at the race track. She replied, "As you know, Dad, as a sales manager most of my customers are home builders. Every time we're together, all they seem to talk about is NASCAR racing. If I'm going to have a chance of beating out my competitors in this market, I'm going to have to be able to participate in conversations that include NASCAR. That's why I'm here." Her interest in her customers' interests made her a trusted vendor ... much more so than any other salesperson who just walked in the door to get the sale. She learned about their interests and was able to talk to them about those things. But she also gave her customers the listening they needed. One of the surest ways to build trust and make someone feel important is to listen ... really listen to them. And by contrast, the refusal to listen to someone is just about the surest way of making them feel unimportant and unwilling to trust you. One little listening tip here. When the other person asks you a question, in addition to listening carefully to what he/she has to say, pause before you answer them. This gives them the impression you have thought about what they said and it was worthy of thinking over. 5. Display good judgment. You may know someone who does all of the above. They are open, honest, competent, and concerned, but you still don't trust them ... because they display poor judgment. It doesn't mean that they are necessarily bad people, but you simply cannot trust the judgments they make. They seem to lack the wisdom or common sense that makes it possible to trust them in certain areas or with certain tasks. So yes, you have to be discerning with whom you trust with what. Such was the case with little Maggie. When her mother became sick with the flu and had to stay in bed, Maggie wanted to be a good nurse. She fluffed

the pillows and brought a magazine to her mother to read. And then she even showed up with a surprise cup of tea. "Why, you're such a sweetheart," the mother said as she drank the tea. "I didn't know you even knew how to make tea." "Oh yes," the little girl replied. "I learned by watching you. I put the tea leaves in the teapot, and then I put in the water. I boiled it and then I strained it into a cup. But I couldn't find a strainer, so I used the fly swatter instead." "You what?" the mother screamed. The little girl said, "Oh, don't worry, Mom. I didn't use the new fly swatter. I used the old one!" Obviously she had good intentions but poor judgment. Follow points 1 through 5. You will build trust and you will be trusted. In fact, you will build relationships that have tremendous staying power. Edward Reede from U.S. Army told me about that when I was speaking at his military base. He said, "I grew up near Amish farmers. They were loyal to a fault to their seed and fertilizer suppliers. I even knew one elderly man, who had retired from his seed trade twenty years earlier, but had to place orders for his Amish neighbors each Spring because of the special trust he developed with them. The Amish wouldn't go to anyone else." Action: What are you doing to maintain and/or build the trust in your relationships? What else do you need to do? ©2011 Reprinted with permission from Dr. Alan Zimmerman, a full-time professional speaker who specializes in attitude, motivation, and leadership programs that pay off. For more information on his programs ... or to receive your own free subscription to the 'Tuesday Tip' ... go to http://www.drzimmerman.com/ or call 800-621-7881. .

Web-Based Budgeting —an Alternative to Spreadsheet Budgeting Author: Tom Olson    Good budgeting practices are designed to minimize errors and inconsistencies, and spreadsheets are the de facto tool for budgeting. Spreadsheets are widely used for statistical analysis; and while they are incredibly useful tools, they are practical only to a certain point. As productivity tools, they lack the collaborative capabilities necessary in developing accurate, cohesive budgets.   Organizations need not settle for the limited functionality of simple spreadsheets when their financial planning process involves multiple units, requires real‐time access to data and demands comprehensive security. Web‐based budgeting software is emerging as a viable alternative to the traditional spreadsheet, and has empowered organizations to make cohesive budgets with immense savings in time and effort.   Why Spreadsheets are Losing Their Appeal for Budgeting  Creating a well‐designed error‐free spreadsheet is a laborious process that consumes countless hours of administrative time. Studies reveal that 90 percent of all spreadsheets contain at least one error. Types of spreadsheet errors include functional errors, outlier errors and stealth errors, which range in severity from low to high. Spreadsheet errors occur for many reasons, including logic mistakes, incorrect formulas, accidentally overwritten formulas and misuse of built‐in functions. Many school business managers and administrators are not adequately trained on how to work with spreadsheets.   The inability of spreadsheets to provide real‐time feedback and standardized reporting makes the process far more cumbersome and far less collaborative than it should be. Though some spreadsheet applications contain functions for predicting future trends and outcomes, these methods are often unreliable and inaccurate. There are many limitations of using spreadsheets for the budgeting process. Some shortcomings include:   

• Data distribution and consolidation is time‐consuming and error‐prone.  • Linking multiple worksheets or workbooks is time consuming and can be difficult. Thus isolated sets of 

information are often disconnected, and information has to be shared by e‐mailing spreadsheets back and forth.  

• Balancing security and the need to share information is complicated with sharing, protecting and un‐protecting worksheets, workbooks, and cells involve wasted effort.  

• With spreadsheets, there is never just one set of facts. Operating with critical information scattered around the organization in spreadsheets is a virtual guarantee that at least some key members of the management team will be working from old, out‐of‐date numbers.  

• Re‐forecasting is infrequent.  • Spreadsheets are not very user‐friendly to non‐financial users such as school principals or administrative 

staff.   Web‐Based Budgeting Applications  Web‐based software is emerging to present a viable alternative to the traditional spreadsheet, and organizations that have made the change are experiencing benefits. Web‐based budgeting applications empower your organization with more accurate budgets and forecasts, faster planning cycles and foster a collaborative management environment in one integrated system. An alternative to spreadsheet‐based budgeting, planning, forecasting and reporting enable school business officials, budget managers, budget directors and CFO's to respond better to today's unprecedented financial and operational pressures; and improve control over financial performance.   

There are numerous web‐based budgeting applications that automate the budgeting and forecasting process, serve to reduce budget cycle time, eliminate calculation errors and generate integrated financial statements. It’s now possible to develop a better budget in less time using the latest web‐based budgeting and planning applications. There is no complicated software to install since these applications are online. They will let you design custom budgets that meet your organization’s needs, keeping you in charge of how your budget works and who has access to it.   How does Web‐Based Budgeting Work?  Web‐based budgeting consists of a single system into which, and from which, all the data flow and all the controls operate. Information is shared, shaped, and created by everyone who has a stake in it. It’s a dynamic system, responsive to every change and articulating the implications of those changes throughout the system to every sector in real time. Having a web interface that allows broad participation in the process along with a central application and database enables school districts to easily gather and share information from various schools. Unlike a fragmented set of spreadsheets, budget software houses all the data in a single repository and allows user changes and calculations to flow with speed and integrity throughout the entire budget.   Users located anywhere can use their Internet browser and intuitive web‐forms populated with new targets and historical data to quickly make budget changes. When complete, final numbers are automatically consolidated for a complete review and approval by executive management. Data can be transferred between the budget software and other databases resulting in reduced time requirements and fewer errors.   The ability to use a secure web connection to work with budget data allows everyone to access the budget information at anytime from wherever Internet connectivity is available. A web‐hosted application will usually include the budgeting, planning, forecasting and reporting capabilities that any organization wants, without additional IT requirements or lengthy implementation cycles. It combines a flexible, easy‐to‐use, spreadsheet style interface with a hosted, easy‐to‐deploy application framework that is affordable, quick to implement and offers a low total cost of ownership.   Benefits of Web‐Based Budgeting  

• Provides multi‐user access yet presents a consolidated and single source of information  • User administration enables controlled access to budget groups  • Fewer errors due to standardized calculations for all budget groups  • Rapid, broad adoption and reduced learning curve  • Promote increased accountability in staffing and an increased level of information  • Greater consistency and minimal training required  • Most have secure 128 bit encryption, which offers the same level of security as banks  • Scenario analysis permits the users to see the consequences of various decisions  

 What to Look for in a Web‐Based Budgeting Application?  If you’ve decided to consider a move away from spreadsheets, and have determined which type of solution and vendor fits your business and budget, the next step is to evaluate specific aspects of budgeting and planning software. The ideal solution for your web‐based budgeting and financial planning should fulfill certain criteria such as:   

• Easy to implement, use and own. At the core, you need a solution that has the financial logic built directly into the terminals your team will use. End users can enter data they know from everyday operations without having to develop or maintain complex formulas or macros.  

• Integration. The budgeting, planning and review cycle requires an organization to integrate information from its older accounting system (and potentially other enterprise systems) into the process. The web‐based budget software should have demonstrated experience in this area.  

• Close the data gap. You need a solution that ties every user’s data into the same centralized relational database. This allows everyone to see the same financial data, or whatever portion of the data they need to see. Any changes you make are applied in real‐time, so you can make critical decisions faster and more confidently, knowing that your data is always relevant, accurate, and up‐to‐the‐minute.  

• Easy Migration. Data should be seamlessly transferred between the budget software and older databases, resulting in a smooth transition and fewer compatibility errors.  

• Reporting takes center stage. You must get a financial planning solution that provides easy and comprehensive reporting options, without costly and time consuming programming. You want your users to produce insightful reports at any level of detail with just a few mouse clicks.  

• Makes collaboration easy. Look for a solution that is designed with the non‐financial user in mind, using dashboards and data entry screens that are intuitive to use, easy to enter data and to run reports without relying on IT or finance professionals.  

• Flexible. Organizations must be able to easily modify their model to adjust to changes, such as the addition of a new line, a new department or a new office. Look for a budgeting application that has matching adaptability. It should also give you flexibility, to update your forecast to reflect current realities as the conditions surrounding your business change.  

• Summarized financial data is available anytime. The right financial planning software will automatically tie your balance sheet, cash flow and other indicators together to ensure 100% accuracy and synchronization.  

• Minimize IT resources. The right solution should be implemented easily by your finance team, with virtually no IT support. They should be able to import data from other sources, create financial models and make changes as needed, generate financial statements and run management reports without using precious IT resources.  

• Minimize changes to your existing account structure. The software should work with your existing system of accounts with no need for you to modify it. It should not require you to truncate account names, condense accounts into fewer levels or make you perform other ‘tricks’ to make your data fit the system.  

• Evolves with you. You need a solution that keeps pace with your organization in both size and cost. Spreadsheets are hard to scale to large numbers of users, and you risk mistakes proliferating with more and more people working in those spreadsheets. Larger solutions won’t shrink when you need to scale back.  

 Make the Right Choice for Your Organization  Effective and efficient financial management is a critical function in any organization, regardless of size. Dynamic and growing school districts want to replace standalone spreadsheets they now use in their budgeting and planning process with a dedicated online application. Organizations and institutions that want to use budgeting simply for fiscal control will benefit because they will make their process far more efficient, and valuable resources can be used for matters that are more important. School districts that decide to use web‐based budgeting as a performance management tool will find that migrating from spreadsheets to a dedicated online solution promotes more effective management. Tom Olson is president and CEO of MyBudgetFile.Inc..and former associate superintendent of business and finance for the Parkland School, Division No. 70, Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada www.mybudgetfile.com    Other web‐based budget systems identified through a Google search included: Adaptive Planning Mint Capterra Host Analytics 

Bridges to the Future Scholarship Program

The Bridges to the Future Scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for new and aspiring school business officials to network with colleagues, participate in professional development, and explore the variety of school business management resources ASBO International offers. ASBO International and MetLife award 20 scholarships of $2,000 each for attendance to the association’s Annual Meeting and Exhibits in Phoenix, AZ October 12-15, 2012. Scholarship Benefits

• Opportunity to attend the association's Annual Meeting and Exhibits

• Pre-conference workshop and networking luncheon at the annual meeting specifically for Bridges recipients

• Free access to ASBO’s Live Learning Center that will capture more than 75 hours of professional development from the 2012 Annual Meeting.

Do You Qualify? The scholarship applicant must be a school business official who has been in the profession for five years or less and who is an ASBO International member at the time the scholarship application is submitted. Apply Before June 1, 2012. Download the brochure and application from the ASBO Intl website at: asbointl.org or : http://www.asbointl.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=BridgestotheFutureProgram&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4270 Congratulations to past Bridges to the Future scholarship Iowa recipients. 2005 - Kurt Subra – West Des Moines 2006 - Shelly Clifford - Urbandale Vicki Schmid - Preston 2007 - Kim Arndt – West Central Joan Loew – Oelwein

Heather Rubel – Sioux City Jodi Severson – Boone 2008 - Paulette J. Newbold - Boone Eric W. Small - Wapello

Beth Weepie - Dunkerton 2009 - Melissa A. Fettkether - Valley Community School District 2012 - __?____ Questions about the Bridges to the Future Scholarship? Contact ASBO's Vee Boehringer, 866/ 682-2729 x7069, vboehringer@asbointl.org

Please welcome these IASBO Associate members for 2011-12 When your district is in need of services or products these vendors provide be sure

to contact them for pricing and service.

SILVER LEVEL PARTNERS  Perspecive Consulting Stacy Wanderscheid 2670 ‐ 106th Street, Suite 240 Urbandale, IA  50322 Email: stacyw@perspectivecp.com Phone: 515-875-4838 Timberline Billing Service LLC 2231 NW 108th St, Ste 1 Clive, IA 50325. Phone: 515-222-0827 Email:Dann.stevens@timberlinebilling.com www.timberlinebilling.com timberline@lycos.com Piper Jaffray Inc. Timothy J.Oswald – Deb Harmsen 3900 Ingersoll Ave. Suite 110 Des Moines, IA 50312 515-247-2358 timothy.j.oswald@pjc.com ClaimAid 8141 Zionsville Rd. Indianapolis, Indiana 46268 Contact: Chas LaPierre clapierre@claimaid.com 317-777-7539 www.claimaid.com Jester Ins. Services John Seefeld 303 Watson Powell Jr. Way Des Moines, IA 50309 jseefeld@jesterinsurance.com Bohnsack & Frommelt LLP 9911 84th Street West Taylor Ridge, IL 61284 www.govermentalservice.com Sarah Bohnsack, Partner 563.343.9595 Sarah@governmentalservice.com Mia Frommelt, Partner 913.660.3931 Mia@governmentalservice.com

Educator Benefit Consultants Paige McNeil 3125 Airport Parkway N.E. Cambridge, Minnesota 55008 http://www.ebcsolutions.com/ Paige@ebcsolutions.com 763-562-6053 Chartwells School Dining Services Suzy Matuska 102 13th Ave SW Kasson, MN 55944 www.chartwells.com suzy.matuska@compass-usa.com 612-518-8816 Horace Mann Cindy Dornbush 10612 Monroe St, #1 Omaha NE 68127 www.horacemann.com cindy.dornbush@horacemann.com 402-680-9382 SODEXO Doris Timmen 3020 Woodcreek Drive, Suite B Downers Grove, IL 60515 312-802-3731 www.sodexo.com doris.timmen@sodexo.com IEC – Illinois Energy Consortium Ron Steigerwald, Marketing Director 3051 Cyprus Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 www.illec.org 847.567.3051 rsteigerwald@hotmail.com

BRONZE LEVEL PARTNERS Debbie Ogrizovich - MJCare 2448 S. 102nd St. Suite 340 Milwaukee, WI 53227 414-329-2420 Brian Holland – School Dude 11000 Regency Parkway, Suite 200 Cary, NC 27518 919-816-8237 David Schmidt, Ph.D. – TIAA-CREF 200 North LaSalle, Suite 1600 Chicago, Illinois 60601 dschmidt@tiaa-cref.org

Steve Hewitt - ING 909 Locust St. MS 155 Des Moines, IA 50309 Steve.hewitt@us.ing.com Ryan Heine – Software Unlimited 5015 S. Broadband Ln Sioux Falls, S.D. 57108 rph@su-inc.com 605-361-207

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COUNSEL’S CORNER

By: Danielle Jess Haindfield

IASBO General Counsel

SBO Authorization Program - Legal and Practical Tips -

A whole new world will soon become a reality for any individuals deemed to be a “School Business Official” (“SBO”) in Iowa schools. Many questions have arisen regarding the July 1, 2012 implementation of the SBO Authorization Program and what, if anything, business officials, school boards, and/or administrators should be doing to embrace and/or successfully implement the SBO Authorization Program. This article, written after consultation with the Iowa Department of Education, seeks to answer some of those questions and also provide some guidance and helpful tips to business officials, as well as their administrators and boards as they embark upon this “new world”. 1. Q. Is a school district’s board of directors legally required to approve an individual as an SBO for

their respective school district? A. The rules governing the SBO Authorization Program do not legally require a school board to

formally approve or appoint the District’s designated SBO(s) either initially or on an annual basis. However, if a designated SBO also serves as the Board Secretary, he/she must continue to be appointed annually by the Board as required by Iowa law.

2. Q. Who then designates a person as an SBO and how is that done? A. For SBOs hired before July 1, 2012, the Superintendent must complete and submit to the Board of

Educational Examiners (“BoEE”) a form so as to designate an employee as a school district SBO. Accordingly, it will be up to each district superintendent (hopefully in consultation with the district’s business office) to determine who or which individuals should be designated as SBOs for their respective districts. Once a person receives a school business authorization, under the rules that person may then perform, supervise, and be responsible for the overall financial operation of the school district.

For SBOs hired after July 1, 2012, presumably a different BoEE form/process will need to be

completed and followed by prospective SBOs and their respective districts. The rules only state that “Effective July 1, 2012 a person who is interested in a school business official authorization shall apply for authorization . . . and submit records of credit to the BoEE for evaluation in terms of required hours and courses.”The BoEE has yet to develop this form/process, but IASBO will forward this information on to members as soon as it is available. Once completed, the rules state that the BoEE application form shall be available at www.boee.iowa.gov.

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3. Q. Even though it is not legally required, are there other reasons a schools district may want to have the board of directors approve or at least review its SBO designation?

A. The Department of Education has specifically indicated that while it is not legally necessary and it

does not intend to compel school board approval of designated SBOs, it still believes it is likely a good idea for school boards to approve it, particularly due to the SBO’s fiduciary role with their boards. If school boards do become involved, the school board review and/or approval would not be necessary annually, just whenever an initial designation is made for either a current or new SBO.

Additionally, from a practical standpoint, if you take the issue to the school board to get approval

this would provide an ideal opportunity for the superintendent and SBO to educate the board about the about the new SBO Authorization Program, the intent behind the law and the standards and criteria now in effect, as applicable, to the SBO position.

It is recommended that even if you don’t take the SBO designation to the Board for formal

approval, the administration would be wise to inform the school board, if they have not already, about the SBO Authorization Program, its new standards and criteria and what this Program means to the District in both the short term and long term.

4. Q. What other issues may be relevant to SBOs and their school districts related to the new SBO

Authorization Program and its implementation? A. i. SBOs should note that under the rules for the new SBO Authorization Program the criteria of

professional practice and rules of the Board of Educational Examiners (i.e. Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics and the Rights and Responsibilities described in Iowa Administrative Code chapters 25 and 26) are now applicable to those holding SBO authorizations. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that all SBOs review the BOEE rules and criteria on professional practice because a violation of those rules and criteria could lead to the suspension or revocation of an SBO Authorization (similar to the suspension or revocation of a teacher license for failure to meet those professional practice rules and responsibilities).

ii. Schools should review and consider updating for next year the job descriptions for all

employees in the district’s business office and not just those designated as SBOs. Due to the standards and criteria and authorizations for SBOs, many schools may likely need to shift some responsibilities around from and to the various business office employees. For those smaller districts with only one business office employee, the job description for that individual should still be reviewed to ensure it encompasses those standards and criteria outlined in the rules. The new SBO standards and criteria basically create a roadmap for an SBO job description. Not all standards and criteria may apply, but most will.

iii. As legal counsel for school districts we will likely be advising, if asked, that school districts

should create new employment contract forms for SBOs which incorporate by reference the new standards and criteria now required of SBOs. Not every standard and criteria will apply to all SBOs, so that is why a careful review of job descriptions is critical.

iv. It is also likely now that standards and criteria must be met and maintained by SBOs that

superintendents and/or school boards may be wise to have more formal evaluations conducted of SBOs to analyze their performance in connection with those applicable standards and criteria. Again, it will be critical for SBOs to ensure that their own job

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description(s) accurately reflect(s) what they do and that an SBO only be evaluated against those standards and criteria that directly apply to their jobs. For example, Standard 3, Criteria (g) states that the SBO “as the official district custodian of records” must file and preserve all required documents and reports. Not all SBOs are the official custodian of district records, so those SBOs who are not the official custodian, should not be evaluated on this specific standard/criteria.

For those current SBOs who have not reviewed and/or become familiar with: 1) the rules governing the new SBO Authorization Program, 2) the Program’s standards and criteria and 3) the Program application form for superintendent signature and submittal to the BoEE, and 4) the BoEE Professional and Ethical rules and standards now governing SBOs, the time to act is now. July1st will be here in just a couple of short months. If there are questions about the SBO Authorization Program, they may be directed to the BoEE, the Department of Education or school district legal counsel. The purpose of this column is to identify issues. It does not purport to be exhaustive or to render legal advice. You should consult with qualified counsel or other professionals in developing responses to specific situations. 00863641-1\15587-000

Iowa ASBO Dates to Remember July 17, 2012 – Bootcamp for beginning School Business Officials (how to survive the first 90 days) July 19, 2012 - IASBO Leadership Conference for IASBO Board, committees, regional directors, past presidents September 27, 2012 – IASBO conference on “Building Construction From the Ground Up” – focus on finance, contracts, bidding, long term record requirements etc. October 12-15, 2012 ASBO International Annual Meeting and Exhibits, Phoenix, Arizona October 24, 2012 – Bootcamp 2 for new Board Secretaries and School Business Officers at the West Des Moines Sheraton October 24-26, 2012 - IASBO Fall Conference at the West Des Moines Sheraton IASBO 50th Anniversary Celebration Activities October 24 – New Bd. Sect. Workshop Casino and costume event at West Des Moines Sheraton – 7-10 p.m. October 25 – IASBO Conference – full day Banquet, program, entertainment, dance at Iowa Event Center – 7-11 p.m. October 26 – Conference sessions – Academy and IASBO – full day March 27-28, 2013 IASBO - Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Scheman Center in Ames, Iowa May 15-17, 2013 - Iowa School Business Management Academy, Scheman Center in Ames October 25-28, 2013 - ASBO International Annual Meeting and Exhibits, Boston, Mass. September 19-22, 2014 - ASBO International Annual Meeting and Exhibits, Orlando, Florida Oct 30- Nov 2, 2015 - ASBO International Annual Meeting and Exhibits, Dallas, Texas