After years of dedication to helping students grasp complex math topics and developing athletes on the basketball court and lacrosse field, Mr. Martellini will leave Belmont Hill after 40 extraordinary years. Through his various roles as a teacher, coach, mentor, and administrator over the last three and a half decades, Mr. Martellini has left an indelible mark on countless students who will forever be grateful for his contributions to their lives.
When asked how she felt about his retirement, Ms. Iandorio, the current holder of the Trustees’ Chair in STEM and Chair of the Math Department, stated, “The math department is losing a master teacher and a sense of humor and love of teaching that can not be matched.”
From a young age, Mr. Martellini showed commitment and passion to multiple athletic and academic pursuits. While attending Northfield Mount Hermon, he excelled on the football, basketball, and lacrosse teams and became particularly interested in mathematics. Looking back on his high school experience, Mr. Martellini stated that his days as a high schooler “were pretty similar to the environment that we have here at Belmont Hill,” specifically pointing out the all-boys community and focus on developing well-rounded young men. After graduating, he attended Tufts University while continuing his athletic commitments, captaining and leading the lacrosse team in goals his senior year.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Tufts and pursuing his master’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Mr. Martellini transitioned to teaching, working at Suffield Academy in Connecticut and Moses Brown School in Rhode Island. He also briefly taught at Scots College in Melbourne, Australia, before returning across the Pacific to start an illustrious career at Belmont Hill.
Having taught about every math course at Belmont Hill, Mr. Martellini now believes that Form I Pre-Algebra has been his favorite class: “I always volunteered to take on the role of teaching [regular Pre-Algebra],” he continued. “BC Calc.—that is an easy class to teach. Everyone already has the right mindset going in. But it’s teaching people in the lower-end classes that challenges me. But I love that.”
The mark Mr. Martellini has left on this school can not be understated. Due to his frequent and spontaneous tests, Mr. Martellini was a prime factor (pun intended) in implementing weekly test days. He also introduced the “Civil War” factoring method to Belmont Hill, a common tactic in most math classes today.
From 2001 to 2008, Mr. Martellini held the Trustees’ Chair in STEM, honoring faculty with excellence in teaching mathematics and broad commitment to students and school life. While holding the chair, Mr. Martellini also coached the varsity basketball team, where he compiled 205 victories over 14 years. He has sent many players to the collegiate level and was known for getting the most out of his players. Mr. Schneider explained, “While the achievements were wonderful, they are surpassed only by the stories…At the heart of his coaching stories are relationships that changed lives. He has held boys accountable and watched them routinely accomplish feats that they themselves did not think were possible.” In 2022, following a generous donation from Josh Isner ’04, the Varsity Basketball Court was officially named the “Ted Martellini Court” in the math teacher’s honor. Reflecting on his coaching career, Mr. Martellini explained that his focus was always to improve the team as a whole rather than individual parts, demonstrating his compassion and leadership for the community of Belmont Hill.
Mr. Martellini joked that he “can’t wait to leave the school and kick [his] feet up on the couch” as soon as he retires. In his retirement, he plans to work on his golf game and walk his dog, Augustus, even more. He also plans to spend time with his wife on a visit to Italy and a road trip across the country.
In his final retirement speech given to friends, family, and the Belmont Hill community in the Hamilton Chapel, Mr. Martellini referenced a post-practice tradition from his days as a basketball coach: At the end of every practice, every teammate would say any three words they wished to express. Often, these phrases were basketball-oriented, such as “Force him left” or “Box them out,” but sometimes they were more abstract or heartfelt, like “We play together.” Mr. Martellini ended his speech similarly, closing with the words, “Love this school.”
