From the Podium
David Bein, PhD., SFO
Assistant Superintendent of Business Services/CSBO
Barrington CUSD 220
Reaching Out From Within
Although we are pretty much done with winter weather for the season (although as I write this in mid-March there are snow flurries and the prediction of a couple inches of accumulation over the next week), I was recently thinking about my driveway and street when I was a child. Although we lived in the suburbs, my street was tar and gravel….and so was the driveway. So shoveling was a challenge to say the least. It was a modest neighborhood, so it wasn’t uncommon that parents (like mine) mostly lived paycheck to paycheck. Back then it was common wisdom that it would be helpful to have children grow up and become doctors and lawyers. That belief seemed to come from two sources. One was that it was an opportunity to move up on the economic ladder. The other was that it helped answer the question of who you could call if you got injured or had a legal issue. Practically speaking, it seemed very helpful (and less expensive) to have a family member as a doctor or lawyer, and if you called them and they didn’t have the answer, they would certainly know someone who would.
While no one in my family ended up becoming a lawyer, I still think it’s helpful to have someone to call. ESPECIALLY working in the field of education where there are often times when we do need help. Whether it’s law, school finance, special education, insurance, flooring, security or a myriad of other areas, the network that you can build through Illinois ASBO is invaluable. We have fantastic members who can help you successfully support students, your communities and your colleagues. Take the time to meet and get to know both service associates and business managers, many of whom can help you when you call or get you in touch with someone else who can.
This issue of UPDATE is another excellent resource and can serve as your paper or digital answer to a call to a lawyer for information on a variety of topics. The talented and experienced authors provide information about closed session rules, Faith’s Law, special education, cyber attacks and policies, among others. Please take the time to thoughtfully engage with this material before you get one of those, in the words of ABBA, Åh, vilka tider experiences.By doing so, you are investing in yourself and will better be able to care for your students and communities as well as ignite those around you to success.