Business Office
The business office is where things get done. Well-managed resources is how school districts survive and thrive. We are fortunate to have a team of professionals who know how to make the resources available work. They create a working budget, maintain mountains of receipts, pay bills, manage new hires and insurance, work with grants and vendors, and see everyone gets paid. It is a big job and they do it with excellence.
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Business Office Staff
Lisa Kowalski graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University in 1996, and a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University in 2001. She has worked in the legal field, marketing, and business management. In 2017, she received her Chief School Business Official Endorsement from Illinois State University and is licensed with the State of Illinois.
Lisa was the business manager at the Illinois State University Laboratory Schools before joining Morton CUSD 709 in 2019, where she is currently serving as Chief Financial Officer.
Heather Ford is our HR Coordinator. She began working in the district in 2025. She is one of the first contacts for new employees and diligently works with those moving into their retirement chapter. She handles dental, vision, and health insurance for our district, which has about 450 employees. In a nutshell, Heather knows things and delivers answers with a smile.
Julie Miller serves as the District’s Human Resources Assistant. She oversees new-employee background checks, supports the onboarding process for new hires, coordinates student-teacher requirements, and assists with a variety of additional HR functions. Julie also serves as the District’s primary contact for Employment History Reviews (EHR).
Amy Zimmerman is the Accounts Payable Clerk. She assists with accounts payable, managing the free and reduced lunch program, managing certificates of insurance, managing elementary activity accounts, district credit cards, and reimbursements. Contact Amy regarding any of these functions.
Katie Bolkema processes payroll for all school district employees and maintains accurate, up-to-date information in Frontline for employee time/attendance (Veritime) and absences (Aesop). Responsible for providing support to the Chief Financial Officer to file Grant applications and quarterly reports, as well as Illinois State Board of Education financial reporting and claims for the District.
Hannah Rudolphi is the Director of Business Services. As the District's Accountant, Hannah manages the district's cash ledger and general ledger by performing monthly reconciliations. She oversees District contracts, helps the CFO prepare for audits, assists in monitoring assets, and manages Revtrak and Revtrak-related events.