By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer
(Nov. 12, 2020) Based on the election results as of Tuesday, Donald Smack Sr. and Dr. Jon Andes will join incumbent Elena McComas on the Worcester County Board of Education.
Because mail-in ballots are still being counted, they can’t be declared the official winners until the final tally is completed on Nov. 13.
McComas has received 98.9 percent of the votes for District 5 so far with 1,974 votes from in-person early voting, 529 votes on Election Day and 971 votes by mail-in ballots.
About 1 percent, or 38 votes, went to write-ins.
“I’m thankful and excited to be back on the school board again, and I’m very appreciate of 98 percent of the vote. That’s amazing,” McComas said.
McComas, 73, has been on the board for the past four years.
She has spent 25 years as a public-school science teacher in Maryland and California, with five years at the university level as a science education instructor and student teacher supervisor.
McComas also serves on the Maryland Association of Boards of Education’s Legislative Committee. Starting in January, she will go to Annapolis once a month to learn about what the state is doing about education.
“I really feel we need to focus on our local issues,” McComas said. “I’m very proud of our school district for how well it has handled [opening during the pandemic].”
As a former teacher, McComas understands the challenges faced by educators in the county school system as well as families.
“Thank you for being so supportive,” McComas said to voters on Wednesday. “I’m here if anyone has any questions or needs to talk concerning the school district. I’m certainly open to that and have been.”
Smack, who is running for the District 2 seat, received 1,561 votes, equaling 61.9 percent of the votes, as of Tuesday. He received 639 votes from in-person early voting, 664 votes on Election Day and 258 votes by mail-in ballots so far.
Smack, 70, served the Worcester County Public Schools system for 30 years. He retired from the position of head custodian at Ocean City Elementary School in 2017.
He is also a member of the of the Maryland Retired School Personnel Association as well as the Worcester County Education Support Personnel Association.
In addition, Smack is a descendant of the original Briddell family in Briddletown, a historical Black community in Berlin. He is the son of Sarah Briddell Smack and Neil “Carlton” Smack.
Smack is involved in the American Legion Duncan-Showell Post #231, King David’s #284 Consistory and Abu Lahab Temple #206 Shriners of North and South America.
Since 1976, he has been a member of the Lincoln Lodge #53 in Berlin.
Smack is active in St. Paul United Methodist Church, 405 Flower St.
He is the past president of United Methodist men at his church. Currently, Smack serves as the chaplain of men’s ministry in addition to being a men’s choir member and the treasurer of the trustee board at the church.
If appointed to this new role, Smack said he will discuss ideas with his fellow board members and Superintendent Lou Taylor. He looks forward to helping the children in Worcester County Public Schools and sharing his love for them.
Smack’s opponent Rodney Bailey has received a total of 940 votes so far, and another 22 votes went to write-ins.
Former Superintendent of Worcester County Public Schools Dr. Jon Andes is winning the District 3 seat with 2,613 votes, equaling 73.9 percent of the votes. He received 1,586 votes from in-person early voting, 601 votes on Election Day and 426 votes by mail-in ballots so far.
“I feel very privileged and honored to have the confidence and support of the voters and the citizens of District 3,” Andes said on Wednesday.
His opponent Anjali “Angie” Phukan-Chatelle has received a total of 909 votes so far, and another 14 votes were counted for write-ins.
Assuming his election is validated, Andes, 66, said he will prepare to take office officially in 2021 by attending the Maryland Association of Board of Education’s seminar for new board members and speaking with Taylor to better understand his priorities for the county school system.
Currently, Andes is a professor of practice in the Department of Educational Leadership and Graduate Studies at Salisbury University.
He also serves as the executive director of the Eastern Shore of Maryland Educational Consortium.
Andes’ extensive educational and administrative career involves teaching social studies at Harford County Public Schools, serving as the assistant principal, then principal of Havre De Grace High School and serving as assistant superintendent for personnel and staff relations in Harford County Public Schools before coming to Worcester County Public Schools in 1996.
The elected board members will be sworn in at the regular board meeting on Jan. 19, 2021.