Zarins becomes one of few SFOs in WI
by Beth Kraft
Kristi Zarins, finance manager for the School District of Mondovi, was recently awarded the Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations (SFO) certification by the Association for School Business Officials International.
Zarins, also a CPA, passed two exams last fall in order to earn her SFO, a nationally-recognized certification held by only a handful of other school finance managers in Wisconsin.
“School finance has become increasingly complicated and it really has become a specialized area of expertise,” Zarins said.
The SFO certification is a relatively new distinction by ASBO International, granted to highly-qualified individuals who fulfill multiple requirements.
Zarins says her professional association, the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials, had promoted the certification and she decided to follow through on it. Having already fulfilled education and experience requirements for the certification, Zarins prepped for a pair of exams via a study group organized by WASBO last summer.
She explained that one exam covered accounting systems and functions, including budget management and various accounting and payroll activities, while the second concerned school business management. Some of the many aspects covered by that test were financial planning, grant management, audit prep, employee benefit programs and risk management.
Zarins says she wanted to achieve CFO status in order to do the best job she can for Mondovi.
“I hope that having that kind of knowledge and background will help me in managing the finite resources of the District,” she said.
School business officials who have earned CFO certification commit to ongoing professional development, renew their certification annually, and undergo recertification every three years.
“School business officials are the chief fiscal officers for school districts and hold an influential position in the community, commented John Musso, ASBO International executive director, in a press release. “By earning the SFO certification, professionals validate their specialized knowledge and demonstrate a commitment to high standards and ethical practice in school business management.”
