Fired Kamloops school district CFO nets $460,000 payout

A former school district executive in Kamloops was fired last year, but she still took home almost $460,000 including salary, benefits and her severance.

The Kamloops-Thompson school district terminated former CFO Trina Cassidy in October 2024 over an accounting error that cost it $2.2 million. After her termination, Cassidy got a $32,629 severance along with thousands in benefits and a salary continuance, according to school district financial records.

She was let go from the district on Oct. 8, 2024, roughly three months into its fiscal year. From July 1 to the end of her employment, Cassidy was paid almost $62,000. The school district then continued to pay her salary until last month, totalling $291,072 over 18 months.

Combined with various benefits, vacation time and her pension, the school district paid Cassidy $458,359 despite being fire with cause.

Although BC employment law typically does not dictate employers should pay severance to people who were fired with cause, it’s not clear what was included in her contract or whether the payout was negotiated.

The school district cited privacy and confidentiality requirements and refused to comment when reached by iNFOnews.ca.

As the district’s secretary-treasurer, Cassidy was its second-highest paid executive in the 2024/2025 school year. The highest salary went to former Supt. Rhonda Nixon, who took home $309,511 after salary and benefits.

Nixon no longer works at the Kamloops-Thompson school district. She left in July 2025, just after its 2025 fiscal year ended. iNFOnews.ca reported last year she was the subject of a workplace bullying and harassment investigation, but her departure was announced as a resignation, and the school district said she was not paid any severance.