A retirement reception was held Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Tarkio High School for Tarkio R-I educators Casey Martin and Jayne Martin. They retired at the end of the 2025-26 school year. (Shannon Bruns photo)
Two of Tarkio R-I’s “most loved” educators, ones who have taught for many years, said goodbye to their students and fellow teachers at the end of this past school year. English teacher, sponsor, and coach Casey Martin and elementary teacher and P.A.T. instructor Jayne Martin have retired after a combined total of 70 years.
Casey Martin
Mr. Martin began his teaching career in the fall of 1996 as a fresh-faced youngster out of college returning to his roots. He taught for two years at Tarkio Academy before entering the halls of his youth at Tarkio High School in 1998.
Casey taught seventh and eighth grade language arts, seventh grade reading, English literature and advanced composition, English III, English IV, novels, speech, yearbook, drama, musical theatre, and Smoke Signals. He was also a class sponsor for the classes of 2004, 2012, and 2019. Mr. Martin’s leadership wasn’t just seen and experienced in the classroom, he was also a coach and activities sponsor for many years. He coached high school girls’ and boys’ basketball, baseball (including the first East Atchison Wolves baseball team), and junior high football. He was a sponsor for the junior high and high school academic teams, student council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Rotary Interact Club, and the junior high and high school plays and musicals. He was in charge of homecoming activities and his voice could be heard announcing the action at football games, as well as pretty much any event where a microphone was required.
Mr. Martin said he will always have fond memories of his time spent at THS: “all the classroom fun, all the amazing kids (I think over 1,000), teaching Hamlet, working on the musicals and Smoke Signals (which were always an adventure), winning the girls’ state basketball championship in 1999 going 32-0, building a retaining wall with Bill, and coaching my three girls in basketball and watching them in all their sporting endeavors. Each day was different, which made it so fun and unique. I will miss basically everything. THS has been my second home for so long it’s going to be very hard adjusting to the change. I will miss holding down the lobby every morning, all the amazing co-workers and staff I’ve worked with over the years, my summer work family, and all the kids that make teaching so rewarding.” Casey said his plans for retirement will probably include fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a game show host or doing the morning show on KMA.
Casey’s students and co-workers will miss him just as much. Whether it was reading and discussing novels, teaching his students how to write their own tales, or showing them how to put an amazing yearbook or Smoke Signals show together, his students were always happy to work alongside him and for him. He was one of those teachers who made going to class an experience and his kids enjoyed being a part of whatever he wanted them to learn.
Mr. Martin was not only a teacher of English and literature, but he also taught his students how to go outside of their comfort zones to experience all life had to offer. One year, he had each member of his class stand atop his desk and scream at the top of their lungs, “Yawp! I’m a senior!”. This reference to a scene in the movie Dead Poets Society and the quote by Walt Whitman, “I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world” had even the shyest students belting out a silly phrase for the entire east section of the school to hear. He also appreciated his students’ “unique” writing styles, even when some of those entries might be considered outside the norm for school papers. For example, he had the class of 2003 write their own Canterbury Tales. The plan was for them to be published for the whole school to read. However, that particular class was so full of mischief that almost none of the “tales” turned in were fit for public viewing. But instead of docking the students for their rather inappropriate stories, as long as they followed his instructions and the writing was written the way it was supposed to be, they earned the grade. Besides having his students read them out loud in class, he went ahead and printed out all the poems to make into a booklet and gave them to each of his students to keep.
Although he took teaching seriously, he knew that in order for the kids to stay focused, sometimes “down time” was needed. When discussing remembrances from the past, he happened to mention to one of his classes that in his college years, he and some friends, including his future wife, Jackie, had performed live on national television for MTV’s Spring Break dance competition. Of course, the students made him play the video footage (yes, he played it on a television using a VHS tape and VCR)!
When it came time to putting a yearbook together, it was definitely a new experience for most of the students. That was before computer programs did everything for you. He handed the students a camera and had them go take pictures of whatever “spoke” to them, which provided interesting “behind the scenes” and “around town” views not always found in yearbooks. One year when the first rough draft of that yearbook came back from the printing company with errors made by their own employees, like the word “addition” on the front cover instead of “edition,” he allowed the students to contact them with the changes that needed to be made and those the kids wanted made, making sure this was indeed “their own work.” It was also a good lesson that everyone is human and mistakes happen, even when you are an adult.
Part of being a good teacher is not just providing their young charges with school-related subjects and facts, but also knowing when the student is having a bad day, understanding how what they are experiencing at home affects their school work, and asking about things to let them know they care. Sometimes that, above all else, sticks out as what makes teachers be remembered as “the greats.” Both Casey and Jayne are considered some of Tarkio R-I’s greats and their replacements will have big shoes to fill!
Jayne Martin
After 40 amazing years spent educating the youth of Tarkio Elementary, Mrs. Jayne Martin has closed her classroom door for the last time. Jayne began teaching at Tarkio R-I in 1985 as a special education teacher, then transitioned to teaching kindergarten. She retired in 2019, but has worked in a part-time capacity for the last five years with the last three of those years spent with the PAT (Parents As Teachers) program.
A teacher of the heart, Jayne was a favorite among her students. She was also known as a teacher of style, and one of her students, Chloe Bruns, would ask her mother daily what she thought her kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Martin, would be wearing that day so she could dress like her. Mrs. Martin was also very kind and treated her students like her own. Chloe remarked, “Mrs. Martin was the definition of the best kindergarten teacher. I can still hear her fun voice singing the songs we used to learn and her calm voice telling me it’s okay for falling asleep during story time. She treated us as her own kids, not just students, since the first day of school and still does today. I can confidently say Tarkio R-I was blessed to have her and I know for certain many would say the same. We love you, Mrs. Martin! Enjoy retirement, you deserve it!”
Jayne said, “While this decision is bittersweet, my heart is full of gratitude for the incredible journey I’ve been blessed to experience. Over the years, I have had the privilege of teaching hundreds of bright-eyed children who walked through my classroom doors, eager to learn and grow. There has been no greater joy than watching students learn to read, celebrating their first popcorn words, and seeing them gain confidence with each new accomplishment. Those moments are treasures I will carry with me forever. Some of my favorite memories are the little things that made every day special – children nervously pulling their first behavior card when they got into trouble, proudly earning Tootsie Rolls for making good choices, and even helping wiggle out a loose tooth or two. I was also fortunate to spend many years at school while my own children were students there. Those years gave me memories that as both a teacher and a parent I will always cherish.
“Teaching has never just been about academics. It has been about building relationships. Every year, my students became part of my family and I loved helping each child discover their strengths and reach their fullest potential. I am equally grateful for the wonderful parents I had the opportunity to encourage and coach along the way. Together, we celebrated successes, overcame challenges, and watched children blossom.
“I will deeply miss the friendships and laughter I shared with my co-workers. The support, teamwork, and countless memories we’ve created together made even the busiest days enjoyable. It truly has been a joy to come to school each day.
“As I begin this next chapter, I look forward to spending more time traveling and cheering on my grandchildren at their school activities and sporting events, as well as attending weekend agility competitions with my mini Aussie Luci. I’m excited to play more pickleball, continue running races, and spend peaceful hours working in my flower beds and garden.
“Although I am retiring from the classroom, I will always carry with me the memories of the children, families, and colleagues who have made these past 40 years so meaningful. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives and for making teaching not just my career, but my life’s passion. It has truly been an honor to serve and I will forever be grateful for the memories, the friendships, and the countless little faces that changed my life just as much as I hope I changed theirs.”
