As assistant superintendent of business operations for the Fountain Hills Unified School District, Dr. Robert Allen is in charge of overseeing many areas of district finances, including budgeting, reporting and working with vendors, just to name a few.

For those who have attended recent monthly School Board meetings, Allen has added “educator” to his list of responsibilities, taking time to explain various facets of district budgeting, spending and the like to board members and those in attendance.

Allen began his career as an educator, so that passion to pass along information remains.

Brought on to team FHUSD this past July, Allen said he grew up and went to school in Rhode Island, where he attended the University of Rhode Island before moving into education.

“I moved to Arizona in about ’79 and I’ve been working out here ever since,” Allen said.

“My first job was in Bowie, [a town] not too many people know about. But then I worked in Paradise Valley from 1980 right up to this past summer.”

Allen began his career teaching music and math before moving into administration. He’s been an assistant principal, a principal and the director of assessment and accountability for Paradise Valley.

“I did my dissertation back in 2000-2001, on school finance and academic achievement correlation,” he continued.

“So I have background in both finance and assessment achievement, so this job blends all of those things together.”

Allen said he sees his new position as a great challenge with lots to learn, but also one where he finds plenty of support.

“I work with some amazing people,” Allen continued.

“That includes people of Fountain Hills, in general, but the people I work with here at the District Office have just been fantastic.”

Having known Superintendent Patrick Sweeney a long time in Paradise Valley, Allen said that the opportunity to continue working together in this new setting was an appealing one.

“He asked me if I would be interested in pursuing this, and it was a yes,” Allen said.

“When you really get into the details, you figure out that you have a lot to learn. I used to be more of an overseer and, in Fountain Hills, I’m sort of the overseer and in charge of the particulars. You wear a lot of hats in a small district.

“School finances change all the time, so you have to stay current. It’s a lot of work but, so far, it’s been a pretty fascinating experience.”

Allen’s day-to-day job includes a “multitude of reports that must be submitted appropriately and accurately,” pertaining to financial operations, grants and the like.

FHUSD has been criticized in these areas in recent years, something Allen’s new position will allow him to correct.

He’s already begun cleaning up the books from fiscal year 2014 and is in the process of getting everything on file for 2015, including the annual financial report that was approved during the Oct. 7 board meeting.

“There’s a lot of planning, research, meeting with people and fielding outside calls,” Allen stated.

“There’s a lot of very, very specific details that are sometimes difficult to find. There isn’t a single school finance manual that holds all of the answers, but experience will contribute greatly.”

Only in town for a few months, Allen said the thing that’s fascinated him the most is the support he’s seen from both the town and community.

“There’s financial support including the bonds and the overrides, but then there’s also the support they give just by being involved in the school community,” Allen said.

“It’s a great community effort, which is good to see.”