Susan Rebmann’s entire career has been in the school business field, beginning as a payroll clerk and working her way up to her present position of Manager of Financial Services and Applications at a BOCES in upstate New York. She now supervises 19 employees in three departments that provide various business-related services and software to school districts, including installation, training, and support. Aside from ensuring that all the proper procedures are in place, she ensures team members receive continuous training. She began her career in education before earning her master’s degree, working in a school business office as a payroll clerk. In those days, she was also the yearbook business manager and produced high school plays.
What do you most enjoy about your job?
I love seeing each team member succeed. I recently observed one of my team members make a presentation and she killed it! She made the audience feel at ease, did a great job of explaining the program, and answered all questions with confidence. It made me feel proud.
Was there a particular person or experience that inspired you to pursue a role in education?
My boss, the high school principal when I started working in education. She showed genuine empathy for others, was open, transparent and treated everyone with respect. I also admired her drive. She went on to become a school district superintendent. Her passion spurred me to pursue a master’s degree in public administration (MPA) as well as certification as a school district business leader (SDBL).
What do you know today that you wish you had known during your first year of working in the world of education?
I wish I had started to work on my master’s degree in 2004, instead of waiting until 2016, although I do value the experience I gained working in the school district before starting my master’s degree program.
What do you think is the greatest challenge facing educators today?
There are so many pressures and demands on school district administrators, depending on what your role is. School business administrators are constantly challenged with balancing the many financial requests and coming up with solutions to meet the district needs for the students.
When you were new to your current position, how did you prepare for the role?
I worked on really getting to know each staff member; understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out how I could help them succeed and grow.
Do you think your career path is a good route for someone looking to manage a school district business office?
Yes, aside from the work itself, my current position helps build leadership skills and involves interaction with many school business officials and superintendents, which is valuable.
What advice would you give a high school or college student who is considering a similar career path?
I believe that working in a school district is very rewarding. This is specific advice for someone entering into a school building district leaders program: take the Research Design for Administrators course as soon as possible!
