David Shaffer and Claudia Thomas joined the show to discuss the challenges starting the school year during the Covid-19 pandemic and where they are seeing hope.
David Shaffer serves as the Principal of River Bend Middle School in Sterling, Virginia. He received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Cedarville University, one in Sports Management and one in Education. He received his Master’s in Educational Leadership from Shenandoah University and has a Pre-K-12 Administration and Supervision endorsement. He is currently a Doctoral Candidate for Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech University. Mr. Shaffer has served as the Principal of River Bend Middle School since 2014.
For the past 20 years, he has worked in Loudoun County Public Schools as a teacher and
administrator focused on creating innovative schools for 21st century learners.
He has worked for the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform as the Schools to Watch Site Visit Coordinator for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Locally, he serves as a member of the Educational Advisory Counsel for the Washington Football Team Charitable
Foundation. Mr. Shaffer was nominated as the 2018 NASSP Digital Principal of the year. Finally, Mr. Shaffer was recognized as the 2019 Educator of the Year from the Virginia Middle Schools Association.
Claudia Thomas has worked for one of the largest school systems in the DMV area for 18 years. She currently works to support families in her community through various partnership
opportunities with Mclean Bible Church. Claudia facilitates parenting classes where she works to empower caregivers to be the first and most influential people in their children's lives. A motto that Claudia lives by is "All children and youth are capable of success, no exceptions!"