Sessions

Interdepartmental Collaboration

Excel Tips and Tricks:  Get the most out of Your Data

Brain Hacks for School Business Officials - Using your Brain to Make your Job Easier and Yourself more Productive

Local vs Federal Procurement Practices

Title IX Pitfalls

Emerging Risks

Artificial Intelligence and Schools

Sports Turf and Stadium Lighting

ASBO SFO Preparation Class

How to Deal with Difficult People

Difficult Conversations

Roadmap to Securing your Schools

The Shift to Website-Based Budget Books

2023 Financial Condition Review

Building Culture and Morale

Making School Finance Understandable

Beyond Energy Savings: Creative solutions to fund large capital projects now! 

There's no Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Introverts Guide to the Galaxy

School Planners and Their Data

Tyler User Group Meeting

PERA and What you Need to Know

Harnessing a Long Range Planning Committee to Inform Board Decisions

Best Practices for Purchasing Policies and Procedures

The Continuous Improvement Journey

Business/Finance Think Tank Round Table

Operations/Maintenance (CSPMA) Think Tank Round Table

Food Service/Purchasing/Transportation Think Tank Round Table

• Excel Tips and Tricks: Get the Most out of Your Data -  Are you a frequent user of Microsoft Excel? This session will provide a number of examples illustrating how you can take your Excel skills to the next level and beyond! Using sample data sets realistic to the insurance industry, this session will provide common and not-so-common ways to use Excel for completing ad-hoc analyses, gaining greater insight into the data and conveying key results to broad audiences, and more! If you are an Excel user, regardless of your level of experience, you will learn something new.  (Lawrence Mund, CPA, Manager of Financial Services, CSDSIP)

• Emerging Risks - This session is is for you if you want to stay up to date on emerging risks for your district financials. Including internal audit techniques and controls that should be put in place at your district. (FORVIS)

• Shift to Online Reporting to Engage with Parents and Key Stakeholders - This presentation will overview both how and why school districts are moving away from the typical Excel + Word = Static PDF approach to their Budget Book. Instead, opting towards a more user-friendly, interactive, digital format that your board, parents, key stakeholders, and citizens can interact with. The presentation will also touch upon how technology has evolved to help automate this directly from the accounting system, including the use of AI.  (Ryan Wilson, ClearGov)

• 2023 Financial Condition Review - From multiple banking failures to the Fed’s continued fight against inflation, the financial outlook throughout 2023 has been a roller coaster. Thanks to Silicon Valley Bank, we now have a case study in interest rate risk and how impactful it can be to your investment portfolio when not properly managed. Join us to discuss these topics in detail, plus an updated economic outlook and more. (Dylana Gross, Colotrust)

• Making School Finance Understandable - Are you having difficulty getting teachers, staff, the public and even your board of education to understand the basics of school finance, much less more complicated finance topics? Explore how to avoid finance jargon and explain school finance in terms anyone can understand. Learn proven design and presentation techniques that will help convey your message. Clear examples and references will be presented that will engage your district’s staff and community in meaningful dialogue about school finance.  (John Hutchison, Olathe Public Schools, ASBO International President)

• There's no such Thing as a Free Lunch - Everyone knows the cliché: there is no such thing as a FREE LUNCH. Well that is still certainly correct to a point in Colorado. Free Meals for all are not really completely free, the meals are a benefit now available to ALL students whose districts opt into the program currently in 4 states nationwide, Colorado being one of them. The State of Colorado has done an amazing job in getting this ballot passed and funded for sustainability as a trailblazer state. Come gain understanding how this NEW Free Meals for ALL program is a blessing and challenge and take away learnings of best practices for executing a robust efficient program ensuring no students ever get HANGRY! (Shannon Solomon, Aurora Public Schools)

• Tyler User Group Meeting - For school district's using, or considering Tyler Technologies (iVisions) a group meeting is available to discuss tips and tricks for this ERP system. 

• Interdepartmental Collaboration - School Business officials need to work across departments often, and ensuring the right people are at the table can be a challenge. Hear tips and tricks on working across academic and operational departments to reduce silos and get things done! (Samantha Gallagher, Fort Lewis College and Mary Cooper, Englewood Public Schools)

• ASBO SFO Prep Class - The Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations® (SFO®) is the profession’s most prestigious designation. Created by school business professionals, this certification proves your knowledge and professional competencies. Earning your SFO will launch your school business career to the next level, putting you among the profession’s elite workforce. This session will take you through the benefits, requirements and provide tools to help you receive this prestigious designation.  (Gina Lanier and Aaron Oberg, Adams 12 Five Star Schools)

• How to Deal with Difficult People - This session identifies types of behaviors which make people difficult and methods for effectively engaging and handling those challenging individuals. You will learn about motivations behind difficult behavior and how to maintain control at the workplace. By reducing stressful interactions productivity is increased, teams become more effective, and the work environment improves. (Joseph Pandolfo and Steve Betando, Total School Solutions)

• The Introverts Guide to the Galaxy - Large crowds and conferences can be overwhelming for introverts, but we are stronger together. Bring your business cards and a smile and we will walk through tips and tricks on how to make the most of your conference by establishing lasting and meaningful relationships with peers across the state. Discover the power of personal goals and how successful we can become when we learn to work together, no matter which District we are from! (Ashley Stephen, Platte Canyon School District)

• Building Culture and Morale - This session will take you through ideas to create a thriving culture so your teams may grow personally and professionally.  (Gina Lanier, Adams 12 Five Star Schools and Shannon Solomon, Aurora Public Schools)

• The Continuous Improvement Journey - Curious about Continuous Improvement? Heard about LEAN or Choosing by Advantages? Come and learn about the journey Adams 12 has taken to help their leaders learn and grow. (Chris Wilderman, Pat Hamilton, and Molly Brandt, Adams 12)

• Brain Hacks for School Business Officials - Using your Brain to Make your job Easier and Yourself More Productive - Brain imaging has allowed great insight into how our actions, thoughts and words affect our daily life.  Using that insight can make a significant difference in how you live each day and interact with others.  This presentation focuses on how you can be more productive by using your brain to choose your mood, stress, efficacy, view of others, and your self-image. (Joel McKenzie and Bryce Burget, American Fidelity)

• Title IX Pitfalls - Megan Lonergan, Legal Counsel & Jeanette O'Dell, Director of Risk Management, with Cherry Creek School District, will share information to help you ensure Title IX compliance. Not only will they share information imperative to navigating the ever-changing landscape, but they will provide a sneak peak into proposed regulation changes and how that will impact K-12.  (Megan Lonergan & Jeanette O'Dell)

• Artificial Intelligence in Schools - AI is revolutionizing various industries, and education is no exception. As stewards of school finance and operations, school business officials have a unique opportunity to leverage AI to enhance efficiency, optimize decision-making, and drive positive outcomes. By the time this session is presented, the capabilities will have changed from the early summer - it is progressing that fast. We will explore some easy wins and future uses of AI. (Bill Sutter, Boulder Valley School District)

• Difficult Conversations - Difficult conversations in the workplace don't have to be difficult. Verbal, written, daily, weekly, and annual communications to avoid performance improvement plans.  (Mary Cooper, Englewood Public Schools)

• PERA and What you Need to Know - Wondering what PERA is and how it can benefit you?  Whether you are new to education or a veteran, learn more about your pension.  (Kendra Friesen and Katie Remington, PERA)

• Local vs Federal Procurement Practices - Federal procurement regulations can make our heads spin when comparing to our local policies. Nutrition Services may be your largest Federally procuring program, however these purchasing practices can be applied in other areas within your organization. Know what's required on a Federal level, how to support your Federal programs, and how to ensure your district's purchasing thresholds are adequate for your programs.  (Katie Cossette, Saint Vrain Valley Schools)

• Sports Turf and Stadium Lighting - A presentation from a business official's perspective on selecting the proper synthetic turf infills and absorption pads and sports lighting to construct a safe and long lasting state of the art stadium or playing field. Involved in this presentation will be a discussion of field temperature, impact ratings, safety criteria and diverse lighting for multiple sports and events. (Josh Higgins, Eaton School District, Brock USA and Musco Lighting)

• Roadmap to Securing your Schools - School wellness strategies should focus on the health and well-being of students, without compromising safety or security. The design of a doorway must address challenges such as classroom safety, fire control, ADA compliance and facility cleanliness. (Priscilla Dorszynski and Stacy Molenda, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions)

• Best Practices for Purchasing Policies/Procedures - Learn the basics of why, what, and how to create or revise your current Purchasing Policies. (Lisa Sharp, Mesa County School District 51)

• School Planners and Their Data - School Planners have data you never knew you needed - Everyone knows data is important, but do you know what data planners can assist with? Too much data can be worse than no data if you don’t know how to interpret it - this is where planners come in. Planners can be involved in a broad range of topics such as: boundaries, mapping, student enrollment projections, IGA’s, land acquisitions, facilities forecasting, and emergency response. Join us to learn what data planners have access to, how we use it, and how we can help provide better data to inform better decisions.  (Brendan Willits, Saint Vrain Valley School District and Matt Schaefer, Cherry Creek Schools)

• Harnessing a Long Range Planning Committee to Inform Board Decisions - Is your district facing increasing student and staff mental health needs, declining enrollment, aging facilities, or declining student achievement? All of the above? Regardless of district size, identifying solutions requires mountains of data collection, analysis and community involvement. Learn how Littleton Public Schools harnesses the power of a citizens’ Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) to tackle big challenges. (Terry Davis, Littleton Public Schools)

• Beyond Energy Savings: Creative Solutions to Fund Large Capital Projects now!  - Johnson Controls, a global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings will be reviewing a variety of solutions for Colorado School Districts that not only save energy costs, but can help save money and resources; while creating a safer learning & work environment for students and staff. Our team will focus on digital options that are proven to create efficient solutions to manage your facilities and make state mandated reporting a breeze. We will look at creative funding mechanisms that can help you tackle your deferred maintenance needs, with or without a ballot initiative, to help stretch your dollars further. Lastly, we will provide insight on how to make your buildings safe and secure in conjunction with an energy savings project.  (Kevin Huber, Matt Deloge, Bill Roberts, and Peter White, JCI)