Buckeye Valley will be without its longest tenured member of the board of education next year.

Tom Kaelber, who currently serves as the board’s president, will not seek re-election to a fourth term.

“Twelve years to me was long enough,” said Kaelber, who served as a teacher in the district for 31 years before taking a school board seat. “I’ve been doing this ever since I retired.”

Kaelber plans to continue to serve as a member of the Delaware Area Career Center’s Board of Education. His term expires at the end of 2016.

“Things are really happening at DACC,” he said.

During his time on the BV school board, Kaelber said he is most proud of be a part of boosting the academic standards in Buckeye Valley.

“Even with our funding problems, Buckeye Valley has maintained excellence in our academics,” he said. “We rate with the finest schools in the state.”

He said the academic gains have been made largely by hiring quality teachers and administrators, who will continue to perform at high standards in his absence.

“We’re hiring really qualified people,” he said. “It’s the best we’ve ever had with administration and teaching staff.”

In the last two decades, the district has built a new middle school and renovated the high school, but it has been unable to address its aging elementary facilities.

However, Kaelber is optimistic that district voters will approve a bond issue in November that will allow for the construction of two new elementary facilities.

“Any tax issue in Buckeye Valley is a hard sell, but I’m cautiously optimistic about passage,” he said.

Kaelber said he plans to travel in his retirement, but he will also stay active in the school system, including with the district’s alumni band.

“I’ve loved every minute of all these years,” he said.

Incumbent Joe Roden will square off on Nov. 3 against Amy Dutt, Randy L. Turner and Jeff White for two open seats on the Buckeye Valley board.