Independent certified public accounting firm Kerber, Eck & Braeckel LLP recently presented a perfect audit for Lindbergh Schools.
Under state law, public school districts are required to submit biennial audit reports of all financial, transportation and attendance records to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Lindbergh Schools chooses to bring in an independent firm every year to audit the district’s books, according to a news release. This was the eighth year the audit was performed by Kerber, Eck & Braeckel.
“We take pride in our district’s long tradition of fiscal responsibility, but validation from a third-party, independent auditor is a reassuring confirmation that our business practices are sound,” Board of Education President Karen Schuster stated in the release.
Lindbergh has a 23-year tradition of receiving the best audit opinion a school district can obtain, dating back to 1994. The “unmodified rating” simply means the audit did not find any instances of noncompliance or deficiencies.
“An independent auditor who is not regularly engaged as an employee of the school district performs the examination and ensures it is made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, including such reviews and tests of the system of internal check and control and of the books, records and other underlying data,” Chief Financial Officer Joël Cracchiolo stated in the release. “This positive feedback reaffirms for us that we are operating the district’s budget with a high level of accountability and responsibility.”
Superintendent Jim Simpson praised Cracchiolo and her Business Services staff, including Director of Accounting Kathryn Wood.
“Once again, we’ve got a perfect audit. Absolutely no findings of anything of concern or any items out of place, and that’s Lindbergh’s tradition,” he told the Call.
He noted that Brian Wuertz of Kerber, Eck & Braeckel cited the professionalism of Lindbergh’s Business Services staff during his presentation of the audit to the Board of Education.
“… Lindbergh also prides itself on being very organized in our financial dealings, and as the auditor mentioned, ‘I could come in and do an audit so professionally and effectively because Kathy Wood is making sure that everything is in place,’” Simpson said. “And part of that is Kathy Wood’s probably one of the most experience CPAs in school finance around.”
Lindbergh’s audit is available in its entirety at www.lindberghschools.ws under “Business Services.”