In uncertain budget times, there is arguably no more important position in the district office than the chief business official. In Sunnyvale School District, colleagues say CBO
Benjamin Picard is the “go-to guy” and “the glue that keeps the district together.” For his exceptional leadership ability, he has been named ACSA’s 2008 Business Services Administrator of the Year.
Business services is the backbone of public schools; it is what makes schools tick. Decisions made at the business office affect operations from the district to the school site. With the state budget in a state of perpetual limbo, business officials are left with the tough responsibility of doing more with less. Collaboration is key; working with other statewide and national associations, as well as with the state and federal departments of education, is a crucial component of business services. At the heart of the job is the most important task of all: to make sure the students of California have the resources they need to excel.