Our Teachers

My name is Ron Mavumkal, and I am the on-site owner of The Goddard School® in Newington, Connecticut. I am thrilled to be able to provide The Goddard School’s outstanding program to the children and families in the Newington community. My wife and I have two children, who are alumni from the Goddard School. We recognize the importance of a safe and nurturing learning environment, which is why we chose The Goddard School. I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. I am excited and proud to be a part of The Goddard School and I am committed to providing the highest quality preschool experience for the children in the neighborhood. I invite you to visit our beautiful new School in Newington, and I am excited to introduce you to the incredible faculty,and look forward to talking with you about The Goddard School’s play-based curriculum.

Hi! I am the Director of Operations here at the Goddard school. My passion is working with children of all ages. I’m so excited to have the chance to work with your children, not only to teach and watch them grow, but to learn and see what they can teach me. I have 11 years of experience working in early childhood. I take great care in allowing children to be themselves, to be creative and to have fun in all they do. I believe fun learning keeps the heart young. That is why Goddard School felt like the best place for me. Caring for people and children is second nature. I love to travel, read, listen to music, exercise and spend time with friends and family. I can’t wait to meet your children and see the joy they’ll bring to Goddard School.

Hi there, my name is Jessica Colonese and I am the Director of Education here at The Goddard School! I have about 10 years of experience working with children of all ages. I graduated in 2017 from Tunxis Community College with an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education, and I graduated in 2019 from Eastern Connecticut State University with my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. I have always had a strong passion for teaching. I love making my classroom a warm inviting place for each child that enters my classroom. I am excited to help your children learn each day through playtime and fun experiences.

My name is Sugeily Lopez and I have been working with infants and toddlers for over 10 years. I love observing how children grow and learn! My passion for teaching comes from having my son, he is 5 years old and recently graduated The Goddard School. I enjoy watching all of the fun learning experiences he participates in. Providing a safe and nurturing environment for my students is top priority. I am pursuing a degree in Psychology at UCONN! I look forward to getting to know you and your family!

Hello, my name is Stephanie. I have been working with infants and toddlers for the past five years. It is such a pleasure teaching and being able to work with children. This profession is so rewarding, and I love all the relationships that are built along the way. Early Childhood plays such an important role in a child's development and I am so lucky to be a part of that. In my free time I love watching movies and spending time with my family. I also love listening to music. I look forward to working with you and your children. I am so excited to start this new chapter in my life as a member of The Goddard School team!

Hi my name is Miss Latoya! I am a first steps teacher and have over five years of teaching infants through toddlers. My passion for teaching came naturally as I helped take care of all my younger siblings. I am interested in pursuing a degree in business in relation to the Early Childhood field. I am so excited to get to know you and your family!

Hello I’m Miss Janaya! I’ve been providing education in preschool aged children since 2016 and have been hooked since. I have my associate's degree in early childhood. I’m a happy go lucky type of teacher, you’ll always catch me with a smile on my face. I’m so happy to be a part of your team and I can't wait to get to know you and your family!

Hello, my name is Kristen. I am so excited to be a part of the Goddard school! I have been working with toddlers for the past 6 years. I am also working towards my degree in early childhood education. I am beyond thrilled to help your children grow and develop while also having fun and making new adventures. I am eager and pleased to begin this journey with you and your children!

Hello, my name is Ms. Kim! I've been working in the childcare field since 2017. In 2020 I received my associate's degree in early childhood education. I am currently working on completing my bachelor's degree in early childhood with a focus in infant and toddler! I'm excited to get to know you families and help your children grow!

My name is Alexis King! I have 10 years of experience in early childhood centers, and I am attending Post University for my degree in Early Childhood Education! I have always loved being around and teaching young children! My favorite colors are yellow and green! I love to read, listen to music, hang with friends and family, be in nature, and go sight-seeing! I am very glad to be a teacher here at the Goddard School, and I cannot wait to meet your little one!

Hi, My name is Felicia Clark. I have a CDA in Early childhood and I have been working in Childcare for over 30 years and am a mother to three boys. I have worked with infants-Preschool but I always find myself coming back to the young Toddlers. I am very excited to be working at The Goddard School and I look forward to meting all of you and your children.

Hello, my name is Carolina Cardona. I am originally from Manizales Colombia a beautiful coffee city in the Colombian Andes. I grew up surrounded by aunts and uncles that dedicated theirs lives to teach, but more specially from my mother who is the best teacher of all. I graduated from the Caldas University with a degree in Modern Languages and a master's in human development. I came to the United States eight years ago with my husband Jose Manuel. I have fifteen years of experience as a teacher--- wow times goes by fast.!!! I love my career, but I have to admit that the US has been a growing experience for me as a person, as a wife and as a teacher. I strive give my students and parents the best of me because we are all on this journey together.

Hello, my name is Ms. Kenechi. I've worked in early childhood education for 3 years! I have obtained my CDA Certificate in infant and toddlers. I have always enjoyed working with kids and seeing them reach all their developmental milestones. I cherish these special moments throughout my career! I look forward to working with you and your little ones!

Hello everyone, my name is April Crispin, and I am a Lead Teacher at the Goddard School. It is such a great opportunity to be able to work in the field of childcare and to work closely with the staff and children attending the school! I believe that a child learns best when given the opportunity to express themselves. I am someone who will take the time to get to know your children and ask them questions. I believe it is so important for a child to see that their teachers too show an interest in something as much as they do. I am so excited to be able to take this journey with you all!

Hi there! My name is Lexie and I am so happy to be part of the Goddard team! I am one of the Toddler Assistant teachers! I'm currently working on my degree for Early Childhood as it is a passion of mine. My experience in early childcare started when I was babysitting for family friends and other families in Newington for over seven years. It has been extremely rewarding and fun. I believe incorporating play into learning is very important for a child's development. I love being outdoors, spending time with my family and ice cream! I can't wait to watch your children learn and grow while getting to know your family.

Hi! My name is Maria Class and I was born in Puerto Rico, but I have lived in Connecticut for many years. I have two sons and one daughter. I studied early childhood because of my passion for teaching and learning from children. I love what I do every day. I have over ten years of experience and continue to learn more each day. Thank you for trusting me with your little ones!

Hello, my name is Ms. Molly! I am originally from New York, but I call Connecticut home. I have been working with children for 10 years. I am excited to have the opportunity to teach and help your child grow! It is a priority to me that your child is in a safe and nurturing atmosphere where they can use their imagination to explore new things! I am excited to learn with your little ones along the way. Some of my favorite things are crisp Fall days and coffee!

Hello I'm Miss. Hannah! I have been working with kids my whole working-years! It started with babysitting when I was 12, to volunteering at summer camps & infant nurseries. The day I turned 16 I started working as a counselor of a summer camp. Throughout my college years I continued babysitting, was a substitute para-educator, and also worked at an after-school program. My first full-time job was a head infant teacher, then a preschool teacher. I now am working in our Get Set classroom, and I love this age group! In my spare time I love kayaking, hiking, reading and being near the ocean! My favorite place is Maine, being by the water and with nature is so relaxing! I love teaching and I can't wait to watch all the children I have in my classroom grow up!

Hello there! I am the Assistant teacher in Preschool! I have over 30 years of experience working with children from all ages. I have worked with children in childcare, elementary school, middle school and high school. I currently reside in Hartford, CT and originally from The Virgin Islands! I have a passion for teaching young minds. I love to see how young children explore the world around them and learn new things every day. I have a very outgoing personality and if you walk into our classroom you will always catch me singing and dancing along with the children! I am a mother of three and a grandmother of seven little ones. I am looking forward to getting to know you and your family!

Hi, my name is Queina! I have been working in the early childhood field for over five years! I am currently in school online at Penn Foster studying for my Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. When I am not working with children, I spend my free time going on adventures and trying new things with my son Mayson. I am super excited to get to know all of the wonderful families at The Goddard School!

Hello! My name is Vicki DiMauro, and I am a Preschool teacher here at The Goddard School. I have over 30 years of experience working with children of all ages, but mostly preschoolers and toddlers. I studied general courses and Early Childhood Development at Tunxis Community College. I have a passion for early learning and enriching young minds through mindful experiences and playtime. Year after year, I am excited to help children grow and learn, and I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they learn something new and exciting.

Hello, my name is Amber Mills, and I am very excited to start my journey here at The Goddard School. I have been working in childcare for over 20 years. I attended Becker College to receive a degree in Early Childhood Education. I also have two stepchildren who I helped raise into hardworking,caring young adults. I love watching children grow in all areas of development. I can't wait to watch your children learn and grow here at The Goddard School.

Hi! My name is Mr. Christian, I am so thrilled to be working here at The Goddard School. I am excited to get to know all my new students, families, and fellow teachers. I currently hold an Associates in Humanities and am pursuing my bachelors in Elementary Education. Before joining The Goddard School, I was the lead teacher in a preschool classroom in New York, (where I was born and raised) for almost 2 years. Prior to that I worked in childcare in the community and loved every minute of it. As a teacher, I love helping children reach their potential in their journey towards developmental milestones and hope to provide positive guidance for parents and most importantly the children.

Hello Families! I am a Lead Preschool Teacher for The Goddard School. I have been working in the Early Education field for 5 years. In the past, I have supported students ages 1-6 as well as worked with children of special needs. In 2020, I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and Elementary and Special Education at The University of Hartford. In my free time, I love doing crafts, exercising, and playing with my dog Oliver! My favorite thing about teaching is creating fun, exciting ways to grab students' attention. It is so rewarding watching students grow independence and learn new concepts that might have been tricky for them at first.

Hi everyone! My name is Ne’tayah and I am an assistant teacher here at the Goddard school. I have previous experience working with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. I’ve always enjoyed learning about and interacting with babies and young children ever since I was a child myself. I look forward to meeting you all!