Led by experienced School Business Administrators, meet and participate in professional discussions relative to the work of School Business Administrators, as well as how to make the most of this year's conference. This breakfast is intended for new SBAs and is by invitation only.

Lindsey Albernaz, Business Manager

John W. Ferris, Interim School Business Administrator

Michael MacMillan, School Business Manager

Dr. James Mealey, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations

Dynamics of learning change when we become adults, yet we often approach adult learning with similar structure and strategies to learning in our youth. Learning is a lifelong process and continues throughout our careers. Learn more about adult learning styles, which is key to training, motivating, developing, and empowering your team.

This general session is sponsored by:

Cindy Joyce, Founder, Executive Search & Human Resources Consultant

Samuel Rippin, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance

This session will cover the financial statement audit process and what management personnel of Massachusetts Collaboratives should expect during a financial statement audit. It will also discuss the differences in audit risks associated with collaborative’s audits, as well as the additional information required of collaboratives.

Renee Davis, Audit Partner

Laura Stone, Governmental Manager

Christopher Haraden, Director of Finance and Operations

Social media is ubiquitous, for better and often it seems, for worse. However, LinkedIn has emerged as a powerful tool for SBAs to enhance public pride and confidence in their districts. Learn how you can utilize this leading professional engagement tool to enhance your career and promote your district.

Andrew O’Leary, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations

Howard Barber, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations

Rob Clickstein, School Business Administrator

Learn the common problems encountered and how to fix them when regional school districts complete the Excess and Deficiency forms and schedules to the Department of Revenue under 603 CMR 41.00 by October 31.

Tony Roselli, CPA, CGMA, Partner

Michael MacMillan, School Business Manager

School Business Officials are collaborating with their communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of fossil fuels in school operations. This presentation will include examples of energy data-collection and reporting, an overview of energy-efficient building design and renovations, and workable policy and procurement solutions. It is based upon my series of articles on environmental sustainability as published in ASBO’s School Business Affairs journals.

1. Examine ways you can successfully communicate to all stakeholders commonly accepted climate action benchmarks.
2. Explore greenhouse gas emission mitigation and SBO management tasks.
3. Identify colleagues and organizations who can help

Richard Weeks, Retired SBA

Dr. James Mealey, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations

*Bring your laptop to this session. 25 person maximum.* Attendees will learn how to create pivot tables and use various Excel/Google Sheet formulas to calculate a salary projection tool. The presenter will walk attendees through step by step how to leverage SUMIFS, VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, CONCATENATE vs &,, and Data Validation. The presenter will provide any helpful tips and tricks to any function taught in the session.

Michael Mason, Chief Financial Officer

Dr. James Mealey, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations

Motivating an adult learner can be a challenge! As a leader, you often have to persuade them to take time out of their busy schedule to prioritize learning. In this session, you will learn what makes them tick, what compels them to prioritize learning and take action, and proven strategies to set the stage for positive learning experiences.

Cindy Joyce, Founder, Executive Search & Human Resources Consultant

Samuel Rippin, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance

In this session, we will discuss the pros and cons of hiring interns and co-op students, as well as associated savings.

Katelyn Boudreau, Director of Educational Technology and Digital Literacy

Maria Silva, School Business Administrator

Michael Knight, School Business Administrator

Learn how an LEA can demonstrate MOE eligibility through either: (1) the combination of State and local funds in the aggregate; or (2) the combination of State and local funds on a per capita basis.

Caitlin Hogan, Sr. Auditor, Audit and Compliance

Gale Clark, School Business Administrator

Learn how to partner with a Retirement Plan 403b and 457(b) TPA to enhance financial wellness for all school employees.

Daniel Gale, Director of Finance and Operations

Randy Feid, VP of Business Development, East Region

John W. Ferris, Interim School Business Administrator

1. Learn first-hand how to identify and prioritize needed school facilities improvements using the latest technology
2. How to evaluate procurement options
3. How to identify rebates and incentives

Morgan Perras, Energy Services Account Executive

Joseph Baeta, Superintendent

Michael Knight, School Business Administrator

By employing a single, integrated platform, business officials will be able to (1) eliminate the collection and management of manual cash & check payments for nutrition, school fees and event management, (2) eliminate the collection and management of paper program registrations, waivers and permisssion slips that commonly accompany those payments, and (3) give both parents and administrators a single set of login credentials to manage it all.

Liam Hurley, Assistant Superintendent/CFO/Admin Officer

Bob Prendergast, Senior Regional Sales Manager

School districts and Collaboratives are confronted with multiple difficulties related to special education finance and administration. These issues stem from the complexity of special education billing, which in turn are due to the intricacies of the IEP process, which involves multiple stakeholders, and from delays in both intra- and inter-institutional communication among several district and Collaborative departments, among other causes. The learning outcomes for this session are:

1. Understand the complexity of the billing processes conducted by Collaborative business offices
2. Understand the SPEDfi cloud computing solution provided to Valley Collaborative and other Collaboratives
3. Analyze the SPEDfi business solution for special education billing
4. Apply information to envision possible solutions to attendees’ own business needs

Dr. Chris Scott, Executive Director

Dr. Camelia Rosca, Founder and CEO

Michael Mason, Chief Financial Officer

Hear from the H&A Project Management team the solutions to the most common lessons learned by School Business Officials. Your specific facility related questions of the Project Management team are encouraged.

Steven C. Habeeb, AIA, President

Elizabeth Lewis, Senior Project Manager / Structural Engineer

Kevin Provencher, Worcester Office Director

Tom MacLeod, Project Manager

Join us as we discuss ways to increase financial literacy in your districts including an overview of The Nickels, Dimes, and Dollars Book program. This book engages children in learning about financial fundamentals as it helps them discover their power to make thoughtful choices around saving, spending, sharing, earning and growing money. Research shows that today’s college students are graduating with more credit card debt than ever before, meaning that many of them are starting their adult years by making unwise decisions that could negatively affect their futures. Laying the foundation of financial literacy at an early age will help children develop smart money habits that can become the backbone of their relationship with money for the rest of their lives.

Ellen Sabin, MPH, MPA, Author and President

P. Nick Makriannis, President, Northeast Complex

Michael MacMillan, School Business Manager

Creating a culture of health and wellness in schools is a collaborative effort. This session will highlight the importance of the Local Wellness Policy, supporting the whole child, and how districts across the Commonwealth are achieving school wellness success. Nicole Good, School Wellness Specialist from DESE, will be joined by school wellness committee members who will share how to achieve an updated, compliant wellness policy.

Allyson Perron Drag, Government Relations Director, Senior Regional Lead American Heart Association

Nicole Good, School Wellness Specialist

Melissa Maguire, Director of Student Services

Heather Shastany, Manager of Nutrition & Training

Daniel Gale, Director of Finance and Operations

Please join us for an informative session where we will explore the importance of physical security in schools and the various measures that can be taken to ensure compliance with Alyssa’s Law and Ray Baum’s Law.

Designed exclusively for school leaders who are responsible for school safety functions, we’ll discuss:

• How to identify potential security gaps as they relate to physical security and the safety of your students, staff and visitors
• Best practices for developing school safety plans
• How to create a culture of school safety
• The latest solutions and add-ons to expand and adapt your current security system – including panic alarm systems that directly link to law enforcement.

  The session will be led by experienced security professionals who have worked with many districts in our region.  Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share their own experiences, making this a valuable learning opportunity for anyone involved in school safety and security.

Robert Hamel, Public Sector Specialist

Suzanne McLaughlin, Executive Vice President

Dolly Sharek, Director of Finance and Business Operations

Attendees will understand how solar energy benefits school districts financially with costs savings, to achieve environmental/sustainability initiatives, and to provide education to the next generation with the green economy. Sunrock DG Solar brings the Three E's of Solar to school districts through: Economics-cost savings by providing discounted electricity; Environmental-helping school districts implement their sustainability initiatives; Education-bringing STEM learning through the benefits of solar.

Tom Loredo, Sales Director - East Coast

Ken Miller, Sales Director-Education

Julia Marko, Director of Finance and Operations

1. Explain how nonprofits like PowerOptions can help lower the cost of and reduce the time to procure clean energy and electrification improvements
2. Understand new models and services, such as fleet electrification-as-a-service, and how they make upgrading to electric school buses simple and affordable
3. Understand the varied benefits of electric school buses, including their impact on neurodivergent students and on student attendance, academic performance, and health

Numerous studies have shown that the tailpipe emissions from diesel school buses can harm children's lungs and increase the risk of pediatric asthma, which can also increase absenteeism. Luckily, the switch to electric school buses (ESBs) can provide a range of benefits – including improved student and community health, better driver recruitment and even stronger student academic performance, among others: for instance, students riding clean school buses have 8% less absenteeism than students riding diesel buses.1 ESBs not only provide a healthier environment for students, but they also provide quiet and clean transportation for students with neurological differences.

However, electrifying a fleet carries hidden costs and requires significant time and expertise. Fortunately, there are several options that can make electrification the fiscally responsible choice, including: new business models; state, local, and federal grants; and combinations of clean energy technologies. Highland regional business manager Jason Raposa and PowerOptions’ president and chief executive officer Heather Takle will explain how non-profits like PowerOptions can help schools reduce the time and cost associated with clean energy procurement, and how public-private partnerships can reduce the risk, cost, and complexity of electrification and other clean energy initiatives. Heather will explain PowerOption’s Clean Transportation (EV) Program, which can help provide electric vehicle chargers and fleet options to nonprofits and public entities. And Jason will discuss how public-private partnerships like
Highland’s have removed the upfront cost of electrification for districts around the U.S., and provided budget neutrality or savings compared to current diesel fleet costs.

Sources:
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Available at: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201410-1924OC#

Heather Takle, President & CEO

Amy McGuire, Director, Market Development

Jay Sullivan, Associate Commissioner, School Finance and District Support Center; MASBO Treasurer

The Amazon for Education marketplace for supplies, materials, and items needed for all public school departments. It supports public education by providing a cost effective and efficient process for supplying the greatest depth and breadth of product for public schools. Learn the mechanisms that drive value when making tax-exempt purchases from the Education Marketplace while staying compliant under Chapter 30b. Show your understanding by completing an online evaluation.

Jeff Krafft, Sr. Customer Advisor

Joe Munno, Sr. Customer Advisor

Michael Mason, Chief Financial Officer

1: Understand the details and impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act and changes in New England energy incentives.
2: Learn how to maximize the benefits of these programs with budget-neutral projects, and no upfront capital.
3: Learn how to maximize available incentives for your institution while aligning with long-term goals and objectives.
4: Learn why now is the best time to take advantage and enable sustainable energy infrastructure upgrades.

Extreme increases in energy rates coupled with unprecedented federal funding and local renewable energy incentives have reshaped project economics in just over the last year. These developments improve project feasibility, enabling cities and towns to make budget-neutral, energy-efficient infrastructure upgrades throughout Massachusetts. Among recent bills, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) is the most comprehensive climate legislation in U.S. history, offering funding, programs, and federal “Direct Pay” credit incentives to accelerate the transition to clean energy technology. For the first time, tax-exempt entities investing in or producing clean energy can receive direct payment in lieu of tax credits, which have traditionally only benefitted the private sector. This IRA provision applies to states, cities, municipal utilities, school districts, and non-profits.

In this session, attendees will learn the details of these funding mechanisms and how to best leverage shifting local incentives and the federal Direct Pay program with budget-neutral performance-based financing models. This approach can help school administrators in New England address needed infrastructure, deferred maintenance, and capital improvements without allocating additional funds from their budget, while reducing carbon emissions and supporting sustainability goals/requirements. Please join Regina Durga and Chris Pimentel from Centrica Business Solutions to explore project scenarios comparing tax credits and local renewable energy incentives in our region.

Regina Durga, National Business Lead

Chris Pimentel, Senior Account Executive

Daniel Gale, Director of Finance and Operations