Our Goddard School Teachers

Mr. Viral has been the proud owner of The Goddard School since 2013 and he holds a MS in systems engineering from Virginia Tech and bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from NC State. Viral had the vision for opening a Goddard School when he and his wife were searching for quality childcare in midtown for their son. Since 2013, he has been a Goddard Circle of Excellence Franchisee* and has had both of his kids start their Goddard journey as infants through graduation. Owning The Goddard School has allowed him the opportunity to combine one of his loves -- education -- with one of his dreams -- running his own business. His mission is to create a better world through early childhood education. *Goddard Circle of Excellence is awarded to the top 5% of all Goddard franchisees nationwide based on highest parent satisfaction responses, and maintaining rigorous education, health, and safety standards.

Cindy Bridges has been devoted to the field of Early Childhood Education for over 30 years. Originally from Indiana, she made Georgia her home in 2023 and has continued to pour her heart into serving children, families, and educators. Cindy is passionate about creating loving, supportive environments where children can grow and thrive. She also enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her husband and their children.

Jacqueline Truesdale is a passionate education leader with over a decade of experience in early childhood and elementary education. She brings a strong background in curriculum leadership, teacher coaching, and instructional innovation, and is known for her collaborative leadership style and clear, thoughtful communication. Jacqueline is deeply committed to supporting educators, strengthening instructional practices, and leading meaningful, sustainable change that positively impacts children, families, and school communities.

Ms. Katie has been with the School since 2014 and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in sociology from Kean University. She has been working in the early childhood education field for over 20 years as a teacher and administrator. Katie loves being around the children each day, teaching them, and watching them grow. She is energetic and fun spirited and in her spare time loves to bowl, shop, hike and more as long as it is fun!

Ms. Lauren has been with the School since 2017. She holds a CDA and an associate degree from Georgia Piedmont Technical College and is currently working on her bachelor’s degree. Lauren has over 15 years of experience working with children. She feels that being an early childhood education teacher is her calling and loves children of all ages. She believes that each student teaches her just as much, if not more, than she teaches them. In her free time, Lauren enjoys painting, drawing, traveling, and is a real movie connoisseur.

Ms. Maya holds a bachelor’s degree in child and adolescent studies. Maya has over 8 years of experience in Early Childhood. Maya believes that early ages are really important in ensuring that children have the skills needed to grow. She wants to aid in their learning journey by equipping our students with skills that will last a lifetime. When she is not in the classroom, Maya enjoys spending time with family and visiting new places around Atlanta.

Ms. Sirrica joined the Goddard Midtown family in March 2026. She truly enjoys working with children and being a part of their everyday growth and learning development. Ms. Sirrica loves creating a space where kids feel safe, comfortable, and is able to be themselves. Building relationships with each child is really important to her and showing each student that it is okay to have big and small emotions and that she is there to support them in every way while also making learning fun. We are thrilled that Ms. Sirrica has joined our team!

Ms. Shurmicka joined our school in 2018 and is working to complete a degree in Early Childhood Education. Shurmicka has over 10 years of experience in the field of early childhood education. She has experience in both infant and preschool environments. Being an early childhood teacher has always been her dream. Her goal is to play an active role in building the foundations of our future through work with children. When not at school, she reads, dances, travels, and spends time with her children and family.

Ms. Fariba is a dedicated early childhood educator with a strong passion for supporting children’s growth and development. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a CDA credential, and has experience working with children of various ages, from infancy through preschool. Most recently, Ms. Fariba served as a Lead Teacher at Tutor Time in Arizona, where she created a nurturing, engaging, and structured classroom environment that fostered confidence, independence, and a love of learning. Having recently relocated to Atlanta, Ms. Fariba is excited to join The Goddard School. She is committed to building strong relationships with children and families while creating a warm, supportive, and family-oriented environment where every child can thrive.

Ms. Janise joined us in 2017 and holds a Child Development Associate degree in Infants/Toddlers. Janise has over 15 years of experience in early learning and loves her work! She has always had a passion for watching children grow and finds it very fulfilling to know that she has helped them learn something new for the journey of life. When not teaching, you will find her cooking, shopping, and enjoying her family.

Ms. Pragathi joined the Goddard Midtown family in 2026, she is a caring and dedicated primary teacher with over three years of experience in early childhood education. She creates a positive and engaging classroom using activity-based lessons to support children’s learning and development. Ms. Pragathi has good classroom management skills, work's closely with parents, and likes to focus on building children’s confidence. She is passionate about helping young learners grow and is excited to be part of the Goddard School community. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her husband and daughter.

Ms. Keywana joined our School in 2019 and holds a Child Development Associate degree and is also currently working on her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Keywana has been in the childcare field for over 15 years. She is committed to providing each child and family with a loving and developmentally sound foundation for a lifetime of learning. She looks forward to continuing to have a positive impact on the growth of children in her classroom and to making new discoveries with our amazing team of teachers. Keywana loves being a baseball mom in her spare time.

Ms. Sammie has joined the Goddard School of Midtown Atlanta in 2025 with over 3 years of childcare experience. She has worked with all age groups, but has a real soft spot for our two-year-olds and up. Ms. Sammie brings a fun, and loving atmosphere to every classroom and is always willing to learn and grow in the education field.

Ms. Sephali Mohalik joined the Goddard Midtown family in 2026. She is a caring and enthusiastic childcare teacher who truly enjoys helping children learn, grow, and feel confident with themselves. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering., she also has experience of working with children and families in Goddard Schools and is eager to build great relationships with children and their families. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband and children

Ms. Nina joined the Goddard School of Midtown in 2026. She is a caring early childhood educator with a degree in Human Services and experience as a teacher and mentor. Ms. Nina creates a safe, and playful environment where children feel confident and excited to learn. Outside the classroom, Ms. Nina is an award-winning, internationally published photographer and an active community partner working with local nonprofits around the area.

Ms. Nicole joined our School in 2016 and holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Nicole has over 15 years of experience as a teacher and administrative lead. Watching children grow, learn, and explore is at the heart of Nicole’s purpose for working in early childhood. Outside of making children’s learning experiences enriching and engaging, she enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends.

Ms. Tracy joined the Goddard family in the year 2024. With over 24 years of dedicated experience, she has passionately worked with children from all age groups. Ms. Tracy believes in the importance of play-based learning and striving to create engaging activities that promote cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Miss Elaina joined our School in 2015 and holds a bachelor’s degree in art and advertising design from Clark Atlanta University. She first discovered a draw to work with children through a church-based summer day camp program. Elaina is an early childhood education teacher because she really loves children and feels that a solid foundation in education is important for future success. Her outside interests include studio art, graphic art, and world travel.

Ms. Kacey has joined the Goddard Midtown family in 2026. She has been in childcare for 10 years and it has always been a passion of hers to shape young minds. Ms. Kacey is excited to create a warm, and supportive classroom where children can learn through play and discovery. Ms. Kacey also believes every child learns best in a safe, nurturing, and fun environment.

Ms. Erica joined our School in 2016. With 12 years of early childhood education work experience, Ms. Erica’s smooth and dependable demeanor provides a sense of comfort and security for the students. She enjoys coming to work each day to play alongside the children and support their growth and learning. In her free time, Ms. Erica loves to curl up with a book she enjoys. Sharing her love of reading with the kids is a highlight of her day every day!