School payroll employee accused of adding $114K to her paychecks

PRICE — A former employee of a charter school in Price has been arrested and accused of illegally taking funds from the school and adding them to her own paycheck.

Kalisa Lynn Fish, 51, was arrested Wednesday for investigation of misuse of public funds and theft.

Earlier this month, administrators from the Pinnacle Canyon Academy, 210 N. 600 East in Price, went to police claiming Fish had stolen about $114,500 since 2020, according to a police booking affidavit. She was fired from the school on May 15.

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According to the school, “there is a ‘special’ line on the payroll, (for) teachers who are after-school advisers or coaches.” the affidavit states. Those people get extra money in their paychecks.

Fish, who “handled the payroll and HR duties at the school,” has been adding “special” pay to her own paycheck since 2020 even though she “does not have another position with the school and should not be receiving any additional wages,” according to the affidavit.

When confronted by school administrators, Fish — who had been an employee for about 15 years — told them “she started doing it because she was in a financial crisis, but then just continued to keep doing it,” the affidavit alleges. Her alleged actions started in 2020 when the school was shut down due to pandemic protocols.

After confronting Fish, the administrators said they received a call from Fish’s mother asking if they could “work something out” to pay the school back, the arrest report states.

“There is no denial, or claims of a misunderstanding. Rather, just a request to be able to pay back the school, which heavily implies there are funds that need to be paid back,” the affidavit says.