In today's world, where environmental consciousness is increasingly vital, schools have a crucial role to play in fostering sustainability. Embracing eco-friendly practices not only benefits the planet but also offers a great opportunity for schools to save money. By implementing strategic measures, educational institutions can simultaneously reduce their environmental footprint and trim operational costs. Below, we have compiled some basic tips to help you improve sustainability within your school community. Whether you choose to implement just one of the suggestions below or more, every action counts and can make a significant difference. Reduce Paper Waste: Paper is one of the most consumed materials in a school, so it is important to promote the reduction of paper consumption as much as possible, not only by students, but also by teachers and administrative staff.  Increasing use of e-books is a great option, reducing waste and reducing the weight of student’s backpacks. Encouraging reusing paper – writing on the blank side of new pieces of paper, and buying recycled or upcycled paper are a great way make progress with the tools we currently have. In some cases, there may really be no option other than to print, but where possible, printing back to back can help to reduce waste. Encourage Creative Recycling Projects: Knowing how to reuse objects and materials is extremely important to reduce waste and encourage resource recovery. An idea around this is to organise creativity workshops at school, where projects can be developed using recycled materials such as plastic bottles, glass jars, newspaper, various containers, and many other materials. Energy Efficiency Practices: Energy efficiency is not as arduous as it sounds. Turn off school lights and shut down your computers at the end of the day. Keep your classroom doors shut to stop heat escaping and do not block heaters. Check the energy consumption of your appliances and make it a major consideration when buying new ones and always purchase energy efficient light bulbs. For creating environmentally friendly classrooms, make sure they are well insulated and use sustainable materials for repairs and re-building. These are all incremental steps which ensure overall sustainability in your school. Reduce Water Consumption: Reduce water consumption by fixing leaks promptly, installing low-flow faucets and toilets, and implementing water-saving practices such as collecting rainwater for landscaping. Consider Investing in Energy Efficient Technologies: Investing in energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting and smart thermostats, can reduce electricity consumption and lower utility bills over time. Encourage Waste Reduction: Encourage waste reduction and recycling initiatives by providing recycling bins throughout the school, composting organic waste, and promoting the use of reusable materials and containers. Promoting waste reduction through recycling programs and composting can minimise disposal costs while diverting waste from landfills

The Ministry of Education is hosting a free workshop to provide tips and important updates on Pourato, the online resourcing system. The workshop will include: 1. Important updates in Pourato and how to apply for staffing increases to respond to roll growth. 2. How to interpret resourcing information in Pourato and provide useful tips. 3. Answering any questions. This online workshop is aimed at school | kura principals, but is also open to school business managers, administration staff, and Board of Trustee members, who would benefit from learning more about Pourato.  To register, visit the link below, but be quick! This online workshop will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, 14th May, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. https://events.teams.microsoft.com/.../30facf24-88b0-4ef9...

One of the most significant upgrades you can make for work efficiency is your screen setup. Xero bookkeeping and accounting are doable on a single screen, but tasks become much easier when you try out the dual-screen setup. Using two monitors instead of one while using Xero can increase your productivity exponentially. You can have your accounting documents up on one monitor, and have Xero running on another. By working on both monitors at the same time, you will no longer have to tab in and out of applications to check reports and budgets, as you can now simply glance over to the other monitor to check instead. Dual screen setups are becoming increasingly common in many workplaces as it gives the user a greater amount of screen space to work with, which can lead to an increase in productivity and prevent their desktop from becoming cluttered with windows and instances of other software.

View our Chalkboard - May 2024: - 2023 Annual Accounts - Important Notices - Interest Income - AFS School Visits - June 2024 - Resource: Pourato Guidance Section - Xero Tip of the Month: Making the Most of Dual Screens - Resource: Ministry of Education's Schools Buying Team - Tips for Improving Sustainability in Your School Community - Looking ahead https://public2.bomamarketing.com/email/m5A1

Did you know that you can use your accounting data to estimate your schools' carbon footprint? While carbon accounting may feel new, the demand for it is quickly increasing, with many organisations and schools throughout New Zealand enjoying numerous benefits, from cost savings and resource optimisation to enhanced reputation through environmental responsibility, just to name a few. The good news is you don’t have to have all your ducks in a row to get started! Xero simplifies carbon accounting with its selection of excellent apps (carbon calculators) available via the online app store, providing you with a streamlined and transparent way to measure and manage your environmental impact. Simply connect a carbon calculator app to your Xero account, and let it do the hard work for you. Easy! Visit apps.xero.com to explore the carbon apps available in your area. Once you understand your carbon footprint, you can start working on plans to reduce and offset your emissions. Learn how to do this at Xero's #SustainableBusiness hub: https://www.xero.com/us/sustainability/small-business/ ?

Did you know you can customise your Xero Dashboard? With the 'Edit Dashboard' feature, you can easily rearrange or remove irrelevant tiles. To edit the tiles on the Dashboard, click ‘Edit Dashboard’ in the top right corner. From there, drag items to your preferred position or select “Hide” or “Show” to adjust visibility. In addition to this, you can also reorder your school's bank accounts so that the ones you use the most are at the top. To do this go to 'Accounting' - 'Bank Accounts' and use the arrows on the bottom right hand corner to move the accounts up and down. 

View our Chalkboard - March 2024: - 2023 Annual Accounts - Important Notices - Banking Reminder - Accessing Higher Interest Rates - WRPPA Conference: 4-5 April 2024 Tākina Convention and Exhibition Centre - Xero Tip of the Month: How to Customise Your Dashboard in Xero - Looking ahead https://public2.bomamarketing.com/email/XGMn

Planning a school fundraiser can be a challenging and daunting task, requiring both time and effort. From brainstorming ideas to working within your budget, there are multiple factors to consider. However, at Accounting For Schools, we believe that with the right guidance and support, this process can evolve into a rewarding and successful experience. Below, we've compiled some insightful tips to assist you in planning and executing an effective school fundraiser. Whether you're aiming to raise funds for a specific cause, school improvements, or extracurricular activities, these tips will help you maximise your efforts and achieve your fundraising goals 1. Start at the end: When you're planning your fundraising, a good place to start is by working out your outcomes. What do you need to raise money for? How much do you need to raise and what are the end goals? 2. Make the budget work: Work out your budget (we can help you with this) and generate ideas that will work with it. If you are on a shoestring budget, then low or zero cost fundraisers like sponsored walks could be a step in the right direction. 3. Be resourceful: What resources do you have access to? Pull out those inventories and consider any resources you can use to generate income. 4. Choose a type of fundraiser to meet your schools needs: With your objectives and audience in mind, it’s time to determine what strategy works best for your needs. There are multiple different ways of fundraising, each of which has its own distinct pros and cons. From product sales like cookie dough and spices to dedicated events like car washes, casino nights, and auctions, and even online crowdfunding, knowing which avenue best suits your needs and capabilities is essential for success. Consider combining multiple approaches to diversify your reach, and be prepared to continue to innovate and refine in the future. 5. Think strategically: When you have an idea you like, work out what the return on investment is. Calculate the number of attendees you aim to attract and multiply this against the amount you hope to raise per person, then deduct any estimated costs. Is this fundraiser likely to achieve your targets? If not, you may need to revise the idea or explore other fundraising channels instead. As well as generating income through entry fees, stallholder fees, raffles, tombolas and through any products or services you sell, you could also appeal for donations. 6. Add extra value: Can you raise attainment as well as raise money? If you can add educational value to your fundraiser then you really are on to a winner! If for example, your school needs to boost literacy levels then a scrabble tournament or story evening could be just what you need.