Business Office Recognized for Excellence

The Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) presented its Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Business Office of Portage Public Schools at the October 11 Board of Education meeting.

Portage Schools is one of only 24 Michigan school districts of 550 and one of only 400 of 10,000 school districts nationwide to be so honored. The recognition was for excellence in the preparation and issuance of the fiscal year end 2004 school system. According to the ASBO, Portage Schools provided a highquality Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year end 2004. Our District was also the only one so honored in Southwest Michigan.

Assistant Superintendent for Operations Tom Noverr said that the District has applied for and also expects to receive this award for the fiscal year end 2005. The Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Program was designed by ASBO International to enable school business officials to achieve a high standard of financial reporting. The award, the highest recognition for school district financial operations offered by ASBO, is only conferred to school systems that have met or exceeded the standards of the program.

According to ASBO, by preparing and presenting its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Portage Schools “validated the credibility of their school system’s operations, measured the integrity and technical competence of the business staff, assisted in strengthening their presentations for bond issuance statements, and provided professional recognition.