AASSA Business Managers’ Institute 2017
From July 17-19, the rst conference of the new year was held: the 19th annual conference of our region’s business managers. Thirty eight schools were represented by forty six participants and eleven Associate Member companies exhibited for a total of 59 participants.
Our facilitator, Mina Merkel, did an excellent job facilitating two days on International School Business Planning for a Sustainable Future. She focused the rst day on key elements of best practice: reaching collaborative and e ective strategic decisions, working with committees, risk management, and constituent engagement and management. The second day was all about transitions from a business managers’ perspective as one of the more stable positions in our schools. She led participants through clarifying their role, “coaching up,” and building partnerships with the head of school and board.
On the third day, the American School of Quito and Colegio Nueva Granada’s business managers, Gonzalo Luna and Monique Duchamp gave excellent video presentations on their schools followed by discussion with the group in addition to open space discussions.
As this was my final conference with a wonderful group of people with whom I have had the honor of working closely with for 11 conferences, they presented me with a ‘retirement award’ and gift for which I am very appreciative.
The AASSA region has placed a priority on holding an annual meeting of our region’s Business Managers for almost two decades—one of only two regions in the world to do so. This, in my view, is well-placed professional development, for the business managers not only hold positions of great responsibility, they also tend to be the staff members with the greatest longevity in our region’s schools.
A very special thanks to our conference sponsors: Clements Worldwide, Raymond James Financial Services, TIECARE, and the U.S State Department O ce of Overseas Schools.
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