The South Colonie Business Office consists of a variety of departments, each with its own set of responsibilities for enabling a school district of some 5,000 students and 1,000 employees to run efficiency and cost effectively. Following a list of departments that fit under the Business Office umbrella and a brief description of their roles and responsibilities.
Assistant Superintendent for Management Services and Strategic Planning
The Assistant Superintendent for Management Services is responsible for the overall operation of the South Colonie Business Office including supervision and long-range planning of all business and support services. The position also oversees the district’s annual operating budget and annual budget vote, the annual bus purchase vote, tax rates and certiorari cases, maintenance operations and capital construction, the Food Services and Transportation Departments, the Energy Management program, legal correspondence and services, crisis intervention, all insurances including personal and liability, employee contract negotiations, purchasing and district mailings.
Business Administrator/District Treasurer
The district Business Office Administrator and District Treasurer is responsible for directly supervising Business Office personnel including payroll, employee benefits, accounts payable and receivable. The position also oversees department budgeting, tax collection, construction project reports, all bank accounts, accounting records and annual financial reports; audits and investments; federal and state grants, health and wellness service contracts, private transportation contracts, invoices for non-resident tuition and the annual student census.
Tax Bills
Town of Colonie
Town of Niskayuna
518-386-4500
Town of Guilderland
5209 Western Turnpike
Guilderland, NY 12084
518-356-1980
Accounts Payable Department
The district Accounts Payable Department is responsible for reviewing and processing all payments to vendors, analyzing vendor statements, processing all encumbrances, working with vendors to resolve problems and disputes, providing support to administration in the analysis of district expenditures.
Insurance Department
The district Insurance Department is responsible for overseeing all insurances including employee health, dental, prescription drug, optical and life insurance plans, student accident insurance, comprehensive insurance (fire, theft, vehicles, etc.) and Workers Compensation claims. The position also works closely with and offers support to existing employees, retirees, legal counsel and administrators.
Payroll Department
The district Payroll Department is responsible for maintaining the computerized payroll system, producing and distributing bi-weekly payroll checks for some 1,000 district employees, maintaining records of all employee absences and substitute teaching hours, overseeing the payment of federal and state taxes, employee tax sheltered annuities, W-2 forms, payroll deductions and withholdings and notary services.
Purchasing Department
The district Purchasing Department is responsible for securing and processing all vendor bids for numerous items from school buses to classroom furniture, ordering and inventorying of all office supplies, overseeing maintenance contracts, district printing, etc.
Switchboard Operation
The district Switchboard Operator is responsible for answering incoming calls and greeting visitors to the District Office, processing and distributing all incoming mail, packages and deliveries; shredding of district records, maintaining newspaper clippings and reference books. The Switchboard operator (518) 869-3576 is available school days and school vacation weeks from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school snow days and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the summer. Voicemail is available by dialing employee extensions.
Textbooks
The district Textbooks Service is responsible for ordering, invoicing and distributing of all textbooks for both district school students (about 4,800) and private and parochial school students (about 700), maintaining a computerized textbook inventory and internal auditing.
As of July 1, 2021, Private and parochial textbooks are distributed by Capital Region BOCES. Please contact John Florussen at (518) 464-5123 for textbook requests and drop off schedules.