Month: October 2019

BackPack Team at Gorham School District Receives $25,000 Neighborhood Assist Grant

Gorham School District was one of 40 recipients nationwide to receive a $25,000 Neighborhood Assist Grant. They received the award for the efforts with their BackPack Program and School Garden, an initiative that provides food for students and families experiencing food insecurity in the community.

This past June, State Farm accepted 2,000 applications for their Neighborhood Assist grant program.  Submissions represented causes from throughout the country which focused on education, safety, and community development initiatives.  A review committee narrowed down the submissions to the top 200 finalists which were posted online and voted on by the public.  The 40 causes with the most votes each won a $25,000 grant.

Gorham’s BackPack Team Administers weekend food and snack bags to students, offering a school food pantry at the high school, and by growing a school garden which provides fresh produce to the local food pantry during the growing season. The BackPack Program sends food home every weekend with students who would otherwise not have enough food to last through the weekend. Learn more here.

School Administrators holding shopping bags of food.

Reminder of Initial Audit Requirement Due November 1

We would like to remind business managers, and those with fiscal reporting responsibilities for SAUs, that the statements of assurance and the Maine Education Financial Systems (MEFS) Financial reconciliations are due by November 1st, as required by Title 20-A MRSA §6051 (4).

The statement of assurance should include:

  • Written determination of whether or not proper budgetary controls are in place
  • A written determination of whether or not the annual financial data submitted to the department is correct, including submission of an audited reconciliation of the annual financial data prepared and certified by the auditor;
  • A written determination as to whether the school administrative unit has complied with applicable provisions of the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act.

Any adjustments identified by these reconciliations should be submitted to Maine Education Financial System by November 30th.

For more information or assistance, please contact Stephanie Clark, Fiscal Compliance Associate, School Finance & Operations for the Department of Education at 207-624-6807 or Stephanie.Clark@maine.gov.