After almost four decades in education, including eight as the head of Royal Oak’s school system, Mary Beth Fitzpatrick is retiring.

Fitzpatrick announced her retirement in a letter accepted by the Royal Oak Schools Board of Education during its meeting Thursday.

“From the start of my career in 1986, I have passionately pursued teaching and learning,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “Each role has allowed me to work with outstanding educators in two amazing communities.”

According to her LinkedIn profile, Fitzpatrick earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Detroit.

She started her career in 1986 as a special education teacher in Berkley Public Schools before expanding into instructional support and staff development.

During her 30 years in Berkley, Fitzpatrick served as an assistant principal and principal at both the elementary and high school levels before taking a job as assistant superintendent of curriculum, technology, assessment and grants.

She joined Royal Oak as superintendent in 2017. She said that among her most notable accomplishments was shepherding the 2017 passage of a bond for $60 million, providing funding to improve facilities, technology and other resources.

She also helped secure grants, including an Oakland County Schools Mental Health Grant, which helped the district promote student well-being, and a recent Safe Routes to School “mini-grant” that helped improve student safety through infrastructure improvement and community engagement.

“There have been many successes, and we have faced various challenges; the key to both has been our ability to work together and support one another,” Fitzpatrick said.

In the community, Fitzpatrick was a board member of the Royal Oak Rotary Club and South Oakland YMCA, and had roles on organizations like the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce Legislative Subcommittee, Oakland County Superintendents Association and Metropolitan Detroit Bureau of School Studies Inc.

Her retirement takes effect July 31.