The Treasurer’s role has changed significantly since I came to this profession thirty-four years ago. The days of just paying the bills is long gone. Don’t get me wrong, that is still a major responsibility, but the office is responsible for so much more than that. The position has become one of an advisor to our board of education and management team, a manager of the funds that we are responsible for, and a support mechanism for our entire staff. We value that role. We work with the district administration to make sure that the teacher in that classroom has the necessary tools to provide the quality of instruction that they expect. We work with the administration to make sure there are buses and gas in those buses to pick up your child and deliver them safely to school, that our food service staff have the tools and resources necessary to provide you child with a nutritious meal and that our custodians and maintenance staff have the proper tools and supplies to provide a safe and clean environment for your child to come to everyday. It takes a total team effort.
One of the first steps in that entire process is the management of funds. Adequate planning and responsible management of those dollars plays a vital role within that entire process. That process begins with planning. Knowing what our resources are and matching those up with the needs of our instructional programs. We do that by preparing a financial forecast and utilizing that as our financial map in preparing for the future. It’s the district’s financial plan.
As I’ve worked through the finances, it has become obvious that this community supports and values this school district. Not only from a financial standpoint but from a perspective that instruction and family values go hand in hand and are extremely important. Classroom instruction is a high priority for this administration and Board of Education and that is evident.
The Administration, Staff and Board of Education at Pike-Delta-York continue their commitment to strive toward a positive and safe learning environment for our students. The use of grants and funding from various sources is utilized to help offset the cost of some of these activities and bringing the community together to support these endeavors.
All that we do today is in preparation for tomorrow. It is so important that we continue to think “outside the box” so that our students are prepared to meet the challenges of society. How does all of that “fit in” from a financial perspective? How we merge these two areas is one of the most challenging responsibilities that we face today.
We are prepared to accept that challenge and we look forward to continuing our work together to achieve those goals.
Matt Feasel
CFO/ Treasurer