Chagrin Falls Schools technology specialist wins Innovative Educator Award

Molly Klodor, standing, technology integration coach for the Chagrin Falls Schools, works on a science project with seventh-grade science teacher Alison Hinesman at Chagrin Falls Middle School. (Photo Courtesy of Katie Jones/Chagrin Falls Schools)
CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio — Molly Klodor, the Chagrin Falls Schools’ technology integration coach, recently won the PBS Ideastream Innovative Educator Award.
Klodor, who accepted the award at a ceremony April 12, was recognized for her work as an innovative technology user as a teacher, according to a news release written by Chagrin Falls Middle School students Katie Jones and Gus Bando.
Klodor was nominated for the award by Mike Daugherty, the district’s director of technology and innovation, and Angie Jameson, director of library media services at Chagrin Falls Middle School.
Daugherty said he nominated Klodor because she has done “an amazing job” building relationships and serving the students, teachers and staff across the district.
“Mrs. Klodor has been an excellent addition to our Chagrin team,” he said in the news release. “We are lucky to have such a talented, caring individual in our district.”
Since she was hired last summer, Klodor has been working on strengthening areas of communication, she said.
“This year, we have worked on improving how we communicate our technology and the tools that we have to the teachers,” she said in the release.
Klodor said she also has worked on developing a new website, making lots of new posters and emailing with students and teachers more frequently. But what she has found most enjoyable, she said, was being able to get into different classrooms and create some new projects.
In addition, Klodor recently has been working on a science project with seventh-grade science teacher Alison Hinesman, seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher Emily Moore and Jameson.
Hinesman said the team wanted to come up with a project for all seventh-grade science students that would allow them access to the school’s Creation Lab.
The idea of the project, she said, was that students would have the ability to use the innovation center to create a toy that utilizes energy transfers to work. Students were allowed to use any of the machines in the Creation Lab to create prototypes of their toys.
This is the first major project that Klodor and Hinesman have worked on together.
“Mrs. Klodor was a huge asset in helping come up with a plan and developing the lesson materials we would use,” Hinesman said in the release.
Klodor’s job at Chagrin Falls Schools is different every day, she said. Some days she spends with classes like science and Project Lead the Way.
But other days, when she doesn’t have a lot of classroom visits, she spends much of her time researching and finding new resources, communicating with teachers and trying to build out plans for when she can be in their classes.
Klodor has impacted both students and staff during her first year at Chagrin Falls, Hinesman said.
“She’s amazing at bouncing ideas off of and has pushed me to be a better educator,” Hinesman said in the release.
Students in the Project Lead the Way class learned about digital citizenship when Klodor served as a guest teacher.
“Digital safety is extremely important in our generation, and I am glad we are able to learn about it at a young age,” eighth-grader Ethan Johnson said in the release.
Another eighth-grader, Molly Macioch, said in the release, “It seemed like she was very happy to be doing her job and she seemed very passionate about what she was teaching, and I was able to learn about some other ways I can be safe online.”
Before coming to Chagrin Falls Schools, Klodor taught at Streetsboro City Schools for eight years. She taught ninth-, 10th- and 12th-grade Advanced Placement English literature there.
Klodor earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in Athens and she has a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Kent State University. She is currently working toward a doctorate at the University of Findlay.
Chagrin Falls High School seniors Alexandra Holtz and Matthew Daniels have been named National Merit finalists. (Photo Courtesy of Chagrin Falls Schools)
National Merit finalists
Matthew Daniels and Alexandra Holtz, seniors at Chagrin Falls High School, have been named National Merit finalists in the 67th National Merit Scholarship Program.
Matthew and Alexandra will receive corporate-sponsored awards that are financed by corporations, foundations and other organizations. These awards can be renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study and range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year.
Students and a high school official submitted a scholarship application, including academic records, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment and honors and awards.
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