Speaking Up on Risk Management
Caty Campbell, CPA, CSBO
Business Manager
Pekin Public Schools District 108
My role as Business Manager is…
always a challenge! I wear many hats, as I work with our Business Office, Operations & Maintenance team and our outside vendors for food service, custodial and transportation. My background is in accounting and payroll, which is where I started. Even in that role, I worked with our various insurance providers to provide the Risk Management component for our District.
What are the biggest struggles districts are having with risk management?
The biggest struggles are managing all the aspects of risk and trying to keep up with the challenges that are coming our way. Risk Management is more than just the property insurance or health insurance plans. You also need to consider the risk of accidents for staff and students in the buildings, all the way to risks of legal issues that could face your district. There are also surveys, inspections and evaluations that could be completed throughout the district for more risk awareness and mitigation.
What does the future of school risk management look like?
It seems that each year there are new things that pop up that we've not encountered before. In fact, my Business Office staff laugh when I say "we've done this." I think it's important to stay in contact with our Illinois ASBO colleagues and our insurance consultants or brokers to stay informed on what other districts are seeing.
What are some creative ways for districts to minimize their risk?
I would say keeping in touch with consultants. This applies to both your local agent, and also third parties that your insurance provider enlists to survey your buildings or share information on workplace accident prevention. Those are some resources that can provide good information either free or inexpensively.
How does risk management differ for your district versus larger suburban or urban districts?
In larger districts, it appears there may be staff whose primary role is risk management. In smaller downstate districts, it is much more difficult to devote the necessary time and resources when so many other tasks and responsibilities demand attention. I was surprised to recently learn that 13 of the 18 districts in our county utilize the Tort Fund through the levy process. Even though we are one of the larger districts, we are one of the five that do not. While we do not use this fund, we are continually having conversations about how to promote safe learning environments for both students and staff. This includes safety in our physical buildings as well as promoting psychological safety—both of which are critical within risk management.