The long-time financial director at the Kamloops-Thompson School District will be taking over as Secretary-Treasurer in three months, on August 1.
Trina Cassidy will be replacing Kelvin Stretch, who is retiring after a 25-year career with the school district, the last 15 years as Secretary-Treasurer/CFO.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity to continue to work with the board and the incoming superintendent of course, and superintendent-council along with our stakeholders, our principals and vice-principals, and our support staff,” Cassidy said, during last night’s board meeting.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
Vice-Chair Meghan Wade says Cassidy was appointed to the role after an extensive nationwide search, where she emerged as the top candidate.
“Its the number two job. Its our financial person. We did have this stellar internal candidate and I really need the public to know that we did an extensive search and bar none, we chose the best candidate and we are happy for the fact that it was our internal candidate,” she added.
The Secretary-Treasurer is responsible for the financial and corporate operations, legal affairs, purchasing, policies and procedures, support personnel, financial information management, risk management, facilities, maintenance, and transportation at the school district.
In addition, the person is responsible for preparing a balanced budget for a school district with nine Trustees, 2,100 staff, 15,000 plus students, 46 schools, five district facilities, and 70 bus routes, which this year was over $197 million.
In a statement, SD73 says Cassidy has been responsible for financial reporting, budgets, payroll, and the financial and ethical stewardship of SD73 since 2006. Before joining the district, she held financial positions in Kamloops at Aluminum Curtainwall Systems, Inland Glass & Aluminum, and BDO Canada LLP.
“Trina has a lovely personality. She communicates well. She certainly knows all of our principals and she’s just been a pleasure to work with and she’s skilled and just an outstanding candidate and I know she’s going to be a great Secretary-Treasurer,” Superintendent Terry Sullivan said.
“She has helped upgrade our systems, has had strategic involvement with the Board and the leadership team, and has achieved a lot during her tenure. I am confident that Trina will continue to serve the district well as we transition out of the pandemic, prepare for increased student enrolment, and begin a new strategic planning process.”
Next school year, the Kamloops-Thompson School District will have both a new Superintendent and Secretary-Treasurer as Cassidy will join Dr. Rhonda Nixon who begins her tenure as Superintendent on July 2.
