DEERFIELD — After working with several administrations, completing the Deerfield Elementary School roof project and navigating a global pandemic, a longtime School Committee member is stepping away from the role.

With his term ending on May 1, Ken Cuddeback has decided not to run for reelection after serving on the Deerfield Elementary School Committee for 33 years. He said he is finding it increasingly difficult to attend meetings as he focuses more on family life and staying cautious of COVID-19.

The election of a new School Committee member on May 1 caps off three decades of service to Deerfield Elementary School, which started when Cuddeback was elected as a Planning Board representative to the School Building Committee in the 1990s.

“I realized I wanted to do more for the school,” Cuddeback, 70, said of the takeaway from his School Building Committee experience. “As much as I enjoy it, I made the decision to step away after 33 years. … I have enjoyed my years of community service and intend to continue.”

At a joint Union 38 and Frontier School Committee meeting on April 5, Superintendent Darius Modestow thanked Cuddeback for his decades of service to the community, as he has “seen it all.” Cuddeback served as chair of these joint meetings, which sometimes brought hundreds of members of the public onto Zoom, during the pandemic.

“Ken Cuddeback is leaving the Deerfield Elementary School Committee after 33 years. To put that into perspective, I was a junior in high school,” Modestow joked. “He’s showed true leadership in uncomfortable positions. … For 33 years, there should be some fireworks.”

For Deerfield Elementary School Principal Tina Gemme, Cuddeback’s love for the school was evident in his years of service.

“The fact that Ken has served on the School Committee for over 30 years speaks to his commitment and passion,” Gemme said. “We are grateful for his kindness and wisdom, and he will be missed by so many of us.”

“Wisdom” is the term Modestow also gravitated toward. He said Cuddeback has made a “lasting impact” that can be seen through the elementary school’s budget stability and its reputation of “meeting the needs of all learners.”

“The community may not be aware of what this type of veteran leadership brings to a board,” Modestow added over the weekend. “[It’s the ability] to not be frazzled by the ups and downs school committees face, and always pushing solutions through input and process of his fellow board members and administrators.”

While he’s stepping away from the School Committee, Cuddeback will stay on the Tri-Town Beach Commission and may find other boards to serve on in the future.

Cuddeback said his parents were “committed to community service” and he decided to follow in their footsteps when he joined the Planning Board. He served on that board and the School Committee at the same time for a period of time, but shifted to the School Committee on its own after his work responsibilities grew, citing his commitment to the town’s students.

“I firmly believe in Deerfield Elementary School’s commitment to families and learning,” Cuddeback said, adding that commitment “has continued over the years and it’s been important to me to see that the goals of the school are supported and communicated to the town.”

During his time on the School Committee, Deerfield Elementary School’s roof has been replaced — which came in $1 million under the original estimated cost — the Union 38 School District has hired several superintendents and the schools helped safely usher students back to school during the pandemic, which Cuddeback said was one of their best accomplishments.

“I personally could not have been more proud of the administration and the school committees and the townspeople, and the work that was done to pivot and react to all of the issues and information that was just pouring in from every angle,” he said.

He said school administrators worked hand in hand with the Union 38 school committees and the combined efforts created an effective response.

“It came together the way it should: once a majority decision has been made, everybody needs to pitch in and do it, and that’s what happened,” Cuddeback said. “As a district and an elementary school, we did the most we could to make things as normal as possible for the students.”

Cuddeback said he’s had good relationships with the superintendents and principals he’s worked with, as well as other School Committee members, including fellow longtime member Mary Ramon.

Gemme said Cuddeback “has my highest regard” and his commitment to the school has helped it successfully operate throughout the years.

“Ken’s strengths are anchored in compassion, curiosity and connection. He welcomes all voices, is a thoughtful thinker, listening with an open heart and asking questions when unclear,” Gemme said. “These questions have often helped me synthesize our priorities at DES, thereby having an impact that is not always evident. I am personally grateful for Ken’s thoughtful, but not always visible, impact.”

As he moves on, Cuddeback said the best piece of advice he can offer to people who are considering serving on their local school committee is that one cannot expect to be an effective member if they come into the position “with an agenda.”

“Those that go to sign on and be on the school committee need to understand they’re dealing primarily with budget issues, the hiring of a superintendent and passing of school policies,” he said. “You’ve got to work with four other members to come to a resolution that works to benefit the school and the town.”

All of these responsibilities, he said, contribute to what he underlined as a town’s highest priority.

“Education is the single most important service we provide as a community,” Cuddeback said. “We have to have good education.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.

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