She was loved and known by many and undoubtedly made a lasting impact on education in Ontario.
On Monday, the Upper Grand District School Board shared the news that Martha Rogers, who spent 26 years as head of the board before retiring in September, passed away in her home in Elora on the weekend.
“It's a huge loss,” said Linda Busuttil, chairperson of the UGDSB, who knew Rogers for nearly two decades.
“It's very difficult. When I think of Martha I think of strength and power. And, you know, I'm in shock. It was very sudden,” she said in tears.
Busuttil said the entire school board feels the loss of Rogers, someone who built lasting relationships with children, colleagues and parents.
“When you have someone so big in your everyday life. You just kind of assume that she will be there forever. And so it's a big loss,” said Busuttil.
Rogers spent nearly 50 years in the education sector and began her role as the director of education of the UGDSB in 1995. Her 26 years as head of the UGDSB made her the longest-serving director of education in Ontario and one of the longest-serving in Canada.
Martha was well known for her love for kids. “That is what drove her and her love for families and communities,” said Busuttil.
Busuttil said the beauty of Rogers was that she valued everyone equally and built meaningful and genuine relationships.
“You could be the Minister of Education and you could be the kindergarten class that she would go to, her level of engagement and commitment and attention of passion would be equal,” said Busuttil.
Busuttil said Rogers was a mentor for her, a strong female leader in education.
“That currency of relationships permeated everything that she did whether it was as a parent or a special needs child, you could connect with Martha. As our partners in education, the labour unions could talk to her,” said Busuttil.
“In all of the speeches and nominations that I do, I talk about the personal currency that she brought to her leadership role as director of education but also provincially. She was connected to national education bodies and so on. The currency that is what makes her different than everyone else.”
A celebration of life will be held by Rogers’ family in the new year.
