Business Department

The Business Office supports the educational mission of the Peabody Public Schools by providing oversight and accountability in a number of areas outlined below.

Accounts Payable

The Accounts Payable (AP) Office works closely with the City Treasurer’s Office to ensure timely payment of invoices for goods and services bought through the general fund, grants and school revolving funds.  AP assists users in the Purchase Order (PO) process, ensures payments are charged to the correct accounts, and serves as the Districts liaison with suppliers.  AP warrants are normally run on a bi-weekly basis and are approved by the School Business Manager, Superintendent and School Committee.

• Purchase Order Liquidation Form
• Travel Reimbursement Form
• Journal Entry Form
• W-9 Form

Annual Audit

The School District Business Office provides support to the City of Peabody Finance and Audit offices for two (2) audits conducted each year by an independent firm.  The first is the End of Year Report (EOYR) which covers District expenditures and the second is the Single Audit compliance reporting on Federal Entitlement Grants.

• FY21 End of Year Report Audit
• FY20 End of Year Report Audit
• End of Year Report White Paper
• End of Year Report Useful Links

Budget Management

In conjunction with the Superintendent and School Committee the School Business Office plays a key role in the establishment of an annual school budget. Budgets are developed in a transparent manner that allows for review and feedback from the school community. The Business Office follows sound accounting practices and budget reports are provided on a regular basis to the Superintendent and the School Committee.

• FY 24 Budget Book
• FY23 Budget Book
• FY22 Budget Book
• FY21 Budget Book
• FY20 Budget Book
• Budget Development Calendar

End of Year Report (EOYR)

As required by the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) each year the School District Business Office completes the EOYR which is a comprehensive financial report of school expenditures.  The report is used by DESE in the development of annual Foundation Budgets and to update Per-Pupil Expenditures and the Resource Allocation and District Action Reports (RADAR).

• FY21 End of Year Report
• FY20 End of Year Report
• FY19 End of Year Report

Facilities Support

The Peabody School District operates eleven (11) schools with 400+ classrooms spanning nearly 1.2 million total square feet. The City of Peabody Facilities Department provides custodial and maintenance staff who work with School Principals on a daily basis. The District offers a fee-based program for outside groups to use school facilities as long as activities do not interfere with school or other community operations:

• Peabody Facilities Use Form
• School Maintenance Work Order Request Form

Grant Management

Peabody Public Schools receives Federal Entitlement Grants, State Grants, and Private Grants. Federal grants are managed through the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and “supplement, not supplant” the general operating budget.  State grants are issued through either DESE or the Dept. of Early Education and Care (EEC).  The Business Office submits grant applications, manages cash draw-down requests, monitors grant budgets, and oversees grant close-outs and audits.

• Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief (ESSER) Fund
• Massachusetts DESE Grants Manual

Payroll Processing

The School District Payroll Office processes payroll on a bi-weekly basis for approximately 1,000 full-time and part-time employees. Payroll verifies pay accuracy through compliance with Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) pay scales, withholdings for state and federal tax, retirement systems, union dues, annuities, wage garnishment, and benefit withholdings. The City of Peabody processes bi-weekly pay which is direct deposited.

• ADP Employee Portal
• Change of Address Form
• Direct Deposit Form
• IRS W-4 Form
• List of Pay Dates

Purchasing Support

The School Business Office oversees the purchase of all supplies and services through electronic Purchase Order Requisitions (PO Reqs) processed through the City Financial System. PO Reqs are entered by the Principal/Department Head, and are approved at various levels by the School Business Manager, Superintendent, and City Purchasing Agent. Supply purchases are made through State Contracts and collaboratives such as The Education Cooperative (TEC) and the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium (MHEC).

• TEC Bid Forms
• Bids & Contracts
• Collaborative Procurement
• Entering Purchase Order (PO) Requisitions
• New Vendor IRS Form W-9

Revolving Funds

The School District Business Office manages special revenue school revolving funds which separately accounts for revenues and expenditure earmarked for specific uses such as Athletics (i.e. athletic fees paid in, athletic-related expenses paid out). Sources of funding can be from state reimbursements such as Circuit Breaker, local fees such as Transportation or Student Parking, and/or from revenues from outside sources such as Gifts and Donations. Revolving funds operate continuously from one year to the next and don’t close out at the end of a fiscal year.

• FY22 Peabody Revolving Fund Manual
• Massachusetts Revolving Funds for School Department Programs

Student Activities

The public schools in the District provide after-school activities for students to gain additional knowledge about a particular area of interest.  Each school manages separate funds and bank accounts to track receipts (i.e. fees) and expenses (i.e. museum tickets, etc.) for each activity.  By participating in events outside of the school day students expand on social skills and are given insight into the management of each activity.

• Student Activity Procedure Manual
• Peabody Gift Donation Form