Clark will not seek School Committee re-election

March 16, 2017 | Kristin Regula
kristinr@thereminder.com


LONGMEADOW – A member of the Longmeadow School Committee will be moving on to new things after his term ends this year.

Michael Clark entered the world of politics at the age of 21 with his first term on the School Committee, bringing a fresh perspective to the school system with various initiatives.

“We’ve expanded access to technology, made it easier for students to have access to iPads and phone books in the classroom,” Michael Clark told Reminder Publications.

Other major projects Clark did with the School Committee included starting free kindergarten for residents of Longmeadow and succeeding with the other committee members in getting the new high school built for the town.

“We’ve done a lot of good work over the last six years,” said Clark. “I think with everything, it’s time to start the next chapter. It’s time to move on.”  

His drive has not gone unnoticed. Clark was hired by state Senator Eric Lesser as his senior advisor and was juggling that position with his seat on the School Committee until he decided not to seek reelection and solely focus on his work for Lesser.

“That’s something that’s obviously diverted a lot of my attention over the last two or three years, working with him,” said Clark. “Right now I’m focused on my career but I’m always going to leave open another run for office. I’m never going to say that’s not in the cards.”  

As Lesser’s senior advisor, Clark has his hands full.

“He’s [Lesser] the Chairman of the Economic Development and Emerging Technology Committee which is a new assignment for us and we’re so excited because Western Massachusetts as a whole is so primed for real economic growth,” said Clark. “Whether it’s with MGM or the new Chinese railroad facility opening on Page Boulevard [in Springfield], there’s a lot of great opportunities.”

While he is looking towards the future, Clark can’t help but think of the elected office he is leaving behind.

“It took a lot of real thinking about whether I should run again or whether I should move on,” said Clark. “The reason that it was hard to make that hard decision is that the work is real important. I personally believe that I wouldn’t be where I am had it not been for the teachers that I’ve been able to work with over these last six years, and honestly the ones that educated me for the previous 12 before that. That’s been a real honor. So when I think about leaving the School Committee, I think about the job that still remains.”   

There are four people running for Clark’s open seat on the School Committee, as well as the seats Elizabeth Bone and John Fitzgerald, who also are not seeking another term on the school council.

The four candidates are Melanie Rothstein, Kerrin Morin, Thomas Mennella, and Elizabeth Baron.

“My leaving the School Committee, I view it as an opening for other people to serve and I really hope that they do,” said Clark. “The challenges facing public education in 2017 are way different than the challenges facing us in 2016.”

Share this: