The superintendent or his/her designee shall be responsible for administering the division budget in accordance with board policies and applicable state and federal regulations, and laws; therefore, the superintendent or his/her designee will use appropriate fiscal planning and management methods, modeled after the best accepted business practices and directed toward the educational goals of the division.
The School Board shall manage and control the funds made available to the School Board for the public schools and may incur costs and expenses.
Adopted: May 12, 2008
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The annual school budget is the financial outline of the division's education program. It presents a proposed plan of expenditures and the expected means of financing those expenditures. After adoption, it provides the primary means of managing expenditures.
The fiscal year begins on the first day of July and ends on the thirtieth day of the following June.
The superintendent shall prepare, with the approval of the school board, and submit to the appropriating body, an estimate of the amount of money needed during the next fiscal year for the support of the public schools of the school division. The estimate shall set up the amount of money needed for each major classification prescribed by the Board of Education and such other headings or items as may be necessary.
The superintendent or his/her designee shall prepare a budget calendar identifying all deadlines for the annual budgetary process. The calendar shall include at least one work session for reviewing the budget and at least one public hearing on the budget. Notice of the time and place for the public hearing must be published at least ten days in advance, in a newspaper having general circulation within the school division.
Upon approval of the school division's budget by the appropriating body, the school division shall publish the approved budget, including the estimated required local match, on its website.
Adopted: May 12, 2008
Revised: June 8, 2009
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All public money, except 1) money generated by school activities, and classified "school activity fund accounts," 2) money generated by the school food service program, and classified "school food service program accounts," 3) petty cash funds, and 4) accounts established for the purchase of instructional materials and office supplies must be deposited with the Smyth County Treasurer, who shall be in charge of the receipts, custody and disbursement of School Board funds and who must keep such funds in an account or accounts separate and distinct from all other funds. Checks must be drawn on the School Board account by the Smyth County Treasurer, Smyth County, Virginia.
Disbursement of School Board funds shall be approved as provided in Policy DK Payment Procedures.
Adopted: April 12, 2010
June 28, 2010
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Each school shall keep an accurate record of all receipts and disbursements of school activity funds so that a clear and concise statement of the condition of each fund may be determined at all times. It is the duty of each principal to see that such records are maintained in accordance with regulations of the Virginia Board of Education and the Smyth County School Board. The principal or person designated by him shall perform the duties of school finance officer or central treasurer. The school finance officer shall be bonded, and the school board shall prescribe, by regulation, rules governing such fidelity bonds for employees who are responsible for school activity funds.
School activity funds shall be audited at least once a year by a duly qualified accountant or accounting firm approved by the school board. A copy of the audit report will be filed with the division superintendent. Monthly reports of school activity funds shall be filed in the office of the principal or division superintendent. The cost of the audit may be charged against the school activity fund.
Adopted: March 9, 2009
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The superintendent or his/her designee shall establish and be responsible for a division's accounting system that will satisfy the Virginia Department of Education's regulations regarding accounting practices and applicable federal, state, and local laws.
The School Board will receive monthly financial statements, including statements of revenues and expenditures, showing the financial condition of the division as of the last day of the preceding month. School food service funds and textbook funds will be held in separate, interest-bearing bank accounts.
At least once each year the school board will submit a report of all its expenditures to the appropriating body. Such report shall also be made available to the public either on the school division website or in hard copy at the central school division office, on a template prescribed by the Board of Education.
The superintendent or his/her designee will be responsible for the inventory of all fixed assets of the school division.
Each school is required to maintain an accurate, up-to-date accounting system of all money collected and disbursed by the school. These funds will be deposited in accounts in the name of the school.
A record of all receipts and disbursements will be maintained in accordance with the regulations as promulgated by the superintendent and in accordance with regulations issued by the State Board of Education.
Each school shall establish an internal audit committee with the responsibility to review activity account transactions on a monthly basis. The principal will prepare and forward to the superintendent or his/her designee monthly financial statements, including statement of revenues and expenditures, showing the financial condition of the school as of the last day of the preceding month.
In accordance with state statutes and regulations, all financial records of the division will be audited following the close of each fiscal year.
Adopted: May 28, 2009
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Each parent, guardian or other person having control or charge of a child enrolled in the Smyth County school division shall be notified, in writing, of the estimated per pupil cost for public education in the school division for the coming year.
Such notification will be given using forms developed by the Board of Education for this purpose.
Adopted: May 12, 2008
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The School Board may, by resolution, establish petty cash funds for the payment of properly itemized bills for materials, services, or supplies furnished to the school division under conditions calling for immediate payment to the vendor upon delivery. Such funds shall not exceed $2,000 each.
If it establishes any petty cash funds, the school board will appoint an agent or other person who shall be authorized only to approve payment of claims arising from commitments made pursuant to provisions of law from such petty cash funds. Any agent or person into whose hands any such fund is placed may pay such claims therefrom without necessity of prior receipt and audit of the claims by the school board and without approval and issuance of the warrant of the school board.
The clerk of the school board shall report payments from petty cash funds to the school board or to any appointed agent of the school board for approval and reimbursement promptly after any claim has been paid.
A bond in the amount of $4,000.00 will be required for each person distributing petty cash funds, but no additional bond shall be required of any person already bonded in the required amount.
Adopted: April 12, 2010
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No vendor, agent, or sales representative may enter the schools to advertise or sell goods or services to employees or students except as provided herein. Anyone in violation of this policy may be subject to legal action.
Vendors are not permitted to make appointments with individual School Board employees without the permission of the principal or the superintendent or his/her designee. No vendor is permitted to sell, arrange demonstrations of products or services, or take orders for goods or services without prior authorization from the principal or superintendent or his/her designee.
This does not prevent authorized representatives of firms regularly supplying goods and services to the school division from having access to the schools in the course of their routine business duties.
No employee with responsibility for a procurement transaction may request, accept, or agree to accept from a bidder, offeror, contractor or subcontractor anything of more than minimal value.
No employee or former employee with official responsibility for procurement transactions may accept employment with any bidder, offeror or contractor with whom the employee or former employee dealt in an official capacity concerning procurement transactions for a period of one year from the end of employment by the school division unless the employee or former employee provides written notification to the division prior to commencement of employment by that bidder, offeror or contractor.
Adopted: November 9, 2009
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The School Board will examine all claims against it, except those to be paid from petty cash funds or funds for the purchase of instructional materials and office supplies, and when approved, order or authorize payment thereof. A record of such approval and order or authorization shall be made in the minutes of the school board. Payment of each claim shall be ordered or authorized by a warrant drawn on the treasurer or other officer charged by law with the responsibility for the receipt, custody and disbursement of the funds of the school board. The face of the warrant shall state the purpose or service for which such payment is drawn and the date of the order entered or authority granted by the school board.
The warrant shall be signed by the chairman or vice-chairman, and countersigned by the clerk or deputy clerk.
The School Board may, by resolution, appoint an agent and deputy agent to examine and approve claims against it. A record of such approval and order or authorization shall be made and kept with the records of the school board. Payment of each such claim so examined and approved by such agent or his deputy shall be ordered or authorized by a warrant drawn on the treasurer or other officer charged by law with the responsibility for the receipt, custody, and disbursement of the funds made available to the school board. The warrant shall be signed by such agent or his deputy and countersigned by the clerk or deputy clerk of the school board.
However, (1) when the agent is the division Superintendent, who also occupies the position of School Board clerk, a countersignature from the chairman or vice-chairman is required and (2) when the deputy agent and the deputy clerk is one and the same person, the warrant must be countersigned by either the clerk or the agent of the School Board.
Each warrant shall be payable to the person or persons, firm or corporation entitled to receive payment. The face of the warrant shall state the purpose or service for which such payment is made and also that such warrant is drawn pursuant to authority delegated to such agent or his deputy by the School Board on the specified date.
Any such agent or deputy agent must furnish a corporate surety bond. The School Board shall set the amount of such bond or bonds and the premium therefore shall be paid out of funds made available to the School Board.
The Smyth County School Board may provide, by resolution, for the drawing of special warrants in payment of compensation, when such compensation has been earned and is due, for:
All such special warrants shall be signed by the clerk or deputy clerk of the school board and countersigned by the division superintendent or the chairman or vice-chairman of the school board. When the division superintendent and clerk is one and the same person, such special warrants shall be countersigned by such chairman or vice-chairman. Such payrolls and contracts so paid shall be reviewed and approved by the school board at its next regular meeting.
Adopted: January 11, 2010
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All salaries and supplements paid to all employees will be paid in accordance with the schedule approved by the School Board. If the school board receives a waiver from the Board of Education permitting it to require students to attend prior to August 15, the school board shall establish a payment schedule to ensure that all contract personnel are compensated for time worked within the first month of employment. The school division will maintain records that accurately reflect the compensation and related benefits of each employee.
Adopted: September 14, 2009
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Federal and State taxes will be automatically deducted from each employee's paycheck based on the most recent withholding statement provided by the employee. In the absence of a withholding statement, deductions will be made based on federal and/or State tax regulations.
A list of all voluntary deductions available to employees will be published annually and provided to all employees. Any additional voluntary deduction requests must be recommended by the superintendent and approved by the School Board.
Adopted: June 9, 2008
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The School Board encourages attendance and participation of school personnel at professional meetings. The purpose of this policy is to provide the staff with opportunities to improve their work skills and to maintain high morale.
Request for reimbursement from School Board funds will be honored only for trips approved in advance by the superintendent or his/her designated representative and for which a statement of travel expenses, with supporting documents, is submitted at the conclusion of the trip.Adopted: May 28, 2009
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Teachers and other school personnel who come into possession of cash in connection with school activities will not leave the money unattended. As soon as is possible, and no later than the end of the school day, personnel in possession of cash shall turn it over to the principal's office for safe-keeping and proper accounting.
Adopted: June 26, 2008
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The school division shall apply trade-in allowances on equipment to be replaced against the purchase cost of the new equipment whenever possible.
The school division may dispose of equipment having no trade-in value by informal bid, auction or pre-priced sale as appropriate to the public. If items are valued in excess of $500.00, formal authorization for negotiated sale or for putting the items to bid shall be obtained from the School Board.
The bidder or purchaser shall certify whether he/she is an officer or employee of the division or a member of the immediate family of an officer or employee. Officers and employees of the school division, and members of their immediate families, may purchase surplus property from the school division only if the property is being sold at uniform prices available to the public or if the goods are sold for less than $500.00.
If reasonable attempts through the bidding or direct sales process to dispose of the items are unsuccessful, then the superintendent is authorized to arrange for their disposal.
Obsolete educational technology hardware and software that is being replaced pursuant to Va. Code § 22.1-199.1(B)(4) may be donated to other school divisions, to students, as provided in Board of Education guidelines, and to preschool programs in the Commonwealth.
Adopted: May 12, 2008
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In order to provide the best educational opportunities possible for children of the school division, the School Board may seek as many sources of revenue as possible to supplement the funds provided through local appropriation and the basic aid offered by the state.
To ensure coordination and to avoid confusion in developing proposals and making application for specially funded programs, the superintendent may establish standard procedures for the preparation of proposals and their review. The superintendent shall also ensure that none of the conditions of acceptance is in conflict with the policies of the Board, the objectives of the division, or State or federal law.
The superintendent may submit proposals or applications for special grants prior to approval by the School Board. No such application or proposal shall be binding on the Board without its approval.
Adopted: June 9, 2008
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