Audit: Quaker Valley School District financially strong

Quaker Valley School District is in strong financial shape, according to a newly released report from auditor Maher Duessel.

Brian McCall, engagement partner at the financial firm, delivered the good news to district officials at a board meeting Nov. 15.

“You’re really in a healthy financial position here where you’re setting funds aside, but also meeting the budget each year and planning ahead for things like (pension) liability that might change and contributions that you can’t control,” he said.

McCall and his team examined figures from the 2021-22 school year. They reported no findings, no material audit adjustments needed and had no new recommendations for the district’s finance department.

Instead, one of the slides in McCall’s presentation stated “continue current procedures.”

The report was posted on the school board’s section of district’s website, qvsd.org, under the “Presentations” tab.

The district’s fund balance, or reserve funds, was listed at $32.7 million, including $9.2 million for the general fund and $23.3 million for capital projects.

McCall said the general fund reserves are 17.57% of the district’s expenditure budget, and Government Finance Officers Association recommends about 16.67% of expenses.

Assistant Superintendent Andrew Surloff said Maher Duessel has been the district’s auditing firm for multiple years, and Quaker Valley received a similar reports at those times.

“Very pleased that the district is maintaining a healthy financial position overall,” Surloff said about the report. “We want to commend our business office, both our director of finance (Scott) Antoline and our assistant director of finance Brooke Baker for doing an excellent job in putting the district in a position to maintain a healthy fund balance and provide resources necessary to support the education of our students.”

School districts are required every year to participate in a fully independent audit.

McCall singled out Baker and her cooperation. She had replaced former assistant director of finance Jennifer Tressler.

“We always have good cooperation from everyone on your finance team,” he said. “This year there was a transition in the office from Jen to Brooke here. That (kind of) transition does not always go smoothly. (However), that transition went very smoothly. Thank you to them.”

People can review district budgets and other audit reports via the district’s website and clicking Finance under the front page’s “Departments” tab.

In other matters

The school board voted 7-0 to approve a donation of memorial books in the Sewickley Public Library in honor of some late former employees.

Board members Geoffrey Barnes and Stratton Nash were absent.

Employees posthumously honored were Sally Hoover, Matthew Boice and Velma Saire.

Board member Gianni Floro said the three were “really special to the district, (and) really special to the community.”

Surloff said the district makes memorial book donations about three times a year.

Hoover worked for Quaker Valley for 25 years and retired in 2019 as director of pupil services. She passed away June 12. She was 64.

Boice was an award-winning high school music teacher who worked at Quaker Valley for more than 20 years. He retired in June 2016. He passed away Aug. 12. He was 61.

Saire was a longtime assistant superintendent who was known for giving people giraffes to recognize those who stick their neck out and take a chance on something to enrich students and the community. She retired in June 2000. She died Aug. 18 at age 89.

The district also continues Saire’s legacy through the Velma Award.