By: Angie McArthur, CFO, MSBO President, Superintendent, Engadine Consolidated Schools

I have recently returned from ASBO International’s Executive Leadership Forum. The intention of this forum is to bring together leaders in the school business management community to share hands-on experiences and show best practices that will enhance their school districts’ business practices. Read more.

By: J. Thomas Goodwin, CFO, Board Member, Chief Financial Officer, Grand Ledge Public Schools

One of our responsibilities as business managers is to advise the school board and superintendent regarding the financial impact of proposed legislation. With legislative “reforms” being enacted at an ever-increasing rate it is becoming more important to get out ahead of these changes lest we get steamrolled. Read more.

MSBO Executive Director David Martell talks about staff preparation for MSBO’s 75th Annual Conference, the Oxford Foundation and state school aid as well as announces the conference registrant who is the February winner of a MSBO logo garment bag.
Watch the video.

The MSBO Board of Directors recently received the Nominations Committee’s decision of five candidates for open Board of Director positions. There will also be one candidate for the open President-Elect position. Read more.

Be sure to mark your calendars and save April 23-25, 2013 to attend MSBO’s 75th Annual Conference & Exhibit Show! The MSBO Annual Conference & Exhibit Show is the most comprehensive and cost effective professional development opportunity for school business officials in Michigan. This conference is appropriate for all school business professionals in the areas of accounting, finance, payroll, pupil accounting, facilities, transportation, technology, and nutritional services. Read more.

Layoffs, tenure and evaluations are a major legal issue this year. Protect yourself and your district by learning from MASB's all-star lineup at their 2013 labor relations conference, also co-sponsored by MASA and MSBO! Be sure to book your calendars for March 14 and 15, to attend this year’s conference appropriately titled Bargaining in a New World. Sessions will address all the critical issues local districts are facing. Read more.

Ensuring the safety of students can often be challenging. Not only do you have to prevent physical hazards, like slippery hallways, science lab accidents, or peanut allergies, but students need help with mental and emotional stressors too, including teasing, intimidation, or the pressures of a rigorous academic schedule that can overwhelm a student. Keeping track of the core training requirements schools must provide to their employees is often a challenging task. Read more.

Google’s 2013 Doodle 4 Google Contest gives students across the U.S. the chance to display their own Google doodle. K-12 students have the opportunity to win a $30,000 college scholarship from Google and a $50,000 technology grant for the scholarship winner’s school.
Read more.

A savvy business official will help you prepare a budget and teach you the accounting terminology to help you work more efficiently with your business office. Who should attend: board members, administrators, accounting specialists, and business office staff who are not directly involved with or are new to the financial reporting of a school district. Read more.