She took a different path toward education than the rest of her family.

But Carol Seng, who retired Monday after 13 years on the Auburn School Board, figured she could contribute in a different way.

“I never had the teaching passion, but I was able to get involved at this level,” she said. “It kind of fit my family background.”

After all, Seng’s late father, Ken, was a former Auburn School District administrator. When there was a vacancy on the board in 2002, he encouraged her to run.

Seng, who is the director of conference services at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle, said she continued to serve simply because she saw “unfinished business” in ASD, even though that meant a difficult commute to make Monday night meetings at district headquarters.

“That was a challenge,” she said with a laugh.

Seng, 54, whose successor is Robyn Mulenga, elected not to run again for a variety of reasons. From a professional standpoint, Seng said that included the opening of two new high schools: Auburn Mountainview and a rebuilt Auburn.

She also helped select Alan Spicciati, who succeeded the retired Kip Herren as superintendent, in May.

“That was a big change for Auburn, and I think it really made people wake up a bit,” Seng said. “I think it has been a positive change.”

The accomplishments, along with the board’s role in helping teachers develop professional learning communities that “really helped bridge” achievement gaps among students, led to Seng’s proudest accomplishment during her tenure. In 2011, the Washington State School Directors’ Association named the Auburn School Board its School Board of the Year.

“Director Seng brought a strong background of leadership and policy development to the board,” Spicciati said. “She has positively impacted thousands of Auburn students.”

Among those, her two children, both of whom have graduated. Couple that with Seng’s move to Snoqualmie, and she believed it “was a good time to be finished.”

“I think it’s great to have parents on the school board, as well, because they have their foot in the classroom and can really hear what’s going on,” Seng said.

“I hope to still be involved in education in my new home, whether it be volunteering for communities or being involved in their foundation.”

As for ASD, Seng said infrastructure remains its most significant issue.

“I think Auburn needs to deal with its growth,” she said. “They need to deal with overcrowding at some of their schools.”

But Seng, who was surrounded by family, including her mother, Joanne, a longtime ASD kindergarten teacher, knows that is an issue for others to grapple with.

“I’m at a really good spot in my life,” Seng said. “I think I leave Auburn in a better place than I found it. I’m really proud of the strides we’ve made.”