Lorri Frankel - On-site Owner I am excited and proud to be a part of Goddard. As the On-site owner with a background in Family Services, I am committed to providing the highest quality preschool experience for the children in this community. My husband Chris and I are parents of three children and recognize the importance of a safe and nurturing learning environment. As a family, we enjoy spending time together playing board games, biking, fishing, swimming and going to the beach. We believe family is the basis for why we chose Goddard and are happy to be able to provide Goddard's outstanding program to the children in the Tampa community. We look forward to welcoming you and your children to the Goddard family.

Valerie Chaffins - Director of Operations After spending almost ten years in the classroom, I decided to combine my business knowledge and classroom experience by moving into childcare management. I found working as a Resource Teacher, Assistant Director and now Director has given me the opportunity to impact children in a different way, through sharing my experience with teachers in ways that help to develop a learning environment that encompasses the whole family. I have an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education, a National Child Development Associate Certification, and a Certificate of Child Development Early Intervention, a Florida Directors Credential with VPK endorsement and First Aid and CPR (Adult, Child and Infant). I also owned a business for 18 years in the Clearwater area. I have been with The Goddard School since it opened last year, first as the Lead Infant Teacher and now as Director of Operations. I am proud to be part of a school that has its heart in teaching children the way they learn...through play.

Melissa Moore - Director of Education - I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina with a degree in Human Development/Family Studies with a focus on Child and Adolescent Development. My teaching philosophy is to guide children in their development by being respectful, encouraging, patient, and firm, but also fun. It is my passion to work with young children and give them the tools they need to grow and develop into compassionate, caring and creative individuals. As the Director of Education, I have expanded my philosophy to include our teaching staff. It is my goal to support our teachers and expand their knowledge in early childhood development. In this role, I now impact children by working with their teachers and assisting them in developing the skills needed to provide the best environment for the children in their care.

Ms. Anna - Toddlers Teacher -
I love to teach young children by example. I like to role model appropriate behavior for children to mimic. I have spent over four years working for The Goddard School located in Ohio. I have experience working with every age group in a preschool environment. I am transferring to the University of South Florida from Ohio State University and will be finishing my BS degree. I hope to one day work as a special education teacher. I love to sing and paint!

Ms. Kelly - Pre-Kindergarten Teacher - I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from St. Joseph's College and a Master of Science degree in Literacy Birth-6th grade from St. John's University in New York State. I believe in providing a warm and loving atmosphere for all children. All children have different learning styles that a teacher needs to incorporate into the classroom. Children enjoy learning and engaging in hands-on experiences. As a teacher, it is important to address all needs and make learning fun and exciting. I am a motivated and determined teacher.

Ms. Vicky - Pre-Kindergarten Teacher -
I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. I have been in the childcare field since December 1999. In this time, I have worked with all age groups ranging from infants to after-school-aged children. Since 2005, I have primarily worked with the pre-kindergarten and VPK state programs. I earned my Child Development Associates Certification in May 2004 from Learey Technical College in Tampa, Florida. I have completed more than the required state mandated childcare course work and continue to further educate myself every year with new courses offered by the state. I have been working here at The Goddard School since November 2009. I will continue to provide children with an education program based on sound principles of child development. My goal is to give children a sense of self worth by helping them develop at their own individual pace while learning pre-kindergarten skills. I want children to feel confident and secure enough to explore and learn in a stimulating educational and social environment.

Ms. Brittany - Pre-Kindergarten Teacher - I have my National Child Development Credential and I am currently completing my degree in Early Childhood Education at St. Petersburg College. I have five years of experience in the field of Early Childhood. My teaching philosophy is that every child learns at a different pace, as a teacher you need to have patience and love for every child. It is a great gift to be a teacher, because we are the ones who establish the life skills in each child, and watch them grow and use the skills we have taught them. We are here to foster their love of learning.

Ms. Vanessa - Preschool Teacher - I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences with a specialization in Youth Development from the University of Florida. I have worked with children since high school, but have worked with preschool children for the past four years. I have always worked with children and it is something that makes me so incredibly happy to do. Children are the epitome of innocence, and we, as caretakers and parents, have the ability to shape our children's minds together. I am so excited to spend the year helping your child grow and learn.

Ms. Sydney - Get Set Teacher -
I am currently completing my degree in Early Childhood Education at Hillsborough Community College. My teaching philosophy is that teachers have a great affect on children and must set a good example for them. Younger children need a structured but fun day with a schedule the kids can easily follow. Kids need a lot of patience and understanding.

Ms. Katerina - Get Set Teacher -
I am in the final stages of completing my degree in Early Childhood Education from St. Petersburg College. My philosophy on teaching is that children are special and deserve the utmost care. It is the teacher’s responsibility to be there for them through their learning experience--to be continually showing interest, patience and providing lots of fun. Teaching the children values for now and for the future is always the way to go.

Ms. Shaina - Toddler Teacher -
I love working with children and believe that they learn through play and repetition. Since a very young age, I have always wanted to work with children. While in high school, I was accepted into the student teacher program where I was able to work with preschool-age children and get experience creating lesson plans. It was through this program that I earned my Child Development Certification. After school I worked in the “Kidz Club” at a fitness center and within a few years became a supervisor. I was a nanny for a year for a family of four. Since working with The Goddard School I have had experience with all age groups.

Ms. Ashley - Infant Teacher Ashley has an Early Childhood degree from St. Petersburg College and a certificate in Early Childhood. She participated in an internship with a large preschool in Pinellas County. Ashley feels that an important role of a preschool teacher is to actively communicate with the parents and families of the children in her class. Informing parents of their child’s day lets them know what learning and socialization is taking place throughout the day.

Ms. Ana -Young Toddler Teacher I have an Associate Arts degree with a concentration in Child Development and Early Childhood Education. I have over ten years of classroom experience with toddlers. I taught Preschool and Pre-K at the YMCA in Providence, RI. I also owned a home daycare caring for child. I believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring, nurturing and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially. It is my desire as an educator to help the children meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that offers opportunities and activities to discover they are competent and capable learners; to learn to make choices with a balance of child initiative and adult initiative activities.

Ms. Carolyn - Infant Teacher I have been teaching in an elementary school for the last 11 years. Initially I worked with 2nd and 3rd grade children and then spent the last six years in pre-kindergarten. I have my AS in Early Childhood and General Education and the Florida Early Childhood Staff Credential as well. I believe all children are unique and grow and learn at their own pace. There is no greater pleasure than helping a child build their self confidence, social skills and love of learning.

Ms. Donna - Floater I have been teaching in the Tampa bay area since spring 2009. I earned my BA in Psychology from the University of South Florida where I also studied Abnormal Child Psychology, Autism and Developmental Psychology. I have also earned my National Child Development credential. I believe it is important to create good relationships with both the children and their families. The first few years of life are so important for development and therefore we should take every opportunity to facilitate learning. I am currently attending the University of South Florida working towards my Master's in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Psychology.

Ms. Mallory - Get Set Teacher I earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from Santa Fe College. I am currently working on a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an ESOL endorsement at USF. I have worked for five years with young children in the area as a nanny, camp counselor and a student teacher. My teaching philosophy focuses on literacy and learning through play and real life experiences. I understand the importance of scaffolding and creating meaningful experiences that are essential to future learning.

Ms. Mary - Preschool Teacher I have worked in early childhood education for nearly six years. I have taught one-year-olds, two-year-olds and VPK. I earned my Childcare Development Specialist (CDS) license from Leary Technical Center. I love being a part of a child’s growth and development and am excited to be a part of you and your child’s life!

Ms. Maureen - First Steps Teacher I have worked as an au pair and a preschool teacher in Denmark. I worked as a Paraprofessional at Lowery Elementary in the library and Kindergarten thru 5th grade since 2004. I believe in children’s imagination and uniqueness to express themselves through play and through the guidance of adults. I think providing a safe, caring and stimulating learning environment is essential to a child’s growth.

Ms. Sherryia - Preschool Teacher I earned my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Development and Youth Studies from Central Michigan University. My teaching philosophy is, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” My goal is to inspire your children to want to embrace learning, to be social and to have fun in the process! I am very thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to work with you and your children!