Welcome to The Goddard School! My name is Ms. JoEllen and I have had the privilege of serving as the school’s on-site owner since we opened our doors to students in 2009. In addition to my leadership role at our school, I have served on the Southwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council for First Things First since 2016. I have three children, two of whom are Goddard graduates. My husband Sam and I love watching renovation shows and cheesy romantic movies. As a family, we enjoy traveling and playing games. Prior to opening the school, I was a stay-at-home mom and community volunteer. I have also worked as a corporate trainer. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from DePaul University, a Master’s Degree in Training & Development from Loyola University Chicago, and a Certificate in Early Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. I look forward to growing roots in our community together!

*2015 Goddard Systems Teacher of the Year* *2019 Ready. Set. Teach! Scholarship Winner* Hello, my name is Mr. Ryan and I am the Education Director here at The Goddard School in Goodyear. Prior to joining the Administrative Team as Assistant Director in 2015, I was the Lead Preschool teacher in the younger three year old classroom for over five years. I have AA in Elementary Education, a BA in Educational Studies, an MA in Applied Behavioral Analysis from ASU, and a Certificate in Early Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. I am passionate about introducing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) concepts to our young learners. I enjoy bringing a fun and creative atmosphere to our school as we partner together to help your children play and grow. Outside of school, my beautiful wife, daughters, and I enjoy movies, drawing, painting, and creating images with Japanese ink.

Hello, my name is Ms. Karen and I am the the Assistant Director of Education serving the students and families of our school as part of the Admin team. I began working with children at an early age as a volunteer and that is how I discovered my love of teaching. I have an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education and have been working with children professionally since 2014. My passion is to create a safe and inspiring classroom for my students to grow and learn to be kind to all. I am so excited to be a part of the Goddard community and I am looking forward to serving you and your family.

Hello, my name is Ms. Selena and I was born and raised here in sunny Arizona. I am currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education and I have a true passion for working with children. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family. I am a huge Disney fan and absolutely love Disneyland. You will always see me with a smile on my face because my goal is to start or end your day with a smile as well!

Hi, my name is Ms. Cindy and I am the Lead Teacher in the infant classroom. I have been working with infants and toddlers since 1999. My family and I moved to Arizona from Colorado in August 2021. In my spare time, I enjoy playing with my animals and hanging out with my family. I am so excited to be working at The Goddard School and look forward to getting to know each and every one of your children.

Hello, my name is Ms. Damaris and I am a teacher in the Snuggly Snails classroom. I am currently completing my Bachelor's degree in Education at ASU and have experience working with children of all ages. I have been at The Goddard School in Goodyear since 2017 and love getting to know our families and students. In my spare time, I like to read and watch movies.

Hello, my name is Ms. Angela and I am an Assistant Teacher in the infant classroom. I was a stay-at-home mom for several years and have always had a passion for teaching and caring for children. I love to learn something new everyday and am ready to pursue my degree in Early Childhood Education. In my spare time, I love to crochet, bike, and watch movies with my family. I am excited to travel this journey with your families and The Goddard School.

Hello, my name is Ms. Stephanie and I am the Lead Teacher in the young ones classroom. I have completed coursework and am planning to finish my degree in Early Childhood Education. I have worked with children since 2011 in both lead and assistant teaching positions. I enjoy my job and love being a driving force in the life of a child. One thing you will notice about me is my easygoing personality, which I feel is a great trait for a teacher.

Hello, my name is Ms. Kirsten and I am the Assistant Teacher in the First Steps classroom. I have lived in Arizona since 2017 and have been working with children since 2018. I am enrolled at Glendale Community College pursuing an Associate's degree in Early Childhood Education and enjoy watching children learn and grow. In my spare time, I enjoy playing video games and watching movies. I look forward to a fun career at The Goddard School!

Hello, my name is Ms. Ariana and I am the Lead Teacher in the Young Toddlers classroom. I am currently pursuing a degree in Communications with an emphasis on Interpersonal Relations. In my spare time, I enjoy being with my son and family and going on an occasional hike. I enjoy getting to know my students, their parents, and fellow faculty. You will always see me with a lot of positive energy.

Hello, my name is Ms. Diana and I am a Lead Teacher in the toddler Laughing Ladybugs classroom. I was born and raised in Arizona and have been working with children of all ages since 2017. I am currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. I love exploring and trying new things and enjoy spending time with my family and playing sports with them. I am looking forward to working with your children!

Hello, my name is Ms. Merry and I am the Lead Teacher in the young two year old classroom. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and have been working with children of all ages since 2009. I enjoy reading, writing, and traveling with my family. I love teaching and helping children grow and learn. It is fun and exciting to learn something new!

Hi, my name is Ms. Leeya and I am the Lead Teacher in the older twos and young threes classroom, the Busy Bees. I have been working with children since 2017 and am currently pursuing my Child Development Associate degree. I have worked with children of all ages and love what I do! When I am not working, I am usually reading or spending time with my family trying new places.

Hello, my name is Ms. Melanie and I am an Assistant Teacher in the Busy Bees (older twos/young threes) classroom. I have worked with preschool students for a few years as a volunteer and am interested in pursuing further education in Early Childhood Development. In my free time, I like to read and play with my dogs.

Hello, my name is Ms. Kiersten and I am the Lead Teacher in the Silly Spiders preschool classroom. I was born and raised in Arizona. I have been working with children since 2018 and am currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program at Glendale Community College. I look forward to meeting all of the wonderful students at Goddard and watching them grow.

Hello! My name is Ms. Madison and I am an Assistant Teacher in the Silly Spiders preschool classroom. I was born in Kansas, but have called Arizona home since I was three years old. I have been working with children since 2021 and am pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. I enjoy seeing children meeting their goals and making memories. I like to work in my garden and to cook and bake. I am looking forward to growing with your students and with our school.

Hello, my name is Ms. Susan and I am the Lead Teacher in the older Preschool classroom. I have my Child Development Associate Degree (CDA) and am currently working toward my Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education. Prior to joining The Goddard School family in 2012, I taught Pre-Kindergarten in the school district for over seven years. I have lived in Arizona since 1997 and am originally from Holland, Michigan. I have a true passion for working with young children and I look forward to working with yours here at The Goddard School!

Hello, my name is Ms. Amanda and I am the Assistant Teacher in the Preschool Grasshoppers classroom. I have a passion for working with children and have been doing so for over twenty years. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time in nature and being a grandma to my sweet grandchildren. I look forward to growing with The Goddard School in Goodyear.

Hi! My name is Ms. Sabrina and I am the Lead Teacher in the Daring Dragonflies Pre-Kindergarten classroom. I was born in California but moved to Arizona in 2004. I have been working with children since 2015 and am currently pursuing my Child Development Associate degree. I love working at The Goddard School and getting to know the students and families.

Hi, my name is Ms. Hannah and I am the Assistant Teacher in the Pre-Kindergarten Dragonflies classroom. I have been a caretaker my entire life so teaching and helping children come naturally for me. I have worked with preschool children since 2018 and enjoy witnessing them grow into their unique personalities. Every day is a new adventure with my students. In my downtime, I enjoy painting and spending time with my cats. I am excited for my future here at The Goddard School!

Hello, my name is Ms. Kim and I have been the Lead Teacher of the Pre-Kindergarten Brilliant Butterflies class here at The Goddard School since 2010. I have many years of experience working with children of all ages. I hold an Associate's Degree (CDA) in Child Development. My family and I moved from Erie, PA in June 2008 and have made Goodyear our new home. It is a pleasure to work with your children and teach them to learn and grow in a positive learning environment.

Hello, my name is Ms. Diane and I am the Lead Teacher in the Kindergarten classroom. I have worked in early education for all ages from infants through Kindergarten. I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Child Development and a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Development. My family and I moved here from Northern California in 2019 and I am so excited to be here with you and your children at The Goddard School!

Hello, my name is Cas and I am the Kitchen Coordinator and a Resource teacher here at The Goddard School. I am currently pursuing a degree in Conservation Energy and plan to be a science teacher. I have a lot of volunteer experience working with children and my goal at Goddard is to help support our teachers and promote a fun and safe place for everyone to enjoy!

Hello, my name is Ms. Kylie and I am a resource teacher working in several classrooms around the school. I am also a college student at GCU working toward my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Literature. I have been volunteering with students from Pre-K through sixth grade since 2014 and taught at a Goddard School in New Jersey during the summer of 2022. I have a background in Musical Theatre, singing, and multiple sports which I utilize to interact with my students. As a teacher, you are also a learner and always learning from your students. I live by this philosophy daily and am so happy to be here at The Goddard School in Goodyear!

Hello, my name is Ms. Brittany and early childhood education is my passion! I have enjoyed helping facilitate the growth of young learners my entire life and professionally since 2020. I am honored to be a part of the Goddard team and look forward to many more years of learning and growth.

Hello, my name is Ms. SaMya and I moved to Arizona in 2019. I am currently in college pursuing a degree in psychology and love studying development and behavior. I love to read and watch movies in my free time. I have experience working with children as a summer camp counselor. As the saying goes, "You learn something new every day." I can't wait to learn with the students at Goddard as they learn from me.

Hello, my name is Ms. Brynn and I am a Resource teacher working in various classrooms around the school. I was born in Virginia and raised in Chicago, but have called Arizona home since 2017. I am pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education and have been working with children since I graduated high school. In my free time, I love to spend time with my five fur-babies. I am a Disney fan and love to visit Disneyland. I am excited to be a part of the Goddard faculty and look forward to getting to know the students and families we serve.

Hello, my name is Ms. Kirstyn and I am an Assistant Teacher working primarily in the one year old program. I was born and raised in Missouri and moved to Arizona in 2021 to start building a future here. I have always had a passion for working with children and worked in my first child care center in 2017. In my free time, I love spending time with my family and sweet Aussie pup. I look forward to giving your children a safe and growing environment, and watching their minds at work as they learn great things!