Bookkeepers Conference Sessions

Friday, March 15, 2024


8:00am - 8:30am | Registration & Refreshments


8:30am - 8:40am | Welcome


8:40am - 9:40am | Roundtable Networking


9:50am - 10:50am | Breakout Sessions

Grants 101

What is Title I vs. Title III? What's the IDEA with CEIS? If these questions sound familiar, come join our session and learn the basics of common school grants. Download Presentation

Speakers:
Betsy Allen Audit Principal, Miller, Cooper & Co., Ltd.
Elizabeth Shields Business Manager/CSBO, Morris CHSD 101

Risk Management 101

Overview of the pitfalls to avoid as a support & staff member. Download Presentation

Speaker:
Mike McHugh Area Senior Executive Vice President, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Tyler MacKenzie Account Executive, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Payroll 101

Are you new to payroll, or new to payroll in a school district? This session is for you! Join us for a beginner's guide to school district payroll where you will be provided helpful tips and best practices to get you started. Download Presentation

Speaker:
Carisa Lopez Payroll Coordinator, Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300

Customer Service in the School Community

The School Business office is an extremely busy hub of activity: student fees collection, payroll/benefits questions and community affairs. Leading Up – Reporting to the CSBO! Download Presentation

Speakers:
Stephen Chassee Principal, GreenAssociates, Inc.
Joseph Rojek, II Asst. Supt./Finance, Argo CHSD 217


11:00am - 12:00pm | Breakout Sessions

Business Office Buzz Stay ahead of the game! Join our dynamic session designed for all school business office employees. Hear from business office leaders who will share "news you can use," related to school transportation, financial software and food service management. Gain valuable insights that will help your organization prepare for the future. Download Presentation

Speakers:
Adam Parisi, Ed.S.
Chief School Business Official, Park Ridge Niles CCSD 64
LeeAnn Taylor
Asst. Supt./Finance & Business Operations, Hawthorn CCSD 73

Cash Handling & Fraud — Stay out of the Newspaper

Come learn about the best ways to stay out of the newspapers! We will talk cash handling and ways to prevent fraud. Build new skills for a future promotion, becoming involved in the levy will increase your marketability and make you a more valuable asset to your district. Download Presentation

Speakers:
Stacey Corder, MBA Executive Director of Business, North Boone CUSD 200
Andy Mace Retired, Wipfli LLP

Overlapping of Payroll & HR, When they Should and Shouldn't

Come learn about how payroll and HR should and shouldn't work together. We will cover internal controls and best practices on the overlapping of HR and payroll. We will talk about how unit districts, elementary districts & high school districts could be different. Download Presentation

Speakers:
Anne Cripe Payroll Clerk, Wheaton CUSD 200
Jonelle Schon Asst. Director of Human Resources, Wheaton CUSD 200

Internal Controls from PO to Payments

Purchasing internal controls may not be glamorous, but they are essential for protecting assets and staff. Considerations for districts both small and large will be discussed.

Speaker:
Ivy Fleming Asst. Supt./Finance & Operations, Fremont SD 79


12:00pm - 1:00pm | Lunch 


1:00pm - 2:00pm | Breakout Sessions

Managing Your p-Card Program

Is your district part of the Illinois ASBO p-Card program? Join this interactive session to review best practices, the online management tool and spend dynamics. Please bring your questions and be ready to receive answers!

Speaker:
Holly Wallace
Senior Manager of Member Programs, Illinois Association of School Business Officials

Key Things You Need to Know About Your District's Debt

Learn about key items regarding your district's debt, including debt bookkeeping and payment guidelines, bond and interest levy, leases abatement 101, continuing disclosures, audit implications and more! Download Presentation

Speakers:
Nathan Fretz Vice President, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company 
Andy Mace
Retired, Wipfli LLP

Transportation and Payroll

Interactive presentation between the payroll bookkeeper and the transportation coordinator detailing payroll and benefits, including salary, benefits information and tracking. Download Presentation

Speakers:
David Engelbrecht Superintendent, CSBO, Marengo CHSD 154 
Diana Lopez-Cosme
Admin. Asst./Bookkeeper Payroll, Mokena Public SD 159
Ervin Walker 
Transportation Coordinator, Mokena Public SD 159 

Troubleshooting Your Payroll System Join us for a roundtable type session with knowledgeable payroll users from IV, Skyward (Not Q) and SDS. Sit with other users of your software to network and learn how others are navigating the same software difficulties as you. Bring questions, difficulties you are facing and your laptop! Download Presentation Download Checklist

Speakers:
Jennifer Akin
Business Office and Payroll Supervisor, Hawthorn CCSD 73
Senaida Avalos Payroll Manager, North Shore SD 112
Stacey Corder, MBA Executive Director of Business, North Boone CUSD 200
Sherri Countryman Bookkeeper/Consultant, Cornell CCSD 426
Kim Kauth Payroll Supervisor, Twp. High Sch. Dist. 214
Mike Vargas Dir./Business Services, Twp. High Sch. Dist. 214


2:10pm - 3:10pm | Breakout Sessions

Navigating the WINS System and Ensuring Accurate Claims

This session will focus on ISBE's Web-based Illinois Nutrition System (WINS) and reviewing the administrative tasks and best claiming practices for maximizing reimbursements. Download Presentation

Speakers:
Cindy Dykas
Asst. Supt. for Business Services/CSBO, Worth SD 127
Wendy Sedwick
Coor./Business Services, Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 303

Bonds and Post-Issuance Compliance

Learn the basics of issuing bonds and various district responsibilities after bonds have been issued. Types of bonds, arbitrage rebate, record keeping policies and continuing disclosure will be discussed. Download Presentation

Speakers:
Jennifer Currier
V.P. Public Finance/Sr. Quantitative Analyst, PMA Securities, LLC
Jake Goedken Assoc. VP Investment Svcs., PMA Financial Network LLC
Anjali Vij Partner, Chapman and Cutler LLP

Navigating Payroll Laws

How do I begin to understand all these payroll laws? Learn about payroll laws from the Fair Labor Standards Act to the Illinois Wage Payment & Collection Act and every law in between. Download Presentation

Speaker:
Thomas Garretson
Attorney, Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor, Ltd.

Understanding the Tax Levy, Playing Your Roll

No matter what role you have in the business office, everyone can contribute to a successful levy! Learn the timeline and required tasks associated with the levy and walk away with a checklist that allows you to contribute.  

Speaker:
Andy Mace
Retired, Wipfli LLP