Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Casey Day — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Casey Day is a Frederick County educator with over 30 years of classroom experience. She has worked with students at every level, supported teachers, and partnered with families across the county. She is running for the Board of Education to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed. She believes decisions should be grounded in real classroom experience and shaped by the voices of educators and families. Her campaign focuses on three priorities: expanding opportunity for every student; providing real support for learning through strong instruction, special education, and well-staffed schools; and ensuring educators and families have a voice. Casey serves on the Maryland Teacher Advisory Council and has worked with the Frederick County Social Services Advisory Board. She also helped lead a statewide effort to prioritize learning over excessive testing leading to the passage of statewide legislation. Our classrooms deserve decisions grounded in real experience.

• Maria A. Carrasco — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Maria A. Carrasco is a Non-Partisan candidate running for the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. Holding a PhD, MPH, and MPP, Carrasco brings over twenty-five years of professional experience in public health, social policy, and program leadership, including extensive work addressing health challenges in Africa and Latin America. Locally, she serves as the Vice Chair of the Citizens Advisory Council for the Board of Education and is a regular volunteer at Middletown Elementary, where her daughter attends. Additionally, Carrasco teaches health equity at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She has lived in Frederick County for seven years.

• Chloe Celeste — Candidate in Frederick, Maryland

  By authority of Comrades for Celeste; Kat Koser, Treasurer

• Jess Douglass — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Jess Douglass is running for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland's nonpartisan 2026 election. Born in Pennsylvania, she earned a bachelor's degree in English and communication education from Penn State University. Douglass completed a master's degree in education from the University of Maryland in 2006. She has built a career in public education, working as a special education teacher and previously teaching in Montgomery County Public Schools. As a mother of four children in the public school district, her campaign advocates for smaller class sizes and well-funded behavioral health specialists.

• Heather Fletcher — Republican Central Committee in Frederick, Maryland

  Heather Fletcher, a resident of Point of Rocks, Maryland, for over 16 years, is a mother of three school-aged children. She was a non-partisan candidate for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in 2022 and ran again as a write-in candidate in the November 5, 2024, general election. Fletcher holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from the University of North Dakota and formerly worked as an Air Traffic Controller. After leaving her career to become a homemaker, she has been actively involved in her children's education, navigating public school, homeschool, and private school settings. This direct experience has provided her with a comprehensive perspective on different educational models and challenges.

• Nathan W. Foltz — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Nathan W. Foltz is a nonpartisan candidate running for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. Foltz will appear on the ballot in the primary election scheduled for June 23, 2026. His campaign committee is named Citizens for Special Education Compliance, reflecting his background. Foltz has fifteen years of experience working as a general education substitute teacher, alongside five years of specialized experience focusing on special education, autism, and alternative education. In late 2025, he also actively applied to fill a mid-term vacancy on the school board before continuing his 2026 campaign.

• Rae Gallagher — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Rae Gallagher is a non-partisan candidate for re-election to the Frederick County Board of Education as an at-large member. Appointed in 2020 and elected to a full term in 2022, she has held key leadership roles, including Board President and Vice President. She brings over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector, currently serving as the Council Director for Girls on the Run of Mid and Western Maryland. Gallagher holds a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore. As a parent of two district students, she is highly committed to advocating for transparent, student-centered educational policies.

• David A. Migdal — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  David A. Migdal is a Non-Partisan candidate running for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. With roughly 30 years of experience in public education, Migdal has dedicated his career to supporting students as both a teacher and a school administrator. He most recently served as an assistant principal at Sugarloaf Elementary School in the Frederick County Public Schools system. As an educator and parent of FCPS students, Migdal brings an essential perspective to the local board. His 2026 campaign focuses heavily on early intervention, literacy, special education, and providing individualized support to all students.

• Shelley L. Potter — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Shelley Potter has an extensive career in education, including roles as Head of Primary School at Qurum Private School, ESOL Coordinator & Specialist for Montgomery County Public Schools, and Public Speaking & English Teacher at Montgomery College. Her experience includes curriculum alignment, teacher training, and program development in various international and domestic educational settings.

• Dean Rose — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Dean Rose is an at-large member of the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. He began his term on December 6, 2022, which is scheduled to conclude on December 1, 2026. Since his election, Rose has served in leadership roles on the board, including as Vice President and President. A resident of the county since 1998, he has a long history of community involvement. Prior to joining the board, he served for six years on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County, including two years as Board Chair. His volunteer work also includes the Make a Wish Foundation, Heartly House, and the Alzheimer's Association. Rose was also a member of the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek and an assistant boys' varsity basketball coach for 13 years.

• David Schmidt — Democratic Central Committee in Frederick, Maryland

  David Schmidt is a political candidate running for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. Although this school board race is non-partisan, Schmidt has a background in local politics, having previously run as a Democratic candidate for the Frederick City Council's District 3 seat in 2025. In his past campaigns, Schmidt has strongly advocated for community-focused policies, including affordable housing, rent stabilization, and eliminating 287(g) agreements to rebuild trust with immigrant communities. He is on the ballot for the non-partisan primary election scheduled for June 23, 2026.

• Geoffrey Seidel — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Geoffrey Seidel is a nonpartisan candidate running for an at-large seat on the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland for the 2026 election. With over 44 years of experience as a registered nurse, Seidel works as a clinical project manager at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. He is also an adjunct professor at Mount St. Mary's University, teaching in the business and public health administration graduate programs. Seidel previously taught at Frederick Community College. Actively involved in his local community, he serves as president of the Marriage Resource Center of Frederick County and treasurer for Trauma Responsive Frederick.

• Tyler Walker — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Tyler Walker is a Non-Partisan candidate for the Frederick County Board of Education in Maryland. A former social studies teacher with over five years of classroom experience, he has taught at Monocacy Middle School and Fauquier High School. Walker earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Shippensburg University in 2015. He also serves as an infantry officer in the Maryland Army National Guard, with over fifteen years of military service and a deployment to Poland. Currently, Walker works as an IT infrastructure regional sales manager and resides in Frederick County with his family.

• Chad King Wilson, Sr. — Board of Education in Frederick, Maryland

  Chad King Wilson Sr. is a member of the Frederick County Board of Education and a veteran educator with 19 years of dedicated service. His professional experience encompasses special education, social studies, and alternative education programs. Wilson holds a Master of Education in Special Education and Disability Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, along with a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Sociology from Saint Francis University. He currently serves as a teacher of Social Studies and Academic Intervention. In addition to his academic roles, he has mentored students as a football and track coach and as a sponsor for the Black Student Union. A resident of Frederick, Maryland, he and his wife are parents to two children enrolled in Frederick County Public Schools.