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School board accepts FY2024 audit; auditors issue unmodified opinion
Summary
The Salem School Board accepted the independent audit for the year ending June 30, 2024, which contained an unmodified (clean) opinion and no material weaknesses. The audit focused on federal programs including Title I/IV, Stronger Connections and ESSER funds.
The Salem School Board voted Jan. 28 to accept the independent audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, after administrators told the board the auditors issued an unmodified opinion on both the financial statements and federal awards.
Debbie Payne, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations, summarized the audit findings and proposed post‑closing adjustments that align revenue and expense to the correct fiscal year. She told the board the district’s net position rose in part because the Woodbury project moved onto the district’s capital assets list as substantially complete.
Nut graf: An unmodified opinion means the auditors issued a clean report; the audit identified no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies and highlighted federal programs that required audit attention because of fund levels.
Details from the audit - Opinion: Administrators reported the audit contained an unmodified opinion on the district’s financial statements and on federal awards (page 49 of the audit report), meaning auditors found no material misstatements or withheld information, and no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies were reported. - Federal programs: The auditors focused testing on federal passthrough programs handled through the New Hampshire Department of Education, including Title IV, Stronger Connections (a security grant), and ESSER funds (COVID‑19 Education Stabilization Fund). Those programs were singled out because of their funding magnitude. - Student activities and other areas: The auditors audited student activities funds as usual and reported no findings in that area; proposed audit adjustments were primarily to record post‑June 30 events in the correct year.
Board action - Motion: Accept the audit report from Vashon Couquet and Company for the audit for the year ending June 30, 2024. (Moved: Bernard Campbell; Second: Pamela Berry.) - Outcome: Approved by voice vote (all in favor).
Administration said it would provide copies of the audit to the town hall and make the report available for budget‑committee review. Board members asked that the audit be provided to municipal partners who request it.
