Candidate John Nunes has nearly 25 years of experience on the School Committee already, but he said his dedication to the students is strong as ever.

“As I like to say, the fire still burns,” he said. “I’m excited to be here, and I can still make a difference.”

First elected to the board in 1990, Nunes, 62, is the current board’s longest serving member. He has served consecutive terms since then, except for a brief stint in 2007.

Nunes, who moved to town when he was 4 years old, has deep ties with Dartmouth schools. He and his wife have two children who graduated Dartmouth High School. Right now, two of his grandchildren attend town schools.

Nunes said if re-elected he’ll stay focused on serving student needs. “I want to make sure the students in town are taken care of,” he said. “I care about education. I care about the kids.” While on the committee he’s seen many changes in the district. Shortly after he was first elected, the board tackled getting a new high school built.

“Seeing the high school come to fruition, that was a long battle,” he said. “That was very nice to see, a great accomplishment, and I was glad to be a part of it.”

Navigating the annual budget process always poses a challenge, he said. With his background in finance that’s one area where he brings value, Nunes said.

“Working on the budget each year is important. I’ve seen the bottom fall out of the economy numerous times as a board member and it’s been a scramble to find funding,” he said.

Looking ahead, he said properly evaluating new Superintendent Bonny Gifford is a priority.

“We want to make sure she’s doing what she says she’s doing,” he said.