Hope
A Retirement Love Letter
In August of 2019 I left the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District after thirty-two years of service. In my time in FSUSD I provided service as a School Psychologist, Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Human Resources, and I was in my sixth successful year of service as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources when I left the District.
I then became the Superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District during a difficult budget year when the pandemic literally forced us to close schools to 30,000 students in a day’s turnaround. I then served as both the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services and Human Resources for the Washington Unified School District, prior to being named as Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer for the Griffin Technology Academies in Vallejo for the 2021-2022 school year.
After a challenging year at GTA, in June of 2022, I actually submitted my formal retirement paperwork with the California State Teachers Retirement System. As I contemplated retirement, I decided to apply for one more position as I was intrigued about the District and the services they were aspiring to provide to students. When the position was offered, I recalled my STRS documents, and I accepted the assignment to become the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Antioch Unified School District. While retirement was enticing, I decided that I wanted to continue my career of service and I opined, “What better place to continue my service than Antioch?”
Over the last three years, I have strived to be the best school administrator that I could and tried to model exemplary service and leadership to all. I hope that I have provided the service, support, skills and guidance that was needed by employees to serve all of our students in this capacity. I worked to foster better communication with the employee representative groups, individual employees, and worked to elevate the administrative team at every turn.
I can truly say that on the whole the employees in the Antioch Unified School District are some of the most dedicated people that I have ever worked with in my thirty-eight years of service. It has been challenging to say the least, however, I feel fortunate to have been able to return to a TK-12 -Adult School District and connect with so many caring educators. I feel strongly that I am leaving behind a positive legacy of service that I am extremely proud of.
In April of 2024, when the Governing Board asked me to step up to serve the District as Superintendent, in addition to carrying my Human Resources responsibilities, I said, “Yes” and took on the responsibilities of both of these high-level positions. School leadership is never for the faint of heart, and yes, this last year provided some of the most challenging meetings, conversations with Board members, and struggles along the way, and yet, I was able to meet and fulfill the rigorous commitments of both positions to keep learning moving in the classrooms.
As the year progressed I felt the heavy responsibility to bring about equitable, high level, and compassionate care and education to the almost 16,000 students of the District, and I’m grateful that I was not alone in this endeavor. My Human Resources Team is simply incredible. My Administrative Assistant is tops bar none. My second in command who took on a substantial level of responsibility during these months, extraordinary! My Cabinet Members were all on-point, focused on what mattered, and were each outstanding in their commitment to students.
We finished the 2023-2024 school year strong. One of the highlights for me was being able to accept thousands of new graduates during the commencement ceremonies. We also worked to prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, and sought to promote the District in every way possible to be able to tell the positive stories and activities that were bringing about needed change for students and the community.
Our beginning of the year staff development for everyone was inclusive, specifically focused on equitable and ethical practices, and focused on building authentic relationships that could endure the challenges ahead. Our employee representative groups were willing to work together to bring about a more swift conclusion to negotiations so as not to distract from the real work of creating equitable opportunities for students, and I believe that I was even able to begin the alignment of the Board as they transitioned to new leadership. Knowing that I would be leaving at the year’s end I was able to guide them to initiate the initial steps towards finding a new Superintendent.
While the work of both positions was extremely rewarding, and the team of administrators with whom I worked with is extraordinary, in January of 2025, I did make the decision to pull back my services from the Superintendency to facilitate a better transition to new leadership for the District. Over the last three months I have concentrated my responsibilities on ensuring that there was a succession plan in place for both of the positions that I was filling. I am now focusing on my next and important promotion to retirement.
I have heard it said that sometimes the transition to retirement can be a challenge for Superintendents and high level administrators, and I can now understand that a bit more. The jobs of top-level education administrators can be unnerving, making you lose sleep with worry as if all the children of the District are your own who are not home before their curfew. I anticipate that there will be a dearth of emails, phone calls, text messages, which might ring loud with their silence, but I think I am more prepared than most. I know that this silence will be filled with new songs, new refrains, and new experiences.
Some have asked me, “What will you do when you retire?” and if you know me, you know that I have a long list of things planned and will be willing to add more every day. I know that I will write more, speak more, publish new products, and somehow be on stage. I will determine if I will choose to provide coaching, consultation, or create my own side hustle. I will rest, then go, then rest some more, then go farther. We will travel, breathe, and work to enjoy each and every moment of living. I will walk, hike, exercise, sing, dance, and branch out to new activities with the glee of a child.
My last official day in the office is Friday, May 2, and then I will officially be on vacation through the last day of the school year, June 10, 2025. This will mark 38 years of service to public education. With some simple math, I believe that includes service to well over 200,000 students in some way that I have worked for during that time.
To the literally thousands of people I have worked with in this amazing endeavor, I sincerely want to share my thanks for what each of you have done in support of children as well.
In closing, I’d like to share two quotes with you that I have worked to keep in mind as I tried to be the best educator that I could be.
The first is from Ralph Waldo Emerson.
“Successful is the person who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of children, who leaves the world better than they found it, who has never lacked appreciation for the earth’s beauty, who never fails to look for the best in others or give the best of themselves.”
The second is one of mine, Dr. Rob Martinez
“Let the lives we help others live be the measure of our success.”
I like to think that I’ve tried to do just that throughout my career and life, but don’t worry, I’m not done yet! There will be more to come!
Again, my sincere appreciation and with thoughtful consideration,
Dr. Rob Martinez, AKA “Resiliency Guy,” AKA “Papa Rob” You can reach out to me by email, ResiliencyGuy@gmail.com and find a number of my writings at https://resiliencyguy.com/
Interested in Dr. Rob’s latest book? You can find it here: “Recipes for Resilience, Nurturing Perseverance in Students and Educators.” http://amazon.com/dp/1956306439
The Skies Out Tonight
Video Posted on
The morning of 9/11/2001, as I readied to go to work, and prepared to leave my wife at home with our two youngest sons, aged 19 months, and 1 month old, we were both crying, and upset by the news of the attack. I was a school psychologist at the time, and believed that my family was safe, and that I could be more use at work. So off I went to ensure that the children of the schools I served were doing ok. The rest of the day was a blur. I remember checking on classrooms, teachers, and many students who we knew had parents in the military, and or were on assignment and were out of the area. That night, all the planes were grounded, the skies were silent, and these words came to me. I wrote them down, and tucked them away. I remember reading these words each day, somewhat like a prayer over that first month. Today, as I was reviewing several documents that I wrote during that time, I found these words, and decided to spontaneously record myself singing them. No music, other than me. Well, the result is here for you to view, and the words are written below.
It is sixteen years later, to the day, that I wrote these words, and I believe that more than ever, we need to reconnect to the strength that we collectively have. We are a strong nation, and are stronger when we come together. I hope you find some relevance in these words, and I hope that you hold the hope in your life in high regards.
My best to you always, Dr. Rob Martinez, AKA @ResiliencyGuy on @Twitter
The Skies Out Tonight
Chorus
The skies out tonight are silent.
The skies out tonight are silent.
No planes fly tonight, they lay still.
The skies out tonight are silent.
But I can see
The American Eagle soar
Like I’ve never seen before.
He lives in us all.
And I can hear
The American Voices Sing
You might test our strength,
But we will survive,
And we will shine through.
Chorus
The skies out tonight are silent.
The skies out tonight are silent.
No planes fly tonight, they lay still.
The skies out tonight are silent.
But I can feel
The American Spirit
We’ll fight through the day,
We’ll fight though the night,
To keep it alive!
Our strength,
You cannot take!
Our hope,
You cannot faze!
Our faith,
You cannot break!
Our love,
Will overcome!
Chorus
The skies out tonight are silent.
The skies out tonight are silent.
But soon, they will roar again.
Yes, soon they will roar again.
For we all can sense,
Our American pride,
We’ve gathered as one,
We won’t be outdone,
We’ll fight till we’ve won!
Our strength,
You cannot take!
Our hope,
You cannot faze!
Our faith,
You cannot break!
Our love,
Will overcome!
The skies out tonight are silent.
The skies out tonight are silent.
(To fade)
Written by
Robert A. Martinez, Ed.D.
9/11/01
Re-examining #Resilience
Take a moment and consider your current understanding of the word “Resilience.”
A Question:
Do you consider your understanding of #resilience to be deep, or surface level? It seems that in our day-to-day culture the word has become more of a descriptor of character or action, rather than as a true understanding that the word more accurately describes a person’s ability to persevere through an adversity, a challenge, a trauma, a life-changing circumstance, and to demonstrate a strength in their resolve that comes from the experience.
What is true #resilience?
It’s not just about winning a sporting event, or getting through a test, or even making it through a day. It’s more about having and demonstrating the ability to recognize that whatever the adversity was, or is, was more than likely not a personal descriptor of the individual experiencing that adversity, but something that has occurred to them, that they have dealt with, and have learned from. Resilience is about overcoming, battling through, surviving, and growing from adversity, and limiting the negative impacts from derailing future success for that person.
What does research say?
Researchers have recognized the ability of an individual to reframe events so that they do not internalize them, and use the adversity as a means for growth and success. For many people these challenges are recognized as launching pads for new ideas, new strategies, new ways of acting, or for new ways to limit the impact of adversity from negatively affecting themselves any longer. The stories are numerous of those individuals who have come through adversity, and who then have not only improved their lives, but the lives of others.
Locus-of-Control
Further, it has been found that those that demonstrate resilience tend to have a firm locus-of-control on where the problem exists, how it came about, and they are able to distance themselves from the trauma. Now, this doesn’t mean that people don’t feel the pain from trauma, or are not affected by it, yet they tend not to own it, ruminate over it, and allow it to remain in their frontal lobe exhausting their energy, resources, thought process, or ability to move forward.
Reframing Skill
So, if the ability to maintain a powerful locus of control, and to reframe events to be able to limit their negative affects on us are two assets that can be utilized to build resilience, then why wouldn’t we seek to support the development of these skills in our children and each other. If people can learn to reframe, if they can distance or remove themselves from traumatic events, then they have more of an opportunity to demonstrate resilience, and to enhance this skill for when they will need it in the future.
Variance
We know that one person’s challenge is another person’s trauma, and that each person may react differently to the same circumstances, and in turn may react on different timelines to trauma, and this makes the point even more important that we must seek to build the resilience of our children, and each other, each day, for we never really know when the next traumatic event might initiate a down-turn for ourselves or someone in our world.
The challenge
Let’s build each other up! Let’s build skills in each of our children! Let’s build resources in our communities! Let’s share the message of supporting the development of Resilience skills in our children! Let’s focus our energies on engaging, supporting, and providing the healthiest environments that we can for all of our children!
Are you with me? I hope so!
Robert A. Martinez, Ed.D, @ResiliencyGuy on Facebook: ResiliencyGuy
Dr. Martinez is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, and has been focusing on building the idea of Transformational Resilience in people, our schools and our communities. He also co-moderates #Resiliencechat on #twitter each Monday night at 7:00 PM PST.
The Littlest of Hands!-The Most Resilient Person I Have Ever Known! Bar-None!
The Littlest of Hands-The most Resilient Person I have Ever Known! Bar-None!
The cliche goes like this, “Good things come in small packages.” Well, my friends, this is a massive understatement with regards to my wonderful niece, Stephanie Mayhugh, who was born in February of 1978, at a weight of no more than 2 lbs. 14 oz. Stephanie was a primordial dwarf.
Yes, that’s right, born at less than three pounds over thirty-six years ago, and at full stature she stood no more than three feet tall (32 inches)! Yet, Stephanie, lived a life of a Giant!
Through medical procedure, after medical procedure, she persevered! She attacked life with the gusto of the most resilient individual that I ever had the pleasure to know. She learned how to talk though she could barely breathe through a tracheotomy tube. She learned to sign to communicate with her parents, and to learn at school. She learned how to love, be comassionate for all, and cherish each moment she had on this earth due to the love and care of her parents and family!
She wrote poetry, songs, sang, played the drums in her high school band, volunteered at a senior center, she gave, and gave, and gave, more of her little self than most professional athletes give through their entire careers. She learned to get around on a scooter at school. She loved God, and always found peace in the world by smiling to others, and figuring out how to make things better for everyone, sometimes with a simple “Hi,” hug or kiss.
This giant of a little person was lost to those who knew and loved her on Monday, May 11, 2014. The battle to stave off illness became too difficult for her tiny body to continue to wage war on, and in a moment she was gone.
As part of my grieving process I wrote the following poem to honor our Steph, and I hope you read it, and re-read it whenever you find any doubt that you are important, and that you can make a difference to others.
The littlest of Angels was called to heaven, yet, her spirit shines like the sun each day in my heart, and in the hearts of the tens of thousands that ever had the pleasure to see and/or meet the one with the littlest of hands.
The littlest of hands:
The littlest of hands can hold the most love, ever!
The littlest of hands has the biggest heart in the world.
The littlest of hands can caress the biggest fears away from your soul.
The littlest of hands could calm the most frustrated, spread warmth and love as hot as the sun, and bring a smile to the world no matter what the day brings.
The littlest of hands can touch the sky, feel God’s light, and warm the coldest iceberg.
The littlest of hands can write the most eloquent of poems.
The littlest of hands can soothe the most anxious of minds.
The littlest of hands can reach into the soul, find the truth in life, and faith in God’s love.
The littlest of hands can can hug your face like a Giant might do.
The littlest of hands can keep the beat with the the Angles when singing any song.
The littlest of hands can paint a masterpiece with a few brush strokes.
The littlest of hands can touch you deep in your heart, mind and soul, and renew your spirit, love, and passion for life.
The littlest of hands can remind you of the need to connect with each other, the importance of family, and the power of God’s love.
The littlest of hands can hold the love of thousands and thousands of well wishers in her heart, and always have room for more.
The littlest of hands belonged to our Stephanie, my sister’s child, my brother-in-law’s child.
The oldest grandchild of my mother and father, and one of the strongest and bravest people I have ever known, our Stephanie.
The littlest of hands cherished God, and found peace tonight, as she slipped away to be held tight by God’s majestic hands.
The littlest of hands may be gone, yet the love she brought, the inspiration she provided, the passion for life she displayed to all who were lucky enought to ever have a chance to meet her, lives on, brings forth smiles, wonderful memories, and so much love that you would never suspect that it came from anyone else but an Amazon of a woman.
The littlest of hands, our sweet Stephanie Rose, I will remember your lessons each day. You made me a better person. Love you always!
Love Uncle Rob, Smooch!
If you are moved to provide a donation to support Stephanie’s wishes to assist other Little people please make a donation at your local Wells Fargo Bank in the name of her brother, Jared Mayhugh-Memorial Account. The funds will be used to assist children and families to attend conferences for Little People of America.
Recipes For Resilience 