Ms. Shannon
Education Director
Ms. Shannon is the Director of Education at The Goddard School. She has worked in Early Childhood since 1995 and has been Director Qualified in the State of Colorado since 2005. "I have been around children my entire life. My parents owned and operated their own childcare center, and since I was young, I knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I believe that children should have fun learning and feel they are in a positive, loving environment. I have worked at many centers and The Goddard School, by far, is the most dedicated to approaching Early Childhood Education the way I learned about it in college. The children need to come first every day and at The Goddard School everything from the top down ensures this," adds Shannon.
Ms. Michelle
Assistant Director
Ms. Michelle has had the benefit of both owning and directing childcare centers throughout her extensive career that began in 1996. Michelle started with The Goddard School on opening day as a Pre-K Teacher. "I am a huge advocate of early literacy and programs that support the development of each individual child. I love that The Goddard School is committed to providing a curriculum that is written by its teachers to meet the needs of each child versus a canned curriculum that serves the average child. When I was a teacher in the Pre-K room, I was inspired to be creative and think outside the box, and my students flourished. As the Assistant Director, I am passionate about mentoring our teachers to do the very same," adds Michelle.
Ms. Kelsey -
Infant Room Supervisor
Our infant room supervisor, Ms. Kelsey, is accredited in early childhood education (ECE) and currently working towards completing her bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Ms. Kelsey is a Colorado native and has worked in ECE since 2008. Ms. Kelsey is passionate about identifying each child's unique styles of learning and incorporating that into activities every day. "I love watching them learn and grow, and helping them develop ways of doing so is vital to me," adds Kelsey.
Ms. Cathy -
Assistant Teacher, Infant Room Ms. Cathy received her Elementary Education degree from Mankato State College in Minnesota and has taught children for over 17 years. Ms. Cathy says, "My focus is to make the children's experience positive, make sure they are given every opportunity to explore new horizons, and know they are safe and loved. I want to make a difference in the life of each child in my class!"
Ms. Melanie -
Lead Teacher, First Steps
Ms. Melanie, a New Jersey native, is one of our lead teachers in the First Steps classroom. As an accomplished singer and musician, Melanie received her bachelor's degree in music from William Patterson University. She knew she would be a teacher from a very young age, and obtained her early childhood education accreditation in 2009. Ms. Melanie is thrilled she is able to make a career out of two of her greatest loves - music and children. "In my classroom, music and the arts will always be important, as well as creating new and varied sensory experiences."
Ms. Cara
Lead Teacher, First Steps
Ms. Cara, who grew up in rural Vermont, is one of our lead teachers in the First Steps classroom. She comes to Goddard fully accredited in early childhood education and with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from the University of Vermont. Ms. Cara was inspired to go into education by her first grade teacher, who taught her to love school by fostering a loving, caring and nuturing environment. Her philosophy on educating one-year-old children is based on the premise that every child works at a different pace. "With a calm voice, a lot of enthusiasm and lots of hugs, I create an environment where each child may grow to their full potential," says Ms. Cara.
Ms. Maria
Lead Teacher, Toddlers
Ms. Maria is one of our bi-lingual lead teachers who works in the Toddler room. Having worked with children since 1999, Ms. Maria became fully accredited in early childhood education in 2004. According to Ms. Maria, "Children have always inspired me by their way of thinking, playing, and by the way they show their different personalities. I have never left the field of child development and never will!"
Ms. Melana
Lead Teacher Ms. Melana has over 37 years of experience working with children! She has an impressive list of credentials including her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education, Director Certification, Infant Nursery Qualified, and a Certification of Early Childhood Professional. Ms. Melana says, "my goal is to impact each child's life by incorporating developmentally appropriate activities and lessons to ensure they leave my classroom with a strong educational foundation. As a mother and teacher, I appreciate the difference positive early childhood experiences can make!"
Ms. Nicole
Lead Teacher, Get Set
With a career in early childhood education that started in 2005, Ms. Nicole makes a valuable addition to our Get Set classroom. Nichole earned her Childhood Development Associate Credential (CDA) from Anamarc Educational Institute in 2008. Nicole strongly believes in Goddard's philosophy of learning through play. "I always use love and logic, offer acceptable choices and create a structured and fun environment. It is truly a rewarding experience to watch each child grow and reach developmental milestones," says Ms. Nicole.
Ms. Jessica
Lead Teacher, Get Set
A Lead Teacher in the Get Set classroom, Ms. Jessica has the perfect disposition for sixteen two and a half year olds. "People will jokingly say that a room full of two and a half year olds can test even the calmest teacher, but I am adaptable and never get discouraged if the day doesn't run perfectly as planned. I know that in the end, children leave my room confident, happy and eventually, potty trained!" Ms. Jessica has an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education and is also Director Qualified in the State of Colorado. Starting her career in Early Childhood in 2005, Ms. Jessica joined The Goddard School in 2010 and sees a long future with young children.
Ms. Lindsey
Lead Teacher, Preschool I
As a preschool teacher, it is important to embrace learning as playful and fun, and Ms. Lindsey's outlook makes her a perfect match for this age group. "My personal philosophy regarding education and life in general is positivity! I maintain a positive attitude and outlook on life, and I think this helps my students feel calm, happy and safe. I love teaching at Goddard because each age group is matched with unique curriculum opportunities and goals. This helps me write great lesson plans." Ms. Lindsey comes to Goddard with a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education and has worked in Early Childhood Education since 2008.
Ms. Bethany
Lead Teacher, Preschool I Ms. Bethany has worked in childcare for over 10 years. She has a bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Colorado and received her childhood education accreditation in 2009. Ms. Bethany obtained her ESL endorsement in 2012 (she is fluent in Spanish) and received the Family Child Care Award from the U.S. Army. Ms. Bethany says, "I cherish the opportunity to share my love of learning with young children and believe in excellence for every child, every day, in my Goddard classroom."
Ms. Nancy -
Lead Teacher, Preschool II Ms. Cathy attended Hennepin Technical College in Eden Prarie, MN and has worked in Early Childhood Education for over 21 years! Ms. Nancy believes that children learn best through play. Ms. Nancy says one of her biggest goals in the classroom is to, "instill a love of learning in all of the children while creating an environment where they feel safe and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. I feel there is a need for compassionate, strong, and dedicated individuals who are excited about working with children!"
Ms. Jenny
Lead Teacher, Kindergarten Prep I
Ms. Jenny has worked in Early Childhood Education since 2009 and has received her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University, Nebraska. She is a fun, compassionate teacher with a big personality who sees herself teaching in Pre-K for the long term. "I love the adventures that each day brings and seeing the smile on each child's face as we explore them together. I take pride in being on the front end of a child's school experience and nurturing their love of learning. Learning is fun and every child should believe that. I encourage each child to explore their world and develop a sense of independence. I believe that talking with parents and approaching education as a team helps children perform at the highest level possible," adds Jenny.
Ms. Casey
Lead Teacher, Preschool II
Ms. Casey is a Lead Teacher in the Preschool II classroom. She has a Bachelor's degree in Human Development from the University of Wisconsin and has worked in Early Childhood Education since 2007. Her joy from teaching comes specifically from getting to know each child individually and centering learning around his or her favorite activities. Given that The Goddard School encourages this type of individualized learning, Casey is supported and encouraged to seek creative methods in achieving this aim.
Ms. Amy
Lead Teacher, Kindergarten Prep I
Ms. Amy loves preparing children for Kindergarten and brings a lot of experience to the job. In addition to her Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education, Amy is Director Qualified in the state of Colorado. She has worked as an Early Childhood Education teacher since 1990 and has developed a strong belief in how pre-K education should be taught. "I believe children learn through play and need a balanced day consisting of child directed and teacher directed activities. As an educator, I encourage children to engage in solitary, group and constructive play to become independent thinkers, problem solvers and develop cooperative and social skills while working with other children. I also believe that children need structure to help prepare them for the Kindergarten classroom. Children, when given the correct tools, guidance and encouragement, can accomplish anything," adds Amy.
Ms. Meagan
Lead Teacher, Kindergarten Prep II
Ms. Meagan began teaching at Goddard in the Preschool age group and after two years, joined the Kindergarten Prep team. She graduated from Illinois College with a degree in Psychology. She soon began working as a substitute teacher in a church-based school, and went back to school to receive a Master's degree. While attending, Ms. Meagan continued working in a preschool setting. Soon after, she came to Colorado and found her place at The Goddard School. "I absolutely love working with children. To see their minds grow and to hear the things they say is so amazing," adds Ms. Meagan.
Ms. Jacki
Lead Teacher, Kindergarten Prep II
Ms. Jacki began her career in Early Childhood Education in 2006 while she finished her Bachelor's degree from LeTourneau University. Two years later, she received her teaching licensure in the State of Colorado. "My love of teaching stems from my experience in college with the East Texas Literacy Council. I fell in love with the students and a fire started in my heart," adds Jacki. Ms. Jacki has a calm and loving disposition in the classroom and approaches her work in the classroom as a longing that goes beyond just a job or career. She truly believes that teaching is fundamentally at the core of who she is. "Becoming a teacher is the recognition of a colossal dream, a dream that was placed in my heart for a reason. I am here for every child in all ways - to help support, encourage and guide in any way possible," adds Jacki.
Ms. Brooke
On-Site Owner
Brooke is the on-site owner of The Goddard School® located in Aurora. She has three children and she recognizes the importance of a safe and nurturing learning environment. The reason she chose to open a Goddard School® was the result of her family being happiest when their own children attended Goddard. She is pleased to be able to provide Goddard’s outstanding program to the children in the community. Brooke earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance at Pepperdine University and also studied abroad. She loves Goddard’s curriculum and is most excited about the Art History and World Cultures enrichment programs. Brooke loves coming to work everyday knowing that she is providing children the best early learning experience possible. “I’ve been a working mother and a stay-at-home mom in search of the best preschool for our children. I think my previous and ongoing experience as a parent will help me be in touch with and appreciate the needs of our families,” adds Brooke.