Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Hot Spring County High School Principal Catelyn Deromedi announced during the Oct. 17 meeting of the Hot Springs County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees that juniors at HSCHS had the highest performance of all districts in Wyoming on the ACT in spring of this year, with an average composite score of 21.8.
Deromedi expressed thanks to her students and staff at the high school for their continued efforts to take their standards of education to new heights.
According to the results posted by the Wyoming Department of Education, this is an improvement on the previous class's composite average of 20.5. Although the Thermopolis school was No. 1 by the metric of districts, three schools that are part of districts with multiple schools individually had higher composite averages, putting Hot Springs County High School at fourth place by measure of schools.
Middle school principal Darren Luebbe presented on the middle school's accomplishments at Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress (WY-TOPP) testing during the 2023-2024 school year. Their sixth graders ranked first in the state in math, and the eighth graders ranked first in the state in math and science.
GOLF CHAMPIONS
Coach Brandon Deromedi had the opportunity to announce that his boys golf team won the Fall 2024 2A Golf State Championship in Sheridan on Sept. 21. Thermopolis' boys golf team has now won six of the last seven of the state tournaments.
The girls team came in second place, with Sundance taking first place by a margin of 26 strokes.
SUPERINTENDENT REPORT
Superintendent Dustin Hunt shared that he received a letter from Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder encouraging school districts to implement policies that would limit cell phone usage in schools.
He thanked the school board, as well as the staff and students in his district, for their cell phone practices that they've already implemented in Thermopolis schools. According to their current policy, cell phones are allowed but students should not have them out any time during instruction. The rule of thumb he said is, "We shouldn't see it. If we do, we'll ask you to turn it in to the office to pick up at the end of the day."
STAFFING
Two resignations were approved:
Amy Krueger as high school child nutrition aide, and Kaylee Shook as assistant high school drama coach.
The following staffing recommendations were approved:
Keegan Duckett as district custodian, Karissa McGarvie-Balstad as Title I paraprofessional, Valarie Spencer as high school child nutrition aide and Elisa Daniels as high school assistant volleyball coach.
The following transfers/change of status/extra duties were approved:
Ally Bohleen as TMS Student Council sponsor, Jessica Carswell as teacher mentor, Lyle Wiley, Markie Whitney and Riley Jeffs as National Honor Society sponsors and Shane Corpening as teacher mentor.
POLICY
A revision to Policy GBEA – Staff Ethics/Conflict of Interest was approved on third and final reading. It previously stated, "Employees of the District will not engage in or have a financial interest in any activity that raises a reasonable question of conflict of interest with their duties and responsibilities in the school district."
This paragraph was rewritten by an attorney, so that 'any activity that raises a reasonable question of conflict of interest' has been explicitly defined at length.
Voting restrictions on subjects that fall under conflict of interest for staff were also removed.
Twelve policies regarding staff were approved on first reading.
Some conversation followed regarding the potential to take Policy GCCA-R – Guidelines for Membership and Contribution Sick Leave Bank out of policy since it is now just a form, in an effort to slim down the district's list of 415 policies. A change to differentiate policies GCF and GCF-R was also discussed. The two policies are currently both called "Professional Staff Hiring".
Policy GCD-R – Carryover of Additional Vacation Days and Policy GDD-R – Carryover of Additional Vacation Days were approved to be retired. Hunt said that these policies applied to less than 10 people in the district; they were removed and revisions were made to existing policy that will make employee vacation day carryover more uniform.
Policy GBIA – Distribution of Non-School-Sponsored Materials was approved for adoption. This policy states that students and staff may distribute non-prohibited materials unrelated to school, and those not involved in the school may be accepted to do so on a case-by-case basis.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business at the Oct. 17 meeting:
•The Board of Trustees Collective Commitment and the Collective Commitment Evaluation Tool were both approved on second and final reading. Chairman Sherman Skelton noted that an amendment was made to both policies that includes a statement about providing an orientation process for new board members.
•The Annual Staff Appreciation Purchase was approved. This token of appreciation rewards staff who remain in the district with "chamber bucks," valid at local businesses affiliated with the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce.
•A bonus payment for certified staff early notice of resignation/retirement was approved. Tenured certified staff will receive a bonus of $1,000 and non-tenured certified staff will receive a bonus of $500 if they notify the superintendent's office of their intention to leave on or before Jan. 31, 2025.