Iowa Superintendents Finance & Leadership Consortium (ISFLC) February Conference

Tuesday, Feb. 18–Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025
Day 1—Feb. 18; Day 2—Feb. 19
FFA Enrichment Center, Ankeny

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The ISFLC February Conference is the second of two conferences offered in the winter as part of the ISFLC program. Both of these conferences are developed for current and aspiring superintendents, as well as school business officials. All session tracks are led by Iowa experts with skills and expertise in identified criteria areas. Please note that aspiring superintendents must first complete Dollars & Sense: Fundamentals of School Finance (Track 1) as the initial program of study. After completing this session, aspiring superintendents may register for any of the remaining session tracks.

 

Stay tuned for more information on General Sessions offered at the 2025 February ISFLC Conference!

 

Dollars & Sense: Fundamentals of School Finance (Track 1)

Iowa school finance is complex but doesn't have to be frustrating or complicated for those new to the profession. Seasoned superintendents and school business officials will cover the basic concepts and regulations of our school funding system. Whether you're new, or simply wish to revisit the fundamentals, this intensive session is for you!

Participants will leave with an understanding of basic vocabulary to effectively communicate key budget and finance information with staff and the community. You will dig into the purpose of various district funding resources that impact the annual budget, including the general fund, miscellaneous income, the cash reserve levy, and the Aid and Levy Worksheet. Plus, we'll spend time on the relationship between the unspent balance to the cash balance and the undesignated/unreserved balance.

If these school finance terms are overwhelming to you, join experts for this multi-day deep dive into all things school finance.

Instructors:
Joe Kramer, Superintendent, Pocahontas Schools
Dani Trimble, Superintendent, Ballard Schools
Shonna Trudo, Business Manager, Van Meter Schools

 

How to Prepare & Present Your District's Budget with Confidence (Track 3)

You've survived preliminary budget planning discussions that began in July; started preparing for board work sessions; and now the publishing requirement prior to the public hearing is on the horizon. While you may think the most difficult part is preparing and presenting your budget, think again!

Seasoned school finance experts will guide you through the Aid and Levy Worksheet to help you make informed decisions for FY 2025. With one-on-one help, you will analyze your district's current financial position while taking into consideration critical factors like supplemental state aid. 

Once you've mastered your understanding and are prepared to make the next move, the instructors will help you create a polished PowerPoint presentation for you to share with your school board, stakeholders and the community that you will practice and share with your peers to get feedback and constructive criticism on your delivery.

Attendees will round out the session with a thorough examination of potential financial issues in the future and leave with sound reasoning behind all proposed budget topics.
Track 3 is approved for renewal credit for both superintendents and SBOs.

Instructors:
Brandon Hansel, Business Manager, Fort Dodge Schools
Mike Kalvig, Business Manager, Waverly-Shell Rock Schools
John Parker, Iowa Department of Management

 

Leadership Camp 1.2 for Evaluator Approval Renewal (Track 4)

Join us for this session to complete the evaluator credit required to renew your administrative license.

Over the two days, participants will engage in extensive discussion, reflection, and simulations as we explore critical elements of an effective evaluation system. Using the Iowa Standards for School Leaders (ISSL), implemented in July 2021, you will engage in dialogue and reflection around current practices and potential areas of growth. Participants will spend time focused on the three pillars of evaluation systems, leadership behaviors, coaching skills, and models of administrative evaluation processes.

 Join Denise as you pursue practices and processes for what's possible to implement an effective evaluation system. Superintendents, principals, and other educational leaders who evaluate school personnel will benefit from this session and gain the knowledge and skills necessary to supervise and conduct a quality evaluation process for those we serve in PK–12 schools and AEAs.

Instructor:
Denise Schares, Associate Professor & Director of the Institute of Educational Leadership (IEL), University of Northern Iowa (UNI)

 

Build Your Leadership Toolbelt for Student Success (Track 13)

Iowa's Standards for School Leaders (ISSL) guide effective leadership for Iowa schools with a comprehensive set of criteria reflecting the necessary knowledge and skills. This intensive session, using ISSL as a framework, will add tools to your leadership toolbelt with the ultimate goal of student success through effective leadership and advocacy.

Leadership is essential for systemic change, but first, the conditions and leadership skills needed for this change must first be addressed, as well as any individual leadership challenges. As you spend substantial think time on how to define metrics for measuring personal style and fit based on district needs, you will also consider ways to develop skills within your district leadership team. Remember, a leader is only as good as their team!

Led by two experienced superintendents, participants will discover how to go from concept, to planning, to successful execution of a shared vision of learning; a positive school culture; an effective instructional program; and community collaboration. In addition, you will dig into integrity, fairness and ethics and how to apply them consistently in all facets of your work.

On day two, you will head to the Capitol for a hands-on, in-person outing to further develop your leadership skills by interacting with your legislators and learning firsthand how to respond to and influence the political environment.

Instructor:
Mark Lane, Superintendent, Woodward-Granger Schools

 

Funding the Financial Spectrum of Special Education (Track 14)

Just over 12% of students enrolled in Iowa public schools are currently utilizing special education services. Special education funding accounts for nearly 10% of funding generated through the school aid formula (this does not include federal funding). The School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) granted 289 school districts a total of $170.5 million for their special education deficit for FY 2023. These numbers alone show how important it is for administrators to understand all special education regulations, mandates and reporting requirements for effective management and coordination.

During this multi-day session, participants will have opportunities to engage in hands-on learning through each of the special education reporting requirements, including the Special Education Billing program and the Special Education Supplement. Department of Education staff will review special education state funding streams, identify best practices to track special education students, and cover the steps to evaluate the various special education student service arrangements, ultimately illustrating how each of these factors affect special education reporting.

Review the process to identify Medicaid eligible claims and complete the billing process. Best practices will be shared regarding appropriate identification of claim information and reporting reviews of the exclusions and suspensions list identifying appropriate providers.

Additional information will be provided to help districts identify increased allowable uses of categorical funding, allowable requests to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC), and best practices for student reporting.

Instructors:
Kassandra Cline, Iowa Department of Education
Luke Markway, Iowa Department of Education
Jim Donoghue, Iowa Department of Education

 

Building Community Confidence in Your Leadership Through Effective & Transparent Communication (Track 40)

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Even if you think you've communicated enough, err on the side of caution and over-communicate. Why? Because great leaders communicate effectively and transparently. Join a renowned AEA communications professional and an experienced superintendent to learn how you can sharpen your communication skills and build community confidence in your leadership.

We are in an era where everything we do as leaders, and even more so, as leaders in public institutions, is scrutinized and placed under a microscope. The old-but-still-relevant advice to think before you speak is critical in a world where social media is the major news platform; more citizens than ever are attending school board meetings whether live or streaming; parents are becoming increasingly more passionate and involved in public education; and reporters are texting, sliding into your DMs, and using other informal methods to catch you unaware and get that juicy quote.

Participants will walk through a series of hands-on tabletop exercises around topics such as crisis/incident communications, social media, marketing your district, and maximizing relationships with board members. You'll start with the fundamentals on day one—message development, bridging, holding statements, media relations, delivery methods, effective presentations, and more. Once you've mastered these, you'll roll up your sleeves on day two and dig into more advanced topics like managing your critics, crisis communication, and effectively handling high-pressure situations.

Instructors:
Beth Strike, Director of Creative Services & Communications, Central Rivers AEA
Janet Stutz, University of Northern Iowa (UNI)

 

Bonding with Your Community: How to Pass a Winning Referendum (Track 41)

The bond referendum process is made up of many steps and strategies on the path to success. There are obstacles to identify and plan how to overcome; supporters to rally and prepare to advocate for the referendum; a winning strategy using research, facts, compelling stories, and visuals; and of course, the correct architects/construction manager identified and contracted. This list is not comprehensive, but rather a summary of all the keys to success for a winning referendum.

A referendum may seem like a daunting task, but with a clear vision, set budget, and supportive stakeholders, you've got a great chance at success. Superintendents with a record of winning referendums are here to share all their secrets to success and set you on the right path.

Participants will dig into the details and practices required for petitions and community votes; learn how to conduct a needs survey; discover how and why to implement a facilities advisory committee; and create a formal outline for the petition process.

Along the way, real-life scenarios and examples will guide the work, such as passed and failed bonds so you can understand what to do or not to do, ways to reduce risk, how to manage the building process, and learn from your peers' experiences and perspectives.

When you leave, you'll be more than ready to bond with your community and pass a winning referendum.

Instructors:
Tony Aylsworth, Superintendent, Pleasantville Schools
Marty Jimmerson, Superintendent, West Branch Schools

 

Registration Details

Fee: $350 per person. Includes training materials, continental breakfast and lunch each day. Online registration closes Friday, Feb. 14 (two business days prior to the event). A cancellation fee of $115 per attendee will be assessed for cancellations received within seven business days of the conference or for those who fail to attend without notice.

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At this time, our billing process is set up to invoice the school district for ISFLC event registration. IASB encourages registrants to coordinate payment with their respective school district business office.

Important registration information for students, principals, other aspiring superintendents: Thank you for your interest in the ISFLC Conference! Please note that if you have not registered for an IASB event previously, our staff will need to add your information to our system before you are able to register. If you have registered previously for an IASB event but are unable to log in, you can request a password reset on the website. Your email address must be the same one in our system, otherwise you will not receive the password reset email. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please email Jeff Rohrick with any questions or if you need assistance.

Credits: All tracks are eligible for Superintendent License Renewal Credit through the School Administrators of Iowa. Tracks 1, 3, 14, 31 and 40 will carry School Business Official Authorization.

 

Lodging

ISFLC attendees have the option to book a room in the IASB^® hotel block at the Residence Inn Des Moines Ankeny. The deadline to book a room is Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.

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