Congratulations to Melissa Short and Jodi Schendel, the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominees for Goddard Public Schools! The Kansas Teacher of the Year Award recognizes and utilizes representatives of excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms of the state. Its mission is to build and utilize a network of exemplary teachers who are leaders in the improvement of schools, student performance, and the teaching profession.
Mrs. Melissa Short is a current 5th and 6th grade Project Lead the Way (PLTW) teacher at Discovery Intermediate in Goddard, Kansas. This is her fifth year in this position and was a previous 6th grade Math teacher at the same school. PLTW certifications are required to be able to teach the curriculum and Short has several of them. She has the K-5 Launch, Gateway Energy and Environment, Gateway Medical Detectives, and Gateway Flight and Space that she teaches over 500 students in 5th and 6th grades. Prior to moving to Discovery Intermediate, she taught Kindergarten for both Lincoln Elementary in Wichita, Kansas and at Explorer Elementary in Goddard, Kansas. During her time as a Kindergarten teacher, Short also taught as an Adjunct Professor at Newman University. While at Newman University, she taught integration of Science and Physical Education in the regular education classroom, Diversity and Multiculturalism, and was a Preschool Childhood Site Supervisor for fieldwork observations.
Degrees held by Short include a Bachelor of Science for K-9 Elementary Education from Newman University and a Master’s of Arts in Education for Curriculum and Instruction from Baker University. Short is also on her eleventh year of coaching for the Goddard Public School District in which she coaches both volleyball and basketball at Eisenhower High and Eisenhower Middle Schools. Short is dedicated to making sure every child is successful and tries to be involved with her students in and out of the classroom.
Jodi Schendel has been teaching at Goddard Public Schools for thirty years and teaches 9-12 German at both Eisenhower High School and Goddard High School. She has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kansas State University and a Master of Arts from Wichita State University. She began her language studies at Kansas State University, which led to an opportunity to study abroad at Maximilian Universität in Munich, Germany through the Giessen Scholarship. Her student teaching semester was completed at the Department of Defense School in Munich, Germany. In 1993, Schendel made the transition to Goddard High School. She established the German program within the school district, which had not existed before. As a result, Schendel developed all the teaching materials, including a comprehensive textbook that she built from the ground up.
Because of her love for creating student-centered and engaging materials, Schendel has been invited to give presentations at the International Society for Technology in Education Conferences and has instructed other educators in frequent webinars. She shares ideas with her colleagues at Goddard Public Schools as a presenter at the Big Cat Conferences and the as the lead of the Eisenhower High School Tech Integration Committee. Beginning in 2021, Schendel created an innovative internship program in partnership with Wesley Hospital. Catching the interest of Eisenhower High School, Schendel expanded the program to include both high schools. This district-wide program has now grown to include many opportunities in the fields of engineering, graphic design, and computer technology.
Don Hattan Dealerships is excited to partner with the Goddard Education Foundation to help announce and congratulate the District's Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominees for 2025. The Goddard Education Foundation inspires minds and expands opportunities, generating transformational resources that enrich the educational experience of the 6,300 students and 1,200+ educators of Goddard Public Schools. For more information about the GEF, please visit www.goddardef.org