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- 1 -
Finance Beliefs We Believe That
bull Financial Services is critical to student performance
bull You must care deeply about students and their success
bull We have a moral obligation to taxpayers
bull It is important to involve employees in decision-making
bull You continuously demand improvement and innovation
bull Management must be open to learning and using ideas outside education
bull Efficient execution makes a difference
bull Work should be fun
WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 2 -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contact Information 3
Overview for New Administrative Assistants 5
Account Structure 6 Most Common Object Codes 8
Spending Accounts 9 School and Student Activity Funds 9 Staff Appreciation Spending 10 Spending on Behalf of Students 10 General Directions 10
Accounts Payable 11 Check Requests 11 Guidelines for Expending Districts Funds 12
Purchasing Card 13 Limitations and Restrictions 14 Lost or Stolen Cards 14 Payment 14 Receipt RetentionRecord Log 14 Reconciliation of Purchase 14
Expense Reimbursements 15 Travel 15 Approving Authority 15 Prepayment of Expenses 15 Extended Stay 15 Reimbursement Claims 16 Per Diem 16 Lodging 17 Transportation 17 Other Travel Expenses 17 Mileage 18 Non-Reimbursable Expenses 18 Typical Travel Expenses 19
Budget and Expense Transfers 20
Petty Cash 21 Petty Cash Guidelines 21 Initial Petty Cash for Site 21 Reimbursement of Petty Cash 22 Turning In Petty Cash 22
Sales Activities and Fundraisers 23 Guide for Principals and Teachers 23 Sales Tax Requirements 24
School Fees and Other Fees 25 Athletic Fees 25 Free and Reduced Meals 25 Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers 25 Past Due Follow Up 25 Fee Schedule 26
Deposit Procedures and Banking Information 28 Insufficient Funds Checks 28
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations 28
Cash and Cashbox Handling Procedures 29
Equipment Purchases 30 Capital Outlay Expenditures 30
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds 30
Risk Management 32 Notice of Loss Claims 32
Student Accident Reports 32
Personal Property Insurance Plan 32
Cell Phone Procedure 34
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 3 -
FINANCE DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION
Sandra Nees MBA
Chief Financial Officer
720-542-5006
Brisa Villalobos MBA
CPA Director of Finance
720-542-5028
Tatyana Glushko Executive Assistant
to CFO
Executive Assistant to CFO Office Manager Risk Management
303-657-3810
Christina Toliver Accounts Payable
Specialist
Purchase OrdersmdashInvoicing and
Payments Direct Pays
720-542-5002
Alicia Strock Payroll Coordinator
Paula Birely
Payroll Specialist
Payroll Questions Garnishments Deduction Elections or Changes Paycheck Inquiries Verification of Employment Leave Inquiries and Entry Timesheet Inquiries and Entries Veritime Time Clock System
720-542-5057
303-657-3801
Megan Toth Finance Specialist
Admin Assistant to Director of Finance P-Card Account Codes P-Card Invoicing and Payments Deposits Petty Cash
720-542-5090
Tammy Bruntz Accountant
Grants Fiscal Management District Accountant
720-542-5007
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 4 -
THINGS WE DO IN FINANCE
Finance Financial reporting to Board of Education Department of Education State auditors State amp
Federal agencies Financial projections and planning Implements governmental accounting standards board statements Cash flow and investment activities Preparation of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Preparation of budget Comply with all IRS federal and state requirements and reporting Financings of long term debt and short term debt Payment of debt service Assessment of mill levy Risk Management ndash Property Liability and Workersrsquo Compensation Insurance Assist in contract negotiations ndash Financial Annual external audit Banking relationship Contract managementnegotiations Management of financial software and operating system Provide In-Service to SecretariesBookkeepersPara-Professionals Analyze proposed and existing financial legislation in determining impact on Districtrsquos financial
position Compliance to CDE accounting requirements and Financial Policies and Procedures Assures conformance to Policies and Procedures Resolutions for ContractsBudgetAuditetc Building usage contracts Assist with demographic studiesboundary changes Mill Levy and bond election support
Accounting Accounts Payable ndash Payment of all purchased services supplies and materials and capital
outlay Cash receipts General ledger
Payroll Issuing earningbenefit statements to accompany paychecks and direct deposit advices Withholding proper taxes and establishing authorized deductions Processing garnishments tax liens and child support Issuing W-2 and 1099rsquos Calculating and depositing all taxes Administering the payroll Time and Attendance reporting Scheduling monitoring and auditing systems schedules and jobs related to the payroll
functions Reconciling all payroll liabilities to the Financial Management System Preparation of State Unemployment reports Distribution of detailed reports Tracking retirement contributions and calculating employeesrsquo maximum pretax contributions Entering and administering all CUM leave and vacation calculations
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 5 -
OVERVIEW FOR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
If you are new to your job you may feel overwhelmed with all the new information We are here to help just
give us a call We will answer your questions and find the forms you need Here are a few helpful hints to
get you started with your new accounting duties
bullFinancial Services provides training for all school and department administrative assistants who perform accounting
tasks This training is held early in the school year Other small training sessions are held throughout the school year
Please call us to set up a time to meet with you
Financial Services Training
bulliVisions is an accounting system used by the District Please place a ticket with Adams 50 HelpDesk ( ext 5260)
requesting acces to the system After access has been granted please call Finance Department to schedule a time
for training
iVisions
bullThe District uses a purchase card for many of its purchases Part of your job will be to report expenditures for your school or department to the Financial Services Department Please call Finance Department to get set up with purchasing card
and to schedule training
Purchassing Card
(P-Card)
bullStudent information is maintained using Infinite Campus To schedule training please contact
Technology Services 720-542-5218
Infinite Campus
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 6 -
ACCOUNT STRUCTURE
The District uses the chart of accounts prescribed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to account for
its revenues and expenditures by fund department program project and budgeted line item (object) Your school or department has its individual set of accounts
The following diagram illustrates the format and sequencing of the dimensions of the required reporting of
revenues expenditures and balance sheet accounts
FUND LOCATION SRE PROGRAM OBJSRCE JOB GRANT
EXPENDITURES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
REVENUES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
BALANCE SHEET XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
FUNDndashan independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and
other financial resources It contains all related assets liabilities and residual equities or balances or changes
therein The district maintains several different funds Funds that are most common are in bold
GOVERNMENTAL
FUNDS
FIDUCIARY
FUNDS GENERAL SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT
SERVICES
CAPITAL PROJECTS
10 General Fund
18 Risk Management
Fund
19 Colorado Preschool Fund
21 Nutrition Services Fund 22 Governmental
Designated Purpose Grant Fund
23 Student Athletic amp
Activity Fund 29 Fee Supported Fund
31 Bond Redemption
Fund
43 Capital Reserve Fund
74 School Activity Fund
LOCATIONmdasha dimension used as a way to identify schools attendance centers operational units buildings
or sites as budgetary units or cost center designators as a means of segregating costs 100 rarr Elementary Schools 200 rarr Middle (Junior High) School 300 rarr Senior High School 400 rarr VocationalTechnical Schools 500 rarr Combination Schools 600 rarr Centralized Services
700 rarr Service Center(s) 800 rarr District-wide Costs 900 rarr Other Operational Units
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 2 -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contact Information 3
Overview for New Administrative Assistants 5
Account Structure 6 Most Common Object Codes 8
Spending Accounts 9 School and Student Activity Funds 9 Staff Appreciation Spending 10 Spending on Behalf of Students 10 General Directions 10
Accounts Payable 11 Check Requests 11 Guidelines for Expending Districts Funds 12
Purchasing Card 13 Limitations and Restrictions 14 Lost or Stolen Cards 14 Payment 14 Receipt RetentionRecord Log 14 Reconciliation of Purchase 14
Expense Reimbursements 15 Travel 15 Approving Authority 15 Prepayment of Expenses 15 Extended Stay 15 Reimbursement Claims 16 Per Diem 16 Lodging 17 Transportation 17 Other Travel Expenses 17 Mileage 18 Non-Reimbursable Expenses 18 Typical Travel Expenses 19
Budget and Expense Transfers 20
Petty Cash 21 Petty Cash Guidelines 21 Initial Petty Cash for Site 21 Reimbursement of Petty Cash 22 Turning In Petty Cash 22
Sales Activities and Fundraisers 23 Guide for Principals and Teachers 23 Sales Tax Requirements 24
School Fees and Other Fees 25 Athletic Fees 25 Free and Reduced Meals 25 Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers 25 Past Due Follow Up 25 Fee Schedule 26
Deposit Procedures and Banking Information 28 Insufficient Funds Checks 28
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations 28
Cash and Cashbox Handling Procedures 29
Equipment Purchases 30 Capital Outlay Expenditures 30
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds 30
Risk Management 32 Notice of Loss Claims 32
Student Accident Reports 32
Personal Property Insurance Plan 32
Cell Phone Procedure 34
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 3 -
FINANCE DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION
Sandra Nees MBA
Chief Financial Officer
720-542-5006
Brisa Villalobos MBA
CPA Director of Finance
720-542-5028
Tatyana Glushko Executive Assistant
to CFO
Executive Assistant to CFO Office Manager Risk Management
303-657-3810
Christina Toliver Accounts Payable
Specialist
Purchase OrdersmdashInvoicing and
Payments Direct Pays
720-542-5002
Alicia Strock Payroll Coordinator
Paula Birely
Payroll Specialist
Payroll Questions Garnishments Deduction Elections or Changes Paycheck Inquiries Verification of Employment Leave Inquiries and Entry Timesheet Inquiries and Entries Veritime Time Clock System
720-542-5057
303-657-3801
Megan Toth Finance Specialist
Admin Assistant to Director of Finance P-Card Account Codes P-Card Invoicing and Payments Deposits Petty Cash
720-542-5090
Tammy Bruntz Accountant
Grants Fiscal Management District Accountant
720-542-5007
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 4 -
THINGS WE DO IN FINANCE
Finance Financial reporting to Board of Education Department of Education State auditors State amp
Federal agencies Financial projections and planning Implements governmental accounting standards board statements Cash flow and investment activities Preparation of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Preparation of budget Comply with all IRS federal and state requirements and reporting Financings of long term debt and short term debt Payment of debt service Assessment of mill levy Risk Management ndash Property Liability and Workersrsquo Compensation Insurance Assist in contract negotiations ndash Financial Annual external audit Banking relationship Contract managementnegotiations Management of financial software and operating system Provide In-Service to SecretariesBookkeepersPara-Professionals Analyze proposed and existing financial legislation in determining impact on Districtrsquos financial
position Compliance to CDE accounting requirements and Financial Policies and Procedures Assures conformance to Policies and Procedures Resolutions for ContractsBudgetAuditetc Building usage contracts Assist with demographic studiesboundary changes Mill Levy and bond election support
Accounting Accounts Payable ndash Payment of all purchased services supplies and materials and capital
outlay Cash receipts General ledger
Payroll Issuing earningbenefit statements to accompany paychecks and direct deposit advices Withholding proper taxes and establishing authorized deductions Processing garnishments tax liens and child support Issuing W-2 and 1099rsquos Calculating and depositing all taxes Administering the payroll Time and Attendance reporting Scheduling monitoring and auditing systems schedules and jobs related to the payroll
functions Reconciling all payroll liabilities to the Financial Management System Preparation of State Unemployment reports Distribution of detailed reports Tracking retirement contributions and calculating employeesrsquo maximum pretax contributions Entering and administering all CUM leave and vacation calculations
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 5 -
OVERVIEW FOR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
If you are new to your job you may feel overwhelmed with all the new information We are here to help just
give us a call We will answer your questions and find the forms you need Here are a few helpful hints to
get you started with your new accounting duties
bullFinancial Services provides training for all school and department administrative assistants who perform accounting
tasks This training is held early in the school year Other small training sessions are held throughout the school year
Please call us to set up a time to meet with you
Financial Services Training
bulliVisions is an accounting system used by the District Please place a ticket with Adams 50 HelpDesk ( ext 5260)
requesting acces to the system After access has been granted please call Finance Department to schedule a time
for training
iVisions
bullThe District uses a purchase card for many of its purchases Part of your job will be to report expenditures for your school or department to the Financial Services Department Please call Finance Department to get set up with purchasing card
and to schedule training
Purchassing Card
(P-Card)
bullStudent information is maintained using Infinite Campus To schedule training please contact
Technology Services 720-542-5218
Infinite Campus
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 6 -
ACCOUNT STRUCTURE
The District uses the chart of accounts prescribed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to account for
its revenues and expenditures by fund department program project and budgeted line item (object) Your school or department has its individual set of accounts
The following diagram illustrates the format and sequencing of the dimensions of the required reporting of
revenues expenditures and balance sheet accounts
FUND LOCATION SRE PROGRAM OBJSRCE JOB GRANT
EXPENDITURES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
REVENUES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
BALANCE SHEET XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
FUNDndashan independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and
other financial resources It contains all related assets liabilities and residual equities or balances or changes
therein The district maintains several different funds Funds that are most common are in bold
GOVERNMENTAL
FUNDS
FIDUCIARY
FUNDS GENERAL SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT
SERVICES
CAPITAL PROJECTS
10 General Fund
18 Risk Management
Fund
19 Colorado Preschool Fund
21 Nutrition Services Fund 22 Governmental
Designated Purpose Grant Fund
23 Student Athletic amp
Activity Fund 29 Fee Supported Fund
31 Bond Redemption
Fund
43 Capital Reserve Fund
74 School Activity Fund
LOCATIONmdasha dimension used as a way to identify schools attendance centers operational units buildings
or sites as budgetary units or cost center designators as a means of segregating costs 100 rarr Elementary Schools 200 rarr Middle (Junior High) School 300 rarr Senior High School 400 rarr VocationalTechnical Schools 500 rarr Combination Schools 600 rarr Centralized Services
700 rarr Service Center(s) 800 rarr District-wide Costs 900 rarr Other Operational Units
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 3 -
FINANCE DEPARTMENT CONTACT INFORMATION
Sandra Nees MBA
Chief Financial Officer
720-542-5006
Brisa Villalobos MBA
CPA Director of Finance
720-542-5028
Tatyana Glushko Executive Assistant
to CFO
Executive Assistant to CFO Office Manager Risk Management
303-657-3810
Christina Toliver Accounts Payable
Specialist
Purchase OrdersmdashInvoicing and
Payments Direct Pays
720-542-5002
Alicia Strock Payroll Coordinator
Paula Birely
Payroll Specialist
Payroll Questions Garnishments Deduction Elections or Changes Paycheck Inquiries Verification of Employment Leave Inquiries and Entry Timesheet Inquiries and Entries Veritime Time Clock System
720-542-5057
303-657-3801
Megan Toth Finance Specialist
Admin Assistant to Director of Finance P-Card Account Codes P-Card Invoicing and Payments Deposits Petty Cash
720-542-5090
Tammy Bruntz Accountant
Grants Fiscal Management District Accountant
720-542-5007
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 4 -
THINGS WE DO IN FINANCE
Finance Financial reporting to Board of Education Department of Education State auditors State amp
Federal agencies Financial projections and planning Implements governmental accounting standards board statements Cash flow and investment activities Preparation of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Preparation of budget Comply with all IRS federal and state requirements and reporting Financings of long term debt and short term debt Payment of debt service Assessment of mill levy Risk Management ndash Property Liability and Workersrsquo Compensation Insurance Assist in contract negotiations ndash Financial Annual external audit Banking relationship Contract managementnegotiations Management of financial software and operating system Provide In-Service to SecretariesBookkeepersPara-Professionals Analyze proposed and existing financial legislation in determining impact on Districtrsquos financial
position Compliance to CDE accounting requirements and Financial Policies and Procedures Assures conformance to Policies and Procedures Resolutions for ContractsBudgetAuditetc Building usage contracts Assist with demographic studiesboundary changes Mill Levy and bond election support
Accounting Accounts Payable ndash Payment of all purchased services supplies and materials and capital
outlay Cash receipts General ledger
Payroll Issuing earningbenefit statements to accompany paychecks and direct deposit advices Withholding proper taxes and establishing authorized deductions Processing garnishments tax liens and child support Issuing W-2 and 1099rsquos Calculating and depositing all taxes Administering the payroll Time and Attendance reporting Scheduling monitoring and auditing systems schedules and jobs related to the payroll
functions Reconciling all payroll liabilities to the Financial Management System Preparation of State Unemployment reports Distribution of detailed reports Tracking retirement contributions and calculating employeesrsquo maximum pretax contributions Entering and administering all CUM leave and vacation calculations
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 5 -
OVERVIEW FOR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
If you are new to your job you may feel overwhelmed with all the new information We are here to help just
give us a call We will answer your questions and find the forms you need Here are a few helpful hints to
get you started with your new accounting duties
bullFinancial Services provides training for all school and department administrative assistants who perform accounting
tasks This training is held early in the school year Other small training sessions are held throughout the school year
Please call us to set up a time to meet with you
Financial Services Training
bulliVisions is an accounting system used by the District Please place a ticket with Adams 50 HelpDesk ( ext 5260)
requesting acces to the system After access has been granted please call Finance Department to schedule a time
for training
iVisions
bullThe District uses a purchase card for many of its purchases Part of your job will be to report expenditures for your school or department to the Financial Services Department Please call Finance Department to get set up with purchasing card
and to schedule training
Purchassing Card
(P-Card)
bullStudent information is maintained using Infinite Campus To schedule training please contact
Technology Services 720-542-5218
Infinite Campus
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 6 -
ACCOUNT STRUCTURE
The District uses the chart of accounts prescribed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to account for
its revenues and expenditures by fund department program project and budgeted line item (object) Your school or department has its individual set of accounts
The following diagram illustrates the format and sequencing of the dimensions of the required reporting of
revenues expenditures and balance sheet accounts
FUND LOCATION SRE PROGRAM OBJSRCE JOB GRANT
EXPENDITURES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
REVENUES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
BALANCE SHEET XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
FUNDndashan independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and
other financial resources It contains all related assets liabilities and residual equities or balances or changes
therein The district maintains several different funds Funds that are most common are in bold
GOVERNMENTAL
FUNDS
FIDUCIARY
FUNDS GENERAL SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT
SERVICES
CAPITAL PROJECTS
10 General Fund
18 Risk Management
Fund
19 Colorado Preschool Fund
21 Nutrition Services Fund 22 Governmental
Designated Purpose Grant Fund
23 Student Athletic amp
Activity Fund 29 Fee Supported Fund
31 Bond Redemption
Fund
43 Capital Reserve Fund
74 School Activity Fund
LOCATIONmdasha dimension used as a way to identify schools attendance centers operational units buildings
or sites as budgetary units or cost center designators as a means of segregating costs 100 rarr Elementary Schools 200 rarr Middle (Junior High) School 300 rarr Senior High School 400 rarr VocationalTechnical Schools 500 rarr Combination Schools 600 rarr Centralized Services
700 rarr Service Center(s) 800 rarr District-wide Costs 900 rarr Other Operational Units
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 4 -
THINGS WE DO IN FINANCE
Finance Financial reporting to Board of Education Department of Education State auditors State amp
Federal agencies Financial projections and planning Implements governmental accounting standards board statements Cash flow and investment activities Preparation of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Preparation of budget Comply with all IRS federal and state requirements and reporting Financings of long term debt and short term debt Payment of debt service Assessment of mill levy Risk Management ndash Property Liability and Workersrsquo Compensation Insurance Assist in contract negotiations ndash Financial Annual external audit Banking relationship Contract managementnegotiations Management of financial software and operating system Provide In-Service to SecretariesBookkeepersPara-Professionals Analyze proposed and existing financial legislation in determining impact on Districtrsquos financial
position Compliance to CDE accounting requirements and Financial Policies and Procedures Assures conformance to Policies and Procedures Resolutions for ContractsBudgetAuditetc Building usage contracts Assist with demographic studiesboundary changes Mill Levy and bond election support
Accounting Accounts Payable ndash Payment of all purchased services supplies and materials and capital
outlay Cash receipts General ledger
Payroll Issuing earningbenefit statements to accompany paychecks and direct deposit advices Withholding proper taxes and establishing authorized deductions Processing garnishments tax liens and child support Issuing W-2 and 1099rsquos Calculating and depositing all taxes Administering the payroll Time and Attendance reporting Scheduling monitoring and auditing systems schedules and jobs related to the payroll
functions Reconciling all payroll liabilities to the Financial Management System Preparation of State Unemployment reports Distribution of detailed reports Tracking retirement contributions and calculating employeesrsquo maximum pretax contributions Entering and administering all CUM leave and vacation calculations
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 5 -
OVERVIEW FOR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
If you are new to your job you may feel overwhelmed with all the new information We are here to help just
give us a call We will answer your questions and find the forms you need Here are a few helpful hints to
get you started with your new accounting duties
bullFinancial Services provides training for all school and department administrative assistants who perform accounting
tasks This training is held early in the school year Other small training sessions are held throughout the school year
Please call us to set up a time to meet with you
Financial Services Training
bulliVisions is an accounting system used by the District Please place a ticket with Adams 50 HelpDesk ( ext 5260)
requesting acces to the system After access has been granted please call Finance Department to schedule a time
for training
iVisions
bullThe District uses a purchase card for many of its purchases Part of your job will be to report expenditures for your school or department to the Financial Services Department Please call Finance Department to get set up with purchasing card
and to schedule training
Purchassing Card
(P-Card)
bullStudent information is maintained using Infinite Campus To schedule training please contact
Technology Services 720-542-5218
Infinite Campus
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 6 -
ACCOUNT STRUCTURE
The District uses the chart of accounts prescribed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to account for
its revenues and expenditures by fund department program project and budgeted line item (object) Your school or department has its individual set of accounts
The following diagram illustrates the format and sequencing of the dimensions of the required reporting of
revenues expenditures and balance sheet accounts
FUND LOCATION SRE PROGRAM OBJSRCE JOB GRANT
EXPENDITURES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
REVENUES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
BALANCE SHEET XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
FUNDndashan independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and
other financial resources It contains all related assets liabilities and residual equities or balances or changes
therein The district maintains several different funds Funds that are most common are in bold
GOVERNMENTAL
FUNDS
FIDUCIARY
FUNDS GENERAL SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT
SERVICES
CAPITAL PROJECTS
10 General Fund
18 Risk Management
Fund
19 Colorado Preschool Fund
21 Nutrition Services Fund 22 Governmental
Designated Purpose Grant Fund
23 Student Athletic amp
Activity Fund 29 Fee Supported Fund
31 Bond Redemption
Fund
43 Capital Reserve Fund
74 School Activity Fund
LOCATIONmdasha dimension used as a way to identify schools attendance centers operational units buildings
or sites as budgetary units or cost center designators as a means of segregating costs 100 rarr Elementary Schools 200 rarr Middle (Junior High) School 300 rarr Senior High School 400 rarr VocationalTechnical Schools 500 rarr Combination Schools 600 rarr Centralized Services
700 rarr Service Center(s) 800 rarr District-wide Costs 900 rarr Other Operational Units
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 5 -
OVERVIEW FOR NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS
If you are new to your job you may feel overwhelmed with all the new information We are here to help just
give us a call We will answer your questions and find the forms you need Here are a few helpful hints to
get you started with your new accounting duties
bullFinancial Services provides training for all school and department administrative assistants who perform accounting
tasks This training is held early in the school year Other small training sessions are held throughout the school year
Please call us to set up a time to meet with you
Financial Services Training
bulliVisions is an accounting system used by the District Please place a ticket with Adams 50 HelpDesk ( ext 5260)
requesting acces to the system After access has been granted please call Finance Department to schedule a time
for training
iVisions
bullThe District uses a purchase card for many of its purchases Part of your job will be to report expenditures for your school or department to the Financial Services Department Please call Finance Department to get set up with purchasing card
and to schedule training
Purchassing Card
(P-Card)
bullStudent information is maintained using Infinite Campus To schedule training please contact
Technology Services 720-542-5218
Infinite Campus
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 6 -
ACCOUNT STRUCTURE
The District uses the chart of accounts prescribed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to account for
its revenues and expenditures by fund department program project and budgeted line item (object) Your school or department has its individual set of accounts
The following diagram illustrates the format and sequencing of the dimensions of the required reporting of
revenues expenditures and balance sheet accounts
FUND LOCATION SRE PROGRAM OBJSRCE JOB GRANT
EXPENDITURES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
REVENUES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
BALANCE SHEET XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
FUNDndashan independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and
other financial resources It contains all related assets liabilities and residual equities or balances or changes
therein The district maintains several different funds Funds that are most common are in bold
GOVERNMENTAL
FUNDS
FIDUCIARY
FUNDS GENERAL SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT
SERVICES
CAPITAL PROJECTS
10 General Fund
18 Risk Management
Fund
19 Colorado Preschool Fund
21 Nutrition Services Fund 22 Governmental
Designated Purpose Grant Fund
23 Student Athletic amp
Activity Fund 29 Fee Supported Fund
31 Bond Redemption
Fund
43 Capital Reserve Fund
74 School Activity Fund
LOCATIONmdasha dimension used as a way to identify schools attendance centers operational units buildings
or sites as budgetary units or cost center designators as a means of segregating costs 100 rarr Elementary Schools 200 rarr Middle (Junior High) School 300 rarr Senior High School 400 rarr VocationalTechnical Schools 500 rarr Combination Schools 600 rarr Centralized Services
700 rarr Service Center(s) 800 rarr District-wide Costs 900 rarr Other Operational Units
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 6 -
ACCOUNT STRUCTURE
The District uses the chart of accounts prescribed by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to account for
its revenues and expenditures by fund department program project and budgeted line item (object) Your school or department has its individual set of accounts
The following diagram illustrates the format and sequencing of the dimensions of the required reporting of
revenues expenditures and balance sheet accounts
FUND LOCATION SRE PROGRAM OBJSRCE JOB GRANT
EXPENDITURES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
REVENUES XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
BALANCE SHEET XX XXX 0000 0000 XXXX 000 XXXX
FUNDndashan independent fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts for recording cash and
other financial resources It contains all related assets liabilities and residual equities or balances or changes
therein The district maintains several different funds Funds that are most common are in bold
GOVERNMENTAL
FUNDS
FIDUCIARY
FUNDS GENERAL SPECIAL REVENUE DEBT
SERVICES
CAPITAL PROJECTS
10 General Fund
18 Risk Management
Fund
19 Colorado Preschool Fund
21 Nutrition Services Fund 22 Governmental
Designated Purpose Grant Fund
23 Student Athletic amp
Activity Fund 29 Fee Supported Fund
31 Bond Redemption
Fund
43 Capital Reserve Fund
74 School Activity Fund
LOCATIONmdasha dimension used as a way to identify schools attendance centers operational units buildings
or sites as budgetary units or cost center designators as a means of segregating costs 100 rarr Elementary Schools 200 rarr Middle (Junior High) School 300 rarr Senior High School 400 rarr VocationalTechnical Schools 500 rarr Combination Schools 600 rarr Centralized Services
700 rarr Service Center(s) 800 rarr District-wide Costs 900 rarr Other Operational Units
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 7 -
Special Reporting Element (SRE)mdashdescribes the activity for which a service or material object
is acquired much like a function This element is optional but may be used with the program element to
differentiate program costs
PROGRAMmdasha dimension which describes the activity for which a service or material object is acquired The
programs of a school district are classified into six broad areas Instruction Support Services Operation of Non-Instructional Services Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services Other Uses and Reserves
0010ndash1900 Instruction 2900 Other Support Services
2100 Support Services ndash Students 3100 Food Services Operations
2200 Support Services - Instructional Staff 3200 Enterprise Operations
2300 Support Services - General Administration 3300 Community Services
2400 Support Services - School Administration 4000 Facilities Acquisition and Construction Services
2500 Support Services ndash Business 5000 Other Uses
2600 Operation and Maintenance of Plant Services 5100 Debt Service
2700 Student Transportation Services 9000 Reserves
2800 Support Services ndash Central
SourceObjectBalance Sheetndasha combination dimension which is used to identify the type of
account Balance Sheet Revenue (Sources) or Expenditure (Object) The object is the service or commodity obtained
OBJECT
(used to describe the service or commodity obtained as the result of a
specific expenditure)
SOURCE (used to describe the funding origin
(source) and type of revenue)
BALANCE SHEET CODES (used only for balance
sheet reporting)
0100 Salaries 1000 Revenue from Local
Sources
6000 Fund BalanceNet Assets
0200 Employee Benefits
2000 Revenue from Intermediate Sources
7000 Current Liabilities
0300 Purchased Professional and
Technical Services
3000 Revenue from State
Sources
8000 Assets and Other Debits 0400 Purchased Property
Services
4000 Revenue from Federal
Sources
0500 Other Purchased Services
5000 Other Sources
0600 Supplies
0700 Property
0800 Other Objects
0900 Other Uses of Funds
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 8 -
Most common object codes used by schools are
Object
Code
Description
0120 Salaries of Temporary Employees Full-time part-time and prorated portions of the costs for work performed by employees of the school district who are hired on a temporary or substitute basis (substitutes)
0130 Salaries for Overtime Amounts paid to employees of the school district in either temporary or permanent
positions for work performed in addition to the normal work period for which the employee is compensated under regular salaries and temporary salaries above (timesheet money)
0300 Purchased Professional and Technical Services Services which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge While a product may or may not result from the
transaction the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided Included are the services of architects engineers auditors dentists medical doctors lawyers consultants teachers accountants
brokers etc
0430 Repairs and Maintenance Services Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided directly by school district personnel These include contracts and agreements covering the
upkeep of buildings and equipment
0581 In-state travel registration and entrance Expenditures for travel and registration fees within the state 0582 Out-of-state travel registration and entrance Expenses for travel and registration fees outside the state
0583 Mileage Reimbursement Reimbursement for miles traveled while on business for the school district
0610 General Supplies Expenditures for the purchase of all supplies (other than those listed below) for the operation of a school district including freight and cartage for the delivery of these supplies
0630 Any food related purchases
0640 Books and Periodicals Expenditures for books textbooks and periodicals that are prescribed and available for general use including library and reference books This category includes the cost of
workbooks textbook binding or repairs as well as textbooks which are purchased to be resold or rented
0735 Non-Capital Equipment Expenditures for items classified as equipment but costing less than the district policy for capital assets inventory ($5000) To be used in the food service fund Alternatively non-capital
equipment may be coded as a supply to an object in the 0600 series
0810 Dues and Fees Expenditures or assessments for membership in professional or other organizations This
includes any fee assessed for membership Registration participation or entrance to event costs should
be coded to object 0580 Fees for professional services should be charged to the appropriate 300 series code
0851 Field Trips - an account the District uses to charge your schooldepartment for transportation provided by our own Transportation Department
0853 Out of Warranty Chromebook replacement
Job Classificationmdasha dimension which enables school districts to break down expenditures for salaries
and employee benefits by the employeersquos job classification
Designated GRANTProjectmdashan award of financial assistance in the form of cash or a
contribution or gift or other assets from another governmental or private entity to an eligible grantee to be used for a specified or designated purpose activity or facility
Fiscal Yearmdasha twelve-month accounting period (July 1 through June 30) to which the annual budget applies
100 Administrators
200 Professional - Instructional
300 Professional - Other
400 Paraprofessionals
500 OfficeAdministrative Support
600 Crafts Trades and Services
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 9 -
SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The District uses the chart of accounts to distinguish between different spending accounts such as instructional and non-instructional programs and accounts
Instructional Spending Non-Instructional Spending
Instructional spending as defined and restricted by
CDE must deal directly with the teaching of pupils or
the interaction between teachers and students Teaching supplies and equipment may be provided for
pupils in a school classroom in another location such as a home or hospital and other learning situations
such as those involving co-curricular activities
Proper classification of instructional expenditures is
vital because the District must document the total amount spent to instruct students
Examples of instructional spending bull Educational posters bull Instructional software bull Textbooks bull Computers and printers used in the classroom bull Fixtures and equipment used as part of the instruction bull Food when studying a food unit or when food is used as part of the instruction
ndashThese funds are often referred to as principalrsquos
discretionary accounts building accounts building
administration accounts or office accounts
This program provides for bull Building administrator and clerical staffing in support
of students and teachers
bull Activities concerned with overall administrative responsibility for a school
bull Activities performed by the principal assistant principal(s) and other assistants while supervising all
operations of the school evaluating staff members of the school assigning duties to employees managing
and maintaining the records of the school and
coordinating school instructional activities with those of the district
bull Financial support for staff release time for committee work and for clerical staff in support of teaching and
administrative duties
bull Necessary school administrative office supplies such as first aid paper and service agreements for
equipment and office equipment
Examples of items that are not instructional spending bull Food not used as part of the instruction bull Awards or rewards bull Office expenses postage envelopes bull Fixtures such as window blinds for classrooms
School and Student Activity Funds The District Board of Education (BOE) recognizes that community members students and other persons and organizations may wish to express support for a school or the district by conducting fundraising activities or by
making donations The BOE also understands the need for a school to raise funds for expenditures not provided
for in the annual budget
Monies collected by district employees and students will be handled with good and prudent business procedures both to demonstrate the ability of school system employees to operate in that fashion and to teach such procedures
to students All monies collected shall be receipted accounted for and deposited within 24 hours of receipt
School and Student Activities funds are accounted for in Fund 74 which is used to record financial transactions
related to school-sponsored pupil intra-scholasticinterscholastic athletics clubs and other activities These activities are supported by collections from students and by revenues from concessions and other fundraising
activities The district acts strictly in a fiduciary capacity regarding these funds Fund 74 is an agencycustodial fund and does not use budgeted operating accounts (revenues and expenditures) There are no budgeted subsidies
or other support services provided to these school and student activities
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 10 -
Staff Appreciation Spending The source of funds for staff appreciation purchases such as food or spirit wear (such as clothing)
should be from vending machines in the faculty lounge donations from PTO for staff use and other
funding sources that are not related to student fundraising for a particular event or activity Food or snacks are appropriate when training conducting business or celebrating a success or event
For any gifts food spirit wear or other purchases for individual staff members the value or the purchase must appear to be nominal not to exceed $25 (A staff t-shirt is appropriate an entire
wardrobe for a staff member may be inappropriate)
Professional development activities are an appropriate expenditure (Conferences speakers travel related training materials etc)
Expenses related to required organizational meetings and events outside the district and within the state may be reimbursed Expenses may include mileage registration meals and limited lodging
expenses Expenses may not include optional activities offered for entertainment at a conference or event Principals must approve such expenses before expenditure
Gift cards are considered cash These types of purchases must be pre-approved and an original receipt
is required
Spending on Behalf of Students It is appropriate to use discretionary funds for
Students who cannot afford fees trips uniforms etc (students who are on free and reduced meals ndash
FARM) Student uniforms equipment or other educational materials
Refreshments and meals for student celebrations or meetings Student transportation that supports the athletic or activity schedule
Payment for speakers assemblies and other special events that benefit students directly (they are in
attendance)
General Directions Reimbursement of expenditures to district employees must be signed by their supervisor Original detailed receipts are required for reimbursement
An explanation of the purpose of the expenditure and people attending is required
No cash withdrawals are allowed for reimbursement Taxes will not be reimbursed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 11 -
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Miscellaneous Accounts Payable Information Scheduled check runs are weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays Scheduled Visa program
payments are weekly on Wednesdays The check run and Visa program payments will be on the
day prior if it falls on a holiday or during staff development
Originals of all paperwork must be received in Accounts Payable for payment All paperwork must have original signatures (no photocopies or signature stamps)
The most current and revised forms can be printed from the Finance website Direct pay forms take two weeks to process for payment based on when the Financial Services
Department receives the forms Vendor invoices are net 30 days for payment
All checks that are cut to vendors will be mailed out by the Financial Services Department If you would like a vendor check to be sent back to your location instead please note this on the
direct pay form where it shows special instructions All employee reimbursements are paid as a direct deposit using the same bank information as
payroll Once the payment is released the funds are deposited directly into the employeersquos bank account and the employee will also receive an email notification with the direct deposit detail
New Vendor Request Forms and vendor address changes need to be sent to the Purchasing
Department Keep in mind that the new vendor must be entered into iVisions before Accounts Payable can cut a check
All invoices must be addressed to the attention of Accounts Payable in the Financial Services Office
Check Requests Purchase Orders remain the most accepted means of purchasing items through the district
Check requests should only be used for items that cannot be obtained through a PO or if you
already have the item and need to pay the invoice Advances should only be used for travel (hotel reservations car rental and other travel expenses) and only if the vendor will not accept
a credit card or Purchase Order
With the fast turnaround time for requisition approval the use of procurement cards and
sufficient petty cash amounts there SHOULD BE VERY LITTLE need for a check request
A direct pay along with the correct back-up takes two weeks to process for payment If the
correct back-up isnt provided it will be returned which could delay the process
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 12 -
Guidelines for Expending District Funds for Donations Flowers Gift Cards and Gifts
Type of Expenditure
District Funds (101923
amp 21)
Fund 22
Fund 74
Comments
Flowers
Yes No Yes
May be purchased for get-well wishes death in the family and for staff student or volunteer
recognition May not be purchased for personal
occasions such as retirements social gatherings holidays celebrations birthdays weddings etc
Gift Cards Staff Appreciation
No No Yes
$25 or less per staff member annually Case by case exception can be made for Fund 10
Please contact the Finance Department for approval
Gift CardsStudents
Yes No Yes
To reward students for perfect attendance leadership etc Limited to $25 or less per student
annually Gift card must have an educational
purpose eg Barnes and Noble
Gift Cards Volunteers
Yes No Yes $25 or less per volunteer annually
Gifts Personal Occasions
No No Yes
For example retirements holidays celebrations birthdays weddings births Limited to $25 per
person annually
Gifts Staff Recognition
No No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Gifts Volunteer
Recognition
Yes No Yes
Non-consumable items of minimal value ($25 or
under) such as a plaque trophy framed certificate
or similar token of appreciation
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 13 -
PURCHASING CARD
Districtrsquos Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is a simplified and cost-effective method of purchasing and remitting payment for approved sitedepartment budget
expenditures The P-Card program can be used for retail as well as mail telephone
fax or Internet orders
The purpose of the program is to streamline and simplify the requisitioning purchasing and payment process for small dollar transactions The program is
designed to shorten the approval process and reduce paperwork of procurement procedures such as purchase
orders petty cash Direct Paycheck requests and expense reimbursements
The P-Card program is not intended to bypass the appropriate purchasing procedures but is to be used in accordance with the established district policies Employees are asked to treat this program with the same sense
of responsibility and security you would use with your personal credit card
All P-Cards are issued by the Purchasing Card Program Administrator and usage may be audited restricted and
rescinded at any time The employee who the card is assigned to is the only person authorized to use the card and it is to be used for authorized purchases
General Guidelines for P-Card Usage P-Cards are issued only to authorized individual employees As a cardholder you will be asked to complete a
Cardholder Agreement Form By signing the agreement form you have agreed to adhere to the guidelines established in this handbook Most importantly
you are the only person entitled to use the card and
the card is not to be used for personal use
As each card is linked to a specific individual employee the card cannot be transferred from one employee to
another A cardholder can buy for a group of employees but a group of employees cannot share a P-Card
Upon receipt of your Purchasing Card you will need to activate the account by calling the toll- free number printed on the card For verification purposes you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Employee
Identification Number Be sure to sign the back of the card Although the P-Card will be issued in your name
your personal credit history will not affect your ability to obtain a card The District is responsible for payment of all purchases
Card Usage The Purchasing Card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa except as the District otherwise directs It
may be used for in-store purchases as well as phone fax mail and internet orders
When using the P-Card with merchants please emphasize that an invoice must not be sent as this may result in a duplicate payment For phone fax mail and internet orders please instruct the merchant to send or fax a
receipt only The original receipt must be retained for monthly reconciliation of purchases
Cardholders are responsible for informing vendors that Westminster Public Schools is exempt from sales tax
The state sales tax exempt number is printed on the card Unauthorized use of the Districtrsquos tax-exempt status is strictly prohibited
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 14 -
Limitations and Restrictions The District has assigned a credit limit to your card There is
also a single transaction limit placed on your card which means your card will be declined at the point of sale if you attempt to
purchase more than this set amount at one time Shipping and
handling count toward the total purchase
The Purchasing Card Program also allows for Merchant Category blocking If a particular Merchant Category is blocked (eg
jewelry stores) and you attempt to use your card at such a merchant your purchase will be declined at the point of sale The District has made an effort to ensure that the vendorssuppliers used during the ordinary course of
business are not restricted If your card is refused at a merchant where you believe it should have been
accepted you should call the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to determine the reason for refusal
The Purchasing Card is to be used exclusively for District business purposes The purchase of items shall be kept within the annual operating budget adopted by the Board of Education and shall be in accordance with
BoardSuperintendent Policies and BoardSuperintendent Regulations Your department may have other specific restrictions not listed Should you become aware of instances where the Districtrsquos policies and procedures are not
being followed you are required to report violations immediately
Lost or Stolen Cards You are responsible for the security of your card and any purchases made on your account If you believe you
have lost your card or that it has been stolen immediately report this information to Commerce Bank at 1-800-
892-7104 and P-Card Administrator in Financial Services at ext 3801 Immediately after reporting the lost card you must complete the LostStolen Card form If you believe that your card number has been compromised
or if you have unauthorized transactions on your account please call the number on the back of your card to report any unauthorized activity It is crucial to act promptly in the event of a lost or stolen card to
avoid liability for fraudulent transactions
You will no longer be able to use the account number after notifying the bank A new card will be issued by the
Purchasing Card Program Administrator
Payment The Accounts Payable Department is responsible for paying the Purchasing Card Program invoice(s) each month
You are not liable for payment under your account unless you misuse the card or do not submit an itemized receipt or fail to notify promptly for misuse lost or stolen cards
Receipt RetentionRecord Log It is a requirement of the Purchasing Card Program that you keep all receipts for goods purchased For orders placed via phone fax mail or internet you must request a receipt detailing merchandise price freight etc be
included with the goods mailedshipped It is critical to request and retain purchase receipts as this is the only original documentation that shows whether sales tax has been incorrectly charged
P-Card records will be audited from time to time Adhering to all District policies and procedures is obligatory
Reconciliation of Purchase Each month you are responsible for reconciliation of your P-Card via the web You are responsible for the following
Retaining all original receipts for items purchased under the program
Ensuring all transactions posted are legitimate purchases made by you on behalf of the District
Complete reconciliation and submit documentation by the 10th of each month
Please refer to Cardholder User Guide for detailed information on how to balance your p-card
Do not split a purchase to avoid the
single transaction limit If you believe
the single transaction limit will inhibit
optimum usage of the program
please discuss this with your
Purchasing Card Program
Administrator
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 15 -
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS
The general policy shall apply to all personnel and district officials concerning reimbursement of expenses
Travel The Districts travel policies ensure that employees are reimbursed for the cost of approved district-related travel that all reimbursed expenses are properly documented and that all reimbursed travel is within the district travel
requirements District-related travel is defined as attendance at conferences meetings etc that require the employee to be absent from their regular place of work All costs associated with these functions including
registration fees meals lodging etc are reimbursed in accordance with the requirement of Board policy
Approving Authority Travel for district business is governed by the travel policies of the district regardless of the source of funds If
travel expenses are to be paid solely from resources provided by a separate agency that agencys travel reimbursements will apply however district pre-approval for travel is still required
The district reimburses faculty and staff for approved necessary and reasonable travel expenses incurred while
conducting business for the District Individuals who travel are responsible for obtaining necessary approval prior
to departure or expenditure of the district funds This request should be submitted to the supervisor for approval at least two weeks prior to the departure date when possible
Prepayment of Expenses Payments for airfare accommodations and registration fees can be finalized by your school or department secretary
via the use of a district procurement card POrsquos or by submitting a Request for Direct Pay form for payment directly
to the appropriate vendor
Extended Stay Travelers are expected to return promptly when district business is completed unless it is more economical to the district for the traveler to remain overnight If so reimbursement will be made for the extended trip provided
written documentation is included Travelers who extend a trip for personal reasons are responsible for all expenses
caused by the extended stay
Audit standards require Travelers identify the purpose of travel An explanation of how the expenses are business related and necessary That all participants are identified when mealmeeting costs are paid for
by the district That all participants are identified when costs for multiple employees are
reimbursed to a single employee Original receipts for all travel expenses (If a receipt is not available a
notation should be included with an explanation signed by the employee
and the appropriate approver)
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 16 -
Reimbursement Claims Claims for expenses incurred while on authorized travel must be submitted to accounts payable for payment within
30 days of the date of the return complete with all required signatures and documentation attached
Original receipts are required for all travel reimbursements When a receipt is not available a notation should be
included with an explanation signed by the employee and the appropriate approver
Per Diem Please follow the following steps to process per diem for a traveler
1 Go to the website gsagov 2 On the top left of the page hover your mouse over Travel Once the window expands select
Plan amp Book and then click on Per Diem Rates
3 Put in the City and State or Zip Code for the location of the conference 4 Click on the blue bar that says ldquoFind Ratesrdquo Find Rates displays a chart that shows lodging
meals and included expenses If the city you are traveling to is not displayed you must use the standard rate Reference the number under MampIE Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay
5 In the Footnotes below the chart please click on item number 5 Breakdown of MampIE
Expenses Item number 5 will give you the breakdown of breakfast lunch and dinner Print this chart and attach it to the direct pay Please account for any meals that might have been included in
the Conference or Event 6 The $5 incidentals are not included in reimbursements for per-diem Incidentals such as
parking taxi fares shuttle service etc are reimbursable by submitting a direct pay with the original receipts
7 Make sure to calculate the first and last day of travel at 75
8 Mileage reimbursements can be included in the per diem request for the person who drove their personal vehicle to the conference As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per
mile From MapQuest run a mileage report from your school to the conference destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from the conference
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 17 -
Per Diem is only available when required to stay overnight and will
begin on the day of departure and end on the day of return If appropriate per diem may be reduced due to the inclusion of meals
in the registration cost or other circumstances The taxes and tips (tips are limited to 15) paid as part of meals are to be included in
the per diem meal policy Per Diem is given in lieu of
reimbursement
Grocery purchases (in lieu of dining out) are permissible within the per-meal limitations Meals for spouses children or guests are not reimbursable
Where meals are included in the registration fee for a meeting conference or convention reimbursement for
alternative eating arrangements will not be authorized unless special dietary needs cannot be accommodated
otherwise
Where two or more employees have a meal together in the Denver metropolitan area meal reimbursement may or may not be permitted depending on the circumstances and the discretion of the supervisor When employees
are required to attend a meeting away from their building site meal costs may be reimbursable Local meals are
rarely reimbursable under other circumstances unless the supervisor deems the situation to be reasonable and appropriate In all cases meal reimbursements will be subject to the meal limitations outlined above
Lodging Lodging is reimbursable if and when the travel event is 60 miles beyond the employees normal commute and when travel requires multiple days Reimbursement is based on an actual cost Additional costs associated with higher-
than-single-occupancy rates (spousechildrenguest accompanying employee) are not reimbursable and must be
paid by the employee prior to check out Room service is subject to the meal limitations outlined above Personal expenses such as guest meals in-room movies liquor alcohol etc are not reimbursable and must be paid by the
employee prior to check out Original lodging receipts are sufficient documentation for lodging reimbursements
Requests for lodging reimbursement must be submitted to the Financial Services Department no later than June
30th of the school year in which the expense was incurred
Transportation Travel using commercial transportation (bus airplane and train) should be
completed at the minimum cost for achieving the purpose of the trip Arrangements may be made using an on-line service or with the assistance of a local travel agency
(comparison shopping is recommended) Any unused portions of airline tickets
should be returned immediately Travelers should seek to obtain the most reasonable parking and ground transportation arrangements consistent with safety and travel
timelines Airport shuttles or two round trip local mileage trips to and from the airport to drop off and pick up a traveler in lieu of parking are reimbursable expenses An
original printed receipt is sufficient documentation for transportation reimbursements
Other Travel Expenses Other travel expenses such as registration fees parking taxi fares shuttle service car rental (upon prior approval)
personal telephone calls up to $300 per day and various supplies and materials necessary during travel may be reimbursed All reimbursable expenses must be business-related and necessary for the travel
Documentation of other expenses can be in the form of original cash receipts original credit card receipts original
receipts indicating the check number used for payment or in the case of a taxi faxes etc an approved note indicating that a receipt was not available
The student reimbursement
rate is
Breakfast- $500
Lunch- $500
Dinner- $1000
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 18 -
Mileage Mileage is reimbursable at the applicable internal revenue service rate at the time of travel Mileage claimed shall not exceed the actual distances traveled
As of January 1 2017 the mileage rate is 535 cents per mile To calculate mileage use MapQuest run a
mileage report from your school to the off-site business related destination You will be reimbursed for mileage to and from your destination Acceptable business destinations include between schools driving for errands or
supplies business meals airport travel and conference travel
Mileage reimbursement for out-of-state trips cannot exceed the cost of the same trip using commercial travel
arrangements
A few more helpful tips
Mileage reimbursement for daily travel between buildings to meetings etc is reported on the ldquoMileage Log Formrdquo which can be found online on the Financial Services website
All mileage reimbursement requests should be submitted monthly Mileage must be approved by the
requestors supervisor before it is paid through accounts payable
Non-reimbursable Expenses The following expenses are not reimbursable either by law or by the constraints of district policy
Alcoholic Beverages
Meals or snacks other than regular meals
Memberships (other than those previously approved professional memberships)
Mileage to and from home
Purchases from non-approved vendors eg Craigslist garage sales
Hotels conferences and training facilities have restaurants close to their location If you choose to drive to
a different location it is a choice and mileage will not be reimbursed
School district political process costs
Nonofficial school function costs
Entertainment (including the cost of in-room movies)
Expenses for travel extending beyond the time required for the meeting or trip (unless it is in the districts
financial interest to extend the travel because of certain rate advantages)
Fines for parking or traffic violations
Purchase of tickets or passes for entertainment (ie sporting events theatre concerts etc)
Business cancelation or trip life insurance
Expenses incurred by non-employees traveling with the authorized traveler (including room surcharges)
If a rental car is needed when traveling you MUST have the Superintendentrsquos approval BEFORE traveling
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 19 -
Typical travel expenses are summarized in the following table
Expenses Reimbursements
Transportation
Airfare
(Air Rail Ground)
The actual cost of travel at the most practical and economical method available under
the circumstances Frequent flyer miles are the property of the employee and need not
be used to procure District travel
Taxi commuter bus and
airport limousine
Actual fares for these and similar types of transportation that take you to or from o The airport or stations and your hotel
o The hotel and the conference location
Rental Car
The actual cost of the least expensive rental unit available that will adequately accommodate the most travelers in the group However car rental reimbursements have additional requirements
1 The employee must prepare and attach to the Professional Leave form A separate written Explanation of Need statement that explicitly states the need
for a rental car including any upgrade for transporting multiple travelers and
must be approved personally by the District Superintendent 2 Westminster Public Schools MUST be named as the co-renter on the car rental
agreement to activate the BOCES insurance pool coverage 3 Additional insurance coverage that is offered by rental Car Company should not
be purchased If purchased it will not be reimbursed
4 Superintendentrsquos approval is required for renting a car
Baggage and
Shipping The actual cost of sending baggage or parcels
Personal
Automobile Standard mileage rate as set by the District
Lodging and
Accommodations
The actual cost of lodging and accommodations in a standard room will be reimbursed Charges for mini-bar usage massage in-room movies alcoholic beverages WILL NOT be
reimbursed In- room meals and refreshments will not be reimbursed UNLESS
documented as a valid meal expense and with the daily per diem limit
Meals All meals are reimbursed following the Per Diem section starting on page 15
Cleaning The actual cost of dry cleaning and laundry if travel exceeds fourteen (14) consecutive days
Telephone The actual cost of all District related telephone calls This includes communication by fax
machine or other communication devices
Gratuities amp Tips Gratuities for meals should not exceed 15 of meal cost Gratuities for baggage should
not exceed $100 per bag
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 20 -
BUDGET AND EXPENSE TRANSFERS
Budget Transfers A budget is a legal authorization for the administrators of the school district after approval by the Board of
Education to incur liabilities (obligation to owe money) during the fiscal period (July 1 through June 30) and not to exceed the amount so allocated
To increase a budgeted amount for an account because it does not have enough to cover current and future
liabilities you need to transfer to the account that does not have sufficient appropriated and transfer from an account that has more than sufficient to cover future liabilities This must be done in accordance to Board Policy
DBJ Budget Transfers In this policy building administratorsunit supervisors may request transfers between
accounts with the following restrictions All restrictions outlined (in the policy) are complied with for all requests No transfers will be made into or out of salarybenefit accounts
Transfer from instructional funds (program 0000-2099) to support service areas (2100-9999) are
not allowed Supervising Administrators must sign all budget transfer requests
TRANSFER TO TRANSFER FROM
The account number that does not have enough budgeted to cover presentfuture
expenses
The account number that has too much budgeted to cover presentfuture expenses
When completing the Budget Transfer form use an amount that will cover the rest of the yearrsquos expenditures not just the amount of the current monthrsquos shortage You should make a copy
for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services
Department
Please send the original Budget Transfer form to your administrator After signing your administrator will forward it to the Financial Services
Department
Expense Transfers When an expense is charged to an account the balance appropriated is reduced and the account is debited When
an incorrect account number has been charged for a previous expense or when another account will share the expense the original account must be credited and the expense is transferred to (debited) the new account
TRANSFER FROM (CREDIT) TRANSFER TO (DEBIT)
Reimburse the original account number Charge the new account number
You should make a copy for your records no copy will be returned from the Financial Services Office There must
be supporting documentation (ie copy of purchase order coded incorrectly a screenshot of account where it was coded with a reason of why it needs to be coded to another account) attached to the transfer form or it will be
returned After both signatures (debit and credit) are received forward the form with original signatures to the Financial Services Department
The Budget Transfer and
Expense Transfer forms can
be found on the
Financial Services Website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 21 -
PETTY CASH Petty Cash is available to schools and departments to reimburse employees with original receipts for purchases
under $7500 Petty cash is available to schools and departments in the following amounts
Elementary Schools Not to exceed $500 Middle Schools Not to exceed $750
High Schools Not to exceed $2000
Most Departments Not to exceed $250
Special Education Not to exceed $1000 Auxiliary Services Not to exceed $1000
Nutritional Services Not to exceed $1000
Petty Cash Guidelines
Approved Petty Cash Expenditures Reimbursement from petty cash shall not exceed $7500
An original receipt must be submitted for all reimbursements of expense to employees No reimbursement shall be made from copies of receipts
Reimbursements may only be made to employees for purchases of supplies and materials The employee must
submit an original receipt indicating the purchase has been paid-in-full Food for non-instructional purposes may be purchased with petty-cash money from either the non-
instructional budget or student activity funds Reimbursements for food items must be submitted with an original receipt The original receipt must show an itemized list of food and beverages purchased must list
the individuals for whom the meal is being provided and the purpose of the meeting
Unapproved Expenditures from Petty Cash No payments for cash cash advances mileage or per diems may be made from petty cash
No employee may be paid a stipend paid mileage or for services with petty cash All payments for stipends
services or work by District employees must be submitted to the districts Payroll Office on a timesheet form
payment No conference registrations may be paid from petty cash No payment may be paid to an individual or company for services work performed or as a stipend The only
allowable expenditure from petty cash is for reimbursement of supplies and materials No vendor may be paid with petty cash All payments for stipends or services must be submitted to Accounts
Payable on a Request for Direct Pay Form All purchases must adhere to Districts Purchasing Policy No purchase of any food item may be made with instructional budget The exception to this guideline would
be food used for consumer family classes or lab classes No personal use of gift cards will be reimbursed
Initial Petty Cash for Site Petty cash will be issued to only one individual at a school or department To request the initial petty cash for a
site please use a Request to Establish Petty Cash Form Please use the following accounts when establishing Petty Cash
10(your site )000000008103 rarr For Departments 74(your site) 000000008103 rarr For Schools
List the name of the individual that will be responsible for the petty cash and the amount of petty cash requested
Have the form signed by the administrator of the site and send the request to Financial Services along with the
CurrencyCoin Order Form
All Petty Cash forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 22 -
Reimbursement of Petty Cash You may request reimbursement when you need to replenish your cash To request a reimbursement of your petty
cash you must submit a Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and a CurrencyCoin Order Form to Financial Services with the following
Petty Cash Vouchers with original receipts and approval signatures
List the account numbers you are charging the receipts to and have your supervisor sign the form The request for reimbursement cannot exceed the amount of the receipts and no expense should
exceed $7500 Financial Services staff will review each receipt and verify the reconciliation for accuracy
Petty cash replenishment requests must be in the Financial Services Office by Wednesday to receive the
monies from the bank by the following week
Turning in Petty Cash At the end of the fiscal year you must return all vouchers along with the Petty Cash Reconciliation Form and any leftover cash to the Financial Services Department
Excess petty cash must have a completed Deposit for Non-IC Fees attached to the deposit slip and the schooldepartmentrsquos petty cash account number noted on the form
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 23 -
SALES ACTIVITIES AND FUNDRAISERS
Guide for Principals and Teachers Fundraising drives provide valuable resources to support school activities that may augment but not replace the
activities financed by the District Funds derived from the student body as a whole shall be expended as to benefit
the student body as a whole Funds derived from authorized clubs and organizations shall be expended to benefit the specific club or organization and insofar as possible to benefit those students currently in school who have
contributed to the accumulation of these funds
Fundraising activities shall be conducted in such a manner as to offer minimum competition to commercial concerns while still benefiting the student body as a whole To this end the Board shall permit no more than one school-
wide fundraising activity per school year for elementary schools and middle schools High Schools shall limit fundraising to no more than three major fundraising efforts per year This parameter would not limit a school from
entering into a corporate sponsorship in addition to the fundraising effort School fundraisers must follow these
regulations
Students should not be used as door-to-door sales agents No money should be paid to vendors prior to delivery of products or services Fundraising projects should be limited in number and be beneficial for students Items sold should be in good taste and appropriate to potential customers ie age
economic status Projected profit from the fundraising project must be worth the efforts of staff students and
parents It is preferable to use the school newsletter to promote fundraisers instead of sending
material home with every student
All non-school related groups wishing to raise funds on a community-wide basis outside of school buildings for the benefit of Westminster Public Schools students or staff are required to coordinate their activities with the
Learning Services Department Non-school related groups are those agencies not having a direct relationship or identification with a specific school building such as a private business or service club
The funds directly or indirectly shall be of educational benefit When a student or students are the beneficiaries
of fundraising activities the funds collected shall be deposited into the school account and redistributed to the students at the direction of the building principal
All activities must conform to existing local state or federal laws Fundraising trips to gambling establishments are
not appropriate fundraisers for students
Parents are non-school related groups and are not to coordinate fundraising activities outside the schools Parents who initiate and coordinate fundraising activities on behalf of the District or school must comply with the same
accounting and safeguarding procedures followed by the schools The fundraiser idea should be presented to the student activity sponsor who will forward the fundraiser request to the principal
All fundraising proceeds must be deposited intact through the schools business office No outside bank accounts
held by parents or activity sponsors are allowed All expenses related to the fundraiser will be processed through the schools business office following all District accounting and safeguarding procedures
When a school sells goods as a fundraiser the sales may be subject to sales tax collection remittance and
reporting Sales tax must be collected on yearbook clothing sales and miscellaneous sales such as stacking cups recorders jump ropes etc
bull The school should not pay sales tax when the clothing is purchased by the school
bull Sales tax must be collected by the school for clothing sales regardless of cost sales price or profit bull The school should increase the sales price to include the applicable sale tax
Schools are encouraged to find fundraising projects that are not subject to sales tax For example field trips and
sales of coupon books entertainment books cookie dough uncooked pasta and unbaked butter braids are not subject to sales taxes The school may be liable for collecting sales tax on catalog sales depending on the
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 24 -
arrangement with the catalog vendor Many vendors have one catalog which includes sales tax and one catalog
which does not include sales tax
The principal is responsible for authorizing reviewing and reporting activities sales of goods and fundraisers conducted by or on behalf of the school Sales and Fundraiser Approval and Reconciliation Forms must be
completed and submitted to Fiscal Services for review
bull School teacherssponsors must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
bull PTA and PTO organizations must report activities sales and fundraisers to the principal
Sales Tax Requirements
Purchases Sales
The District is exempt from paying sales tax when it makes purchases Departments and schools do not pay
sales tax on purchased items Vendors are required to
grant the District sales tax exemption when payment is made by District check school check or purchase card
The District holds Certificate of Exemption from Colorado Sales Use Tax 98-03358-0000 if a vendor
requires proof of exemption copies of the certificate can be provided The exemptions cover direct
purchases made by the Districtschool for its use
These exemptions do not apply to sales made by the Districtschool which may be taxable
It is important that the District comply with federal state and city laws Each high school
middle school and many elementary schools
have obtained the appropriate statecounty and city licenses for sales of yearbooks concessions
clothing T-shirtssweatshirtshoodies and other miscellaneous items such as stacking cups and yo-yos
The Financial Services Department will help you through the process of obtaining the information
needed
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 25 -
SCHOOL FEES OTHER FEES The District recognizes that it is sometimes necessary for schools to levy and collect from non-indigent pupils certain
student fees which are authorized or not prohibited by law Schools shall provide to parents a written statement of the fees assessed the derivation of the fees and items covered by the fees
Those fees marked mandatory on the Student Fees page must be collected from all students except for those
students who qualify for Free and Reduced Please note that special education students are not eligible for waivers
unless they are eligible for Free and Reduce
Those fees not marked mandatory are levied upon registration of class or request of service Nonpayment of these
fees determines whether the student receives the service
All fees must be paid within two weeks of registration Time extensions are granted to those only pending Free and Reduce eligibility For examplehellip
hellipstudent registers for a metals class but does not
pay the fee within two weeks The student should
be dropped from the class and assigned another class not involving a fee
or hellipstudent chooses not to pay the parking fee that student would not be allowed to park in the
school parking lot
The school accounting office is required to receive the payments for any fees The fees must be entered directly
by the bookkeeper into Acorn districtrsquos fee management system All deposit guidelines must be adhered to while collecting and depositing fees
Athletic Fees Athletic fees must be paid prior to the first day of practice therefore the athletic secretary must create a roster for everyone that is participating If the roster isnrsquot created fees cannot be applied If a student quits the athletic
secretary must send notice to the bookkeeper so that a refund can be made (Refunds are allowed within the first 30 days) NO post-dated checks are accepted Withholding of report cards is not permitted unless the student has
a balance related to lost or damaged books
Free and Reduced Meals At the beginning of each school year Nutrition Services will provide each school with a list of students who are
currently eligible for free and reduced meals This eligibility is based on the data provided by the parent in the
previous year If a student is listed as eligible in the prior year all mandatory fees would be waived However parents must reapply each year and if after reapplying in the current year it is found that the student is no longer
eligible for free and reduced meals all mandatory fees will be accessed If at the time of registration the parent believes their student is FARMS eligible but has yet to receive notification from nutrition services ensure submittal
of FARMS application and delay collection of required fees Inform the parent that if they receive notification that their student is not eligible they will be responsible for all fees
Withdrawals Late Registrations and Transfers Students moving out of district within 30 days of first day of school shall be entitled a full refund of fees upon
request All refunds must be issued in Acorn prior to withdrawing the student in IC
Students moving into the district prior to the beginning of the second semester shall be required to pay the full
amount of fees upon registration For those enrolling after the start of the second semester one half of the fees
may be waived
NO athletic fees refunds will be issued after the official commencement of the season
Past Due Follow Up ldquoFees Duerdquo letter must be sent monthly starting in October and continuing monthly until fees are paid Withholding report cards is not permitted unless fee balance relates to lost or damaged books
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 26 -
FEE SCHEDULE The School District may charge fees for specific classes instructional materials equipment rental and participation in activities The following have been established as fees for the 2016-2017 school year
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 27 -
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 28 -
DEPOSIT PROCEDURES AND BANKING INFORMATION
The bank for Westminster Public Schools is First National Bank of Colorado The nearest location for First National
Bank of Colorado is
First National Bank of Colorado 8531 Church Ranch Boulevard Westminster Colorado 720-566-3300
Banking supplies for each site will include tamper proof deposit bags for cash checks and deposit slips Additional banking supplies are available by contacting the Financial Services Department
Deposit Processing Guidelines
All funds and white bank slip go inside a deposit bag Checks do not require an endorsement
stamp on the back Clearly write your location and the amount of the deposit on the outside of the deposit bag Please
list checks and cashed totals separately on the bag All backup documentation and a yellow deposit slip go to Financial Services The amount listed on
the deposit slips should equal the amount to be entered into iVisions
Deposits will be picked-up at your site for delivery to Financial Services by an authorized District courier
District policy requires that deposits are made daily if over $1000 or at least once a week There should be no money left at your location over the weekend
Under no circumstances should staff take the deposits home with them at night
Under no circumstances shall any cash or checks for deposit leave the schooldepartment location
except for deposit purposes
Insufficient Funds Checks All insufficient funds checks are returned by the bank directly to Ecollect If you have questions concerning banking
deposit procedures or insufficient funds checks you should contact the Financial Services Department
Reporting Discrepancies Thefts or Misappropriations Any employee of the District who encounters a discrepancy of funds or accounting encounters an actual or
suspected theft or misappropriation of District property shall immediately report the situation to the Director of
Financial Services and to their supervisor
In the event of theft the police should be contacted immediately An incident report should be prepared and
submitted to Financial Services along with the case report prepared by the police
Security is the responsibility of the individual who receives money In the event of loss any person who has not properly receipted secured or deposited cash received will be held personally responsible for replacement of any
amount of loss
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 29 -
Cash Handling When Collection from Students and Parents During high volume times such as registration IC funds collected must follow District policy and may need to be
deposited daily During lower volume times deposits must be made once a week or as warranted by district policy
Petty cash and student fundraising monies must be maintained separately from funds collected in IC
All IC deposits must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department along with the copy of IC generated reports while saving a copy for school records as well The fee payment summary report should balance with cash and
checks on hand If not balanced the fee payment report provides specifics on the business done during a selected time frame to research discrepancies If not resolved a detailed description of the discrepancy must be included
with deposit information
When making bank deposits all items that are not recorded into IC (fund raising gate collections Pepsi commission) must be recorded on a
separate deposit slip A deposit summary sheet must be typed and
forwarded to the Financial Services Department for these non-IC fees
Cash Box Handling Procedures Money must be given to the Principal Secretary with a filled out Collection Summary Form The person delivering the money must have the Principalrsquos Secretary verify amount accuracy and issue a
signature on the form The account number to be credited must be written on the form as well
The Principal Secretary will note the date the money is sent to the Financial Services Department on the form
A copy of the form is made and kept at the school for their own records The money will be sent to the Financial Services Department in the appropriate bag
The Principal Secretary will notify the district courier that a bank bag is to be delivered to the Financial
Services Department The district courier will then log the receipt of the bag If money has been lost stolen or forged Sandra McClure must be notified at ext5006 as soon as
discovered A Notice of Loss must be completed and a report may need to be filed with the police
All forms can be
located on the
Financial Services website
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 30 -
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES
CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FIXED ASSET
NON-CAPITALIZED EQUIPMENT
SUPPLY
Be tangible in nature Have a unit cost over $5000
using General or Capital Reserve Funds $500 if using the Nutrition
Fund Has a life expectancy more than
1 year It is non-consumable and If broken the item can be
repaired at a cost less than the
cost of purchasing a new similar item
Items purchased with a value of $500 to $4999
A useful life of more than one year
tracked for insurance purposes
Item cost is less than $500
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0730
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 0735
MUST BE CODED TO OBJECT 06XX
Capital Outlay Expenditure Expenditures which result in the acquisition of fixed assets or additions to fixed assets which the Board of Education anticipates will have benefits for more than one year are considered Capital Outlay Expenditures They are
expenditures for land or existing buildings improvements of grounds construction of new buildings additions to or remodeling of buildings or initial additional or replacement equipment These examples are all purchased out
of the Capital Reserve Fund
Use of your Capital Reserve Fund allocation is limited to equipment expenditures with a unit cost of over
$100000 or alteration and improvement project expenditures costing over $250000 Improvement projects may not be started until the Capital Reserve Fund Project Plan Worksheet has been
completed and approved by Finance
Guidelines for Tracking Equipment Acquired with District Funds
The Following guidelines will be used by the District to review records related to tracking of Capital and Non-capital Assets for two primary purposes
Accountability complies with Federal and State guidelines and instills public confidence
Maximized use of Assets facilitates use by knowledge of available assets
Property records must be maintained during the itemrsquos useful life Such records must include a description of the
property a serial number or another identification number finding the source the acquisition date and cost of the property the location use and condition of the property and any ultimate disposition data including the date of
disposal and sale price of the property
District and school personnel are responsible for ensuring that internal controls are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that assets are not lost or stolen Any loss damage or theft shall be investigated
Each school has a responsibility to maintain a system ( manual or automated) which will assure that property
(capital and non-capital) is accounted for and classified properly accurately and systematically Each school is also responsible for filling out an inventory asset form (which will be included in your shipment) upon receipt of
equipment and return to materials management for processing
EQUIPMENT
(capital or non-capital)
ITEMS CAN NOT BE PURCHASED
USING THE PROCUREMENT
CARD
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 31 -
The responsibility for tracking the following is a joint District and school collaboration
bull Planning and approval of expenditures bull Data processing of asset acquisition and payment transactions
bull Physical custody and operating responsibility for use of assets bull Reconciliation of the inspection (inventory) of assets to the subsidiary records
Inventory tracking systems should include capital assets and non-capital assets Obsolete equipment should be
marked as such disposed of according to district policy and the equipment inventory should note the date of the process
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in the potential loss of grantdistrict funds
From the TITLE IA Handbook When Federal funds are used to purchase equipment Equipment purchased with federal funds is the property of the districtrsquos specific federal program
Equipment may be housed and used in schoolssites where children are served by the program
Records should be maintained for five years after any transfer disposal of equipment from the Title I program
Signature of Authority for District Documents
Please be advised that the Chief Operating Officer is the assigned administrator for signature needs on contracts
Should you require a contract or legal document signed those
documents should be forwarded to Dr James Duffy Chief Operating Officer for instructional related Kirk Leday
Chief Human Resources Officer for Human Resources related issues or Sandra Nees for Financial related issues
Only COO (Chief Operating Officer)
may sign contracts or legal documents
on behalf of the School District
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 32 -
RISK MANAGEMENT
The District uses the Risk Management Fund to account for risk and insurance management related activities specifically for the purchase of commercial insurance to protect against the exposure risks associated with losses
related to torts theft of damage to and destruction of assets errors and omissions injuries to employees and
natural disasters
Risk Management includes Notice of Loss claims
Student Accident Reports Personal Property Insurance Plan
Notice of Loss Claims Notice of Loss claims are losses that include burglary vandalism and damage to District property The Financial
Services Department must be notified immediately of all incidents by submitting an electronic Notice of Loss form All losses under $1000 will not be covered by the Insurance Fund but by the DepartmentSchool budget This is
because of limited budget availability
Student Accident Reports
The safety and welfare of the students is the primary concern when an accident occurs Administering any first aid and contacting emergency agencies should be the first action taken
The Student Accident Report Form is intended to document the incident The PrincipalAdministrator of your location
should always be notified of all student accidents
If the incident is serious and emergency agencies are notified the school should notify the Chief Operating Officer
or hisher Administrative Assistant
Personal Property Insurance Plan
A Self-Insurance fund was created for the purpose of reimbursing employees for personal property that is stolen or vandalized during authorized working hours Benefits eligible employees may participate in the insurance plan
by providing an annual contribution of $500
Any participating employee who has personal property stolen or vandalized during working hours on school district property through no fault of the participating employee may apply for reimbursement The reimbursement will
be made for the repair or replacement of the property up to a maximum of $250 or the participating employeersquos
insurance deductible whichever is less provided the participating employee files a police report on the damaged or stolen item within 24 hours of such occurrence Non-refundable contributions received from employees during
open enrollment in this plan will be deposited in the insurance fund
Qualifying Events
All personal property except items disqualified under the exempt property is covered under this agreement Properties included are items such as automobiles jewelry cell phones clothing motorcycles
computers etc The loss andor damage to the property must have occurred during the normal working hours of the
employee or if the employee is at an authorized event of the school district
Exempt Property Cash bodily injury (covered under workersrsquo compensation) property not belonging to employee such as
rental cars property damage to your product or your work property damage that resulted from not following District policies or procedures
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 33 -
Qualifications
Must be an employee of the District at the time the personal property damage occurred and enrolled in the plan
Enrollment
Employees are eligible to enroll in the insurance plan starting May 1 through May 31 The plan will be
effective August 1 through July 31
Employees who elect to join the insurance program must complete the Personal Property Insurance Plan EnrollmentChange form and forward it to the Benefits Department in Human Resources Employees can elect
to have an automatic payroll deduction from their first payroll check each contract year When employees sign up for a payroll deduction they may also elect to automatically sign up for subsequent years If this option is
chosen and the member wishes to terminate the coverage they will need to notify the Payroll Department
using the enrollmentchange form
Payments by check will be due by August 10 of each year Checks are to be made payable to Westminster Public Schools Employees will receive written notification that they are enrolled in the plan if payment is made
by check If written notification of coverage is not received it is the responsibility of the employee to notify
Risk Management in the Financial Services Department so that coverage can be confirmed All contributions made to the insurance plan are non-refundable
Liability Deductible
Each incident of loss is limited to $250 or the amount of insurance deductible whichever is less
Claim Processing Police shall be notified within 24 hours of the incident
A copy of the police report must be forwarded to Financial Services Department within seven calendar days
A Personal Property Notice of Loss Form and current insurance policy coverage (if applicable) shall
be forwarded to Risk Management in the Financial Services Department within seven calendar days after discovery of the loss
No claim for automobile damage will be processed without proof of insurance
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception
Finance Manual | WESTMINSTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
- 34 -
CELL PHONE PROCEDURE
Employees are not expected to use a personal cellular phone for official District business Employees will be reimbursed $07 (7 cents) per minute for the cost of using a personal cellular phone for official District business
with the advance written authorization of the appropriate District AdministratorSupervisor (Cell Phone
Authorization Form)
District AdministratorsSupervisors shall be responsible for oversight of employee cell phone usage and shall monitor and review such usage to ensure that use is appropriate and that prudent fiscal management guidelines are
followed The periodic review shall include an assessment of each authorized employeersquos need to use a cellular
phone for business purposes
1 The user will need to submit a monthly activity statement showing the usage and detail from their current cell phone carrier Along with a copy of the authorization signed by the
supervisor
2 The user must review the statement for accuracy and business related calls
3 The user must sign the final page of the monthly activity statement and send to their
supervisor for approval Once completed and approved the supervisor will submit along with a completed direct pay to the Financial Services Department for payment
4 This review must be completed before the receipt of the following months statement
Cell Phone Stipend Employees All positions listed below are entitled to a cell phone stipend to be paid on a monthly basis
All positions in the ChiefExecInstructional Director and Coordinator on the administrative salary
schedule mdash $10000 per month All Principals Assistant Principals mdash $6000 per month
All Middle Manager positions mdash $6000 per month All Auxiliary Services Warehouse and Grounds staff mdash $3500 per month
Human Resources Substitute Caller mdash $3500 per month
While exceptions can be made they are determined by the position and reason for the exception Please contact
Financial Services to determine the exception