Month: January 2018
#VOTESuperRob4VP of #ACSA
Tonight I wanted to share my thoughts with everyone about my campaign for the Vice President position for the Association of California School Administrators, ACSA.
Over thirty years ago I began working in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. I came to the District with a heart, mind and soul that were focused on keeping children and their growth at the core of my work. I worked with a number of amazing school administrators who supported my ability to see the big picture, and to think and act thoughtfully, with care, innovation, creativity, and passion, to work to ensure that our educational system focused on making things better for each child that we aim to serve.
As an active ACSA member, I strive to focus on building leaders whenever possible. I believe that we each become stronger every time one of us grows just a bit more. I’ve worked to spread the phrase, #ACSAPowerfulTogether, as to me, I see our organization as a collective of simply incredible individuals, who, when focused, collaborating, developing ideas, creating solutions, aligning thoughts, and even debating issues, become more powerful for the greater good of our public education students.
If elected to become the next ACSA Vice President, I will work to spread this synergistic energy that is created whenever, and wherever, ACSA members come together. Whether it is in a Charter, Region, or Leadership Assembly; an Academy, Online Webinar, or Conference; a Summit, Retreat, or Executive Board Meeting, I want each of you to know that my focus will be on enhancing our collective breadth of skills, and on building leaders, one or a hundred at a time. For we are #ACSAPowerfulTogether.
If you know ACSA members across the state let them know that you know me, and think that I would be a great Vice President! #VOTESuperRob4VP
While there are less than 150 ACSA members who will cast their votes in May of 2018, I think that it is important to ensure that a wide swath of ACSA members learn about the candidates, and hopefully let their representatives know that they would like me to serve in this capacity.
Thanks, Rob Martinez
#SEEKBEAUTY – My 2018 Theme
#SeekBeauty
As 2018 begins, and I mindfully reconcile the reality that this year I will turn 55 years old, I have tried to be more cognizant of the world around me, and the world that I assist in creating for others. Some might say, well, that’s maturity setting in, or others might simply say, finally. I like to think of it as continuing to grow, and my focus on seeking to recognize the importance that each of us has in the world and our impact on others.
Many of my friends and family members take time at the New Year to set resolutions, start some new habits, and or contemplate their place in the world, and their impacts on others, and I too have been thinking about what to focus on in this New Year., 2018
I landed on these two words that I hope will guide my this year: #SeekBeauty
#SeekBeauty in life, love, family, relationships, myself, friends, co-workers, colleagues, students, children, animals, land, air, water, food, fitness, learning, teaching, playing, being, all, #SeekBeauty
I know that #beauty is relative, and I do have many beautiful relatives, but that’s another story. What I mean by beauty in this case is to seek to understand the true, innate, beauty that is apparent in our world, that we frequently overlook, disregard, give little time to, and let slip away, when we should be appreciating it, caring and cultivating it, and bringing it into our hearts, minds and souls.
Life, love, family, relationships are the nourishment that we need to sustain our hearts, minds, souls, and yet, so many times we take for granted those that are in our lives, love us, are our family, and those whose relationships truly mean more to us than anything. There is beauty in each opportunity to grow these relationships that we must seek to appreciate. There is beauty in each conversation, touch, embrace, glance, and yet, we sometimes treat those we care the most about in the worst ways. I am seeking to see the beauty that is provided to me each day, and I hope you do the same. Notice, and appreciate each moment, and let others know you care, and see the beauty that is in them.
I am seeking to find the beauty that is in me. Yes, I might seem silly, and yet, the old question is accurate: “How can you love somebody, if you don’ love yourself?” In this case, I don’t mean in a narcissistic way, I mean to love yourself is to care for yourself. Care about what you eat, drink, do with your body. Are you moving, exercising, giving your body fresh air, water, nutrition that can help you? Are you providing your entire system with what it needs to sustain, to battle the vile parts of the world that seek to damage your body? Not one of us has the same system, so you have got to find what works for you, and then as the saying goes, #DoIt. Feed your mind, feed your heart, feed your soul.
Each of us spends time with co-workers, colleagues, clients, community, etc., and if we are wise and looking for it, there is beauty there as well. Again, this is not just a physical thing, it is in the way so many positive, good, caring people live and go about their lives. If you spend a few minutes watching the news you can quickly become filled with frustration, and disgust at many acts of a few, and yet, we frequently have hundreds of positive acts going on around us that we fail to notice by our community members. A door being opened, a friendly hello, a phone being answered, work being accomplished with service, a caring hand, a hug goodbye, are but a few of the moments that add to the beauty of the day. I challenge you, as I have challenged myself to see it, appreciate it, let it fill your heart with knowledge that people are beautiful!
Yes, the world that we live in is a beautiful place, and I also believe that it is up to us to create more beauty for our children, our students, our pets, those we care for, those who have lost the ability to see the beauty, though they still have sight. We must work to create beauty, be the best within us, and help each other #seekbeauty. I’m not sure if we will ever all get to this wonderful place that I am seeking to find, though I do believe that the journey would be a lot more pleasant if we all tried to create more beauty, and to find more beauty in each other.
Here’s hoping that you all #seekbeauty in yourself, others, and our world.
Dr. Robert A. Martinez is also known as @ResiliencyGuy He tweets, blogs, and seeks to share thoughts about the world, and our ability to empower each other with our actions, thoughts, and goals.
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