Aces of Trades: Jenni Domo is living her dream as a teacher

Drew Bracken
·4 min read
Unioto Science Co Operative of Physicians and Elementary Students (SCOPES) teacher Jenni Domo cuts open a diaper to show students how man-made polymers are absorbent and expand. Domo uses the current weather to show students how to make fake snow and how they are like the polymers.
Unioto Science Co Operative of Physicians and Elementary Students (SCOPES) teacher Jenni Domo cuts open a diaper to show students how man-made polymers are absorbent and expand. Domo uses the current weather to show students how to make fake snow and how they are like the polymers.

CHILLICOTHE – She’s rare. She knew what she wanted to do when she grew up, and it actually came true.

“I always dreamed of being a teacher,” confirmed Jenni Domo. “I would often be found in our family’s home ‘forcing’ my younger brother to play school with me. I would make him do math problems at our play chalkboard for hours and hours. I would often ask him to ‘get some wrong’ so I could make fancy check marks like Mrs. Corker, my third grade teacher, made and explain to him what he did wrong (even though he rarely really got any wrong). I loved teaching even then.”

“My mother was a teacher,” she added. “I remember staying after school when she would substitute at Worthington Elementary School. I was an ‘after school kid’ who got to help the teachers. This experience also helped me want to teach and have ‘after school kids’ of my own someday.”

Well, Domo is now a teacher and director of the SCOPES Academy at Unioto.

“As the director,” she said, “I help create community partnerships, write grants and design curriculum that’s aligned with the Ohio Department of Education STEM/STEAM (STEAM also integrates the arts) Designated Schools. As the SCOPES teacher, I teach engaging STEM/STEAM lessons that support the grade level teachers at Unioto. I create personalized learning opportunities for the children that I teach in grades 1 to 5.”

Students move different weighted cars on fake snow and ice to understand how slippery cars can be in a real-life, weather-related scenarios.
Students move different weighted cars on fake snow and ice to understand how slippery cars can be in a real-life, weather-related scenarios.

“Additionally,” she noted, “many teachers and principals reach out to me for advice and support on the best practices of STEM and STEAM. I also weave these experiences into my instruction at Ohio University with my pre-service teachers.”

Jennifer “Jenni” Domo grew up in Chillicothe, graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1988, from Ohio University in 1992 with a degree in elementary education, then earned a master’s in the art of teaching from the University of Rio Grande in 2000. More recently, she completed a professional administrative specialist’s licensure in curriculum and instruction and professional development.

“My father, James M. Caldwell,” she said, “was president of the Board of Ross County Commissioners for 40 years and president of Caldwell, Ott, Norman and Company, CPAs. My mother, Pamela M. Caldwell, was a teacher who began her career at Unioto and then owned Huston’s Gift and Dolls. Between these family businesses, my brother and I kept very busy with our parents. My dad gave me my first job as a ‘sanitary engineer’ at his office, emptying the trash at age 8. My mom later gave me the ‘head gift wrapper’ position at the doll store by age 13. This mindset of working hard, being positive, and public service were the core values that shaped my personal and professional life.”

Domo came to the Unioto School District as a 22-year veteran teacher. She first taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade at Bishop Flaget School, then first grade at Allen Elementary School for 20 years before she began to teach at Unioto Elementary in July of 2014.

“When I was presented with the opportunity to develop a program from the ground up,” she said, “I decided to make the move to Unioto. The SCOPES Academy was then created. SCOPES stands for the Science Co Operative of Physicians and Elementary Students. The program is an educational partnership with Adena Regional Medical Center.”

“My mom is a stellar example of someone who absolutely loves their job,” assessed her daughter, Emma Domo, an Ohio University ECEE teacher candidate. “She’s been a great influence on me, and all her students love her too. She’s the teacher everyone wants to have. And if they did have her, they talk about their positive experiences for years and years. As her daughter, I’ve heard many of those stories!”

“I knew I wanted to begin a STEM/STEAM school in the Ross County area,” Domo responded, “because I want to give back to the community that’s given so much to me.”

“I’m thrilled with the path my life has taken me,” she concluded. “Teaching is hard. Super hard. It’s exhausting to the core. However, it’s the most rewarding job you can ever imagine.”

For more information about SCOPES Academy, check it out on Facebook.

About the Series

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at gaznews@nncogannett.com or 740-349-1110.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Aces of Trades: Jenni Domo is living her dream as a teacher