After 15 years on the School Committee, chairman Robert Brousseau has decided not to run for re-election in April.

Brousseau said that though he has enjoyed his service on the committee, he would like to spend more time with his family.

"When you start getting up there in age, you begin to think it's probably time to take more time for yourself," said Brousseau, who celebrated his 72nd birthday last week.

Brousseau has been involved in public education in Wareham for nearly 50 years. He taught at Wareham High School for 34 years, retired in 1994, remained involved in education in the months following his retirement, and was elected to the School Committee in 1995.

He was awarded membership to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) All-State School Committee in November, in recognition of his commitment to education as a Wareham School Committee member.

Brousseau said he strongly believes in public service and that it is important for new people to get involved in any committee to bring forth new ideas.

"[We're] always looking for innovation and change, and I think that's why the Wareham school system has progressed very, very well," he said. "It's time for somebody else to step up."

School Committee member Geoff Swett said he was initially surprised when Brousseau told him he would not be running for re-election.  But "after 15 years, we couldn't convince him to stay on."

Because he spent so many years teaching, Brousseau taught many of the people who came before the committee as well as many of the teachers on staff, Swett said.

"The fact that he cares so deeply about the schools and the people ... [and his] amount of historical knowledge will be missed," Swett said.

Brousseau said he will continue serving on the Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board. The board supervises the pension fund containing the assets of the school employee retirement system and other retirement systems throughout the state. He has been a member of that board since 1987.

"It's been a joy for me to work on [the School Committee]," Brousseau said. "I owe gratitude to the people of Wareham for electing me to five terms."