Continental hires business manager

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Continental School District’s governing board hired a business manager Monday after years of holding the position open — a delay that the superintendent says cost the district money.

Superintendent Jim Nelson said several state grants were passed by because no one knew to apply for them.

“The district has been without the expertise of a qualified business manager for years,” said Nelson, who added that he’s been “wearing three hats” since the district hired him in May 2008.

He’s been the one-school district’s superintendent, principal and fiscal manager, and said he’s grateful he’ll now be able to focus on the administrative side of running the school.

Continental’s new business manager, Rosalind Wrice, will start in June, but has already helped the school look at available stimulus funding and other grants, Nelson said.

Wrice has 12 years of experience as federal and state program director and as business manager of the Indian Oasis Baboquivari Unified School District in Sells, on the Tohono O’odham Nation.

“It’s difficult to find somebody who is qualified and knowledgeable in Arizona school finance,” Nelson said. “It takes specialized knowledge of state rules and regulation. We’re lucky we found someone with this kind of experience.”

Nelson says the responsibility of a school business manager is to “set up a budget that adheres to the guidelines of the state, and see that we adhere to that budget.” He added that a business manager will improve Continental’s buying power, and will help the school network with other districts for “cooperative purchases.”

He says the board has set aside $55,000 out of next year’s projected budget for Wrice’s salary package. Nelson says that even with the recent layoffs of several teachers, hiring a business manager was necessary for the fiscal success of the school.

“Even in this tough economic time, the staff realizes the importance of what a business manager can do for the district,” he said

In other school news, Continental received donations from several members of the community, including:

$5,000 from Freeport-McMoRan spokesman Richard Ducote to go toward renovation of the school’s Television/communications studio.

$100 from the Green Valley Genealogical Society.

From various individuals: a baby grand piano; computer equipment; and a set of golf clubs for the Physical Education department.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726