MARION — The race is on for two open seats on the Marion School Committee, and three local residents have declared their candidacy for the posts.

Incumbent Nichole Nye McGaffey is running for her second term on the Marion School Committee. She was a write-in candidate for a one-year vacancy in the 2022 election and is now seeking reelection to a full three-year term.

According to McGaffey, her first year on the Marion School Committee has been “amazing.”

“We have an amazing administration that it’s been phenomenal to work with,” she said. “And [Marion has] a really engaged community of parents that have provided lots of feedback and been very involved.”

McGaffey is seeking reelection because her family “instilled a value” of serving the Marion community. “It’s a big part of who I am,” she said, pointing to her father and grandfather who served as firefighters in the town.

According to McGaffey, as the only member of the Marion School Committee who does not have kids of her own, she is able to “look at all students” rather than just her own children.

McGaffey added that her experience as a lawyer who specializes in election law makes her a valuable asset to the Marion School Committee.

According to McGaffey, the biggest strength of the Marion school community is just that, it’s community.

“People who live here are passionate, they want what's best for their children,” she said. “They are very involved in this community and I think that only strengthens it.”

This year, ten library books held in the Old Rochester Regional High School and Junior High Schools were challenged for alleged explicit content. This has sparked discussion over suitable in-school materials.

“Librarians should be able to make decisions about books, I think they're in the best position to be able to do that,” she said. “I think that our policy is drafted in a way that you as a parent are empowered to make decisions for your child. If you don't want your child reading a book, you have the right to object to that.”

McGaffey added that while it is “really important” that parents are involved in their children’s education, “it gets tricky” when parents want to make decisions that affect all children at a school.

According to McGaffey, she has been “really honored” to be able to serve on the Marion School Committee.

“It’s something that I take really seriously,” she said. “I’m someone who absorbs information really fast and does a lot of research.”

McGaffey is facing incumbent Mary Beauregard and first-time candidate Mirian Nawoichik for two seats on the Marion School Committee in the town election on Friday, May 12.