LONGMEADOW – School Committee Chair Janet Robinson and School Committee member Kimberly King will not seek reelection during the June 14 Town Election. Both have served one three-year term.

Robinson told Reminder Publications her decision not to seek a second term on the committee was based on time commitment.

“Right now, with things that I have going on personally and with my children, I had thought that I have served the town and perhaps it’s time that I back out and let someone else have a turn at doing it,” she explained.

She added the School Committee’s decision to pursue funding for free full day kindergarten in the fiscal year 2017 (FY17) budget was not a factor in her decision.

“In fact, over my three years of being on the School Committee I’ve taken on all of the hard issues that previous committee’s did not,” Robinson said. “I took on free full-day kindergarten. I took on redistricting. I took on transportation. I went through a superintendent hire. I brought a balanced budget to the Town [Meeting] floor last year. I view that as successful in my mind.”

King said she’s also not seeking reelection because she wants to commit more time to her family.

“I have small children and they still need baby sitters,” she explained. “It takes quite a bit of time to be on the School Committee and commitment. I’m taking time away from my family that needs me right now. I need to kind of focus more on my kids.”

King said she’s loved being on the committee.

She noted she has been involved with issues such as elementary school redistricting, teacher contract negotiations, and hiring a new superintendent during her two and a half years on the committee.

King said she might consider running for School Committee again in the future when her children are older.

Both Robinson and King shared words of advice for their successors.

“When we’re looking at decisions, when we’re hearing deliberations and when we’re having to make these tough decision, we really have to look at what’s best for all children over all,” Robinson said. “That’s all 3,000 children that we’re there representing and serving. An issue may sound enormous for a small population. We also have to look at the ripple effect.”

King said she believes her successor should be someone who is passionate about the children as well as education in Longmeadow.

“The biggest thing that I had to keep reminding myself is that every decision that we make is for every single kid in the district,” she noted.

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