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Meet the Principals / Special Services Director

My name is Catelyn Deromedi and I have the honor and privilege to be the principal at Hot Springs County High School. This will be my 12th year in the District and my 6th year in administration. Prior to being in administration, I was provided the opportunity to teach at Thermopolis Middle School. I feel very lucky to have called Thermopolis my home for over a decade now and am very grateful to this community. I met my husband Brandon here in Thermopolis and we now have two beautiful boys, and we look forward to the education that they will receive here in the district. My oldest son is going into second grade and my two-year-old attends the HSCSD#1 daycare. We are all extremely proud to be Bobcats!
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Hello Parents and Community!
It is my pleasure to serve you as elementary principal this year! Prior to becoming a principal, I spent 12 years in the classroom, all in Thermopolis, in grades Pre-K-1st Grade. My educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Chadron State College and a Master's of Education degree from Grand Canyon University in 2014. I became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2018.   
 
My husband, Jason, and I just celebrated ten years of marriage and we have been blessed with three beautiful children. Thermopolis is a wonderful place to call home and we are fortunate to live in such a supportive, caring community!  
 
It is my privilege to lead Ralph Witters Elementary students and staff! My goal is to provide a supportive culture that promotes teaching and learning. I am looking forward to the year ahead! We have remarkable students and staff and I can't wait to celebrate their successes throughout the year! I look forward to interacting with all stakeholders in our school and community. It's going to be a great year!
Hello, Thermopolis and Hot Springs County School District #1,
 
My name is Ryan Larkin-Smith. I am a native Wyomingite on sojourn to Arizona since 1989. Growing up in Fremont County (Lander mostly) gave me a deep appreciation for North Central Wyoming; and while I have spent much of my adult life away from the area I have yearned to return for many years and can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity. 

I have spent my career in the field of special education starting as a teacher in 1995 teaching grades Kindergarten through 12th (with a focus on rural school districts). In 2006 I obtained my master's in administration (School Principal)  from my alma mater Northern Arizona University and worked for a private company as an administrator supporting special education programs in small rural and charter schools in the greater Tucson, AZ area. During this time I was able to help many schools set up and run compliant special education programs that supported students with a wide range of disabilities. 

In 2015 I obtained my second master's degree with a focus on Post High School Transition in Special Education from the University of Kansas. This degree gave me a sharper focus on how best to support students with disabilities in the school setting. 

In June of 2021, I accepted a position in a rural public school in south-central AZ as a special education director and have enjoyed my time with the district and look forward to my new adventure with you.