San Jon school to hire in-house business manager

The San Jon Municipal Schools board agreed during its regular meeting last week to give its Albuquerque-based business manager its required two months’ notice it would not be rehired.

Superintendent Alan Umholtz estimated San Jon would save at least $40,000 a year by hiring its own business manager.

The board in March 2022 hired K12 Accounting LLC of Albuquerque as the district’s business manager for $115,455 a year after the previous business manager resigned.

Previous superintendent Janet Gladu recommended hiring K12 after those who applied to fill the business manager vacancy lacked the necessary qualifications — namely, a School Business Official license.

Gladu also said the district faced deadlines in submitting its annual budget.

K12’s contract contained a 60-day severance notice if the district found another business manager.

Umholtz said in a telephone interview he had a person in mind to hire as San Jon’s business manager but would not reveal his or her name until after the contract was signed.

He said he anticipated announcing the new business manager at the board’s regular May meeting.

Umholtz said having an in-house business manager would allow the district to complete paperwork and issue checks in a more timely manner.

He praised K12’s work but noted the firm was working for about 30 school districts.

In other business:

— The board approved a calendar for the 2023-2024 school year that reflects the state’s mandated additional instruction time.

Instead of the school day ending at 3:55 p.m., it will end at 4 p.m.

Umholtz also said students would have one additional school day.

The school year will begin Aug. 7 and end on May 16, 2024.

— The board approved social studies materials from Savvas Learning Company (formerly Pearson K-12 Learning) for the coming school year.