A series of lunch time online workshops for business officials, business office staff and other non-instructional leaders FREE.

Be watching for registration to open soon for the ASBO MD&DC 65th Annual Spring Conference in Ocean City from May 21st to 24th. As always, there will be a host of education sessions to choose from that represent every area of school business, as well as a wide range of general interest topics like the Art of Coaching Teams, the Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Leading and Working in Teams, and Maryland Legislative Update. There also will be updates on changes at the federal level, recent Maryland legislative actions that will affect school systems, and COMAR for Dummies (if you don’t know what COMAR is, this one is for you and, even if you do, this one is still for you!). And back by popular demand, an update on a very popular session from the Fall Conference, Maryland School Construction: Current Challenges and Future Prospects - Martin Knott, the Chair of the 21st Century School Facilities Commission will be rejoining us. More details will be coming soon, as well as information on our Keynote Speaker.

May 21 - 24, 2017 Ocean City, MD SAVE THE DATES!

February 17, 2017 Pupil Transportation February 24, 2017 Facilities Management March 2, 2017 Finance March 3, 2017 Purchasing March 15, 2017 Food and Nutrition

February 2, 2017 Administration and Finance February 24, 2017 Food and Nutrition March 8, 2017 School Facilities and Construction March 24, 2017 Human Resources April 6, 2017 Internet Technology

Mr. Antwan Wilson has been confirmed by the Council of the District of Columbia to serve as Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools. Mr. Wilson previously was Superintendent of Schools for the Oakland (CA) Unified School District.

Awarding Budget Presentation Excellence Congratulations! Cecil County Public Schools Baltimore County Public Schools Howard County Public Schools Board of Education of Wicomico County An esteemed distinction for over 20 years, the ASBO International Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) recognizes excellence in school budget presentations. Districts who successfully complete four MBA Criteria Checklist sections promote: Skills in developing and analyzing an effective budget, communication between departments to develop short and long-term strategies, clear budget guidelines, and building confidence in the community with a reader-friendly budget.

Caroline County Public Schools’ Board Appoints Patricia Saelens, Ed.D. As Interim Superintendent (DENTON) December 27, 2016 – James Newcomb, President of the Caroline County Board of Education, announced that Superintendent of Schools, John D. Ewald, has resigned for personal reasons. The resignation is effective immediately. "The Board of Education appreciates the work Mr. Ewald did while in Caroline, and wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors," said Newcomb. Mr. Ewald came to Caroline County in July 2015. The Board has appointed Dr. Patricia Saelens, current Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, as Interim Superintendent, pending approval of Maryland State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon. "Dr. Saelens has the full confidence of the board, and is well suited to lead the school system through this transition," Newcomb. The board will make decisions regarding a permanent appointment to the position in the coming new year.

Congratulations Montgomery County Public Schools!

"The articles originally appeared in the November/December 2016 School Business Affairs magazine and is reprinted with permission of the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO). The text herein does not necessarily represent the views or policies of ASBO International, and use of this imprint does not imply any endorsement or recognition by ASBO International and its officers or affiliates."

Many school districts are focusing on students' end-of-day nutrition. By Robert Ruder, Ed.D.

Developing emergency response protocols is a challenging yet critical aspect of schools leadership. By David A. Dolph, Ph.D.

This article, the fifth in a series on effective decision making, looks at prospect theory. By Brian O. Brent, Ph.D., Karen J. DeAngelis, Ph.D., and Nathan F. Harris, Ed.M.

A school business official’s shopping list can’t be fulfilled at everyone’s favorite one-stop shop. In your sphere of purchasing, you can’t simply make a checklist, toss the needed items in a cart, and happily deliver the products to your district. Much more than scanned barcodes and filled bags, buying for your district is more accurately characterized by research, negotiations, and contracts; however, that doesn’t mean you don’t share some similarities with the average shopper. U.S. Communities

Education leaders must develop policies that ensure safety and comply with the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures. By Charles J. Russo, J.D., Ed.D.

This article, the fourth in a series on effective decision making, looks at factors that affect decisions. By Brian O. Brent, Ph.D., Karen J. DeAngelis, Ph.D., and Nathan F. Harris, Ed.M.