Chagrin Falls School News
CoSN, the Consortium for School Networking, presented its prestigious 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award to Mike Daugherty of Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District during its annual conference on April 10...
Volunteer of the Year
CoSN, the Consortium for School Networking, presented its prestigious 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award to Mike Daugherty of Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District during its annual conference on April 10. The award recognizes Daugherty’s exceptional contributions to educational technology leadership in Ohio and beyond.
As Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Technology and Communications at Chagrin Falls Schools, Daugherty has made significant impacts on the educational technology landscape. During the pandemic, he stepped up as Chair of the Ohio CoSN chapter, extending his term by an additional year to provide stability during challenging times.
Daugherty’s most notable achievement has been establishing and leading a CETL (Certified Education Technology Leader) study group. What began as a small initiative has transformed into a comprehensive program that supports technology professionals across Ohio. Under his guidance, the state now produces approximately 20 new CETL-certified professionals annually – more than any other state in the country.
“I’m truly honored and humbled by this recognition. Supporting EdTech leaders on their CETL journey is something I’m deeply passionate about, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to a profession that continues to inspire me,” said Daugherty upon receiving the award.
The CoSN Volunteer of the Year Award is presented annually to recognize outstanding support and service to the organization. Daugherty’s dedication to mentoring new technology leaders and strengthening professional development opportunities has established Ohio as a leader in educational technology excellence.
Local Educator Honored
John Bakalar, a business teacher at Chagrin Falls High School, has been named this year’s Insurance Educator of the Year, recognizing his exceptional commitment to insurance and risk management education.
The prestigious award, which celebrates Ohio high school educators who deliver insurance concepts in engaging and innovative ways, was presented to Bakalar following a thorough review process that highlighted his outstanding classroom practices.
Bakalar has incorporated real-world scenarios, interactive projects, and industry guest speakers into his curriculum, helping students understand the practical applications of insurance concepts beyond the classroom.
“Insurance literacy is a critical life skill that many young people lack when entering adulthood,” Bakalar noted when reached for comment. “I’m honored to receive this recognition, but the real reward is seeing students develop confidence in understanding these important financial protection tools.”
The Insurance Educator of the Year Award aims to promote excellence in insurance education across Ohio’s high schools, recognizing teachers who go above and beyond in preparing students for financially responsible futures.
Play Selected for Prestigious Local Theater Festival
Sophia Corrado, a student at Chagrin Falls Intermediate School, has earned a distinguished honor in the world of youth theater. Corrado has had her original play, “The Suspicious Dame,” selected for production in the upcoming Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival at Dobama Theatre.
The festival, an annual celebration of young playwriting talent, gives students the opportunity to see their creative work brought to life on stage by professional actors and directors. Corrado’s script was chosen from numerous submissions throughout Northeast Ohio. “This is an amazing accomplishment for not only Sophia but for our school as a whole,” said Principal Curtis Howell. “It’s a great example of how we are personalizing instruction for students and giving them ownership of their learning.”
“We are incredibly proud of Sophia,” said teacher Alannah Waite. “Her selection for this respected festival showcases both her exceptional writing ability and creativity.”
What makes Corrado’s achievement even more impressive is her independent approach to the project. Earlier this year, Instructional Coach Mandy Marlo helped CFIS teachers expand offerings of writing contests to students as enrichment opportunities, which included the Playwriting Festival contest. After learning about the opportunity through her English language arts teacher, who shared the contest with CFIS students several months ago, Corrado took complete ownership of the process—from developing characters and plot to finalizing and submitting her script.
The Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival, hosted annually by Cleveland’s Dobama Theatre, is Ohio’s longest-running youth playwriting festival. It provides young writers in grades 1-12 the unique opportunity to see their original works performed by professional actors.
The Chagrin Falls Schools community celebrates Sophia’s creative accomplishment and looks forward to supporting her at the festival performances June 5-8.
