May 2024

Keep up-to-date with us and what's happening in the education sector

• 2023 Annual Accounts
• Important Notices
• Interest Income
• AFS School Visits - Late June 2024

• Resource: Pourato Guidance Section

• Xero Tip of the Month: Making the Most of Dual Screens
• Resource: Ministry of Education's Schools Buying Team
• Tips for Improving Sustainability in Your School Community
• Looking ahead

As the auditors are currently in the process of finalising the last of the audits, it's important to note that the statutory filing deadline of 31 May 2024 is fast approaching. To ensure that the audit is completed within the specified timeframe, we encourage you to address any queries from the auditors promptly.

When you receive the annual reports for signing, please ensure that they are signed and returned to the auditors as quickly as possible. If the annual report has not yet been cleared by the auditors, please have the Principal and Board Chair on standby. We can facilitate electronic signing of the reports if either the Principal or Board Chair are away.

Please ensure that the Principal and Board Chair use the same date on the signing page, and that the letter of representation is dated the same.

After receiving the audited (stamped) annual reports back from the auditors, please remember to combine the annual reports, audit opinion and analysis of variance into one document before uploading to the MOE data portal. We recommend using tools such as Adobe Writer or ilovepdf.com to combine the documents. Once you have uploaded the combined report to the MOE data portal, please let us know so that we can update our list.  

You also need to upload a copy of the combined reports to the School website. Please refer to the MOE guidelines below with regards to posting documents online, especially around redacting signatures and identifying data.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Donations scheme recalculation for roll increases

Donations scheme funding will be automatically reviewed and increased if schools have experienced roll growth between their July roll return and their March roll return. The difference will be paid to you as part of the July operational grant instalment.

If you have any questions about the donations scheme, email school.donations@education.govt.nz.

Pourato 2024 confirmed staffing entitlement published:

A reminder that your confirmed staffing entitlement is now available in Pourato. To access it, go to ‘staffing’ on the navigation bar and select ‘staffing entitlement’.   

Can you then please download the entitlement notice and upload it to google drive - MOE Grant Advices - Staffing Entitlement folder?

If your school's roll has increased and stayed at that level for 5 school days, you can request a staffing increase.

To learn more, click the button below.

INTEREST INCOME

Interest Income

A reminder that with increased interest rates, that having surplus cash within the schools savings account and on term deposit, will help to generate the additional interest income. 

While the interest rates between the ASB Education Admin (2.70%) and ASB Savings Account (2.90%) only vary by 0.2%, this still adds up over the course of a year.  At other banks, the difference can be significant.  Hence, we would recommend that any surplus cash is at the very least kept within the schools savings account, with some funds put on term deposit.

Term Deposits

Term deposits are also a good way to generate additional interest income during the year, especially just after receiving the quarterly operational grant funding.  ASB usually offer Ops Grant special rates for when the funding is received.  For example: for April 2024, ASB had a rate of 3.25% for 30 days, 3.40% for 60 days, 4.60% for 90 days and 6.15% for 6 months.

So even if the School has a small amount of reserves, 6.15% on say $50,000 would generate an extra $1,725 over and above having the fund sitting in the Education Admin account.

Setting up term deposits has never easier with ASB, as it can be undertaken through ASB Fastnet Business.  We have attached ASB instructions on how to setup term deposit.  For other banks, term deposits can usually be requested through Online Banking or through your relationship manager.

If you need any assistance with what amounts to put on term deposit, please contact any of the team at Accounting For Schools on 04 909 7729.

AFS SCHOOL VISITS

The AFS team is planning to visit Schools in late June 2024, post the completion of the audits and just in time for a quick half year review of how the School is performing.  Please keep an eye out for an email from the team with suggested dates and times.  We look forward to meeting with everyone again soon.

RESOURCE: POURATO GUIDANCE SECTION

For those who may not already be aware, the Ministry of Education offers a fantastic guidance section on its website for using the Pourato online application.

Whether you are experienced in using Pourato or just starting out, this portal provides a range of helpful information. It includes introductory videos and handy tips for navigating Pourato effectively, as well as guidance on accessing all the necessary information. This resource is definitely worth bookmarking for future reference!

There are a number of documents contained within Paurato that we need to complete the monthly and annual financial reports.  We will shortly be sendig out a guide around where to find each document type, so keep an eye out that email. 

To access this valuable resource, simply click the button below.

XERO TIP OF THE MONTH: MAKING THE MOST OF DUAL SCREENS

One of the most significant upgrades you can make for work efficiency is your screen setup. Xero bookkeeping and accounting are doable on a single screen, but tasks become much easier when you try out the dual-screen setup.

Using two monitors instead of one while using Xero can increase your productivity exponentially. You can have your accounting documents up on one monitor, and have Xero running on another. By working on both monitors at the same time, you will no longer have to tab in and out of applications to check reports and budgets, as you can now simply glance over to the other monitor to check instead.

Dual screen setups are becoming increasingly common in many workplaces as it gives the user a greater amount of screen space to work with, which can lead to an increase in productivity and prevent their desktop from becoming cluttered with windows and instances of other software.

RESOURCE: MINISTRY OF EDUCATION'S SCHOOLS BUYING TEAM

Did you know that the Ministry of Education has a schools buying team that can help your school save money and time, while also reducing risk, when buying goods and services?

This service can assist your school with:

joining and using the Ministry's wider Government's common goods and services contracts for purchasing:

• Printing Equipment
• Office supplies
• Banking services
• Vehicles
• Rental vehicles
• IT Hardware
• Electricity
• Reticulated Gas
• Furniture
• Facilities Cleaning and more!

finding the 'right supplier' for the 'right price' when purchasing many other goods and services, including:

• Bus Transport
• Uniform Clothing Apparel
• And more!

If you would like to learn more or have any questions about purchasing goods and services, you can contact the Ministry at school.buying@education.govt.nz, or you can visit their website by clicking the button below.

In today's world, where environmental consciousness is increasingly vital, schools have a crucial role to play in fostering sustainability. Embracing eco-friendly practices not only benefits the planet but also offers a great opportunity for schools to save money. By implementing strategic measures, educational institutions can simultaneously reduce their environmental footprint and trim operational costs.

Below, we have compiled some basic tips to help you improve sustainability within your school community. Whether you choose to implement just one of the suggestions below or more, every action counts and can make a significant difference.

Reduce Paper Waste:

Paper is one of the most consumed materials in a school, so it is important to promote the reduction of paper consumption as much as possible, not only by students, but also by teachers and administrative staff.

Increasing use of e-books is a great option, reducing waste and reducing the weight of student’s backpacks. Encouraging reusing paper – writing on the blank side of new pieces of paper, and buying recycled or upcycled paper are a great way make progress with the tools we currently have. In some cases, there may really be no option other than to print, but where possible, printing back to back can help to reduce waste.

Encourage Creative Recycling Projects: 

Knowing how to reuse objects and materials is extremely important to reduce waste and encourage resource recovery. An idea around this is to organise creativity workshops at school, where projects can be developed using recycled materials such as plastic bottles, glass jars, newspaper, various containers, and many other materials. 

Energy Efficiency Practices:

Energy efficiency is not as arduous as it sounds. Turn off school lights and shut down your computers at the end of the day. Keep your classroom doors shut to stop heat escaping and do not block heaters. Check the energy consumption of your appliances and make it a major consideration when buying new ones and always purchase energy efficient light bulbs.

For creating environmentally friendly classrooms, make sure they are well insulated and use sustainable materials for repairs and re-building. These are all incremental steps which ensure overall sustainability in your school. 

Reduce Water Consumption:

Reduce water consumption by fixing leaks promptly, installing low-flow faucets and toilets, and implementing water-saving practices such as collecting rainwater for landscaping.

Consider Investing in Energy Efficient Technologies:

Investing in energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting and smart thermostats, can reduce electricity consumption and lower utility bills over time. 

Encourage Waste Reduction:

Encourage waste reduction and recycling initiatives by providing recycling bins throughout the school, composting organic waste, and promoting the use of reusable materials and containers. Promoting waste reduction through recycling programs and composting can minimise disposal costs while diverting waste from landfills

271 Willis Street, Wellington 6011

P: 04-909-7729  l  P: 0800-275-237  l  

E: admin@afsl.nz  l  W: afsl.nz

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