Attending the Coalition for Adequate School Housing (C.A.S.H.) Conference this week in Sacramento? Be sure to drop in on our workshops and clinics.

No More Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Monday, February 20, 2012
3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Presented by Janet Dixon, Riverside USD, and Marco Eacrett, HMC Architects
You passed the paper screening! Next step is the dreaded panel interview. A lighthearted and informative workshop on how to avoid some common landmines and get the job! This workshop will be moderated by C.A.S.H. Treasurer Janet Dixon, Director of Planning and Development, Riverside Unified School District. Janet has many years of experience interviewing school facility professionals and will give you excellent tips on how to be successful.

Playing Smart at Close-Out: When to Withhold ‘Em, When to Scold ‘Em, When to Obey DSA, and When to Run…
Tuesday, February 22, 2012
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Janet Dixon, Riverside USD, and Nancy Martin, HMC Architects
Gather some of the best practices to get DSA close-out on current projects. Learn the latest on getting DSA close-out on legacy projects. Collect effective techniques to close-out your project with your contractor (without claims). Hear how to cope when you have buildings on the “AB 300” list, including how best to handle press inquiries. This multi-pronged workshop will address all these topics with some of the best experts available. Don’t play the game without knowing the rules.

How To Keep Your Construction Program Off The Front Page – Unless You Want It There!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Presented by Timothy White, Oakland USD, and Mary Morris, HMC Architects
How to avoid bad press, and how to get your story told before, during, and after construction. A guide to effective reporting, transparency, accountability, and integrity to keep your project out of those front-page exposés. With a special focus on effective outreach and reporting for large urban districts, this panel will provide clear guidance for all districts on how to frame a program’s successes, and setbacks, in a way that the press and public will understand and appreciate.

Clinic: The Top Ways to Save Dollars
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Presented by Kevin Wilkeson, HMC Architects
School budgets are leaner than ever. Learn from colleagues who have trimmed expenses in their districts while still providing the services necessary to operate and maintain schools. Many of these ideas have been discovered through trial and error. Some are easy to implement with quick returns, while others require more careful consideration to assess long term impacts. This clinic will discuss how districts are getting creative in the area of cost savings with strategies that you can apply in your own district.