Havre de Grace Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association President Semifinalist for Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award

From Harford County Public Schools:

Amanda Shaffer, president of the Havre de Middle School (HDMS) Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), has been selected as a semifinalist in the 2010 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award program.

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and Comcast partnered for the third year to sponsor the 2010 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award. The annual award program was developed to shine a spotlight on parents who have demonstrated significant involvement in the areas of communication, volunteering, learning, decision-making and community collaboration. The award honors parents and guardians whose exemplary contributions to public education have led to improvements for Maryland’s public school children, teachers, schools, programs and/or policies.

In her role as elected president of PTSA, Ms. Shaffer is responsible for increasing volunteerism at HDMS and for planning and executing fundraiser efforts and events. Events that Ms. Shaffer has spearheaded, to name just a few, include the Annual Harlem Wizards Basketball Game, Fix It Up Saturday and All Pro Dads Breakfast. In addition, she has arranged for several presentations from the local police department on topics such as gangs and the dangers of Internet abuse.

“Ms. Amanda Shaffer has had a positive impact on our school, affecting every student and teacher,” said Havre de Grace Middle School Principal Glenn Jensen. “She is very deserving of this award.”

Ms. Shaffer’s main goal is to bring the school community together through family-oriented events. Through her own actions of volunteering, not only with Havre de Grace schools but with Junior S.M.I.L.E.S (Service Makes an Individual’s Life Extra Special), Girl Scouts and the Family Services Center at the Abingdon Catholic Charities location, Ms. Shaffer truly exemplifies the volunteer spirit of caring and sharing. She is a role model for her family, the students in Havre de Grace schools and the greater Havre de Grace community.

“I am proud of the commitment and dedication to Havre de Grace Middle School that Ms. Amanda Shaffer has displayed,” said Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Robert M. Tomback. “This award program affords us the opportunity to celebrate and honor Ms. Shaffer for her innovative and creative efforts to make our schools stronger through parent involvement.”

Ms. Shaffer has a daughter, Anna Wasielewski, in ninth grade at Havre de Grace High School, and a son, Riley Wasielewski, in second grade at Havre de Grace Elementary School. She was nominated for the 2010 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Award by Ms. Elizabeth Nemeth, social studies teacher at Havre de Grace Middle School, with letters of recommendation from Mr. Glenn Jensen, principal of Havre de Grace Middle School; Mr. Don Osman, Harford County Board of Education member and S.M.I.L.E.S. sponsor; and Ms. Karen Leppert, secretary of the Havre de Grace Middle School PTSA.

Twenty-four semifinalists were selected – one parent from each of the 23 Maryland counties and one from Baltimore City. Of the semifinalists, five finalists and one statewide winner will be named at an award celebration hosted by Comcast at Loch Raven High School in Towson, Maryland on May 6, 2010, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. A buffet reception will kick off the event, followed by the formal award program at 7:00 p.m.