Former DeMello PTO President Mary Waite is the latest to join the School Committee race after taking out nomination papers for election.

Two School Committee members are up for re-election, but member Carol Karafotis has confirmed she will not seek re-election to the seat she’s held for the past six years. 

Karafotis — a veteran Dartmouth educator who once served as principal at Gidley and Quinn Elementary Schools — has said that she wants to give someone else a chance to serve.

School Committee Chair Kathleen Amaral, however, is running for re-election for a second term on the committee.

Waite, a former high school teacher at Mansfield, has volunteered extensively in the Dartmouth school system and currently serves on the Dartmouth Education Foundation Advisory Board.

She said that she sees the School Committee role as “a great opportunity to do what I can to help” with the myriad issues that educators face today.

Waite said she believes that teachers and teaching assistants “deserve a respectable wage” including “a fair benefits package.”

“I just want to support our kids,” she added.

In the Select Board race, incumbent Stanley Mickelson is up for re-election, seeking his third term on the board. He has taken out and returned his nomination papers.

Planning Board member Kevin Melo has also pulled nomination papers to run for re-election. 

Robert Michaud is running for re-election to the Board of Assessors, Thomas Hardman for re-election to the Board of Health, Sherri L. Tetrault for re-election to Parks and Recreation, and Suzanne McDonald for re-election to the Board of Library Trustees.

Board of Library Trustees member Wendy Garf-Lipp will not be running for re-election.

Interested in running for town office? There is still plenty of time. 

Residents interested in running for an elected position can obtain nomination papers from the Town Clerk's Office until February 13. 

Papers with 50 signatures of registered Dartmouth voters are due back at the Town Clerk's Office by February 18.

The annual town election is April 7.