Whitefish school administrator Lori Martin fortunate for 35-year career

After 35 years at Whitefish High School, Lori Martin reflects on the blessing that her job has been.  

When asked what she most looked forward to about going into work each day, she answered with a smile on her face.  

“Besides Jenny [St. Onge, coworker], the personal relationships that I got to build with each individual student and staff member,” Martin said. “This is my social outlet.” 

Martin started at Whitefish High School in 1985 and taught math and physics for 26 years. She took a short break and returned to work in the front office for the past nine years.  

Born and raised in Columbia Falls, Martin earned her teaching degree from Montana State University. While getting her pre-requisites for optometry, she picked up a teaching job and immediately fell in love with the classroom.  

“Teaching was the perfect fit for my personality, and so to do that for 29 years, was a blessing,” she said.  

After teaching, she worked in an optometry office in Whitefish for a few years. While she enjoyed the job, she said that it confirmed for her that she had made the right choice in choosing to pursue teaching and sought to get back into education.  

Transitioning to the administrative side at Whitefish High School was a change that Martin enjoyed.  

She said that she appreciated getting to see the broader view of what is going on throughout the entire school and building relationships with not only students, but administrators and parents as well.  

Working in the front office meant that Martin was one of the first people that students saw every day, and she was one of the first to help students with a variety of problems. 

Multitasking was challenging, from dealing with attendance, to talking with parents, to verifying transcripts, to solidifying scheduling, all while battling constant interruptions. 

Despite this challenge, Martin said one of her favorite parts of her job was the personal relationships that she was able to build with each individual student.  

While her years at the high school have come to an end, Martin said she hopes students and parents will continue to prioritize attendance.  

“Being in their formative years, it is crucial that students attend class to build the basis for lifelong learning,” she said. 

Martin advises incoming students to find one adult, club, or organization in the school that they feel comfortable with.  

“Finding an adult that shares your same passions can provide you with a safe space in high school,” she said.  

While talking about her coworkers, she said, “Whitefish High School is so blessed to have very sincere, very conscientious teachers.” 

In her retirement, Martin is excited to spend more time with her family and to revive her passion of playing the piano on a new keyboard.