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.

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. Kelly has been with the School since 2017 and has received a Child Development Associate degree and has completed foundational work in Child Psychology through the University of Cincinnati. She brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion for early childhood education to our teaching team with her 17 years of experience in the field. Her goals are to help the children become well-rounded, creative, and independent. Kelly’s greatest satisfaction is knowing that as an educator she can influence the learning process for every child and make a lasting impact on a child’s life. When not teaching, Kelly enjoys photography, traveling and fishing.

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. 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. Carletta joined the Goddard family in 2024. She is a Florida native with many years of childcare experience. Ms. Carletta is always committed to creating and researching avenues of growth for children making sure that every student reaches their full potential.

Ms. Precious joined our School in 2019 from New York and holds a Child Development Associate degree. Precious moved to Atlanta to support her daughter's transition to college but has come to love the south and has made the move permanent. She has been working in early childhood education since 1998 and has worked with children of all ages but has a special place in her heart for our littlest learners. Precious believes in the importance of early childhood education for laying the foundations of a successful future for all children and enjoys watching them grow. In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her poodle (Oreo), cooking, and drawing.

Ms. Dhenyae is currently a student of cosmetology who also enjoys working with children. Her warm and loving demeanor brings a sense of comfort and warmth to the infant classroom as she enjoys being around babies with different personalities and watching them flourish and grow. Her optimistic attitude empowers her colleagues as she believes that “your victory is right around the corner.” In her spare time, Dhenyae enjoys dancing and coaching younger students.

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. Erinn joined our School in 2022 and has been thrilled to learn more about the Early Childhood field. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Georgia State University. Erinn is also a black belt in Taekwondo and believes that every good early childhood education teacher has the power to set a child up for success. She enjoys cooking and baking, painting, and drawing, and collecting plants for her beautiful home in her spare time.

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. 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.

Miss Alana joined our School in 2021 and follows in the footsteps of her mother, Ms. Precious, our Infant II lead teacher. Her love for helping children learn is evident in her positive behavior and willingness to always be a collaborator. In her free time, Alana enjoys caring for her dog, Oreo.

Ms. Tierra joined our School in 2023. She has over 9 years of experience in early childhood education and has worked with all age groups and is enthusiastic about working with children. Tierra, a true Atlanta-native, enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Ms. Jamie joined our School in 2023, bringing a wealth of knowledge and passion with over 36 years of experience in the early childhood education field. She loves turning the interest of the children she teaches into a learning experience. Ms. Jamie also enjoys helping students learn in their own, fun way. In her spare time, Jamie enjoys singing, reading, and spending time with her 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.

Mr. Chris joins the Goddard School after 3 incredible years of camp coordinating. Chris loves working with children, particularly in arts and science. He believes every child, no matter their age or background; deserves a dedicated teacher who can adapt to fit their learning style. Mr. Chris strives to be teacher he never really had. In his free time, Mr. Chris loves to draw and play the piano.

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!