Submitted by Bob Heddinger, Superintendent, and Dustin Barnes, Assistant Superintendent
As the first quarter of the 2025-2026 school year came to a close on Friday, October 10, the Tarkio R-I School District would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our students, staff, parents, and community for your continued support and dedication to making Tarkio Schools the best they can be. Your commitment to excellence is a true reflection of Indian Pride – something that shines through in everything we do.
We would also like to thank everyone who attended Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 16. These important meetings help strengthen the vital connection between home and school, ensuring that each student continues to grow academically and personally. We appreciate the strong turnout and the great conversations centered around student success.
The first quarter brought many successes and accomplishments across our district. We were proud to welcome new staff members to the Tarkio family, complete key summer maintenance projects, and implement our new cell phone policy – a step designed to help students stay focused and engaged in learning. Additionally, the district continues to upgrade our curriculum, technology, and teacher resources, ensuring that we remain on the leading edge of educational excellence. These continued efforts are a testament to our ongoing Indian Pride and shared vision for the future.
One of the major discussion topics currently taking place among administration, staff, and the Tarkio R-I Board of Education involves the potential renovation of the Tarkio Elementary School building. Originally built in 1958, the building has served our community well for decades, but now requires updates to ensure it can continue to support our educational mission for generations to come.
The district is exploring a number of potential improvements for the elementary renovation project, including:
1) New heating and cooling units and systems – potentially rooftop or geothermal
2) Classroom renovations, including new flooring, electrical outlets, doors, storage cabinets, and shelving
3) New exterior windows, designed to complement those recently installed in the Junior High/High School building
4) Renovations to the elementary “POD” area, including reconfigured student bathrooms, new flooring, painting, and new doors
5) Interior hallway and cafeteria painting
6) New drop ceilings in portions of the building
7) Tuckpointing, exterior cleaning, and general repair to the stone masonry at the north entrance
8) New elementary school signage and exterior fencing
9) New roofing on the standing seam roof.
At this time, the district is in the process of collecting overall project bids and individual bid assessments for various portions of the work. One factor we continue to monitor closely involves state-level funding and formula funding concerns. A task force is currently reviewing how Missouri’s public schools are funded and will be presenting recommendations to the governor going into 2026. In addition, state revenue shortfalls could impact how much support districts like ours receive. Because of this uncertainty, the Board of Education and administration are carefully evaluating all options to ensure that any renovation or improvement projects are pursued in a way that is both fiscally responsible and sustainable – not only in the short term, but also for the long-term success of our district.
We are incredibly grateful for our supportive Tarkio community, our dedicated staff, and our amazing students who represent the heart of our schools every day. Together, we continue to build on our tradition of excellence and pride. As we move forward, let’s continue to show what it truly means to be part of the Tarkio family – where Indian Pride runs deep and our commitment to student success never wavers.
Go Indians!
