Northampton School Committee Vice Chairman Ed Zuchowski, center, with his son, Matt, as they talk with John B. Wills, who lost the Ward 6 School Committee seat to Thomas J. Baird in the 2015 municipal eleciton. The three are waiting for election results at City Hall on Nov. 3, 2015. 
Northampton School Committee Vice Chairman Ed Zuchowski, center, with his son, Matt, as they talk with John B. Wills, who lost the Ward 6 School Committee seat to Thomas J. Baird in the 2015 municipal eleciton. The three are waiting for election results at City Hall on Nov. 3, 2015.  Credit: GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

NORTHAMPTON — The vice chairman of the city’s School Committee has announced that he will not seek re-election.

Edward Zuchowski, 48, made the announcement at the School Committee’s last meeting.  He represents Ward 4 on the committee. An Easthampton High School Spanish teacher whose kids have attended Northampton schools, Zuchowski has served on the city’s School Committee for 12 years.

“I did the math,” he said Monday. “That’s 25 percent of my life.” 

Zuchowski said that his daughter is graduating from Northampton High School on Sunday, and that the timing seemed right for him to step down. 

“I kind of figured I would graduate with my daughter,” he said with a smile.

A graduate of Northampton public schools himself, Zuchowski was elected in 2007, when he ran unopposed to fill the seat vacated by Lucy Hartry. More recently, he was part of the search committee that offered current Superintendent John Provost his job back in 2014.

Zuchowski’s announcement will open up his seat ahead of November’s municipal elections. 

The last day to submit nomination papers to the city’s Board of Registrars is July 19, and the last day for a candidate to submit papers to the City Clerk in order to appear on the ballot is Aug. 2.

Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.