Our Teachers

Ms. Danita began her journey in the Early Childhood Profession as a Preschool Music and Pre-K Teacher. From there, she directed children's summer theater, and served as the Director of Children's Learning Center @ Florida Hospital Tampa. Her experience also includes teaching In-Service Continuing Education at the Local, State and National Levels. She holds a CDA. Her favorite teachers have always been the children. They taught her how to earn respect, listen intently, laugh more, sing louder, whisper, make funny voices, but most of all, they taught her patience. Giving them the opportunity to free their insecurities allows them to shine through their strengths while reinforcing successes through specific praise. Danita enjoys watching her student's progress while learning together with enthusiasm and positive energy. She spends free time with her family, power walking, yoga, shopping for unusual antiques and learning about Florida History.

Mr. Dinesh is the on-site owner of the Goddard School. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Textile Technology, Mr. Dinesh worked as a textile engineer. He has since owned several successful businesses in the service, retail and hospitality industries. He is excited and proud to be a part of the Goddard School and is committed to providing the highest quality preschool experience for the children in our community.

Tejal is a Co-Owner of the Goddard School of Wesley Chapel. She holds a Masters Degree in Counseling Education and Counseling Psychology. Along with Mr. Dinesh Patel, her vision is to offer the families in our Wesley Chapel area a quality, upscale educational childcare environment where a strong foundation is laid for future academic success. She is also passionate about building a strong sense of community among our Goddard families, as well as eager to see our children learning beyond the classroom through additional programs and events that are hosted at our school.

Mrs. Dlal is currently the Director of Operations at the Goddard School. Mrs. Dee has been in the childcare industry since the age of 16 and has held her Director's Credential since 2006. She is the mother of 3 beautiful school age children. She prioritizes spending time with her family and they can often be found at the pool or trying new restaurants. She is currently a student seeking her Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education. She is excited to bring her expertise to the Goddard School and looks forward to creating and maintaining relationships with all her families.

Ms. RaShonda is the proud Director of Education at the Goddard School of Wesley Chapel. She has 7 years of experience in Early Childhood Education as a teacher and an additional 10 years of experience as a school administrator. She is an alumni of Ashford University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with a concentration in Education. She also received her Master's of Science in Education with a specialization in Leadership from Keiser University. She is currently a doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University, where she is working on a Doctorate of Education (EDd) in Curriculum and Teaching. Ms. RaShonda is a mom of 5 and typically spends her free time coaching cheerleading, attending sporting events, and spending time with her family. She looks forward to getting to know you and your children and inspiring a love of learning.

Ms. Jazmine is one of our lead Pre-K teachers. She has lived in many states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina. She attended Alliance University, South Carolina State University and York Technical College while pursuing a major in psychology. Working with children has been her dream since she was a child. Ms. Jazmine has her CDA and all of her VPK credentials. She began her lifelong dream of serving children back in 2012 when she started working at her first child development center. She is overjoyed with getting to know, understand, and love every single child in her class. She enjoys doing her best to help children reach their goals and also support their success in activities they enjoy. Ms. Jazmine can not wait to have you and your child in her classroom.

HI!! Everyone calls me Lulu. I love hiking, canoeing, and horseback riding. Even more so, I love working with kids. Watching them learn and grow is the most rewarding part of my job. I hope that all of my students grow to successful, smart, and know that they are capable of anything that they set their minds to.

Mrs. Carolyn is the lead teacher in the Preschool 2 classroom. She was previously a lead in the Bridge 1 classroom. She has her 45 hours for DCF and over 3 years of childcare experience, she has also spent time nannying. She has worked with children with ages ranging from infants to 5 years old. Mrs. Carolyn loves teaching because she enjoys watching children learn and grow everyday. Her favorite subject is art because that’s where everyone can express themselves from within with endless possibilities. Mrs. Carolyn has been married for 10 years and has 3 beautiful children named Maximus, Mia & Leonidas, who keep her busy with their activities. In her free time she enjoys spending quality time with her family & making new memories everyday. She can not wait to get to know you and your baby!

Mrs. Flossie is the Lead Preschool 1 Teacher. She has earned her 45 DCF hours as well as her CDA. She has worked in childcare for 39 years and has a plethora of knowledge and experience to share. Her favorite subject to teach is Language and Literacy because she can help her students increase their knowledge and understanding of different stories. She enjoys teaching children so that she can see them grow and become their own person.

Ms. Mariam has been working at Goddard since 2022. She works with all age groups so she gets to know almost every kid. Ms. Mariam has earned her 45 DCF hours as well as her CPR and first aid. She enjoys working with kids because it makes her happy to see them learn something new. In the future she plans to study anesthesiology or becoming a pediatrician. She can speak both English and Arabic. Ms. Mariam is so excited to build a relationship with you and your kiddo.

Mrs. Shukriya is a part of the office support staff. She has been in childcare since 2018. Mrs. Shuk has her 45 DCF hours and is currently working towards her CDA. At Goddard, she helps manage the office in the mornings and ensures that all the classrooms are following health and safety standards. She is the mother to a sweet girl. Mrs. Shuk can not wait to build relationships with each and everyone of you.

Mrs. Jessica is the assistant teacher in the Toddler 2 classroom. She is from Colombia and came to the United States in the beginning of 2023. She has a Bachelors degree in Science in Mathematics and a Masters degree Science in Statistics. She loves working with children and being able to watch children grow comfortable in their new environments. She finds it very rewarding when children start to open up to her because it means she has become someone they trust. Outside of work she likes to swim, walk, and dance to all different kinds of music. She prides herself on punctuality and enjoys learning new things ever day. Mrs. Jessica can not wait to meet you and your family.

Coach Jonathan is the lead teacher in the Wonder room. He has a passion for education, athletics, health, and helping others find that passion to be healthy too. He has spent time as a middle/high school PE teacher and high school athletic director/ basketball coach. Coach also has a background as a personal trainer and has worked with youth fitness up to more seasoned, older adults. He has assisted in children's and youth ministries at church for many years. Coach Jonathan has a Bachelors in Business and a Minor in Education. He is a married father of two - a sweet baby boy and 5 year old male beagle. He believes children are a gift from God, and takes educating/training our next generation very serious. Coach wants to make a positive impact on each kiddos life the same way his teachers impacted him.

Mrs. Idi is the lead teacher in the Bridge 1 classroom. In the past she has been an assistant teacher in the Toddler 2 room and in the Twos room. Mrs. Idi has been working with children for over 19 years, she has her 45 DCF hours, and is currently working on her CDA. She is a proud mother of 5 kids. Her free time is spent volunteering as a team mom for The New Tampa Wildcats Football and Cheer youth organization where she is also a Executive board member. Mrs. Idi truly believes children are the best teachers and she is so excited for all the memories we are going to make and all the strides in learning we will have!

Mrs. Becky is one of the lead teachers in the Pre-K 1 classroom. She began working in Early Childhood education 27 years ago. Since her start in this field she has gained experience working with all age groups, but Pre-K is her favorite. Mrs. Becky has all her certifications including her CDA and VPK credentials. She is currently in school working towards her Directors license. Mrs. Beckys favorite part about working with kids is watching their eyes light up when they get to experience new things.

Ms. Serina is a part of the office support staff at Goddard! She has been in childcare since 2022 and has experience working with all age groups. She has her 45 DCF hours as well as her CPR and First Aide certifications. Ms. Serina can often be found at the front desk in the afternoons. Outside of Goddard she is a student at the University of South Florida, studying Biomedical Sciences. After school Ms. Serina hopes to pursue a career in Pediatrics as a Physicians Assistant. She can not wait to get to know you and your kiddos and make lasting bonds!

Ms. Angel is a part of our support staff team here at Goddard! She currently has her 45 DCF hours as well as her CPR and First Aide credentials. She was born and raised in New Jersey, but moved to Florida for college and is currently working towards her masters in social work. Ms. Angel has been working in early childcare for over a year, and currently spends half her week at Goddard and the other half interning at a local high school. She can often be found reading, gardening, and spending time with family. Ms. Angel is excited to be a part of the Goddard School Family and is passionate about childcare and fostering students creativity and knowledge.

Ms. Jess is the assistant teacher in our Bridge 2 classroom! She loves working with kids and has been doing so for multiple years. She is CPR and First Aide certified and has her 45 DCF hours. Ms. Jess started babysitting and nannying when she was fifteen, and has since started working within preschools. Ms. Jess is interested in social work as well as psychology, two subjects she previously studied in University. She can often be found painting, scrapbooking, organizing, and interior designing. Ms. Jess is excited to make an impact and help shape young minds!

Mrs. Quyen is the lead teacher in our Toddler 2 classroom. She has been in the childcare industry since 2009 and especially enjoys working with older toddlers. She has her 45 DCF hours as well as her National CDA Credential. Additionally, she has CPR and first aid certifications. Mrs. Quyen can often be found spending time with her family and friends. She has a grown daughter, who resides and works in Los Angeles, after graduating from USC. Mrs. Quyen adores children and loves working with them. She finds watching them grow up to be successful one of lifes greatest joys. To her, teaching is the most rewarding profession in the world.

Ms. Estefany is the lead teacher in the Bridge 2 classroom. She has been working in early childhood education for almost 5 years, she has her 45 DCF hours, and her CDA. She loves working with kids especially two and three year olds and thinks its important to treat kids as though they are her own. She plans on expanding her knowledge and opening her own daycare one day. In her spare time she loves going to the gym and beach. Ms. Estefany has a son who she absolutely adores who has taught her all about motherhood. Ms. Estefany loves being children's guide and watching them grow, her favorite thing is to be able to experience them achieving and learning new things and getting excited about it.

Ms. Renayia is the assistant teacher in the Twos classroom! She is originally from South Florida but came to Wesley Chapel in 2018. She recently graduated with her bachelors degree in Biology from Florida A&M University. Although Ms. Renayia is fairly new to working in child care professionally, she has been babysitting since she was 14. She has her 45 DCF hours as well as her CPR and first aid credentials. Ms. Renayia has always had a special bond with children and looks forward to being able to create memories with the kids and their families.

Mrs. Jenn is the assistant teacher in the Preschool 2 class! She has a passion for working with children, families, and other educators. She has been in the early childhood field for the past 36 years. She moved to Florida from Massachusetts in the summer of 2020. In Massachusetts, Mrs. Jenn held her Director II certification and worked in many different capacities throughout her career. She started as a classroom assistant teacher, educating infants through school-age children. From there she worked her way to a director position. Most of Mrs. Jenns career has been opening and directing childcare programs and leading large teams. She also worked as a Regional Director for an afterschool program located inside several Boston Public Schools. She also spent some time supporting families, as an Early Head Start Home Visitor. Mrs. Jenn can often be found spending time with her husband, kids, and grandkids! She is so excited to get to know you and your family.

Mrs. Sarmistha is a part of the support staff team here at Goddard. She is originally from India and has a masters degree in History. Before coming into childcare, she worked in many different sectors such as banking and office management. Mrs. Sarmistha has been in childcare for the past few years. She enjoys working with kids and watching them discover something new everyday. She believes that we can learn just as much from kids as we teach. Outside of learning and playing with your kiddos she enjoys watching movies and spending time with her daughter.

Ms. Carmen has a deep love for children and over 20 years of experience in the child care industry. Her journey began in 2007 when she started caring for her niece. This sparked a passion and in 2010 she opened a group family daycare where she gained invaluable experience nurturing and guiding young minds. In 2018, Ms. Carmen moved to Florida and expanded her horizons by working in various school settings. Throughout her career she has had the privilege of working with children of all ages and finds joy in helping them learn, grow, and develop their full potential. Ms. Carmen has her 45 DCF hours as well as her CDA and is fueled by her passion for early childhood development.

Ms. Jacqueline is part of the support staff at Goddard. She was born in Georgia, but has lived in Florida her whole life. She has four siblings, two nephews, and three nieces. Ms. Jacqueline currently has her 45 DCF hours and is looking into gaining more certifications in the future. Prior to joining the Goddard family she has worked within other facilities with one year olds to school agers, but loves two year olds.

Ms. Jada is a student at Florida State University. She is currently pursuing a degree in Political Science. Ms. Jada has her ServSafe certificate as well as her Para Certification. Additionally, she has her 45 DCF hours. Ms. Jada loves working with kids and gravitates towards the younger age groups. She can not wait to build a relationship with each family and celebrate all the important milestones each child experiences.

Ms. Eva has been working in the early childhood education field since 2013. She has experience with all age groups but especially loves teaching two year olds. While living in Portland Ms. Eva attended Portland Community College to further her knowledge in early childhood education. She has worked with many different programs such as Montessori, Emergent Curriculum, and Reggio Emilia all of which have helped expand her knowledge of curriculum and age-appropriate teachings. Ms. Eva is a fluent Spanish and English teacher. Additionally, she has her 45 DCF hours, CPR, and First Aide credentials. Outside of work, Ms. Eva can be found spending time with her husband and two kids.

Ms. Cheyene has been involved in childcare since she was 13 years old. She started working at her grandmother's home daycare and has since worked in several professional early childcare centers. Ms. Cheyene has worked with infants to school agers but finds herself particularly drawn to one-year-olds. She currently has her 45 DCF hours as well as her CPR and First Aid certifications and is planning on obtaining her CDA. Ms. Cheyene was born and raised in Tampa and is the proud mother of a little boy. Her favorite story is "The Big Red Barn" and she can not wait to build relationships with each child and their family.

Ms. Melissa is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and a new Floridian. She has experience working with all age groups and is an asset in each classroom. Ms. Melissa enjoys focusing on the learning, growth, and development of each child and ensuring they have fun while in school. Outside of work Ms. Melissa enjoys theater and dancing and can often be found trying out new foods.

Ms. Jeannette is a proud Puerto Rican but has been living in Florida since she was a teenager. She has pursued careers in retail, banking, and childcare. She has experience with all age groups but especially loves working with one-year-olds. With over 5 years of professional experience, she finds learning and play to be synonymous. Ms. Jeannette has her 45 DCF hours as well as her CPR and First Aide credentials. Outside of work, she can be found spending time with her family.

Ms. Charlize is a part of the awesome support staff here at Goddard. She has 3 years of experience in nurturing young minds and enjoys working with kids of all ages and loves molding minds into creative spaces. Ms. Charlize is CPR and AED certified and has her 45 DCF hours. She is currently a college student and is hoping to expand her knowledge in the medical field. Ms. Charlize is incredibly family oriented and likes to spend her time either painting, scrapbooking or outside with her dogs.

Ms. Sidney was born and raised in Florida. She has been working in a professional childcare setting since 2017 and was babysitting prior to that. Ms. Sidney enjoys creating a relationship with each and every child she crosses paths with. She believes that students' creativity allows teachers to learn and grow every day. Ms. Sidney has her 45 DCF hours in addition to her CPR and First Aid license. Outside of work, Ms. Sidney can be found spending time with her family and pets. She can not wait to create unbreakable bonds with you and your kiddo.