california

California Association of School Business Officials

schoolbusinessWinter 2012

A DISCIPLINEDAPPROACH

A strand-by-strand look atschool business challenges

BOND BEST PRACTICESPros advise on how to avoid pitfallswhen spending bond bucks

POLISHED & PROFESSIONAL Missteps can hamper career advancement

2 | California School Business

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Winter 2012 | 3

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Winter 2012 | 5

contents departments 9 Checking in Five minutes to refocus. It works! Molly McGee Hewitt

13 Bottom line Step away from ‘what if’ and be part of the solution Michael Johnston

15 In focus CASBO member profile: Steve Bolman

17 In focus CASBO associate member profile: Gail Beal 46 Book club Take the Lead: Motivate, Inspire and Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Everyone Around You

48 Career Rx Best and worst lists for career advancement

51 Out & about Photos from CASBO events

54 Last words

cover story30 A disciplined approach A strand-by-strand look at school business challenges Julie Phillips Randles

interview19 Association leader has broad experience in education industry William Bushaw shares insight into public school poll Julie Phillips Randles

features22 Bond best practices Pros advise on how to avoid pitfalls when spending bond bucks Craig W. Anderson

40 Polished and professional Missteps can hamper career advancement Linda A. Estep

Volume 77 Number 4 Winter 2012

22

15

40

6 | California School Business

publisher

editor in chief

features editor

contributors

design/layout

advertising art

casbo officers

president

president-elect

vice president

immediate past president

advertising sales manager

Molly McGee Hewitt

Kevin Swartzendruber

Julie Phillips Randles

Craig W. Anderson

Linda A. Estep

Sharon Adlis

Lori Mattas

Michael JohnstonClovis Unified School District

Rich BusePajaro Valley Unified School District

Vincent ChristakosHemet Unified School District

Gary MatsumotoHacienda La Puente Unified School District

CiCi TrinoAssociation Outsource Services, Inc. 115 Spring Water Way Folsom, CA 95630 916.990.9999

www.casbo.org

California School Business (ISSN# 1935-0716) is published quarterly by the California Association of School BusinessOfficials, 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 447-3783. $2 of CASBO membership dues goes towardthe subscription to California School Business magazine. The subscription rate for each CASBO nonmember is $20. Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento and at additional mailing office. Send address changes to the CASBO membership department at 1001 K Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Articles published in California School Business are edited for style, content and space prior to publication. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent CASBO policies or positions. Endorsement by CASBO of products and services advertised in California School Business is not implied or expressed.

Copyright 2012 CASBO. All rights reserved. The contents of the publication may not be reproduced by any means, in wholeor in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Published December 2012

ABOUT CASBO

A private, nonprofit corporation,

CASBO was founded in 1928 and

is the oldest statewide school

administrator’s organization in

California. Association members

are the voice of the industry

and oversee all areas of school

business management and

operations, including finance,

accounting, payroll, human

resources, risk management,

transportation, school nutrition,

maintenance and operations,

information technology, purchasing,

school safety and school facilities.

CASBO MISSION

The mission of CASBO, the leader

in school business management,

is to set the standard for best

business practices and policies

that support public education

through high-quality professional

development and effective advocacy,

communication and collaboration.

STRATEGIC PLAN

In April 2007, the association

adopted its new strategic plan

that will serve as a road map for

the organization’s activities for the

next several years in the areas of

administration and governance,

professional development,

advocacy and policy, marketing

and communications, and

membership and partnerships.

For more details on the strategic

plan, visit our website at www.

casbo.org. The plan can be found

under the “organization” link.

Winter 2012 | 7

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Winter 2012 | 9

checkingin

Five minutes to refocus.It works!

For school business professionals, the concept of shifting priorities and duties is a daily event.

At this time of year, I sometimes find it hard to find my focus. It seems that we have so many projects, programs, opportunities, calls, emails, meetings and general “stuff” to do that keeping focus is a continual challenge. The list of what I planned to accomplish today or this week becomes fiction before the ink is even dry! Everything is important, and everything requires immediate attention.

Focus is a key characteristic for successful leaders and professionals. Keeping your focus and accomplishing what needs to be done, regardless of the distractions or obstacles, requires determination, passion and perseverance. It requires crystal clarity of priorities and the ability to triage other issues.

In an emergency room, the staff is taught to use triage techniques. That means they take the most critical patients first. As a mother who had sons who played sports, I hated this concept. With concussions, sprains or broken bones, we were often forced to wait while heart patients or the critically injured were taken first. I understood the concept, but the reality of sitting there with a hurting child was tough to handle. I knew that our issue was not critical – and for that I was grateful – but I wanted them out of pain and getting help as soon as possible.

For school business professionals, the concept of shifting priorities and duties is a daily event. In the last five years, we have not been involved in business as usual, but in business at its most unusual. We have laid off, cut back, been furloughed, taken pay cuts, taken cuts in our benefits packages, had our retirement questioned, taken on more duties and held to more scrutiny than ever before. This shifting of duties and priorities has often forced us to triage more and has made the concept of focus harder and harder to achieve.

Focus, even in times of crisis and challenge, is possible. It does require flexibility and patience, but it can be accomplished. It can be the touchstone that we are all seeking. When the work around us goes crazy, taking a five-minute focus break can bring us back to reality. The ability to analyze the situation, determine the issue, quantify its importance or timeliness, identify what role we play in the situation, decide on our course of action and ask ourselves how this fits in with our priorities can help to keep us on track. Focus also helps us to better reflect on what we do have, rather than wasting time on what we don’t have! It allows us to express gratitude and appreciation. It reminds us of the influence we have, the great organizations we work with, the value of our colleagues and the importance of our work. School business officials, from every discipline, have a valued role to play in creating good schools. What you do impacts every student and every employee. Reminding ourselves of this fact is often overlooked.

I have joked that I work with the Rodney Dangerfield side of the education community. Despite what we do, we often have to fight for the respect we have earned. My work at CASBO has shown me that I do not work with the Rodney Dangerfield’s, but that I work with superheroes and superheroines. They have exceptional skills and the determination to get the job done. My goal at CASBO is to help the public and our educational colleagues recognize this fact, and to ensure that our members understand their value and contributions to education!

Wow … that five minute thing really works … my focus is restored! I hope yours is, too!

Molly McGee HewittExecutive Director

10 | California School Business

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Winter 2012 | 11

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bottomline

By Michael Johnston CASBO President

Step away from ‘what if’ and be part of the solution

We need every member of casbo, at everylevel of management, to become knowledgeable, proactive and involved.

Preparing to write this column before the November election was a daunting task. The big question of “what if” loomed large before every school business official. “What if” Proposition 30 does not pass? “What if” Proposition 38 does pass? “What if” both pass? And the “what if’s” continued. Now that the election is behind us, a whole new crop of “what if’s” has come to our attention.

While the leadership of casbo is enormously relieved by the passage of Proposition 30, we know that it is only a temporary reprieve for the funding of public schools in California. Without it, there is little doubt that we could not have sustained the caliber of education we now provide for our students. With it, we are still in a time of cautious op-timism, careful budgeting and tenuous decision-making. Proposition 30 was about holding on to where we were in the 2012-13 school year, and does not provide us relief in restoring people, pro-grams or pay raises.

Almost moments after the election, the issue of the Weighted Student For-mula returned to our legislative radar. Along with casbo Deputy Executive Director for Governmental Relations Jeff Vaca, and on behalf of casbo, I had the opportunity to attend the first of the three meetings on this issue. I was gratified to see some of our cbo member colleagues joining me at the table. I was disheart-ened to think that a subject as complex, controversial and important as this one would be determined in three meetings.

A Weighted Student Formula is a subject that is going to impact our mem-bers and their districts in the future. Last

year, the proposed formula was unac-ceptable to every major educational lead-ership organization, including casbo. It was presented without policy analysis or review, and without proper hearings and input. The proposed formula would have divided California public school districts into winners and losers, and would not have met financial needs in the base grant.

For a Weighted Student Formula to work in California, it is going to require careful analysis, input and involvement from school business officials and our educational colleagues. It must be a plan that addresses the inequities and provides solutions to the current fund-ing chaos.

Can it be done? I certainly hope so. Our children deserve a stable system of school finance that is not at the whim of the Legislature or a few special interest groups. Students in urban, rural, large, medium and small districts must have access to a quality education system.

What if we do nothing? That is likely the greatest “what if” of all. We cannot, as professionals, and as supporters of a free and public education system, sit back and do nothing. Our political advocacy efforts are at the forefront of our agenda. We need every member of casbo , at every level of management, to become knowledgeable, proactive and involved.

We need you to write letters, make phone calls, testify when invited – and perhaps most importantly – tell the story of what is happening in our schools and how the Weighted Student Formula, federal sequestration and the other issues before us will impact the students we serve.

I call upon you step away from the “what if’s” and instead join me in loudly proclaiming that we will be a part of the solution, and that we will make our voices known in Sacramento and in Washington, d.c.!

14 | California School Business

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Winter 2012 | 15

infocus

Winter 2012 | 15

Steve Bolman

Photography by Hope Harris

CBO to superintendentand happy to serve

Steve Bolman, superintendent at Petaluma City Schools, admits it’s a

tough time to be a school district superintendent. As a former CBO, he’s

had to adjust to both the politics and the public relations requirements

that the superintendency requires; not to mention taking on the role during

challenging funding times.

Still, he says, the supportive team at the district and their dedication to

ensuring that things run smoothly despite tough times makes the job

rewarding, and gives him the chance to serve the district where he has

worked for 20 years in a new capacity. “It’s a very challenging time for

school districts in the state, but I am really impressed with the morale of the

district and that people are being positive in difficult times,” Bolman noted.

“It’s an excellent fit and with the collegial nature of the relationships here,

this is the place I want to be.”

Bolman has been the superintendent at Petaluma City Schools since July

2011. He first joined Petaluma City Schools in 1992 and served as assistant

superintendent of business services and deputy superintendent of business

and administration. Prior to coming to Petaluma, Bolman was the CBO at

Centralia Elementary School District for six years, and the director of fiscal

services for Fullerton Elementary School District for three years. His first

role in school business was as chief accountant at Del Norte County

Office of Education and Unified School District. He holds an MBA from

the University of Redlands and is a certified chief business official.

Bolman, a CASBO member since 1981, is an avid volunteer, having served

as president of the Orange County subsection, chair of the Southern

Section Finance R&D, chair of the Professional Development Committee

and as a member of the Continuing Education and Certification Committee

(CECC). He currently serves on the Professional Standards and Leadership

Committee (PSLC).

He has long encouraged his colleagues to join the association, just as he

was encouraged to participate early in his career, in order to take advantage

of leading-edge professional development and the opportunities to serve

the industry. “In this district, we support management team members by

paying 50 percent of membership dues. We know the value to the district

of them being part of CASBO to stay up-to-date and current in their roles,”

Bolman explained.

“Being there with your colleagues and the best school business officials

in the state, the ability to get firsthand information, serving on committees,

those are some reasons why CASBO has been incredibly important to my

career,” Bolman added.

Partnering with You to Ensure Fiscal Responsibility

Definition: Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman (“VLS”) is a Certified Public Accounting and Business Consulting firm that has been serving California school districts since 1953.

Translation: We’re a group of capable, friendly people that care about having a positiveimpact on you and your school district. We guide you on the best business practices and procedures so that you can achieve your goals, meet regulatory compliance and protect your assets from risk. You’ll find that we implement thorough processes, maintain superb communications and deliver reliable reports that allow you to make important financial decisions.

Making a positive difference for California school districts since 1953

Connect and share with us on LinkedIn and Twitter

LinkedInTwitter

With the VLS Team at your side, you’ll have confidence in the business of education: Certified Public Accountants that deliver reliable audits and customized ASB and Booster workshops

Experienced Consultants that deliver responsible interim fiscal assistance, cash flow monitoring and continuing disclosure monitoring

Certified Fraud Examiners, Certified in Financial Forensics and a Certified Digital Forensics Examiner that deliver thorough fraud investigations, forensic accounting, computer forensics and internal control advisors

Call the VLS Team today at (626) 857-7300 to schedule your free initial consultation, or send us your Request for Proposal.

16 | California School Business

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Winter 2012 | 17

infocus

Winter 2012 | 17Photography by Hope Harris

Gail BealAMC chair isenthusiasm exemplified

Engage in a conversation with Gail Beal and you can’t help but feel her

enthusiasm – both for her career and CASBO. She describes her work life

as “the greatest career anyone could hope for,” and says she has found her

“dream job.”

Beal, senior vice president with Keenan, the state’s largest privately held

insurance brokerage and consulting firm, currently sells and consults on

early retirement plans, health reimbursement accounts and other post-

employment benefits (OPEB).

She joined Keenan in 1992 as a retirement counselor, working directly with

school district employees to prepare for retirement. Two years later, Beal

became manager of Keenan’s APPLE program, an alternative to Social

Security for part-time employees, and increased the number of districts in

this program from almost 70 to nearly 100. In 1998, Beal’s role with Keenan

broadened when she joined a team that worked with CBOs to provide early

retirement incentives to hundreds of school districts and employees.

Prior to joining Keenan, Beal worked for a financial planning firm that served

school districts and their employees. It is her role in providing programs

that assist districts in minimizing layoffs and saving money that has been

her greatest reward. “I love the challenge and trying to find solutions,” Beal

described. “I thrive on that. I just love what I do and it’s so nice when a CBO

comes back and says ‘this is so helpful.’” She also appreciates the freedom

and innovation her work at Keenan has provided. “There are different chal-

lenges right now as we are only seeing downturns in funding. Staying a step

ahead is key, so we start two to three years in advance on product innova-

tions,” she explained. “We have to be relevant to what’s occurring day-to-

day, and I find that exciting.” Beal brings that excitement to the various roles

she has taken with CASBO. She is currently chair of the Associate Member

Committee, but has also served CASBO through work on the AMC’s finance

committee, by arranging annual conference speakers and in working on the

update to the association’s Manual of Procedures (MOP).

She says the association provides satisfying outreach. “For me, it’s all

relationship based. There are so many opportunities at CASBO to really help,

and members need assistance in ways that may not even be product related

– like mentoring a CBO, serving on a committee or helping to develop new

programs. The real benefit is hearing what CASBO members are saying in

terms of their challenges, needs and wants. I find it so satisfying.”

Her other great passion is music. Not only is she a fan of all music types,

Beal also plays piano, organ, wind instruments and string instruments.

18 | California School Business

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Winter 2012 | 19

By Julie Phillips Randles

interview

Association leader has broad experience ineducation industryWilliam Bushaw sharesinsight into public school poll

Dr. William J. Bushaw has served as the executive

director of Phi Delta Kappa (pdk), a professional

education association with more than 30,000

members worldwide, since 2004. He is also the co-

director and author of the annual pdk/Gallop Poll

of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools.

The century-old organization publishes the highly regard-ed Phi Delta Kappan magazine, which remains the No. 1 cited journal on education policy, and has long focused its work on the tenets of service, research and leadership. Specifically, pdk is one of the largest education associations in the world and has thousands of members dedicated to improving education, including teachers, principals, superintendents and higher education faculty and administrators.

During Bushaw’s tenure, pdk has expanded into a family of education associations. In 2010, pdk acquired Pi Lambda Theta, a collegiate honor society. The organization is also the sole sponsor of the Future Educators Association® (fea), a high school association for students interested in careers in educa-tion. fea received federal recognition as a career and technical student organization (ctso) in 2009.

In 2010, Bushaw served as chair of the Learning First Alliance, a Washington d.c.-based partnership of 16 leading education associations.

Bushaw has had a broad education career, having served as deputy superintendent at the Michigan Department of Educa-tion and as director of the North Central Association of Colleges

Phot

ogra

phy

by J

esse

Kar

ras

20 | California School Business

William BushawAssociation leader has broad experience in education industry

and Schools (nca) in Michigan. Prior to those posts, he was a high school principal and a science teacher.

Bushaw served in the United States Navy, active duty and reserve, and retired at the rank of captain. He earned a Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Michigan, and his pro-fessional interests center on education policy, student assessment and school accountability.

Bushaw responded to the following questions from his office in Northern Virginia.

CSB: What is the best advice you’ve ever received? From whom?Bushaw: From my dad, actually, and he repeated it many times. It was the Golden Rule – to treat others like you want to be treated. He lived it himself, and I have tried to follow his lead. It turns out my wife was raised with the same belief, and we’ve done our best to transfer that belief to our daughter.

CSB: What hidden talent do you possess?Bushaw: I am a change agent. Maintaining the status quo is not in my dna, and given the pace of change all about us, I think that constitutes a hidden talent.

CSB: If you could choose a different career, what would you do? Bushaw: I wouldn’t have it any other way. In grade school, I wanted to be a professional baseball player, but I couldn’t hit a curveball. I also thought about being a medical doctor. But going into education has been terrific, first working with students, then with adults. I’ve had a variety of opportunities and I’ve enjoyed every one. I’ve been blessed with a second career. After being on active duty in the Navy, I was in the Reserve. I was blessed to have all of these opportunities to test my skills. Sometimes I passed the test, and sometimes I flunked.

CSB: There is a wide disparity in how poll participants in this year’s pdk/Gallop Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward Public Schools rate schools where their oldest child attends, schools in their community and schools nationwide. In considering the performance of schools overall, which is the most valid number to use? Why?Bushaw: For me, it’s not so much which is the best number to use, it’s what do the different sets of numbers mean for those interested in transforming education? By these results, Americans are dissatisfied with education in the United States. Policymakers respond by passing legislation, for example, No

Child Left Behind. nclb was based on many good intentions but it was complicated, and when it was implemented locally, many Americans rejected many policies included within the law. Policymakers were blindsided by this negative reaction because they hadn’t factored in that, right or wrong, Americans like the schools they know. So for me, it’s not which set of grades are most accurate, it’s that changing our schools must involve both a top-down and a bottom-up approach. CSB: There seems to be a gap between how people perceive the quality of teachers (mostly positive) and the readiness of high school graduates for college and/or the world of work. To what do you attribute this gap?Bushaw: Every year, I’m struck by the common sense Americans have about education. They understand, given all of the technological changes, that our current approach to educating children in the u.s. is antiquated, so they have good reason to worry if high school graduates are ready for college or the world of work. At the same time, they know that most teachers are working as hard as they can; so when we ask them, they tell us they trust and respect teachers.

In fact, nbc recently held its third Education Nation that featured a teacher town hall hosted by nbc news anchor Brian Williams. He began by sharing that the approval rating of Con-gress was 12 percent, the approval rating of either of the presi-dential candidates has been 50 percent at most, but 71 percent of Americans have trust and confidence in teachers. As you can imagine, Brian Williams received a huge round of applause for that observation.

CSB: Have you considered asking participants questions about issues pertaining to the compensation of teachers? Why or why not?Bushaw: The last time we asked Americans about teacher compensation was in 2009. We hesitate to take a direct approach and ask “Do you think that teachers are overpaid or underpaid?” We took a more indirect approach by asking, “What do you think the starting pay of teachers should be in your community?” and then, “What do you think the starting pay of teachers actually is in this community?” The difference was over $10,000 less for what they thought it was versus what they thought it should be, indicating that they believe teachers are underpaid. CSB: The poll found broad support for technology in the classroom and the trend toward blended learning. What will the classroom of the

Winter 2012 | 21

future look like? With several years of declining education funding in states like California, how can we get there?Bushaw: I think that if there is one pressure point for change, it’s around individualization. We know that students aren’t all the same, and given the data systems we have now, we will be more able to individualize their education.

Related to this is an education model that I call transitions, where the focus is on the successful transition of each student from one level to the next. For example, working together, ele-mentary and middle school teachers answer the question, “What will it take for each child to be successful when he or she transi-tions to middle school?” The school then documents whether each child is prepared to be successful in middle school, and then the teachers do two important things. The middle school teach-ers remediate those children that need additional support, and the elementary teachers try to fix the reason that some children were not prepared.

Middle level and high school teachers answer the same question about the transition to high school, and then high school teachers meet with higher education faculty, including community college instructors and employers, to answer the same question.

But in this model, the transition from middle level to high school is different in that it is based on the unique interests of each student. These interests drive the creation of an individual plan for each student, identifying post-secondary goals and the unique experiences needed to achieve these goals. If you focus on the interests and the passions of high school students, you will be much more likely to engage them.

So back to my original statement – it’s all about individual-izing instruction so that every child can be successful.

CSB: Respondents to this year’s poll indicated that the lack of financial support for schools is a bigger problem than discipline and drugs. At the same time, respondents indicated that schools should be involved in disciplining children for bullying, even if bullying occurs outside of the school day. What are educators to make of these findings? What should determine which issues they should focus on? Bushaw: In our minds, there is no question that Americans view finances as the biggest challenge facing schools locally. At the same time, they also know that bullying is an important problem affecting not just children, but also adults. I don’t think these responses are inconsistent.

Having said that, in our report each year, we always provide a verbatim copy of the question as it was asked and we tell our readers to form their own opinion about the responses. We know how you phrase the question is important.

A few years ago, we randomly split the sample of Ameri-cans we polled that year in half and asked each group a slightly different version of the same question about teacher tenure. Just by changing a few words in the question, we received very dif-ferent responses.

Finally, while Americans have great common sense, some-times they’re fickle. This year, while they told us that finances are the biggest challenge facing local schools and they also told us that they would pay more taxes support urban education, they also told us it was more important to reduce the national debt than to increase funding to improve education.

CSB: Most respondents said that closing achievement gaps and improving urban schools are priorities for which they are willing to pay more taxes. When ballot measures seek to raise taxes to fund schools – as was recently the case in California – do voters actually put their money where their mouths are? Bushaw: The answer is no. The scientists at Gallop don’t like us to ask taxation questions, but this one snuck through. What people tell you on the phone about their willingness to pay taxes can be very different than how they actually cast their vote. z z z

Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer based in Roseville, Calif.

Do you have an opinion or a comment on this article? California School Business magazinewelcomes “Letters to the Editor.” Please send your letters to kevins@casbo.org. All lettersare edited for content, space and style considerations.

22 | California School Business

Winter 2012 | 23

feature

By Craig W. Anderson

ast spring, executives from a construction firm that manufactured and installed prefabricated school buildings statewide pleaded no contest to charges they had stolen $3.6 million in construction funds from a California school district. The executives will be spending time in state prison for their misdeeds.

Bond best practicesPros advise on how to avoid pitfallswhen spending bond bucks

Is this an isolated incident or are school districts across the state vulnerable to construction project fraud?

Experts say school districts are susceptible to deceit due to the large workforce utilized for district projects: architects, construction management companies, multiple contractors and sub-contractors, and a variety of district employees, any one of which could com-mit fraud.

The construction industry is under pressure because the economic recession has reduced profit margins for construc-tion companies, and this translates to pressure on the bottom line and an incen-tive to commit fraud.

A primary concept in the world of scams is the Fraud Triangle and, accord-ing to fraud investigator Jenny Domin-guez, cpa , Certified Fraud Examiner (cfe) and Certified in Financial Forensics (cff), it has three elements: financial stress creating an urgent need for money, rationalization that justifies fraudulent behavior, and opportunity in a situation lacking proper checks and balances to prevent fraud.

Dominguez, senior manager for casbo associate member Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman’s Fraud Solutions Unit, said, “While school districts can’t resolve the three elements of the triangle, they can reduce the opportunity for fraud with

improved oversight and strong internal controls throughout the project.”

She said that Proposition 39, passed in 2000, caused a construction boom in California by allowing the easier passage of construction bonds, with many schools acquiring bond money, thereby provid-ing incentive for fraud.

According to a report from the Associ-ation of Certified Fraud Examiners, fraud in the education industry has an average median loss of $36,000. “I’ve worked on cases with losses from $30,000 to $40,000 to nearly $1 million,” Dominguez said. “Fraud is insidious and expensive.”

She said school districts continue to be vulnerable because the level of

L

24 | California School Business

construction has increased over the last decade and the level of funding “is new to most individuals at school districts. They may not have had as high a level of funds and construction in decades, or it’s their first time.”

Dominguez pointed out that school districts are no more at risk than any other organization for fraud, but that it can cause safety problems for students, teachers and administrators if it affects school construction.

School districts can reduce their vul-nerability to fraud significantly during construction with proper oversight and strong internal controls.

“District management must directly monitor the budget, change orders and the quantity/quality of goods and mate-

AN AVENUE FORWHISTLE BLOWERS

“I suggest establishing an avenue to report fraud so anyone can anonymously report fraud,” Saddlemire said. A typical fraudster is a long-term, high-level, trusted employee, and if a lower-rank employee suspects fraud, an anonymous tip line makes it more likely that unethical behavior will be reported without fear of retaliation.

Regarding kickbacks, an anonymous tip is crucial, he said, because “kickbacks seldom leave an audit trail and can be hard to find and hard to prove, which makes the hotline an indispensable fraud prevention tool.”

Tip lines are effective, according to a report from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners that states anonymous tips are the No.1 way fraud is detected.

Saddlemire said it’s good policy to create a fraud hot line and to publicize it to all contractors, vendors and district employees who are part of, or witness to, the construction process.

CREATE A BUDGET

Lacking a formal, vetted and approved budget creates great risk to the district. Time and dollar budgets provide a baseline expectation for cost and duration, the spur to identify available resources to fund/complete the project, and a reporting mechanism to the board of trustees.

Costs that exceed the budget should be investigated and understood. “Verify-ing that increases are in line with industry changes could prevent overpaying by the district,” Dominguez said.

It may be appropriate for a district to hire an outside professional construction

Bond best practices

District management must directly monitor the budget, change orders and the quantity/quality of goods and materials received by assigning a competent, experienced individual to the oversight of the construction process.

rials received by assigning a competent, experienced individual to the oversight of the construction process,” Domin-guez said.

“There are lots of red flags, depend-ing on the phase of the project,” she said. “An indication of fraud is a sig-nificant amount of change orders which could mean kickbacks with a district employee.”

A change order is a document that describes changes in the project and the higher costs for those changes; it comes from one of the entities involved in the construction and essentially asks for more money.

Project oversight can be augmented by an outside inspector such as a Division of the State Architect (dsa) inspector, certified through the state, who will be on-site full time to help the district ensure everything is above board.

“The school district’s project could be as little as a couple of portables or so large that you might be on the job for years,” said Scott Saddlemire, a dsa inspector and president of Superior Con-struction Services Inc., in Upland. “But we average about a year per job.

“The change order provides the big-gest opportunity for fraud and it could be from the facility manager, contractor, architect or the construction manager,” Saddlemire said.

It is important to have the proper segregation of duties so no single indi-vidual is responsible for choosing ven-dors/contractors, preparing invoices or recording expenses.

Dominguez had a positive viewpoint about school districts being prepared. “I’d estimate 75 percent of school dis-tricts have the necessary individual in place to provide oversight.”

Winter 2012 | 25

management company to help develop a budget, Saddlemire said. “They have access to monthly publications of con-struction data listing the current market value of every aspect of a construction project, including prevailing wages and materials costs.”

A construction manager can use this information to check the authenticity of change orders and to catch any suspicious elements.

Why use an outside construction management company and its manage-ment personnel?

“It’s an external, objective entity in the project,” said Saddlemire. “Their fees aren’t based on the size or scope of the

project, so they have nothing to gain by inflating materials costs.”

“A lot of school districts use construc-tion management services,” said Jordi Rodriguez, project director for casbo associate member Vanir Construction Management in Sacramento, “brought in at the very beginning to help district staff manage construction, planning, design process management and whatever the project requires.”

FRONT-END DOCUMENTS

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PRE-QUALIFICATION ANDPOST-BIDDING CONFERENCES

The construction sector is suffering from reduced profits, and school construction is experiencing increasing numbers of small contractors bidding for work. The school district can ensure that bids come from qualified bidders by using specific language in the front-end documents that describe the experience needed. This allows districts to legally exclude under-qualified bidders.

The district can then hold a post-bidding conference with the chosen bidder to guarantee that the contractor’s responsibilities are clearly outlined.

“The post-bidding conference is a great way to make sure that everyone is on the same page,” noted Saddlemire. “Before signing the contract, go over the scope of the project and if the contractor is in over his head, he has an out.”

SET POLICIES FORCHANGE ORDERS

Change orders are created when there is a change in the project requested by the district, or when an unforeseen circumstance alters things.

However, change orders can’t be written for increased cost due to mar-ket swings and “change order policies protect the district from overpaying contracted amounts,” Dominguez said.

Policies need to be in place that determine how change orders can be submitted and approved, and by whom. This could include dollar thresholds or signature requirements that trigger ap-proval or more investigation.

Monitoring of deliveries of goods and materials and creating an internal

A typical fraudster is a long-term, high-level, trusted employee, and if a lower-rank employee suspects fraud, an anonymous tip line makes it more likely that unethical behavior will be reported without fear of retaliation.

Bond best practices

eliminate any confusion about size, quantity and technique because, he said, “The stronger the specifications, the better. You want a document with some teeth in it if a contractor tries to justify inappropriate change orders.” He also said to review the specifications with the district counsel to ensure the language can stand up to scrutiny.

Contractors take on the risk that material and labor costs will fluctuate frequently and rapidly and “ethical con-tractors accept that risk and the losses it may bring,” he said. “However, fraud can take place when a contractor tries to recoup losses by increasing fees or decreasing quality.”

audit function are additional ways to prevent fraud.

BOND ISSUES

As if fraud wasn’t threat enough, some school districts are being excoriated for using borrow now, pay later capital appreciation bonds (cab).

School districts that passed bond is-sues in June are now spending the funds on new construction and facility up-grades, but if a cab is the funding source, trouble could be on the way, as the Poway Unified School District discovered.

The district obtained $105 million for school construction, repaying $981 million via the long-term financing of a cab. The district cannot pay anything on the bond for 20 years, while interest com-pounds and repayment takes place over the final 20 years, fulfilling the maximum 40-year term per state law.

A number of other districts statewide have also captured the media and the public’s attention lately due to their use of cabs.

Ruth Alahydoian, vice president at knn Public Finance in Oakland and a casbo member, said, “Issues with cabs come from abuse of the process, not because of fraud. This type of bond is a tool, but the 40-year piece of it makes it unpalatable.

“cabs are more complicated and not for the average investor, but for more sophisticated investors,” Alahydoian said. “School districts should do nothing school boards can’t understand. They’re not something that can be explained late in school board meetings.”

The economic downturn has changed California school bond financing, Ala-hydoian said. “These bond financings

Winter 2012 | 27

included bond structures that defer debt service to future years, along with repay-ment terms of up to 40 years.”

Many county treasurers are con-cerned about practices they see in school district bond issuers and have cautioned school districts against the use of cabs.

“The critics are correct in pointing out practices of concern, including high debt service obligations over time, lack of flexibility and need for more robust com-munication process,” Alahydoian said. “A better communication process would help convey the often complicated deci-sions surrounding the bond program.”

cabs have generated such malaise that Assembly Member Ben Hueso, a

The stronger the specifications, the better. You wanta document withsome teeth in it ifa contractor tries to justify inappropriate change orders.

democrat from Chula Vista, intends to introduce legislation that will curtail the use of cabs by school districts and com-munity college districts.

Alahydoian said that most districts now try to limit issuance of cabs and that school boards “must make every effort to ensure that they, the public and the superintendent understand all aspects of cabs.” z z z

Craig W. Anderson is a freelance writer based in Stockton, Calif.

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cover

casbo members are keenly aware of the ongoing challenges facing public schools whether related to budgets or staffing, implementation of new mandates and standards or simply years of being asked to do more, with less – and less.

But those are broad themes for those in the business of schools. The truth is, every discipline has unique challenges on the horizon, and, oftentimes, these challenges cross over into related areas. What looms for child nutrition may doom purchasing. A lurking issue for facilities could also sneak up on maintenance and operations.

We asked the chair of every casbo Professional Council and key committee to weigh in on the imminent challenge facing their discipline, to indicate how those in that strand can address it or prepare to address it, and to identify which other depart-ments in school business might be impacted by the issue.

Your casbo colleagues are thought leaders in their fields and they had no shortage of input on issues for which school

A disciplinedapproach

business leaders ought to prepare. Lack of funding is clearly impacting every discipline, but we tried to drill down further to identify specific issues. Here’s the rundown:

ACCOUNTING

DeCarlos Kaigler, director, fiscal services, PattersonJoint Unified School District and chair of the AccountingProfessional Council.

For those in accounting, the reduction in school funding means many districts have both cut staff and added furlough days. The outcome – fewer people are doing the same amount of work in fewer days, Kaigler explained.

Not only does this impact morale and the speed of address-ing tasks, it also means accounting employees have less time for outside activities related to their profession.

By Julie Phillips Randles

A strand-by-strandlook at school businesschallenges

32 | California School Business

Some solutions to consider, Kaigler said, include dispers-ing the job duties of a lost or open position among multiple employees, rather than assigning them to a single individual. Also, adjusting the work calendar for staff to maximize the work load, or agreeing to take the same holidays so that savings can be realized by closing offices entirely.

The crises in accounting have a domino effect on every other school business discipline, Kaigler noted. “Money is pretty uni-versal. It impacts every strand.”

CBO PROFESSIONAL COUNCIL

Jay Serratore, director, administrative services, Delhi UnifiedSchool District and chair of the CBO Professional Council.

The key challenge for cbos is the uncertainty of state funding and the expectations that the state has for educating students, Serratore explained. But he and his colleagues do have advice for their peers on how to address it.

“The state seems to think that schools can deliver the same curriculum in 20 fewer school days. The kids are the ones that are going to be losing out due to the uncertainty of funding. We are having to be overly cautious to protect ourselves from what may happen in six to eight months. We can’t really plan because we don’t know what the state is going to do,” Serratore said.

So what are cbos doing to address the uncertainty? They are looking at literally every single expenditure to be sure that schools are getting the most bang for their buck, and that the money they do have goes toward educating students.

The strands most impacted by the challenges cbos face are facilities and technology, Serratore said. He estimated it may be

five years post-recession before money really starts pumping back into these areas. “If you go into a classroom right now, it’s really the same classroom that you saw 100 years ago. We really need to look at that delivery model and that will take a huge investment in technology. For California to really take the leaps it needs to take, it’s going to take innovation in infrastructure,” Serratore said.

CHILD NUTRITION

Agnes Lally, director of food service, Garden Grove Unified School District and chair of the Child Nutrition Professional Council.

For those in child nutrition, it’s the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Acts of 2010 (hhfk) that is bringing changes, and challenges. The act requires that schools increase the availability of offerings of fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. It also impacts nutritional standards and calorie counts by age and grade groups, noted Lally.

“There are a lot of great changes, and a lot of us are embrac-ing these challenges,” Lally said. But the short turnaround time to implement the changes and adequately train staff has made meeting the act’s requirements difficult.

Child nutrition pros statewide are meeting the challenge by attending state-sponsored training workshops, workshops at the California School Nutrition Association Annual Conference and gathering in small groups to trouble shoot the issues raised by the act. “We embrace the changes; there’s just limited time and resources to address them,” Lally explained.

Child nutrition’s struggles are impacting cbos, purchasing and maintenance and operations.

FACILITIES

Carri M. Matsumoto, executive director, facilities developmentand planning, Long Beach Unified School District and chairof the Facilities Professional Council.

Changing demands for technology, an issue at the forefront instructionally, is having a big impact on facilities departments which are grappling with finding ways to create 21st century classrooms without increasing operational costs. Also on the list of challenges, school closure decisions and protecting the facility inventory assets districts already have, Matsumoto said.

A disciplined approach

Winter 2012 | 33

“Rethinking, revisioning and retooling business depart-ments to continue to provide support during what many are calling the toughest fiscal times they have seen ever in their careers remains the utmost challenge for my colleagues,” Mat-sumoto explained.

Fiscal pressures have added another dimension to the decision-making process for facilities strand leaders who are charged with advising, navigating and managing multiple sites that are often sentimentally tied to the community.

The solutions involve collaboration among colleagues, committed leadership and perpetuating strong professional relationships, always with the objective of protecting students’ learning environments. “In spite of the tough times we are facing and will continue to face, many of my colleagues main-tain an upbeat perspective, because they believe in education and are committed to providing the best support possible for our students,” Matsumoto described.

FINANCIAL SERVICES PROFESSIONAL COUNCIL

Melissa Anderson, chief of district financial services, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and chair of the FinancialServices Professional Council.

Those in the finance strand can’t help but point to fiscal pressures as their key sticking point; in fact the main challenge is the reduction in regular apportionment funding, Anderson said.

A secondary issue: “We are definitely seeing bond anticipa-tion notes where districts are not able to sell their bonds so they borrow money against future bonds and are engaging in iffy practices because they don’t feel they have a lot of options,” Anderson said.

Districts statewide have already responded with major program reductions, and moving forward should rely on the conservative fiscal models being provided by county offices. “Be conservative and plan for the worst,” Anderson described.

The Finance Professional Council is also providing solutions by leading frequent workshop, including those planned for casbo’s Annual Conference, on topics including school bonds, health care savings and cash flow.

Difficulties in finance impacts hr departments that must handle the commensurate layoffs, the Legislative Committee charged with lobbying on casbo’s behalf and reporting back to districts and risk management as districts continue to seek ways to reduce their liabilities.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Alicia Schlehuber, director of classified personnel, EscondidoUnion Elementary School District and chair of the HumanResources Professional Council.

Managing the employee negotiations process necessitated by budget cuts and ever-increasing benefits costs are weighing heavy on those who work in human resources. “Many districts are in the dilemma of trying to project possible budget cuts while still getting information out to employees so that they can make informed employee benefit selections,” explained Schlehuber.

Those issues are paired with another outcome of ongoing cuts, increased workload handled by decreasing numbers of staff is netting more workers’ compensation claims.

“Many districts are going to get the point of thinking about strategic-abandonment-type initiatives. It’s about asking, ‘What are we doing that is not critical’ and putting those programs on the back burner,” Schlehuber said. In-house efficiency studies are also on the uptick as continuing to ask employees to do more, with less, is wearing thin.

Schlehuber believes that accounting and finance depart-ments are likely hard hit by these issues, and cbos are being called on to work in tandem with hr departments and union representatives.

MAINTENANCE & OPER ATIONS

Kent Jones, assistant director, M&O, Kern High School Districtand chair of the Maintenance & Operations Professional Council.

Some m&o departments have been asked – more than once in recent years – to cut monthly spending on maintenance by 50 percent. While not sustainable, this approach has provided immediate operating cost reductions in difficult funding times. Funding cuts also mean open custodial and grounds positions are not being filled, or are being eliminated. Today, those cuts are catching up to m&o departments, according to Jones, who said the net result is cutting corners when it comes to classroom cleaning, grounds are not well maintained and equipment is in disrepair or simply unavailable.

Jones said one way to address the above issues is to purchase top-notch tools and equipment for m&o employees in an effort to give them a fair shot at being efficient and thorough. He also suggested a review of work order and communication systems to ensure that these tools are used properly to increase efficiency.

An efficiency study for the entire m&o department is also recom-mended, as is a move toward creating work teams who address assigned tasks together at each site.

Jones noted that cbos are one group of casbo members that are really feeling the strain, adding that every school busi-ness discipline is likely uneasy about the future. He suggested that business department leaders work to build trust, improve communication, address slacking morale and stress teamwork during these challenging times.

PAYROLL

Nita Black, supervisor, payroll and benefits, Pajaro Valley Unified School District and chair of CASBO’s Payroll Professional Council.

It’s a trifecta of issues that’s hitting hard on those in payroll, including health care reform, new pers reporting and the strs Penalties and Interest Program that took effect in August.

The complex nature of health care reform has those in pay-roll turning to associate members like American Fidelity and its legal department to stay up-to-date. To address pers and strs reporting, many in purchasing are meeting monthly to “brain-storm and share experiences so that we can all better handle the issues that arise,” Black said.

As far as impacted strands, payroll’s issues trickle down to finance and cbos as some of the changes that must be imple-mented will be costly, Black said. hr departments are also in play when tardy employee reporting results in penalties, mean-ing that hr may need to step in to help with union contract changes.

PURCHASING

Deborah C. Harris, assistant director, administrative services, controller’s office, Los Angeles County Office of Educationand chair of the Purchasing Professional Council.

Staff reductions are hitting hard at those in purchasing, especially at a time when the skills required to purchase commodities and process agreements has become increasingly complex and time consuming.

School purchasing is much more complicated than a store shopping trip, Harris noted, and involves legal requirements, regulations, quoting processes and a formal bid process and timeline. Unfortunately, purchasing departments’ colleagues in

A disciplined approach

Winter 2012 | 35

school business are often unaware of the many hoops, or don’t understand the function of the purchasing department.

The solution: communication, not just two-way, but more of a whole-organization approach that involves all departments, Harris said. Those in purchasing should meet with staff and brainstorm ways that tasks can be streamlined, updated or even cut out of the process.

RETIREE

Judy Miller, chair of the Retiree Professional Council.

While retired casbo members are no longer working in districts and county offices on a daily basis, many continue their membership with the association and put their expertise in school business to use as mentors or workshop presenters. Other retired members are ready to be just that – retired. And there’s the rub.

The Retiree Professional Council is sorting out how to best take advantage of retired members’ talents and time. Ideas in-clude serving as mentors to those in their former discipline who would benefit from their advice, speaking at workshop sessions and volunteering at the casbo Annual Conference.

There are essentially two ways the Retiree Professional Council is addressing the issues it faces: by identifying clear-cut ways for sections and districts to utilize the expertise of retirees and by providing retiree “experts” to present retiree workshops in their sections.

Retirees can potentially touch every casbo discipline with one easy step, Miller said. Connect at the section level with the professional council that represents your former strand.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Judith Miller, risk manager, Perris Union High School Districtand chair of the Risk Management Professional Council.

Tight budgets mean those in risk management are having a hard time staying out in front of issues and providing proactive programs to prevent injuries, said Miller. The outcome, more injury claims, higher claims and more parent claims from student accidents as many families no longer have health insurance.

“We can’t get out in front of things because we can’t pur-chase items needed for proactive programs,” Miller said. Even meeting basic compliance rules has become a challenge.

36 | California School Business

A disciplined approach

Miller is addressing the issue by creating training videos for staff and vendors, and working with the human resources de-partment to implement processes. Working more collaboratively with staff from all departments, and ensuring that departments aren’t duplicating efforts, are additional key steps. Some in Risk Management are also asking jpas to be creative in finding ways to assist, such as creating incentive funds to provide safety supplies and equipment or providing loss-control staff to assist districts with accident investigations, staff training and one-on-one ergonomic evaluations.

Departments most impacted by the challenges faced by risk management are cbos who are tasked with claim payments, and human resources employees who are being called on to assist risk managers in implementing programs.

TECHNOLOGY

Joe Jenkins, chief technology officer, Folsom Cordova UnifiedSchool District and chair of the Technology Professional Council.

A reduced ability to maintain current school technology, not to mention the inability to purchase new equipment, is the key issue for those in the technology strand. “As we look at new initiatives like mobility with iPads, tablets, netbooks, etc., there is no money for acquisition or sustainability,” Jenkins explained.

To respond to the challenge, those in technology are getting creative with purchasing options – using leasing options and creative financing to create room in the budget, Jenkins said. They are also centralizing resources, looking at initiatives like Bring Your Own Device (byod) and using open sources to keeps costs down.

Those most impacted by strains in technology departments are those who handle acquisition and those called on to set up or service products. cbos are also affected from a policy perspec-tive as they are dealing with new issues caused by byod, social media and copyright issues.

TR ANSPORTATION

John Biggie, director of transportation, Palm Springs UnifiedSchool District and chair of the Transportation Professional Council.

General uncertainty about the future of home-to-school transportation is the issue transportation leaders find themselves battling. Transportation is literally a strand struggling for its

future. Not only have bus services been cut, vehicle replacement programs and all non-safety related improvements to operations and equipment have been put on hold.

Biggie says the years of hard work in bus development, training certificate programs and safety processes have been deci-mated in the last five years, ending California’s reign as the trans-portation model that other states measured themselves against.

Biggie says a focus on mission critical – to once again be a leader in the school bus industry – is vital to the future success of school transportation. “Being creative in how we utilize our resources to meet the demands placed on us is a must if we are to continue to provide the communities we serve with the safest form of transportation possible to those still fortunate enough to be able to use it,” Biggie said.

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

AND LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE

Leann Errotabere, director of purchasing, Clovis Unified School District and chair of the Professional Standards and Leadership Committee.

Those on the Professional Standards and Leadership Committee (pslc), one of casbo’s newer committees, are meeting the challenge of the “getting off the ground” aspect of the newly formed group.

That said, the energized group is working through its “growth years” and focusing on what can be done to improve professional development opportunities for all casbo members, Errotabere said.

One of the committee’s goals is the establishment of a casbo Professional Standards and Code of Ethics to be used as the stan-dard for all standing committees, including associate member committees. Also in the works – creation of evaluation forms for casbo training sessions and the establishment of criteria for qualified speakers.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER COMMITTEE

Gail Beal, senior vice president, Keenan and chair of theAssociate Member Committee.

The key issue for the Associate Member Committee is maintaining the proper focus – a focus on member needs, according to Beal who noted that the committee’s goal is “staying relevant, tuned

Winter 2012 | 37

in and listening to the challenges and needs of casbo members in these very challenging times.”

The difficult decisions districts have faced in recent years mean it’s not business as usual. That means that associate mem-bers need to be sensitive, innovative and appropriate with what and how they offer. “Staying ahead of budget issues, legislation and other things out of members’ control is crucial. More than ever, innovation plays a key role in meeting the needs of casbo members and their employees,” Beal said. “Associate members are finding ways to be creative in designing solutions to assist with the challenges.”

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE

Michael Bush, vice president, Oxnard College and chairof the Legislative Committee.

For casbo’s Legislative Committee, the focus is on analyzing current legislation to ensure that it is value-added for students,

and not just work-added for members, Bush said. More precisely, “preserving effective, meaningful educational experiences in a time of diminishing resources,” he described.

He recommends that all casbo members assist with this goal by reading the association’s frequent NewsBreaks and shar-ing them with their superintendents, instructional staff and local legislators. He also suggested that members respond promptly to any requests for input on pending legislation. After all, many legislative issues reach across all casbo disciplines. z z z

Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer based in Roseville, Calif.

Do you have an opinion or a comment on this article? California School Business magazinewelcomes “Letters to the Editor.” Please send your letters to kevins@casbo.org. All lettersare edited for content, space and style considerations.

38 | California School Business

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feature

When it comes to defining professionalism in the modern workplace, image

is more about what’s inside that package than how it is wrapped, according

to five casbo members interviewed throughout the state. They say attire may vary, but the essence of being professional has more to do with respect for others and interpersonal skills than with work wardrobe.

Acknowledging that appropriate attire for the job contributes to a professional image and first impressions, it is conduct, integrity and setting an example to be emulated that is at the core of professionalism. Attire, however, is an important first step on a career pathway to becoming the consummate professional.

“We don’t have a dress code, but we do have expectations,” explained Vince Christakos, assistant superintendent, Hemet Unified School District and casbo member. “In the district office, the expectation for men is coat and tie, for ladies it is a dress or pantsuit. Sometimes a memo goes out reminding employees what is appropriate for their workplace. People in maintenance have a uniform that creates a professional look for them. Each job is different.”

Bad decisions on attire can sometimes hamper career advancement. “I’ve seen examples of people who just don’t want to dress for the area in which they work,” Christakos said. “They have an attitude of ‘take me how I am, my clothes don’t make a difference.’ Some come to realize (their mistake) and some don’t. I know when I go to the office, I wear clothes that look the part of who I am at work, but when I am at home, I wear T-shirts.”

Polished & professional

Missteps can hampercareer advancement

By Linda A. Estep

dd

42 | California School Business

he also modestly admits he is known for being well-dressed.

“I have a reputation for dressing nice, but I don’t worry about that as much as being a good leader. When I show up to work, I owe it to my staff to be as good a leader as I can be,” he said.

“My district is close to Santa Cruz. It is hippie, laid back and there are cultural issues. It’s a surfing town. I still dress in a corporate perspective (at the office), but I don’t show up at a construction work site dressed like that,” he explained.

His district does not have a dress code, which he says has been a minor

challenge but it is not at the top of his priority list. “Dress is not unimportant, but the real issue is leadership and in-tegrity,” he said. “You start with being the thing you want and what you want out of the organization. If you want to instill greater professionalism, you start by being that. People will take your lead. You then set higher expectations.”

McFadden tells a story about his first days at the district where two female of-fice workers routinely wore beach garb of shorts and flip flops in the district office. By setting the tone for office attire him-self, he said within time the women’s lei-sure wear had been abandoned in favor of more appropriate attire for an office. He feels his quieter approach of setting an example rather than “coming in blazing with directives” was the more effective method of creating change.

“I focus on good quality leadership and everything else falls in line,” he

could use a wardrobe overhaul, Jayne suggests that a trusted mentor can gently set the employee on the right track and provide feedback.

fashion boost

And for the fashion impaired, a woman or man might want to turn to a professional in the field of personal grooming such as color consultant Jill Kirsch, once described by Hollywood media as the“Guru of Hue.” Kirsch maintains wearing the right color could mean the difference between ordinary and head-turning.

“When you open the door to a meet-ing, that’s when the meeting starts,” shesaid. You can have the same qualifica-tions for a job as someone else, but how you look could be the tipping point. It’s a subtle thing. The person owns the room without even trying.

“There are all kinds of things that make this work,” Kirsch said. “We’re nottalking about spending a lot of money. Iam empowering people. I believe people perform jobs better when they feel better about themselves.”

setting an example

On the central coast near Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley Unified School District Chief Business Official and casbo member Brett McFadden stops short of admitting he is a clothes horse, but does concede his closet is larger than his wife’sand he owns more shoes. When pressed,

professional attributes

Christakos believes attributes of a professional include leadership qualities of being trustworthy and forthright, a reflection that “you know who you are and what you are doing.” He stresses that matching actions with words is a hallmark of the professional. “It is what you do that counts. If you don’t, you lose integrity,” he said.

Good time management is another attribute of professionalism, according to Christakos. “It’s very important. Profes-sionals are expected to get a lot done.”

In the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, casbo member Jayne Christakos is serving her first year as as-sistant superintendent, business services. She has experience in both corporate and education sectors, and with her husband, Vince, has established a reputation of pro-jecting a true professional image.

She shares her impressions of what makes a professional by explaining, “I think about how they treat people, how they dress, if they smile, if they appear to be confident and not intimidating to others. I try to set a good example by helping people grow, utilizing people’s strengths and giving them an opportu-nity to shine.”

Attire is important, but not the es-sence of professionalism, according to Jayne. “A person can be really dressed up and not treat people well,” she said.

For the employee who has skills for the job but is lacking in social skills or

Polished & professional

I’ve seen examples of people who just don’t want todress for the area in which they work. They have an attitude

of ‘take me how I am, my clothes don’t make a difference.’

Winter 2012 | 43

said. McFadden prefers a nice suit and open collared shirt for his professional work attire.

Across the bay at the Monterey County Office of Education where Mc-

Fadden’s wife, Marci, is the public in-formation officer, a dress code is in the draft stage. It follows an earlier code that addresses phone and email protocols, all a part of projecting professionalism in the workplace. She has presented similar workshops in the past for casbo and the California School Boards Association.

cultural conformity

Upstate in Petaluma, the culture is similarly casual. In fact, the entire city embraces a “Casual Friday” model of conducting business, according to casbo member Steve Bolman, superintendent of Petaluma City Schools. While the school district has no formal dress code,

the board of trustees recently approved a policy for appropriate dress and grooming to demonstrate a high regard for education. There was no resistance from any bargaining units about the policy, which provides principals and division managers a frame of reference when discussing the guidelines with employees.

Appropriate clothing differs with the job, of course, and not all positions de-mand classic office attire where workers come in contact with the public.

“I can remember having brilliant software engineers in back rooms doing work out of sight but keeping things run-ning for the district,” recalled Bolman. “Some people work more effectively

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is expected for the current job communi-cates that the employee is interested in upward mobility.

She believes that professionalism includes the ability to understand the needs of your own work environment and prepare it accordingly, such asappropriate seating in an uncluttered office and even a box of tissue if antici-pating a conversation with an employee that could become emotional.

Hartline agrees that courtesy is a common denominator of the consummateprofessional, noting that people who get

promoted generally are those who treat people the same at every level.

“I always look for those who have good perspective skills, the ability to see through everyone’s eyes. They under-stand how an issue looks or feels to the parent, the public, the students and even the media. What does it look like through the filters of all those groups and how will it impact them?” she explained.

study on professionalism

A 2012 nationwide study published by the Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania notes in its summary that “There are glimmers of hope that professionalism among entry-level employees is making short-term gains, but in the long term, a sizable percentage of respondents believe that professionalism has decreased over the past five years.”

Surveyed were 309 human resources professionals and 312 managers and su-pervisors. The study identified top char-

acteristics of today’s professional. They are, in order of importance, interpersonal skills (etiquette, being courteous, showing others respect and behavior appropriate to a situation), work ethic, communica-tion skills and appearance (tied), time management and knowledge.

Mistakes of applicants during job interviews were identified as wearing inappropriate attire, being late for the interview, lack of preparation and poor verbal skills and grammar.

Qualities named most often as being unprofessional were inappropriate ap-

pearance, lack of dedication, poor work ethic, sense of entitlement, disrespect, poor communication skills, being unfo-cused and a poor attitude.

One area negatively affecting pro-fessionalism is the inappropriate use of information technology (it). Over 90 percent of the survey respondents said that it misuse had increased or remained the same. Internet and social media were identified as two of the main causes of the unfocused employee, fol-lowed by personal problems related to the economy and less ownership of one’s work. z z z

Linda A. Estep is a freelance writer basedin Fresno, Calif.

Do you have an opinion or a comment on this article? California School Business magazine welcomes “Letters to the Editor.” Please send your letters to kevins@casbo.org. All letters are edited for content, space and style considerations.

I think about how they treat people, how they dress, if they smile,if they appear to be confident and not intimidating to others.

Polished & professional

with equipment than people. They are not the face of the district but they are professional. I think professionalism is about respect for all people you work with, from custodians to administrators, and you set the tone from the top down.”

Bolman’s career in education man-agement spans 32 years and he has experience working in districts from Orange County to the Bay Area. He believes common courtesy plays a large part in professionalism and sometimes can make the difference in winning a job over other applicants.

“I always look for someone who demonstrates manners and respect,” he explained. “Years ago, we had an entry-level position in the business office and one candidate stated she always says ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when it is called for. She got the job.”

witness to change

Lynn April Hartline is deputy super-intendent at the Orange County Department of Education. She has 40 years of work experience in education and notes that “Attire has been all over the map. Years ago you wore a suit, oxford shirt or blouse, hosiery and heels. It was a cookie-cutter style.”

After the pantsuit evolution, casbo member Hartline said things began to change. “The major change is that attire is less formal than 40 years ago, but the ex-pectation is still to have good grooming. And do the clothes fit or are you wearing a ‘sausage suit?’” she joked. Hartline added that dressing a notch above what

Winter 2012 | 45

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46 | California School Business

CASBO book club

Author takes on authentic leadership, emotionalintelligence

Please join your CASBO colleagues in

reading a book on authentic leadership

and emotional intelligence that has been

called “personal, practical and profoundly

inspiring.”

The book, “Take the Lead:

Motivate, Inspire and Bring

Out the Best in Yourself

and Everyone Around

You,” by Betsy Myers,

is the new CASBO

book club selection.

This selection helps

readers learn to set

the right priorities,

connect with those around them,

uncover problems while they are still

fixable, collaborate with people who hold

differing viewpoints and push through

fears to become an authentic leader.

Myers, the founding director of the Center

for Women and Business at Bentley Uni-

versity and an advisor to President Barack

Obama and former President Bill Clinton,

says that authentic leadership is more

than warm and fuzzy, it has a profound

impact on outcomes – it’s how initiatives

are launched, profits are made and work

gets done.

Reviewers say the gems in the book are

Myers’ stories that illustrate her seven

core ideas: authenticity, connection,

respect, clarity, collaboration, learning and

courage. These ideas create a roadmap

for the leadership journey – a map toward

developing true emotional intelligence.

This intelligence is at the root of a new

form of leadership that includes heart

and mind and emphasizes authenticity,

collaboration and caring.

Join other CASBO members in reading

this book and learn how self-knowledge

and honest reflection can improve your

leadership skills.

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48 | California School Business

CASBO Career RxBest and worst listsfor career advancement

By Molly McGee Hewitt Executive Director

Recently, in preparation for this column, I asked

a group of 50 of my colleagues a few important

questions: What is the best advice you have

received about your career? What is the worst job

advice you’ve been given? And what would you

tell others to help them advance?

Here’s the sage information they had to share:

Best career adviceGet as much education as you can. The more

degrees, certifications and training you have, the

better it is for your career. Do it as early as you

can in your career and never stop learning.

How you look matters. Not where you buy your

clothes, but how you carry yourself, the image

you project, your health and vitality and your

demeanor. A positive attitude conveys enthusiasm.

Tell the truth. Make sure that you do not exag-

gerate or inflate training or experience. Tell the

truth and your integrity will be a bonus.

Do not burn bridges. If you had a bad experi-

ence, use it as a learning opportunity. Do not bad

mouth colleagues or past employers. Education is

a close-knit community and you may cross paths

with folks again.

Show up on time and be a team player. Do more than is expected and always offer to

do more than is required. It shows drive and

determination.

Learn to present and speak in public. You do

not have to be a professional speaker, but learn

how to deliver information, make presentations,

teach classes and make a good first impression.

Do your homework. Know who you will be

working with, what the organization is about and

if you are a good fit. Do not apply for everything;

be selective and prepared.

Get a mentor. Someone who is not afraid to tell

you the truth even if it may hurt your feelings;

someone who can help you with reality checks

and keep you focused.

Worst career adviceEducation does not matter. Experience is what

will get you there. Experience is important, but do

not neglect education!

Make sure they know how lucky they are to get you. Let them see how lucky they are by your

performance!

Edit your resume. Only include what will help

you to get the job. Today, your resume or ap-

plication is your entry point. If it is incomplete or

proves to be false, you lose. If you have missing

time or have a negative on your resume, deter-

mine how you will address it forthrightly.

They will not check references. Today, back-

ground checks and reference checks are stan-

dard. Depending on the position, it may involve a

credit or criminal background check to protect

the school district. References and your history

are important to your professional future.

Go outside the hiring process. Get friends

to call the superintendent or others to make

overtures or lobby on your behalf. While getting

references and personal calls can help, violating

the established hiring process can backfire. Make

sure that you do not compromise the process.

Letters of reference or calls appropriately done

can help; using undue influence can hurt.

Only do what is required based on yourjob description. Stay uninvolved in anything

else. If they need you, they should pay for it. Do

you want to work with this type of a colleague?

Nobody does.

Start looking for your next job the day you start your current one. While keeping your

options open and looking forward are always

good ideas, doing your job well will be the best

preparation for your next job. If your employer

thinks you are a short-timer, your career options

are limited.

If you have career advice you’d like to share with

your CASBO colleagues, please take the time to

email me at molly@casbo.org. We would love

to share your advice and stories of professional

advancement!

Winter 2012 | 49

The California School Boards Association, in association

with Piper Jaffray & Co., has partnered with the California

Association of School Business Officials, and enhanced the

Certificates of Participation program.

û Fixed and variable interest rate options

û Flexible prepayment provisions

û Capitalized interest

û Flexible repayment schedules

û Low cost of issuance

û Education Code 17406 financings

California School Boards Association 3100 Beacon Blvd. | West Sacramento, CA 95691 | 800.266.3382

50 | California School Business

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SSC-CASBOMAGAD-Fall2012.pdf 1 8/8/2012 12:31:22 PM

Winter 2012 | 51

out&about

Winter 2012 | 51

Please send in your Out & About photos from CASBO events along with the names of the people in the photos and the event where the photo was taken. Digital photos may be sent to kevins@casbo.org.

(l-r) Pam Fees, director, school financial services, Los Angeles CountyOffice of Education; Loretta Courie, retired; and Jennie Barnes, business services specialist, Orange County Department of Education, volunteer at the CASBO exhibit during the Southern-Eastern Section Vendor Show on Oct. 24 in Pomona.

Participants enjoy networking opportunities at the 2012 CBO Symposium in Newport Beach in November.

Volunteering at the Central Section Golf Tournament are (l-r) Joanna Rivas, clerical specialist, Clovis Unified School District; Dawn Riccoboni, CBO, Exeter Union School District; and Shareen Crosby, risk management, Clovis Unified School District.

Enjoying the CBO Boot Camp reception are (l-r) Paul Reed, deputy superintendent and CBO, Newport-Mesa Unified School District; Karl Dearie, assistant superintendent, Coast Unified School District; and CASBO Vice President Vince Christakos, assistant superintendent, business, Hemet Unified School District.

Enjoying the networkingopportunities at CBO Boot Camp in October are (l-r) Susan Killian, director, fiscal services, Fontana Unified School District; Jonathan Geiszler, director of purchasing, Santa Ana Unified School District; Kristen Merritt, director, business services, Val Verde Unified School District; and Donald Rosales, director, purchasing, Hemet Unified School District.

52 | California School Business

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American Fidelity Assurance Co.(800) 365-9180www.afadvantage.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ASCIP(562) 403-4640www.ascip.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Horace Mann Companies(800) 999-1030www.horacemann.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Keenan & Associates(310) 212-0363www.keenan.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF)(916) 321-5300www.selfjpa.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC)(800) 972-1727www.sisc.kern.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Investment Banking

De La Rosa Co.(415) 217-3389www.ejdelarosa.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Law Firm

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo(562) 653-3428www.aalrr.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz APC(916) 232-3122www.stutzartiano.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Network Solutions & Servers & PC Solutions

Sehi Computer Products, Inc.(800) 346-6315www.sehi.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Winter 2012 | 53

advertiserindex

sudoku from page 47

6 3 15 4 29 8 77 9 53 1 64 2 81 7 98 5 42 6 3

5 4 29 8 73 1 61 6 34 2 87 5 96 3 42 7 18 9 5 4 7 1

6 3 95 8 21 6 39 5 78 2 42 4 53 1 67 9 8

AD INDEX

American Fidelity Assurance Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

American Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

ASCIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo . . . . . . . . . 46

Bernards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

California Financial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

California Solar Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Civic Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Creative Bus Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

De La Rosa Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

DecisionInsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Eagle Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Edupoint Educational Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

GASB 45 Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Horace Mann Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Keenan & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Office Depot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Piper Jaffray & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Public Agency Retirement Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF) . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

School Services of California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Sehi Computer Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Seville Construction Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Smartetools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Stone & Youngberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Stutz Artiano Shinoff & Holtz APC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Sungard K-12 Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

The Cooperative Purchasing Network. . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Tyler Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Vicenti, Lloyd & Stutzman LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Virco Manufacturing Corp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

WLC Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Office Supplies

Office Depot(888) 263-3423business.officedepot.com/educationPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Program/Project/Construction Management

Seville Construction Services(626) 204-0800www.sevillecs.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Public Finance

Stone & Youngberg(800) 447-8663www.syllc.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Retirement Benefits

Public Agency Retirement Service(800) 540-6369 #127www.pars.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Risk Management Services

Schools Excess Liability Fund (SELF)(916) 321-5300www.selfjpa.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

School Bus Sales Service & Parts

Creative Bus Sales(909) 465-5528www.creativebussales.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Student Information Services/Systems

Eagle Software(888) 487-7555www.aeries.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Edupoint Educational Systems(800) 338-7646www.edupoint.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Sungard K-12 Education(866) 905-8989www.sungard.com/K-12Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Transportation

Tyler Technologies(800) 431-5776www.tylertech.com11Please see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

54 | California School Business

lastwords

Do you have an inspirational quote or interesting statistic to share with your colleagues?

Send your favorites to kevins@casbo.org.

The three most costly mistakes that interviewees make are: not dressing properly for the interview (39.9 percent), being late for the interview (29.1 percent) and not being prepared for the interview, which includes not knowing about the company (25.9 percent).

Source: Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania

>30%

America’s schools and colleges welcomed back recordnumbers of students this fall as population increases and more students (prekindergarten through grade 8) are expected to enter U.S. public school systems than ever before.

Source: Institute of Education Sciences

3 mistakesIt is only through labor

and painful effort, by

grim energy and resolute

courage that we move

on to better things.

~ Theodore Roosevelt

To give real service you must

add something which

cannot be bought or measured

with money, and that is

sincerity and integrity.

~ Douglas Adams

Opportunity dances

with those who are ready

on the dance floor.

~ H. Jackson Brown

33.1 percent of HR respondents and 36.5 percent of managers believe that the presence of professionalism in new employees has decreased. Of that 36.5 percent, managers give the distinction of unprofessional to younger employees more than 30 percent of the time.

Source: Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania

Winter 2012 | 55

sungard.com/K12 | 866.905.8989

SunGard and the SunGard logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunGard Data Systems Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. PLUS Series and PLUS 360 are registered trademarks of SunGard K-12 Education Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

© 2012 SunGard K-12 Education

This year’s vacation was the best ever! I was finally able to relax knowing that everything at work was so calm. I’m so happy that we decided to buy that new K-12 Financial, Human Resource and Payroll System - it makes everything such a breeze!

P.S. I found it at sungard.com/K12 - Or call 866-905-8989 for a demonstration!

56 | California School Business

REF# 12093©2012 Virco Inc.- equipment for educators™

For more information, call Virco today at 800-813-4150 or visit our website at www.virco.com.

The latest addition to Virco’s ZUMA® collection of collaborative learning products.

Available in standard or stand-up height.

group of two or more group of four group of six group of eight