Our Goddard School Teachers

Welcome! My name is Mrs. Debbie. I am the proud Owner of the Goddard School, located in historic Crabapple. We are conveniently located near Crabapple Crossing Elementary School. I attended The University of Miami beginning in my Junior year in High School completing laboratory research in Animal Behavior. My husband Stephen and I have three children, Stephanie, CJ and Nina who all help us operate a safe, small setting, neighborhood school. Our incorporated name…”Childhood- The Joy of Being”, utilizes the initials of my son - for it is truly through his eyes that I have enjoyed the spontaneity of education and learning all over again! We pride ourselves in providing a small intimate family-like environment (capacity is 122 students) recognizing the uniqueness of each child and to provide honest and open communication with our families. Our Goddard School Crabapple/Alpharetta 2 has been open for 22 years- owned and operated by the same family since inception in 2003.

Hello, my name is Ms. Stephanie, and I am the Executive Director here at the Goddard School of Crabapple. I am a graduate of Kennesaw State University where I obtained my B.S. Degree in Psychology and Marketing. I have enjoyed working at our school for over 20 years! My husband Zak and I are blessed to have our son here with us and we are proud to be a long standing, family owned and operated learning facility. We look forward to welcoming you and your family to our school!

My name is Zak Didier and I am the Operations Manager of our family run facility. I have been here for the last 18 years and have enjoyed getting to know so many families in our local community.

Hi, my name is Ms. Emily! I have 10 years of experience working with children in developing countries with a focus on community development and children at risk. During my field experience I realized I had a passion for teaching which eventually lead me to the Goddard School. I have been a part of the Goddard Crabapple family for the past 14 years and I have loved my experience. Watching the students succeed and thrive in our learning environment brings me so much joy! Our teachers are some of the kindest and most nurturing people I've ever met. As a mom, I know I am leaving my children in the best care. Over the past five years I have enjoyed working in the office as apart of the administration team. I have loved welcoming all of our new families to Goddard!

My name is Ms. Chrissy and I have been teaching at the Goddard school for the past 11 years! I am a graduate of Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. I have always had a passion for education and teaching young children. From helping with their homework to tutoring and volunteering, I have always enjoyed helping young children grow and succeed. I believe in being an empowering role model for my students by creating a positive and inspiring environment for each child to thrive. A personal goal of mine is to help each child look forward to coming to school each day by implementing unique child-focused, goal-oriented activities.

Hi, I'm Arianna! This is my first year working at Goddard Crabapple. Raised in Georgia, I've always been passionate about caring for others- especially children. With a background in nursing and experience caring for younger relatives in my large family environment, I've developed strong skills to provide top-notch care. I'm thrilled to join the Crabapple team and nurture your little ones!

Hello, my name is Ms. Fatemeh. I have enjoyed working at this school since the first day it opened 22 years ago! I have over 30 years of experience working with infants and young toddlers. I have two wonderful boys, one who graduated from UGA and another who is currently enrolled in college. I have a certificate in occupational childcare from Middlesex County Adult Technical School in New Jersey along with a CDA. I love my family, my job and the children I work with. The children in my classroom bring me so much joy. I’m so happy to be a part of the Goddard Crabapple family.

I’m Ms. Riley and this is my third year with the Goddard school. I have several years of experience working with children and I love working in the Bridge classroom! I am currently enrolled at Gwinnett Tech studying early childhood education and I hope to implement my knowledge in the classroom setting. My favorite part about working with children is to watch them meet their developmental goals and to see them grow into their personalities. It brings me so much joy to work alongside our team of teachers where everyone truly cares about kids. I am excited to meet your little ones!

Hi! I'm Ms. Olivia and this is my first year at the Goddard school. I have 3 years of early childcare experience. I'm a new first time mom and I am so lucky to have my son come with me to school! I love all animals and care deeply for young children. Teaching is a big passion of mine and I cannot wait to bring my ideas to the classroom!

I'm Ms. Stephanny and I am so proud to be a teacher here! As a mom myself, I understand how precious the early years of learning are. I believe each child learns best through hands on experiences and joyful play. I aim to bring patience, kindness and a loving presence to the classroom every day. I hope to make each child feel safe, valued and excited to explore the world around them!

Hi I'm Ms. Catherine and this is my first year at Goddard Crabapple! When I attended Kennesaw State University I enjoyed working as a nanny and in a preschool setting. It was then I realized how much I love helping young children learn, grow and build confidence in the classroom. In my free time I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family and my three dogs: Monte, Obi and Bandit!

Hi, I’m Ms. Liz and I have been a teacher at the Goddard School for 10 years and I love being a part of the Goddard community. I live in Woodstock with my 2 little girls, Maisie who is in Kindergarten and Delaney who is in the infant program here at Goddard! I have completed my CDA certification and I am excited to use it in the Preschool classroom. This is my first year teaching in the Preschool setting and I am excited because it is such a fun and exciting time in a child’s life. It brings me so much joy to watch the children achieve their goals and the joy they feel when they’ve overcome them is the best reward as their teacher.

Hello, I am Swetha Godera, and I have over five years of experience in early childhood education. I believe in encouraging creativity and independence through play-based learning. I would like to create a space where children feel safe to explore, ask questions, and develop a love for learning. I completed my Master’s in Business Administration. I live here in Alpharetta with my family and two daughters. I enjoy spending quality time with my family, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.Teaching is not just a profession for me—it’s a rewarding journey where I get to inspire young minds and help shape their futures. I’m always eager to learn, grow, and contribute to a positive educational environment. I am so happy to be apart of this school!

My name is Ms. Souti and I was born and raised in India! This is my first year at Goddard Crabapple. I hold a Master's degree in Human Rights as well as an Early Child Care Certification. I have nearly 3 years of previous teaching experience and I am a mother of a 12 yr old boy. When my son was in his early years of school, I frequently volunteered in the classroom. Those experiences of spending time with the students and observing their daily growth deeply inspired my interest in teaching and working with young learners. My continued passion for teaching is what has brought me to the Goddard school today! I am so happy to be apart of this community and to continue to help enrich young learners!

Hello! I am Ms. Ramya! I was born and raised in India and I have lived all over the world with my family. I am a mother of 2 and I love spending time with my children. I hold a Master’s Degree in Information Systems and Technology from the United Kingdom. Shortly after my children began school I discovered my passion for teaching. I strive to help children become the best possible versions of themselves. This passion of mine led me into the teaching profession. For the past 9 years I have had experience teaching in all levels of early education. While living in Indonesia, I was a Pre-K teacher and then quickly moved to teaching in the American International Elementary School. Once my family and I moved to the Alpharetta area, I was an assistant teacher at Fulton Science Private School. This is my 5th year teaching here at Goddard in the Kindergarten classroom and I am happy to continue my experience here.