california

California Association of School Business Officials Winter 2010

schoolbusiness

Anxious timesWorkplace anxiety heightened aschallenging economic times continue

Time fortransparencyThe lessons of2010’s ethical lapses

Employment evolutionRecent staffingreductions impacteducation employment

2 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 3

4 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 5

contents departments 9 Checking in Learning curve is a positive for leaders MollyMcGeeHewitt

13 Bottom line The ethical standard ReneeHendrick

15 In focus CASBO member profile: Gordon Medd 42 Book club TrueNorth:DiscoverYourAuthenticLeadership

45 Out & about Photos from CASBO events

50 Last words

cover story28 Anxious times Workplace anxiety heightened as challenging economic times continue JuliePhillipsRandles

interview17 Assistant education secretary has California roots Thelma Meléndez de Santa Ana shares Obama administration’s education goals JuliePhillipsRandles

features23 Time for transparency The lessons of 2010’s ethical lapses LindaA.Estep

36 Employment evolution Recent staffing reductions impact education employment JulieSturgeon

Volume 75 Number 4 Winter 2010

23

15

36

6 | California School Business

publisher

editor in chief

features editor

contributors

editorial assistant

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

Linda A. Estep

Julie Sturgeon

Erika Sizemore

Sharon Adlis

Lori Mattas

Renee HendrickOrangeCountyDepartmentofEducation

Gary MatsumotoHaciendaLaPuenteUnifiedSchoolDistrict

Michael JohnstonClovisUnifiedSchoolDistrict

Sharon KetchersideSacramentoCountyOfficeofEducation

CiCi TrinoAssociationOutsourceServices,Inc.115SpringWaterWayFolsom,CA95630916.990.9999

www.casbo.org

CaliforniaSchoolBusiness (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 CaliforniaSchoolBusiness 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 CaliforniaSchoolBusiness 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 CaliforniaSchoolBusiness is not implied or expressed.

Copyright 2010 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 2010

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 2010 | 7

Finance Human ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW

emPloyee selF-seRvice

PuRcHasing BeneFit enRollment Fixed asset accounts PayaBle gRants

PRoject tRacking accounts ReceivaBle WaReHouse Finance

Human ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW Finance Human

ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW Finance Human

ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW Finance Human

ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting Finance Human

ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW Finance Human

ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW Finance

Human ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW Finance

Human ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW

emPloyee selF-seRvice

PuRcHasing BeneFit enRollment Fixed asset accounts

PayaBlegRants PRoject tRacking accounts ReceivaBle WaReHouse

Finance Human ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW

emPloyee selF-seRvice

PuRcHasing BeneFit enRollment Fixed asset accounts PayaBlegRants

PRoject tRacking accounts ReceivaBle WaReHouse

Finance Human ResouRces PayRoll state RePoRting WoRkFloW

emPloyee selF-seRvice

PuRcHasing BeneFit enRollment Fixed asset accounts PayaBlegRants

InfiniteVisions.com | 888.654.3293

Long-Term Value is our

Customer for Life Philosophy

For the best ROI, trust Infinite Visions® from Windsor Management

Group. With superior performance, service, and support, districts

receive a lifetime of free license upgrades to purchased modules

for software built on the most value-added database technology in

K-12, Microsoft SQL Server. With a 99% customer retention rate

for more than 800 school districts, long-term value is our proven

"Customer for Life" philosophy. Download our white paper

Protect Your District Investment at www.InfiniteVisions.com.

The most trusted Financial and Human Resources software, services and support in K-12.

Copy

right

201

1 W

inds

or M

anag

emen

t Gro

up. I

nfini

te V

ision

s is

a re

gist

ered

trad

emar

k

of W

inds

or M

anag

emen

t Gro

up. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

Finance

Human ResouRces

PayRoll

state RePoRting

WoRkFloW

emPloyee selF-seRvice

PuRcHasing

BeneFit enRollment

Fixed asset

accounts PayaBle

gRants PRoject tRacking

accounts ReceivaBle

WaReHouse

CASBO_Ad 11/12/2010

8 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 9

checkingin

Learning curveis a positivefor leaders

One of my children’s favorite movies was “The NeverEnding Story.” I loved the title more than the movie. For lead-

ers in school business management, the title of a current movie might be “The Never-Ending Learning Curve.”

We must be in a continual learning mode. Laws change, new leaders arrive, new cultures move in, generational

differences impact our organizations and the world as we know it is changing daily.

If you are unsure of this premise, let’s explore a couple of trends, starting with technology. Technology is often ob-

solete before the RFP or bid is even complete. iPods, Droids, iPhones – all evolving quickly and giving us greater

access and more tools daily. Some of us remember when fax machines were the new toys – errr – tools.

Charter schools were once a novel idea that some viewed as a passing trend. Today, we see that they are here to

stay and they bring new issues and new levels of competition to our school districts.

The learning curve for leaders is a positive phenomenon. We no longer have to accept the idea that formal

education is the only way to learn. At our fingertips, we have an Internet library full of materials just waiting for

our search. I can search vendors, equipment, ratings, complaints, book reviews and information in minutes. In

the past, it could have taken days, weeks or months to acquire the information that is available to me today. I can

engage in dialogue with my colleagues on social media and conduct surveys in moments.

The never-ending learning curve also means that in order to stay current and be relevant for our educational

industry, we have to maximize our leadership and be flexible and open to the future. We cannot rest on our laurels

or past knowledge; we have to be in the now. Yesterday’s best practices may be poor practices tomorrow.

CASBO is addressing these needs. While we are proud of our past accomplishments, we see that the never-

ending learning curve drives us to new heights and new programs. Our strategic plan gives us the foundation,

and our member leaders on our committees, professional councils and task forces drive our programs. Tomorrow

will not look like today or yesterday. To stay relevant and vital, we must look to the future.

The good news for our association is that we have exceptional leaders who value our culture, past accomplish-

ments and the efforts of our volunteer leaders. They do not value change for the sake of change, but look at

improvement for the sake of enhancing our association and the services we provide.

Leadership is always best exemplified by actions and not by words. What we do will speak much louder than

any written or spoken words. What does your professional image and work say about your learning curve? Are

you embracing change and the future? Are you holding onto the past? What is on your reading list? What have

you done to upgrade your skills? Regardless of how competent you may be, the never-ending learning curve

demands we get better.

Together, we can embrace this never-ending learning curve. CASBO with you – a professional partnership.

Molly McGee HewittExecutiveDirector

The never-ending learning curve also means that in order to stay current and be relevant for our educational industry, we have to maximize our leadership and be flexible and open to the future.

10 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 11

12 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 13

bottomline

By Renee Hendrick CASBO President

The ethical standard

As children, we are constantly

taught, by word and example, how

to differentiate right from wrong.

This early training teaches us

about telling the truth, doing

the right thing, being careful and

avoiding dangerous behaviors

that can hurt us or others. This

information makes an indelible

mark on our character since it

frequently comes from those we

love and respect.

You cannot pick up a newspaper, watch a newscast or even view a political ad in the last few months without being assaulted with reports of ethics investi-gations, misappropriations, alleged mis-conduct or violations of the public trust. The city of Bell was a relatively unknown community until the outrageous salaries being paid to its executives became pub-lic. Election campaigns point out lapses in everything from voting history to con-tributions to personal financial standards. The ethical conduct of those in the public eye and of those working for public agen-cies is a hot topic.

As school business employees, our actions and the leadership examples our behaviors exhibit speak louder than our words. Leadership requires us to remem-ber that even if something is not illegal, it still may not be in the best interest of our schools or agencies. It also may not be in our best professional interest.

If something makes us uncomfort-able or would be embarrassing if revealed to the public, that is an indicator that we

need to stop and carefully assess the situ-ation. Those free baseball tickets offered by a vendor may look good at first blush, but how might accepting those tickets be interpreted by others?

We also need to keep in mind that the decisions made early in a career can stay with you for your entire professional life. Because young employees may not con-sider future consequences, it is impera-tive that more experienced leaders help young employees understand the ethical demands of public service.

As the president of casbo, I have the privilege of working with ethical, dedi-cated professionals across California.

The overwhelming majority of our colleagues understand the need to practice ethical leadership and adhere to a code of ethics that demands honesty, transparency and openness.

Unfortunately, it only takes a few bad examples to cast aspersions on all of us. Public opinion, unleashed by the Inter-net and media particularly, is reshaping expectations and standards.

Our actions directly impact public education and the future of school busi-ness. Ethical leaders leave a legacy of

As school business employees, our actions and the leadership examples our behaviors exhibit speak louder than our words.

positive leadership and encourage other professionals to become the strong and ethical professionals our industry needs.

In the case of school business, one of the most important tasks we have is to lead others and help ensure that future generations include moral, noble leaders. It takes years to build a reputation and only one scandal to destroy it. I am proud that the majority of casbo members are leaders in ethics and service to the stu-dents of California.

14 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 15

infocus

Winter 2010 | 15Photography by Hope Harris

Gordon Medd As a CBO or coach, he’s competitive to the core

Gordon Medd became a CBO at perhaps the most challenging time the school

business industry has seen in 30 years. Despite entering the field during

difficult times and jumping into a school bond campaign on his second day

on the job, his penchant for team building and a competitive nature mean he

remains upbeat.

Medd, assistant superintendent, administrative services, for Dry Creek Joint

Elementary School District in Roseville, Calif., and a longtime coach, said

challenges (and an extreme dislike of losing) drive him to work harder. “It’s all

about putting together a great team; I’ve learned that time-and-time again,”

Medd said. “The team you pick is the team you have to play with, so you bet-

ter draft the right people.”

Medd’s career began as a teacher in Canada and then

in Southern California. In 1992, he joined DCJESD

as an elementary school assistant principal, opening

the suburban district’s first new school in decades. In

1994, he became principal at another of the district’s

elementary schools, and in 2004 was named principal

at a DCJESD middle school. He became the district’s

CBO in 2006.

He sees his competitive nature as a benefit during tough times. “I take budget

development and budget reductions and think of every possible way to

maintain people and programs. I turn it into a game I am trying to win,” Medd

described. “It’s not a pleasant time, but I go into it knowing I’m doing the best I

can do to get the best ‘win’ in a budget-reduction situation.”

On behalf of CASBO, Medd spent three years serving on the Governance Im-

plementation Team charged with re-engineering the association’s governance

structure by updating the bylaws and rewriting the manual of procedures. He

also is the Sacramento Section representative to the Chief Business Officials

Professional Council and is a member of the Professional Standards and

Leadership Committee.

In his spare time – he only sleeps five to six hours a night – Medd coaches

youth soccer and basketball and is on the board of directors of a youth

soccer league. He’s also an avid runner, trekking 35 to 40 miles a week and

sometimes pacing athletes who are participating in distance runs. You have

to be pretty competitive to run 33 miles through the night alongside a radio

personality seeking to run 92.5 miles – the radio station’s location on the dial.

Medd said CASBO has provided him with similar come-alongside support. “For

me, CASBO is a wealth of experienced and knowledgeable people who readily

make themselves available to their peers.”

16 | California School Business

Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Company, LLP has been a leading provider of audit, tax and advisory services for the Education market for over 60 years. Our professionals understand the unique needs of school districts, county offices of education, higher education and special agencies.

CaLifOrnia LOCaTiOns: rancho Cucamonga 909.466.4410,Palo alto 650.462.0400, fresno 559.248.0871, Pleasanton 925.734.6600, and sacramento 916.570.1880.

VaLuE ThE DiffErEnCE Of VTD!for more information, log on to: www.vtdcpa.com

Winter 2010 | 17

By Julie Phillips Randles

interview

Assistant educationsecretary hasCalifornia rootsThelma Meléndez de Santa Anashares Obama administration’s education goals

Th e l m a M e l é n d e z d e S a n ta A na , a l o n g t i m e

Southern California educator who has held roles

as a teacher, principal and superintendent, was

selected as assistant secretary for elementary and

secondary education by the Obama administration

in July 2009. As assistant secretary, she plays a pivotal role in policy

and management issues affecting elementary and secondary education. She directs, coordinates and recommends policy for programs designed to assist state and local education agencies with improving the achievement of elementary and secondary school students; helps ensure equal access to services leading to such improvement for all children, particularly children who are economically disadvantaged; fosters educational improvement at the state and local levels; and provides financial assistance to local education agencies whose local revenues are affected by federal activities. She also serves as the principal adviser to the u.s. secretary of education on all matters related to pre-k, elementary and secondary education.

Prior to arriving at the federal education department, Melé-ndez was the superintendent of the Pomona Unified School District, a post she took in 2006.

From 2005 to 2006, Meléndez worked on district-level reform as the program manager at a San Francisco-based non-profit, the Stupski Foundation. On behalf of the foundation, she focused on creating high-performance learning organizations to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps. She also served on the foundation’s executive leadership team.

From 1999 to 2005, Meléndez was the deputy and assistant superintendent and chief academic officer at Pomona Unified, where she redesigned instructional services to increase student achievement and provided support to school sites.

Phot

os b

y Pa

ul w

ood

18 | California School Business

Thelma Meléndez

continued on page 20

Assistant education secretary has California roots

Prior to her work at Pomona Unified, Meléndez was direc-tor of school-family initiatives at the Los Angeles Annenberg Metropolitan Project. In this role, she oversaw grants for the Annenberg Foundation and implemented schoolwide account-ability reform in 15 Los Angeles County school districts.

From 1992 to 1997, she served as an educator in the Mon-tebello and Pasadena unified school districts, assuming the positions of director of instruction, principal, assistant principal and teacher. And from 1990 to 2002, Meléndez served in various faculty positions at universities in California.

Meléndez has been recognized by a number of groups for her leadership in education. Most recently, in 2010, she was named Woman of the Year by Hispanic Business Magazine. In 2009, she was named California Superintendent of the Year. In 2007, she was named Latina of Excellence, a national honor given to six Latinas “of great distinction in their fields” by Hispanic Magazine, receiving the Educationalist award. In 2005, she was recognized as an Outstanding k–12 School Leader & Distinguished Partner for Educational Excellence by California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. And, in 2003, she was named Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Los Angeles County Bilingual Directors Association.

Meléndez earned a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California at Los Angeles. She is also a graduate of The Broad Superintendent’s Academy, a 10-month executive management program that trains working ceos to lead urban public school systems.

She is married to Otto Santa Ana, a professor in the Chicano Studies Department at ucla.

Here’s what she shared with casbo in an interview from her Washington, d.c., office.

CSB: What is the last book you read?Meléndez: “Green Eggs and Ham.” I read from the book during a recent speech at a reading conference on early literacy. The professional book I just finished is “All Systems Go: The Change Imperative for Whole System Reform,” by Michael Fullan.

CSB: What three things are always in your refrigerator?Meléndez: Fruit, assorted cheeses and protein drinks.

CSB: What is the best advice you have ever received? From whom? Meléndez: The best advice I’ve gotten is to “never hold yourself back from opportunities,” and that was from my husband.

CSB: What three things are essential to your life? Meléndez: My husband and my family; my work – and that involves making a difference in children’s lives; and, most importantly, my faith.

CSB: What will be the focus of the Obama administration for the next two years when it comes to education issues?Meléndez: First of all, the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – that’s a huge focus for the secretary (Secretary of Education Arne Duncan).

Another area of focus is strengthening the teaching profes-sion, as well as school leadership. We believe that teaching is a craft and that we must provide teachers with the opportunity to work on their craft, just as we do with leaders. We want to help states put together ways to measure effectiveness through different evaluation systems. Also, recruitment of teachers is hugely important. We have a big campaign underway, the teach Campaign, that focuses on getting new teachers into school systems.

Finally, we are focused on boosting college completion. The president’s education goal is to have the u.s. lead the world in college completion by 2020. So we’re focusing on secondary schools, and working on reducing the high school dropout rate along with ways to re-engage students who have dropped out already. The majority of our low-performing schools have been high schools, so we want to focus on dropout prevention and recovery.

CSB: You’ve seen education from almost every angle. What is the appropriate role of the federal government in K-12 education?Meléndez: I know the secretary has challenged the whole (education) department to move away from being solely compliance-oriented. We are stewards of the taxpayers’ money, but we also need to move toward being partners to states and districts in the work they’re doing. Having been a superintendent, I know what it takes to do some of this work, and I also know states and districts need help. In our office, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, we’ve been looking at how we can improve these partnerships and provide support through improved technical assistance. At a department level, through Race to the Top, we’re developing a model of working not just with states that are grantees, but all states that applied, to place a high emphasis on equity and access, and to make sure all students are successful.

Winter 2010 | 19

20 | California School Business

continued from page 18

CSB: How can the business and curriculum sides of public schools work together to improve student achievement?Meléndez: It’s important that both sides work hand-in-hand to ensure that resources are allocated in the most effective way possible to improve student achievement. This was so important to us in Pomona that we had what we called “the six essentials,” and one of those essentials was the effective use of resources. I’ve been in places where the fiscal side ran things and it wasn’t linked to a reform plan. I’ve also been in districts where they said “this is our reform plan and this is the money we have – how are we going to improve student achievement?” The fiscal services director and chief business official were on the cabinet at Pomona. They went to school sites, and we were a team, working in close partnership. That is a model we hope we can see everywhere.

CSB: What will the Obama administration be seeking in the upcoming round of program reauthorizations?

Meléndez: The other day I was in Little Rock, Ark., and the secretary gave a speech about our reauthorization proposal, and he used the three “Fs” – fair, flexible and focused. What he means by “fair” is that we want accountability to be spread out. We want the federal government to author a clear definition of success and let schools figure out how to get there. We also want to be more “flexible” for states and districts by creating more space in how schools and districts innovate to improve. I was with a group of superintendents from county offices of education today and we talked about how we need to support creativity and innovation at the local level.

“Focused” is the last “F,” and we really want to focus on the schools and students that are most at risk. We are going to be very focused on how we turn around those low-performing schools, and especially focus on our English-language learners, migrant students, special education students and other diverse learners to make sure we meet the needs of those students.

There is talk that Title i or Title iii should be competitive – this is absolutely not true! But we will continue our support to the key priorities laid out in the Blueprint for Reform, our pro-posal to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Some of these priorities include: college- and career-ready students, great teachers and leaders in every school, equity and opportunity for all students, raising the bar and rewarding excel-lence, and promoting innovation and continuous improvement.

CSB: When can local school districts expect the federal government to live up to its commitment on special education funding?Meléndez: In terms of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (idea), it is up for reauthorization as well. Our sense is that the majority of special education students are found in general education classes, so if we improve the quality of instruction we will impact what goes on in special education. We see it as idea, Title i and Title iii all working together to support students. Our commitment is to ensure that all students receive a world-class education, and we want to prepare them to be successful in the future. 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? CaliforniaSchoolBusinessmagazinewelcomes “Letters to the Editor.” Please send your letters to kevins@casbo.org.All letters are edited for content, space and style considerations.

Thelma MeléndezAssistant education secretary has California roots

Winter 2010 | 21

22 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 23

feature

By Linda A. Estep

ew investigative news stories in 2010 stirred more indignation thanthe report of bloated salaries paid

to the public employees of the city of Bell in Southern California. As revelations surfaced about some city officials collecting upward of $1 million annually, citizens staged protests, bloggers found a new soap box and law enforcement

Time fortransparency

officials scrambled to build a case for prosecution.

Every day brought a new chapter, each seeming to top the one before, and fanning the fires of public outrage. Bell city council members and its part time mayor were drawing salaries approach-ing $100,000. And no city official’s pay package was more striking than Bell’s

Chief Administrative Officer Robert Rizzo, who received $787,637 a year with a 12-percent raise scheduled each July.

How could this happen andwhy didn’t anyone notice?

As a charter city, Bell salaries were not affected by a state law enacted in 2005

The lessons of 2010’s ethical lapses

F

24 | California School Business

regulating how much council members of “general law” cities are paid. Perhaps not-so-coincidentally, that year the Bell City Council quietly held a special election to convert Bell to a charter city, exempting the city from salary restrictions, although the exemption was not disclosed in arguments for the measure. Instead, the measure was touted as a means of giving Bell more

local control. The election attracted less than 400 voters, with more than half of those voting by absentee ballot.

Meanwhile, the same week the Bell story broke, a local television reporter’s investigation was percolating 390 miles to the north. That story centered on the salary and behavior of a highly respected leader in education, Scott Plotkin, ex-ecutive director of the California School Boards Association, in Sacramento. In question were cash advances totaling $11,000 from his csba credit card at local casinos, although the money had been paid back.

Further probing revealed Plotkin’s earnings topped $500,000 in recent years, approved by the 32-member csba board of directors. In one interview after his compensation became public, Plotkin ex-plained his high salary was due to action taken by the board in the form of bonuses and salary hikes to keep him on the job.

Defending himself, Plotkin claimed the csba board approved his credit card cash advances, and said that he had taken

Time for transparency

a 4-percent pay cut a year earlier. Two days later, in a statement announcing his retirement, he admitted both claims were untrue.

Plotkin’s fall from grace stunned and angered educators and taxpayers alike. It further eroded public trust in the man-agement of taxpayer funds and sent csba into full throttle damage control. With$5 million in annual membership dues

at risk, the organization faced threats of non-renewal from districts throughout the state. Membership dues represented taxpayer dollars paid by districts at a time when they were cutting their ownbudgets to the marrow. Helping pay for inflated salaries and personal loans for gambling just didn’t sit well.

Got Windex?

If there is a word-of-the-year contest for 2010, “transparency” must be a finalist. Calls for more openness, greater clarity and tighter controls over public funds echoed far and wide. Whether on the national or state level, “come-clean-and-do-the-right-thing” became the mantra of the betrayed and the lawmakers hoping to assuage them.

Embarrassed and recognizing its credibility was at stake, csba launched a campaign to assure its members and the public that it had nothing to hide. It began by publishing on its website a Financial Accountability page that in-

cluded irs Form 990 filings, an outline of executive staff compensation and con-solidated financial statements. The board further pledged to strengthen checks and balances regarding executive director compensation and evaluation processes.

Still, districts and county offices of education seethed at the lack of judgmentshown by both the csba board and its embattled executive director. At least one

district dropped its membership, while another publicly admonished members of the csba executive board and called for their resignations.

Boards of directors have a particular responsibility to steer their vessel throughethical channels, avoiding the slightestappearance of favoritism, according toJacques Benninga, director of the Bon-ner Center for Character Education at California State University, Fresno, and chair of the curriculum and instruction department.

“People on boards sometimes lose connection between why they are there and their personal relationships with people they oversee,” he said. “They lose sight of what is their responsibility and it becomes personal.”

In its website statement, csba ac-knowledged, “We realize now that the decisions made regarding the executive director’s compensation in recent years, while made with the goals of retention and recognition of his past performance and accomplishments on behalf of csba,

People on boards sometimes lose connection between why they are there and their personal relationships with people they oversee.

Winter 2010 | 25

were not consistent with the circum-stances our member school districts and county offices of education are currently facing.”

Common denominators

While the Bell scandal is an extreme example of ethical lapse with criminal implications, the elements that allowed misbehavior in that city government can exist in any organization, whether in the public domain or private enterprise. School districts and county offices are not exempt from that group.

Andrew Fiala is the director of the Ethics Center at csu, Fresno, and also chairs the department of philosophy.

He points out that the antidote to un-ethical practices is institutional struc-ture, the protocol in place that makes it clear to employees that their actions can be, and often are, being watched. Fiala emphasizes the structure to reduce temptation is not so much about “big brother” as it is maintaining appropri-ate behavior.

“It’s more about transparency than the ethics police. People need to feel that others know what they are doing. Em-ployees need to know there is account-ability and that there also is a clear path for whistleblowers,” he said.

“Public organizations have a lot of red tape and it can feel like an impedi-ment to productivity,” Fiala said. “Most

Now more than ever, you need accurate, timely financial information. The Economy, the Budget of the State of California, the Federal Stimulus Package—turn to the professionals at Vavrinek, Trine, Day and Co., LLP to Navigate These Troubled Times.

Call or email: Jim Balsano, Partner • jbalsano@vtdcpa.comCaroline Larson, Partner • clarson@vtdcpa.com Dusty Ferguson, Partner • dferguson@vtdcpa.com

Rancho Cucamonga, CA • Phone: 909.466.4410 • www.vtdcpa.com

School Business Services Consultants:Phil Hillman Donna Demond David Foster Bobbie FooteEstela Perez

26 | California School Business

Benninga of csuf says a code of eth-ics sends a message about how to practice one’s profession, how to address the obli-gations to the profession and how to serve its clientele. He also believes the field of education is lacking muscle in ethics codes.

“The problem in education is that there are codes of ethics but they have no teeth. Why? Ethical standards are not set by the professionals themselves, they are handed down by the Legislature. Codes are strongest where the practitioners po-lice themselves,” he said. “The field needs a unified code of ethics. There is no push for that.”

In the Stanislaus County Office of Education, Superintendent Tom Chang-non has faith in that office’s Operating

Principles, a published set of 11 prin-ciples employees are expected to embrace and exemplify. The first principle reads “Ethical Behavior Is Key To Our Success,” followed by, “We provide a working environment in which integrity, ethical behavior and respect for one another are paramount in all interactions. We tell the truth and are candid even when it is difficult.”

The Operating Principles are posted prominently throughout the building, even in elevators, and departments regu-larly review them to determine if their team is on track. “We wanted to have something in place so that employees knew what we stood for. We didn’t want to put things down and then have it sit

Time for transparency

people want to accomplish something in their work and there is a temptation to take shortcuts, but procedural impedi-ments are there for a reason. Temptation arises when there are no stop-gaps.”

While acknowledging that a breach of ethics in public service stokes more outrage because it generally involves tax-payer money, Fiala stressed the standard of ethical behavior should be the same for Walmart as it is for the public sector, including schools.

As for codes of ethics, Fiala said there is a movement to develop public codes of ethics, but noted that often such initia-tives are vague and amount to window dressing. “They are there, but no one pays attention,” he said.

Winter 2010 | 27

on a shelf,” Changnon, a casbo member, explained.

And what would be an example of an employee straying from the ethical arena? Changnon agrees with Fiala that taking shortcuts in one’s work is often an

unethical path. He cited a hypothetical example of someone interpreting guide-lines of grants and not following through with proper reporting once the funds have been awarded.

Outcries for change

In response to the Bell scandal, various pieces of state legislation were proposed to post salaries of lawmakers and their employees as well as constitutional offices such as governor, cities, counties, school districts and joint powers agencies.

City governments proposed simi-lar disclosures. State Controller John Chiang directed all California cities and counties to identify compensation for elected officials and public employees so the information can be posted on his website.

“The absence of transparency is a breeding ground for waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” Chiang saidin the Los Angeles Times. “A single website with accessible information will make sure that excessive pay is no longer able to es-cape public scrutiny and accountability.”

Later, Chiang said in a statement, “Our audit found the city had almost no

Codes are strongest where the practitioners police themselves. The field needs a unified code of ethics. There is no push for that.

accounting controls, no checks or bal-ances and the general fund was run like a petty cash drawer. The city’s purse strings were tied to only one individual (Rizzo), resulting in a perfect breeding ground for fraudulent, wasteful spending.”

Some proclaim the Bell story as a wake-up call to community watchdogs. It happened because there was little or no accountability, allowing corruption to take root in an environment where its cultivation enriched almost everyone on the city payroll. No one else was paying attention. The most egregious violators of Bell’s public trust ultimately found themselves dressed in orange jumpsuits awaiting trial, charged with misappro-priation of public funds.

Do the right thing

Michael Josephson is the president and founder of the nonprofit Josephson Institute of Ethics and he has stern words for those in a position to discipline or fire employees who commit unethical actions.

“If I were a business officer, I would be much more vigilant with people who have access to funds, and often they are the people you would not normally ex-pect (to breach standards),” he said.

Even if an employee is caught in some form of embezzlement, often em-ployers release them but promise not to tell the next employer why the employee was terminated.

“The reality is many companies play ‘pass the meatball’ and that is unconscio-nable. The unwillingness of employers to prosecute is a major problem. Any behav-ior that is bad and not reprimanded is one that will be continued. An employer must

show what will not be tolerated. A formal complaint is a major statement that this is unacceptable,” Josephson explained.

“People are so afraid of being sued. What they really need to do is stand up and do what is right. Whatever you allow, you encourage,” he said.

The developer of the popular school program Character Counts!, Josephson believes codes of ethics are fine as long as they are discussed by employees and that everyone knows the expectations. “We have a saying around here that character counts only if you count it.”

Josephson is a frequent speakeron the topic of ethics and more in-formation can befound on his websitewww.josephsoninstitute.org. z z z

Linda A. Estep is a freelance writer based in Fresno, Calif.

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

28 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 29

cover

By Julie Phillips Randles

After multiple years of budget reductions, layoffs

and unstable funding, it’s no wonder school industry employees are expressing heightened levels of anxiety. Employees at all levels are working longer hours with fewer resources, operating under a cloud of uncertainty about job security and likely feeling underappreciated.

Nationally, statistics support an uptick in workplace stress and anxiety as The Great Recession continues to pack a punch, both to people’s pocket books and their psyches.

Recent research indicates that 20 percent of American work-ers are at high risk of developing serious health problems due to anxiety and stress. Another study found work-related anxiety, stress or depression affected 415,000 individuals in the United States in a 12-month period during 2008 to 2009.

Anxiety arises when people feel they are about to become victims of situations over which they have no control, accord-ing to Myra White, an author and clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. “Workplaces are particularly fertile grounds for generating such situations,” White noted in a recent article on managing workplace anxiety.

ANXIOUSTIMESWorkplace anxiety heightened aschallenging economic times continue

With anxiety on the uptick, and no quick end in sight to the cutbacks and funding concerns at school districts and county of-fices statewide, it’s important for both managers and employees to know that there are tools, techniques and assistance available for those suffering with anxiety. Here a handful of experts weigh in on how to recognize anxiety in your organization, how to respond and where to find assistance.

Signs of the times

The signs of anxiety can be as individual as the sufferer – from reduced sleep to overeating, displaced frustration to feelings of grief. Some employees will be angry at the organization while others may become apathetic.

The symptoms show themselves in myriad ways and can af-fect individuals to varying degrees. “There’s not a cookie-cutter description, and that is important to know,” noted Michaele Daves, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Roseville, Calif., who has seen an increase in clients seeking assistance with anxiety since the start of the recession.

30 | California School Business

“My anxiety may make me look nervous. Others may seem depressed or irritable or angry,” she described. “The first thing I ask people is how is this affecting their life, their sleep, their eating? Have relationships been damaged? Is there a difference in how they are managing their global life? Have they gone from happy-go-lucky to grumpy?”

Not all anxiety that people are feeling is workplace driven, but the stress may play out in the office as employees deal with the challenges of the times which can include elder care respon-sibilities, cohabitating with extended family and an overall uneasiness due to the uncertain financial future.

The role of employers

When employees struggle mentally and physically as anxiety increases, organizations suffer as well. Increased absenteeism, low morale and poor employee performance are all ways anxiety plays out in the workplace, according to Jannene Litchfield,

owner of Litchfield Human Resources and Management Consulting.

Litchfield’s clients say staffs are stressed out after having watched friends and colleagues lose jobs, take furloughs or be unable to make house payments. “It stresses them out for them-selves and for their colleagues and friends.”

Employers certainly have a role to play in easing workplace anxiety; not only because it impacts productivity, but because it’s simply the right thing to do. Employers have a responsibility to attempt to ensure employees are healthy, have a productive workplace and to demonstrate that they care about their employ-ees, Litchfield said.

Those demonstrations – even relatively simplistic ones – will go far to reduce anxiety among the ranks.

One approach is to educate employees about the benefits and services that are already in place, and often underutilized, Litchfield said. From Employee Assistance Programs (eaps) to health care programs with mental health benefits, get the word out on how to effectively use existing programs.

Then, take it a step further, Litchfield suggested, and pro-vide training and education in such areas as retirement planning and financial services, additional areas where more information might translate to less anxiety about the future.

Next, increase communication. Anxiety levels will be reduced when employees feel they know what is going on, es-pecially when key dates for pink slips, furloughs or reductions are looming.

“Organizations have to stay in touch with their employee base, and that means constant communication and support at all levels,” noted Nina Boyd, a casbo member and the assistant superintendent, human resources and support services for the Orange County Department of Education. “There will be some anxiety, but there is a lot less if we communicate effectively.”

Step up the level of visibility of leaders, Boyd also sug-gested. “Managers need to be very visible in difficult times and

ANXIOUS TIMES

Employers have a responsibility to attempt to ensure employees are healthy, have a productive workplace and to demonstrate that they care about their employees.

watch for things that are outside of the norm,” Boyd said. This might include changes in employee behavior such as timely employees becoming tardy, vocal workers who become quiet or positive employees who take on a negative tone.

Address lagging workplace morale head-on, recommended Litchfield, by bringing people together for affordable morale-building activities such as potlucks or celebrations of personal or workplace milestones. “Things that make employees feel that we’re in this together are critical right now,” Litchfield said.

Expect to see signs of survivors’ guilt from those whom have kept their positions, but have lost friends and colleagues to cuts. Some are feeling guilty that they have a job, and someone else doesn’t, Boyd said, with some going so far as offering to take a pay cut or furlough days to save others’ jobs.

No matter the source of the anxiety employees are feeling, employers should respond in a sensitive and respectful manner. “Everyone goes through challenges. Tell them that what they are feeling is normal, there is nothing wrong with what they are feeling and that we want to help them feel more comfortable,” Boyd said.

“Be careful and be caring,” Litchfield summarized. “The caring piece goes a long way toward helping.”

The employee’s role

While employers should be proactive in addressing anxiety in the workplace, there are steps employees can take when they begin to feel symptoms of stress and anxiety.

The first step may be telling a manager about the challenges you are facing. “Go to a management person that is a trusted supervisor. If you’re not sure or you don’t have a relationship, go to your risk manager or human resources department so that they can pull together tools and offer resources,” Boyd advised.

Another positive, anxiety-reducing step – develop support groups with a collection of colleagues who offer camaraderie and assistance with the doubt, anxiety or guilt employees might be feeling.

“All employees should have people they can call and have a meltdown and who can then build them back up and give them perspective,” Boyd said. She speaks from experience. Boyd has long been a member of a group called Friends Achieving Success Together (fast), which meets periodically to talk through issues, address difficult times and provide participants with a sense of perspective on decisions with which they are faced.

DISTRICTS HAVE MORE OPTIONSFOR ASSISTANCE AS THEY FACERISING STRESS CLAIMS

There’s no need to convince Brent Howatt that school employees are coping with high levels of anxiety. He has a double whammy of proof in the form of increased stress claims being filed through his insurance group and anecdotes from his wife, a school district CBO.

Howatt, a CASBO member and executive director for Redwood Empire Schools Insurance Group (RESIG), a joint powers authority that represents 45 school districts in California, said his firm is seeing larger numbers of stress claims as the ranks of employees shrink, but the workload doesn’t.

Many school districts provide employees with Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that include counseling services. And, due to passage of the Mental Health Parity Act, behavioral health coverage is becoming a more common component of medical benefits. Both are options for employees dealing with anxiety.

Due to coverage changes and the stigma that sometimes accompanies requests for behavioral health assistance, “people need reminding,” Howatt said, adding, “it may be outside of that normal call to get behavioral health assistance.”

To provide additional support for those dealing with anxiety, RESIG, through partnership with Kaiser Permanente, works closely with districts to develop workplace wellness programs that include not only “pushing information out to people” but also on-site, multifaceted training on healthy eating, lifestyle choices and exercise – additional tools to address stress and anxiety.

The workplace wellness program has been so successful that Kaiser Permanente is funding it through RESIG for the second year in a row, Howatt said. Under the program, non-Kaiser members are often eligible to participate.

32 | California School Business

It’s a topic that Jeff Bell, author and afternoon news anchor for kcbs Radio in San Francisco, finds himself speaking about frequently these days.

Bell’s most recent book, “When in Doubt, Make Belief,” has found a large audience in the business and management field due to the widespread uncertainty inherent in today’s business world.

“Everything is in a state of flux that makes it so hard to navi-gate,” described Bell, who himself struggles with anxiety and is the national spokesperson for the International ocd Foundation. “It’s what I call the uncertainty paradox. People are trying to get rid of the uncertainty in their lives and the paradox is that the only way to deal with it is to sit with it; to acclimate to it.”

In his work with organizations and as a keynote speaker, Bell first talks about “healthy doubt” versus “unhealthy doubt,” and challenges those who are feeling anxious to take a sober look at which category their doubts fall into.

Finally, employees who are feeling the mental or physical impacts of anxiety should outright ask for help.

“Check in with colleagues and friends and ask them what they have been noticing” as far as changes in behavior, therapist Daves said. Then be openminded about helpful options which may include services through an eap or assistance from friends or church groups.

A matter of doubt

Some say the source of many people’s anxiety is the non-specific fear of the unknown; an overwhelming feeling of doubt.

Boyd sees it in Orange County where some have ex-pressed that they feel unable to control what’s happening to them. “People are anxious about what is the bottom dollar and how it will impact them. It’s the fear of the unknown,” she said.

ANXIOUS TIMES

Winter 2010 | 33

“Healthy doubt” is intellect-based and leads to curiosity; it’s a staple of the business world, Bell explained. “Unhealthy doubt” is fear-based and emotion-driven. This type of doubt can cause analysis paralysis, lead employees to continually seek reassurance and generally ramps up a sense of anxiety.

Bell says employers and employees can work together to ad-dress today’s anxiety-producing environment. “Employers can foster an environment that embraces uncertainty and acknowl-edges that things can be tenuous.” He recommends employers address any discomfort employees are expressing and engage in a healthy dialogue about the organization’s reality.

Alternately, employees can temper their uncertainty by subscribing to a philosophy Bell developed in dealing with his own anxiety. He calls it the “Greater Good perspective shift.”

Bell found, and scientific research supports, that there are two especially powerful motivators for human beings – purpose and service. When an employee’s unhealthy doubt derails him or her, the employee can apply the Greater Good philosophy and zero in on how they can best be of service to clients, the organiza-tion or other individuals.

“A Greater Good choice must inherently involve objectives bigger than ourselves and our doubts,” Bell explained. “It must offer, in some concrete way, the opportunity to be of service to others, enhance our own sense of purpose, or both.”

Service can be as simple as making someone smile or being available to someone in need, while purpose involves the idea of taking action that will bring out the best in the individual.

“The need for employees to feel a sense of purpose and to be doing something of service can be more powerful than money in some cases,” Bell said. “It was only when I was being of service

Organizations have to stay in touch with their employee base, and that means constant communication and support at all levels.

34 | California School Business

to others that it gave meaning to my struggle with anxiety. It allows you to stand up to doubt or fear.”

Steps toward easing anxiety

Relief from anxiety can come from a variety of techniques, some relatively standard and some as individual as the sufferer. Here are some proven anxiety-reducing techniques:

• Catch up on sleep. “A good night’s sleep alters your brain chemistry and sets it back to its normal balance,” therapist Daves noted.

• Take advantage of counseling or therapy offered through an eap or your medical benefits. “Counseling is like an hour of self devotion. It’s one hour of complete attention that is focused on your growth; it’s self-nurturing and good self care,” Daves said.

• Do an inventory to see what you find anxiety-reducing. Find out what de-stresses you and learn to implement those

ANXIOUS TIMES

techniques at the right time. These techniques may be as simple as taking a few minutes to listen to your iPod, sending an e-mail to a friend to check in or taking a walk around the workplace.

• Schedule some joy. “You have to schedule little pieces of joy in your day. If you don’t, it will take its toll on your body,” Daves described.

• Stay social. While you may feel too busy to socialize, avoid the isolation trap. “If you are isolating yourself, that is never a good sign,” Daves noted.

• Sit with the discomfort of your anxiety. Bell calls this a “tough-love message,” but his experience and research show that a key technique in ridding yourself of anxiety is to sit with the uncertainty and acclimate to it.

• Employ Bell’s “Greater Good” approach by turning to the two key motivators – purpose and service – to keep moving forward.

• Turn to healthy habits including eating right and exercis-ing. “Avoid the crutches that can be part of hard times like eating or drinking stress away,” Litchfield said. 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? CaliforniaSchoolBusinessmagazinewelcomes “Letters to the Editor.” Please send your letters to kevins@casbo.org.All letters are edited for content, space and style considerations.

All employees should have people they can call and have a meltdown and who can then build them back up and give them perspective.

As a result of providing dedicated service to public schools through-out California for over thirty years, the SISC name is one public school district administrators know they can trust. We feature:•Customizedplansandservices• Awiderangeofoptions• Alongtrackrecordofstableandaffordablerates

We currently cover:•Over380PublicEntities•Over$1BillioninAnnualPayroll•Over$5BillioninTotalInsuredValue•Over280,000memberlives

We offer:•Workers’Compensation• PropertyandLiability•HealthBenefits• RiskManagementServices•GASB45andPost-EmploymentBenefitSolutions

Please contact Russell Bigler, CEO by calling 800-972-1727 for more information

AJointPowersAuthorityadministeredbytheKernCountySuperintendentofSchoolsOfficeChristineLizardiFrazier,Superintendent

Winter 2010 | 35

Your schools need to save money now. Right now.

That’s why we exist — to help you stay afloat. U.S. Communities was an excellent resource before the economy sank — now look to us as your lifesaver. Grab on and save.

What can you buy?Supplies. Furniture. Technology products. Science supplies and equipment. Synthetic turf and other athletic surfaces. And more. Much more.

How do you participate?Visit www.uscommunities.org and sign up today. No pressure. No commitment. Just savings.

The U.S. Communities program is sponsored in California by California Association of School Business Officials and California School Boards Association.

36 | California School Business

Winter 2010 | 37

feature

t’s been three very tough fundingyears for California school districts. Tosurvive, school business leaders have

been forced to alter employment at dis-trict offices dramatically – consolidating responsibilities, adjusting job titles and morphing job descriptions to do more with fewer staff members.

And it’s clear that more tough years lie ahead. So, when funding is fi-nally restored, will districts keep the new mousetraps they’ve built, or trade them in for a more traditional administrative structure?

“Well, we’re assuming there will be a recovery, so that’s a good thing,” hedged Michael Johnston, assistant superinten-dent of business services for Clovis Uni-fied School District and vice president of

Employment evolution Recent staffing reductionsimpact education employment

By Julie Sturgeon

casbo. His path through the leadership will put him in key decision-making roles for the association in these critical years. Still, that position doesn’t give him an-swers magically.

His district, for instance, cut $2 mil-lion from its budget this year by pushing class sizes from 20 to 25 students. But if the money came back tomorrow, would returning to smaller class sizes be a prior-ity? The jury is out in Clovis, as studies don’t back the idea that the move has a high return on investment, and the cost for those teachers will escalate as the educators gain seniority.

“I’m not saying we would or we wouldn’t,” Johnston said. “My opinion is that bringing back class-size reduction may not stimulate a recovery in the job

market, depending on how the state re-institutes budgets. We’re really going to have to think: Are we willing to pay this $2 million for smaller classes or is there a better way we can use those funds, main-taining classes at the size we have now, and offer a better opportunity for kids?”

To be or not to be

On the other side of the coin, Super-intendent Sheri Lowenstein knows exactly what the k-6 Cypress School District would do with “normal” funding levels. The latest round of budgeting meant laying off 15 percent of this small district in northern Orange County’s employees, on top of the pink slips from 2008 and 2009. The district has dropped

I

38 | California School Business

from nine schools to six, and watched its student population dwindle to 3,900. That’s a loss of 900 students since 2002.

Lowenstein has been with Cypress only five years, but in education for 36 years, “and it’s been devastating to us. I cannot tell you of any new (manage-ment) structures because when we laid off people – whether they were classified, certificated, administrative – nothing about state requirements, the federal re-ports we have to fill out, have decreased,” she described.

“We are still required to do all those things, including implementing a new student information system at the state level. So it’s not realistic to tell you we’ve done anything with structures. Our struc-

tures are fine. We just need more people to do the work,” she said.

Lowenstein has Suzanne Speck’s sympathy. As director of management consulting services at School Services of California Inc., a casbo platinum-level associate member, she runs into this sce-nario often. Many smaller districts, she noted, were forced to contract out per-sonnel tasks in the budget squeeze. On the bright side, “they’ve learned to do the essential jobs with fewer people. Un-fortunately, sometimes they don’t have time to pay attention to best practices or long-term procedures that would help districts operate more efficiently,” Speck said. “They’re in survival mode. In the fu-ture, if people want to work smarter and

Employment evolution

They’ve learned to do the essential jobs with fewer people. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t have time to pay attention to best practices or long-term procedures that would help districts operatemore efficiently.

Winter 2010 | 39

more efficiently, it will take investment of time, resources and people to make that happen.”

Yes, it’s completely feasible that new administrative approaches will make a positive impact – but not until districts get more bodies to handle the backlog.

At the same time, she’s hardly ad-vocating that school officials sit on their hands to ride out the budget woes. Speck predicts the days of a payroll clerk work-ing her way up to chief business officer are on the wane in favor of an operations system packed with people from all dif-ferent backgrounds, ranging from private sector business to credentialed ranks, crossing over into human resource tasks. And the destruction of such silos is, in her opinion, a good change.

“What’s happening is an increased need for people to work together, because if we don’t, we’re not going to survive. People are getting how important it is and how the essential functions, par-ticularly in business and personnel, are interrelated,” said Speck.

The radical results

Such uncertainty no doubt fuels the curiosity surrounding the changes atSacramento City Unified School District, where Superintendent Jonathan Raymond

is applying his lessons as a 2006 graduate of The Broad Superintendents Academy. The program is offered at The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems headquartered in Los Angeles, a philanthropic mission of multi-billionaire businessman/entrepreneur Eli Broad of kb Home and SunAmerica fame.

So it’s no surprise that in Sacramento City, an institutional member of casbo, it’s all about the corporate approach that Raymond rolled out at a July 22 school board meeting last summer. The superintendent is surrounded by seven cabinet members – formerly known as eight associate superintendents – includ-ing a chief of staff, chief communications officer, chief academic officer, chief ac-countability officer and a chief family and community engagement officer. Some of them were rehires, others promotions, and at least one position was hired from outside the state.

By rethinking the positions, tearing down the existing structure and rebuild-ing under new names, he gained a 10-per-cent reduction in management positions from the previous year, and cut overall central office staffing by 18 percent as part of the need to scrub $5.95 million from that particular budget area.

It’s the type of innovation you’d ex-pect from an East Coast labor lawyer who was in charge of Commonwealth Corp., a nonprofit serving at-risk kids, before veering down the educational leader-ship path. He even ran for Congress in 1996, but lost to Rep. Barney Frank. But on Raymond’s side of the ledger, the financial conversation is a bonus, not the motivation.

“It’s constantly bringing every deci-sion back to ‘How is this good for kids?’” he said. That’s why he spent his first year in the California school system creating a

Don’t missthe CASBOCareer HQCASBO is introducing a new feature

to the CASBO Annual Conference and

California School Business Expo in

Anaheim April 6 - 9 – the Career HQ.

CASBO guests will be able to visit the

Career HQ and learn about university

programs, online degree programs,

CBO training programs, CBO Certif-

ication, Director of Fiscal Services

Training and Certification, School

Business Professional Training and

Certifications, and to meet represen-

tatives from school districts and firms

hiring school business professionals.

This mini career fair within our expo

will also provide you with access to

an on-site executive career coach

and a resume review service! E-mail

blasts and the CASBO website will

update you on the activities planned in

our new Career HQ, and explain how

to take advantage of the services. If

you are looking to advance in your

career, don’t miss this opportunity!

What’s happening is an increased need for people to work together, because if we don’t, we’re not going to survive.

40 | California School Business

California, that’s a good thing in Speck’s experience. They also need to be ready to supervise other divisions, like main-tenance, operations or transportation, to name a few.

“Personnel services would be a big one, because they haven’t had to deal with areas like risk management, disci-plinary matters, investigations and those kind of things in the business office so much,” she explained. Again, it goes back to her silo illustration: it’s time to tear down the mental dividers.

Raymond also advocates for the idea that the time has come to stop thinking of “me and mine” when it comes to districts. He urges his team to expose themselves to many different practices around the country, weighing a sense of what’s working, in what context and why. “The old playbook? Just put it aside and start thinking of new ways to approach what have, in some cases, been very consistent challenges,” he said. z z z

Julie Sturgeon is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis, Ind.

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

The Sacramento Bee’s website indicate a healthy suspicion and distrust for corpo-rate motives among citizens. “The idea of treating public education as a corpora-tion is a dangerous concept being foisted on the American public. It will unlikely lead to creative thinking, innovation, inventiveness and self sufficiency, but rather to producing corporate zombies working for low wages and a third-world economy,” wrote one poster.

Raymond himself is quick to admit that the state’s budget crisis is not exactly restructuring’s best friend, either. Sac-ramento City has watched $170 milliondisappear from its available operating funds in the past five years. “It doesn’t get any easier, but these are the cards we’re being dealt by the state Capitol and in Washington, so we do what we have to do,” he said. “You have to focus, and that’s what our strategic plan has enabled us to do.”

Keeping the focus

Clovis’ Johnston doesn’t foresee a change in funding fortunes for five years, and then the return to normal will be a slow trickle as opposed to a gushing river. For school leaders, the second trick (after discovering how to adapt) will be to stay sharp – and relevant – in the interim.

In Cypress, the interest in filling posi-tions from within remains strong, accord-ing to Lowenstein, so discouragement isn’t part of her burden, at least. “There are plenty of people we can build capac-ity with that are currently employed. We can train those people ourselves,” she reported.

But just what skills do they need to emphasize? Anytime employees can find a way to increase their comfort and knowledge of school financing in

Employment evolution

strategic plan that, No. 1, makes sure all students are career and college ready via a relevant curriculum; No. 2, provides the instructional team the support and tools they need to teach these skills; No. 3, engages families in the community; and, No. 4, transforms the organization to realign the resources toward this goal.

For instance, the academic office and accountability post are new additions to allow scusd to identify and focus on the standards and teaching practices, then provide oversight and guidance. Likewise, the office of family and com-munity engagement corrals after-school and youth development programs under one umbrella to ensure they remain in sync and supportive.

It’s definitely an example of evolu-tion for Speck. “The current atmosphere is a bit of an opportunity to do things differently – not that what we were doing before didn’t work because it was based on the landscape at that time,” she point-ed out. “But education and the demands on education have certainly changed over time. I hope organizational structures will change accordingly.”

The billion-dollar question, of course, is whether scusd’s specific approach has staying power. Public comments left at

Education and the demands on education have certainly changed over time. I hope organizational structures will change accordingly.

Winter 2010 | 41

42 | California School Business

CASBO book club

Illuminatingstories from real leaders help readers find their

“True North”

The CASBO Book Club selection for winter

is “True North: Discover Your Authentic

Leadership,” by Bill George and co-author

Peter Sims. In this book, the authors share

the wisdom of 125 leaders and provide

a personal program to assist readers in

finding their own “true north” and, thus,

leadership success.

“True North” uses

stories from top

executives who

share their

failures, personal

tragedies and

setbacks and

then explain

how these

challenges

shaped them

as leaders. Readers will appreciate the

illuminating stories from leaders including

former Secretary of State George Shultz,

Charles Schwab, Howard Schultz of Star-

bucks, Anne Mulcahy of Xerox and Carole

Tome of Home Depot.

George, the former CEO of Medtronic, and

Sims present a comprehensive program for

successful leadership and assist readers

in creating their own Personal Leadership

Development Plan focused on five areas:

knowing your authentic self, defining

your values and leadership principles,

understanding your motivations, building

your support team and staying grounded

by integrating all aspects of your life.

A series of exercises at the end of each

chapter is designed to help readers evalu-

ate their personal priorities and practices.

Join your CASBO colleagues this winter

in reading this inspiring and practical

selection.

Winter 2010 | 43

sudoku

answers on page 49

7 8 49 3 62 1 56 7 35 2 18 4 94 9 81 5 23 6 7

1 3 58 4 27 6 94 2 13 9 86 5 75 1 69 7 32 8 4 9 1 5

4 6 87 2 31 3 26 4 78 5 93 8 45 7 12 9 6

44 | California School Business

www.MobileModularRents.com

800.944.3442

For over 30 years Mobile Modular Management Corporation has been providing modular buildings to meet the temporary and permanent space needs of the education market.

Call today to Rent, Lease or Purchase

Who we A.R.E.:Availability

We offer the broadest and deepest selection of modular buildings with an unmatched ability to

customize our buildings to your needs.

ResponseWe offer the quickest and most thorough response to your questions and needs.

ExecutionFrom start to finish, you have a team of

modular building experts to ensure successful execution of your project.

Winter 2010 | 45

out&about

Winter 2010 | 45

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.

The CBO Boot Camp wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of (l-r) Vince Christakos, assistant superintendent, business, Hemet Unified School District, and chair of the Continuing Education & Certification Committee; Ruth Alahydoian, KNN Public Finance, and Associate Member Committee representative on the CECC; CASBO President Renee Hendrick, executive director, business services, Orange County Department of Education; Christina Aragon, assistant superintendent, business services, Arcadia Unified School District, and assistant chair of the CECC; and Steve Bolman, deputy superintendent, business and administration, Petaluma City Schools, and immediate past chair of the CECC.

Southern Section volunteers at the Southern/Eastern Section Vendor Show include (l-r) Michael Jung, consultant, San Jacinto Unified School District; Deborah Harris, procurement services manager, Los Angeles County Office of Education; Nathaniel Holt, director, purchasing, Pomona Unified School District; and Jim Downs, retired.

Southern/Eastern Section Vendor Show volunteers from the Eastern Section include (l-r) Josie Ripoly, director, purchasing, Moreno Valley Unified School District; Rosalie Aja, supervisor, business services, Corona-Norco Unified School District; and Carmen Becker, director, purchasing and warehouse, Hesperia Unified School District.

Pictured at a reception during the CBO Boot Camp in Sacramento in October are (l-r) Yolanda Padilla, attendance/payroll, West Park Elementary School District; Irene Cormane, payroll technician, Elk Grove Unified School District; and Karyl Brandford, fiscal services director, Hawthorne School District.

Attending the Retiree Professional Council meeting in September are (l-r) Chair Christine Wallace, Immediate Past Chair Fanchon Owen and Assistant Chair Susi McLane.

46 | California School Business

SAVE THE DATE!

CASBOannual conference

& school business expo

anaheim, californiaapril 6-9, 2011

CASBO 1/4 page Magazine Ad (3.875”x5”)for Orbach, Huff + Suarez LLP

May 20, 2010

White Background - Note: OH+S to select black or white background

Winter 2010 | 47

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

48 | California School Business

advertiserindex

Accounting, Auditing & Financial Services Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co LLP(909) 466-4410www.vtdcpa.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 & 25

Vicenti, Lloyd + Stutzman LLP(626) 857-7300www.vlsllp.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 & 21

Architects WLC Architects(909) 987-0909www.wlc-architects.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Bond Counsel Jones Hall(415) 391-5780www.joneshall.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Construction Management SGI Construction Management(626) 395-7474www.sgicm.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Consulting / Advocacy School Innovations & Advocacy(800) 487-9234www.sia-us.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Consulting Services GASB 45 Solutions(916) 371-4691www.csba.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

School Services of CA Inc.(916) 446-7517www.sscal.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co LLP(909) 466-4410www.vtdcpa.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 & 25

Vicenti, Lloyd + Stutzman LLP(626) 857-7300www.vlsllp.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 & 21

Contractors / Construction Management Bernards(818) 336-3536www.bernards.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Roebbelen(916) 939-4000www.roebbelen.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Cooperative Purchasing The Cooperative Purchasing Network(713) 744-8133www.tcpn.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Emergency 24 Hour Services American Technologies, Inc.(800) 400-9353www.amer-tech.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Eye Care VSP(800) 852-7600www.vsp.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Financial and Human Resource Software Infinite Visions/ Windsor Management(888) 654-3293www.infinitevisions.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Smartetools(760) 242-8890www.smartetools.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Financial Services Piper Jaffray & Co.(800) 876-1854www.PJC.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Stone & Youngberg LLC(800) 447-8663www.syllc.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Fire & Water Damage Restoration American Technologies, Inc.(800) 400-9353www.amer-tech.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Furniture Virco Manufacturing Corp.(800) 813-4150www.virco.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Winter 2010 | 49

advertiserindex

sudoku from page 43

7 8 49 3 62 1 56 7 35 2 18 4 94 9 81 5 23 6 7

1 3 58 4 27 6 94 2 13 9 86 5 75 1 69 7 32 8 4 9 1 5

4 6 87 2 31 3 26 4 78 5 93 8 45 7 12 9 6

Insurance Benefits American Fidelity Assurance Co.(866) 523-1857www.afadvantage.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

ASCIP(562) 403-4640www.ascip.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Keenan & Associates(310) 212-0363www.keenanassoc.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Metlife Resources(760) 930-9375www.metlife.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Legal Services Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo(562) 653-3428www.aalrr.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Dannis Wolver and Kelly(562) 366-8500www.dwkesq.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP(213) 892-9323www.fulbright.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Jones Hall(415) 391-5780www.joneshall.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Kristof & Kristof(626) 535-9445www.kristoflaw.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Orbach, Huff & Suarez, LLP(310) 788-9200www.Ohslegal.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP(413) 773-5494www.orrick.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Mandate Reimbursment School Innovations & Advocacy(800) 487-9234www.sia-us.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Program Management Capital Program Management(916) 553-4400www.capitalpm.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Program/Construction Management Seville Construction Services(626) 204-0800www.sevillecs.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Public Finance Stone & Youngberg LLC(800) 447-8663www.syllc.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Rentals of Modular Buildings Mobile Modular(925) 606-9000www.mobilemodularrents.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Retirement Benefits Public Agency Retirement Service(800) 540-6369 #127www.pars.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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(800) 326-2877www.creativebussales.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

School Construction Northern California Carpenter’s Regional Council(510) 568-4788www.nccrc.orgPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Services/Utilities The Southern California Gas Company(800) 427-6584www.socalgas.com/business/rebates/onBillFinancing.htmlPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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

Student Safety Seats C.E. White Company(239) 218-7078www.cewhite.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Transportation Tyler Technologies(800) 433-5530www.tylertech.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Wheelchair & Occupant Securement Systems Q’straint(954) 986-6665www.qstraint.comPlease see our ad on page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

AD INDEXAmerican Fidelity Assurance Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

American Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

ASCIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Bernards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

C.E. White Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Capital Program Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Creative Bus Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Dannis Wolver and Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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

Fulbright & Jaworski LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

GASB 45 Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Infinite Visions/ Windsor Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Jones Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Keenan & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Kristof & Kristof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Metlife Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Mobile Modular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Northern California Carpenter’s Regional Council . . . . . . . . . 51

Orbach, Huff & Suarez, LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Piper Jaffray & Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Public Agency Retirement Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Q’straint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Roebbelen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

School Innovations & Advocacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

School Services of California Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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

Self Insured Schools of CA (SISC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Seville Construction Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

SGI Construction Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Smartetools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Stone & Youngberg LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

The Cooperative Purchasing Network. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Southern California Gas Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Tyler Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 & 25

Vicenti, Lloyd + Stutzman LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 & 21

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

VSP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

WLC Architects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

50 | California School Business

lastwords

90%

Do you have an inspirational quote or interesting statistic to share with your colleagues? Send your favorites to kevins@casbo.org.

3 times

Your reputation is in the hands of

others. That’s what a reputation is. You can’t

control that. The only thing you can

control is your character.

~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Regardless of age, people who believe lying and cheating are a necessary part of success are more likely to lie and cheat. These “cynics” are three times more likely to lie to a customer (22 percent vs. 7 percent), inflatean expense claim (13 percent vs. 4 percent), or inflate an insuranceclaim (6 percent vs. 2 percent).

Source: Josephson Institute

Neither comprehension

nor learning can take place in

an atmosphere of anxiety.

~ Rose F. Kennedy

For every nine employees in a workplace, one will suffer from an anxiety disorder at some point in his or her life.

Source: Joni E. Johnston,Psy. D., “Psychology Today” blog

There is no such

thing as a minor lapse of integrity.

~ Tom Peters

9

In a recent survey, 90 percent ofrespondents said they believe schools should be more active in instillingcore ethical values like honesty,responsibility and respect anddeveloping good character in children.

Source: Josephson Institute

Winter 2010 | 51

52 | California School Business