As students filed into Melissa Rindt’s dimly lit, fully decorated science classroom, they excitedly picked a chair and anxiously awaited what has become a beloved GMS tradition. Rindt’s birthday falls on Halloween each year, and she is an avid storyteller, so several years ago she and her colleagues decided to come together and create something special for the students eeach year - a “Halloween Show.” This consists of a story that is read aloud to each class of the day, with demonstrations that exhibit scientific strategy. For example, how dish soap bubbles can be flammable in the right environment, or how friction can create flame under certain conditions. While this may have started with just a handful of Halloween decorations and tying subject matter into a fun storyline, it has transformed into a full-blown production of scientific storytelling that shows students what can happen when you combine learning and fun. 
Once seats were selected, and the scene was set, the show began. Rindt, dressed as a mad scientist with a green wig and white lab coat, opened the sizable book and began reading to the class. Introducing characters, she painted the picture of each story scene with great detail and a wide range of sound effects. For example, if a door was creaking open in the story, Rindt and her colleagues engaged the class to create that sound with the unison of their voices. Smiles spread across the classroom as the students dove into the storyline alongside their teachers.
Moving far beyond simple sound effects, Rindt had a handful of other fun tricks up her sleeve to make this story interactive and fun for all. A variety of visual displays tied the science of heat, sound, movement, and other conditional elements into the story. If a cauldron was bubbling in the story, then the class got the chance to see it right in front of their eyes. There on the science lab table in front of them, a carved pumpkin was filled with dish soap and other ingredients and spewed bubbles and suds out of its face. Bringing the story to life, and explaining the chemical reactions behind it, are fun for Rindt and her colleagues. 
What makes the “Halloween Show” an especially elevated educational experience is the engagement of the class throughout. As the wind howled in the story, students took turns in groups coming to the front of the classroom and spinning sound tubes with their peers - creating various musical tones that “howled” like the wind in the night. There was even one recurring role in the story, Hugo, that was played by the same student throughout the class period. By explaining how the sounds and visuals are made, students can better understand how much science truly touches everything in life. After over 20 years of teaching in Goddard Public Schools, Rindt shares that her focus in the classroom is getting students to think outside the box. “Science is about taking risks and trying new things,” she said. “If we only focus on what someone else knows, we will never have new discoveries. I love when I see students use problem-solving skills to come up with a new idea to try.” 
Alongside her peers at GMS, Rindt tries to foster creativity and collaboration to show that instructors care deeply about each student’s own educational experience. “My father dropped out of school when he was 14, because he felt that the teachers didn’t care about him and school was a waste of time,” shared Rindt. “My best memories, as a teacher, are of my students that remind me of him and watching them realize that someone does care. I have several that keep in touch and tell me that, even though I pushed them hard in class, they always knew that I cared and wanted the best for them. Seeing them now as adults and knowing that they succeeded and stayed in school is my favorite type of memory.”
Activities like the “Halloween Show” and other interactive projects help showcase how science can be captivating and cool in the classroom and out of it. “I applied at Goddard because I had looked at the surrounding districts and wanted the best place for my own children to attend school,” Rindt shared. “Goddard has provided both of my children with an excellent education and friendships that will last a lifetime. The opportunities they have experienced while at Goddard have shaped their lives, and made them the outstanding people that they are today.”
By continuing to recruit, develop, and retain world-class teachers and staff members like Rindt throughout the District, Goddard provides ALL students with access to resources that maximize their opportunities for success and continues to develop and grow our #265Family. “Goddard truly is a family, and I am so glad to be a part of it!”