What Does a School Bookkeeper Do?

A career as a school bookkeeper is one that requires significant mathematical skills and an ability to stay on top of finances. Since a school bookkeeper is responsible for managing a school's finances, she should also be extremely organized. While the exact duties will vary from school to school, there are five common job duties that most bookkeepers share. These include keeping track of school financial records, gathering school funds, submitting payments, performing office duties and attending meetings.

Perhaps the most important responsibility of a school bookkeeper is keeping track of school financial records. For example, she is required to record the money that comes in from fundraisers, athletic games, dances and other activities. Usually, she will implement something like a spreadsheet in order to record this information. In addition, it's up to her to balance financial statements at the end of every month and make sure all expenses are accounted for. Consequently, leaving out data can create serious problems, so a school bookkeeper must have an eye for detail.

Gathering school funds is another essential aspect of the job. In most cases, it's her job to collect the money received from activities like games and dances. Typically, she will gather the money from whichever school department is responsible for the activity. Afterward, she will create documentation of the collected funds in case they need to be reviewed later on.

After gathering funds, it's also the job of a school bookkeeper to submit necessary payments. Usually, this money will be deposited into a bank account the school has set up. The bookkeeper will also be required to document these payments in case any questions arise. As a result, it's critical that a person in this position is trustworthy and able to maintain exact records.

Along with the financial duties, many bookkeepers are responsible for performing other office duties. Some examples include making copies, faxing documents, answering phones and sorting mail. During busy days, a school bookkeeper might also assist the school's secretary in catching up. While these activities aren't usually that difficult, they keep the institution running smoothly.

Additionally, a school bookkeeper will need to attend periodic school meetings. During this time, she will interact with staff from other departments and share recent findings or any other pertinent information. Usually this will include things like discussing the school's finances, upcoming events, addressing complications and finding resolutions. In this way, the person in this position helps to keep an open flow of communication between staff members, and ultimately optimizes the school's functioning.