Praveen graduated with a Master's degree in Public Policy from Columbia University in New York. He has an entrepreneurship background and has successfully owned and operated a variety of small businesses. His passion in early childhood development is the reason for going into education and he is excited to manage a business that is centered on learning, children and family. He recognizes the importance of a safe and nurturing learning environment, which is why he chose The Goddard School. He is proud to offer the opportunity for children to grow through exploration and hands-on learning. He is excited to introduce you to the incredible faculty, including the Education Director, and looks forward to talking with you about the School’s high-quality preschool, daycare and pre-kindergarten program!

My name is Jazmin Muniz and I am so excited to be a part of The Goddard School! I have been in the early childhood field for 12 years. I have worked with children from birth to five years old. As a director I look forward to building relationships with the children, teachers and parents of the school. It is my goal to make sure each child receives the best education, care and love they deserve. I look forward to helping each child reach their full potential and that we all learn and grow together. Fun Fact: I enjoy Broadway shows. My favorite children's book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

My name is Laurel Knapp and I am thrilled to join the Goddard School! I graduated from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee with a BS in Early Childhood. I have been in the ECE field for twelve years and have a range of experience with children birth through eight years of age. I primarily have experience teaching preschool and pre-kindergarten. I moved to Chicago in 2017 and have had the privilege of working in a few schools around the city. I look forward to getting to know each child and learning their unique personalities. I have always loved working with children from a young age. I was inspired to become a teacher because of my Nana. My Nana was wonderful ECE educator and my role model growing up. A fun fact about me is I am a huge Real Housewives franchise fan! My favorite children's books is Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I have been in early childhood education for over 40 years. I am a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 5. I have my degree in Early Childhood Education and I am Director Qualified. I am passionate about teaching because I believe that as a teacher I help make a positive difference in the future of each child that I work with. I get excited to see children develop and flourish. Thank you so much for trusting me with your precious children. A fun fact about me I love to travel and have family game nights. My favorite children's book are all of the Dr. Seuss stories.

I graduated from Richard J. Daley College with a degree in Early Childhood Education and have been in the education field since 2016, working with students of all ages. I believe that children should have a memorable experience while learning and growing. I love how each child shows you when they have truly mastered a different task. I am very passionate about making their time at Roscoe Village one that they will not forget. My fun fact is that I am a proud mother of two children! My favorite children's book is Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen.

I started working as a nanny in 2010 and fell in love with little minds. I eventually found myself in the classroom and have not wanted to leave! A fun fact about me is that I learned Mandarin for three years in high school. I hope to utilize that in the classroom! I believe that every child is unique and that they all have different personalities that they bring to the classroom, making work more enjoyable. I enjoy teaching because I like to witness the milestones and goals that my students master as they progress. It excites me to see children express themselves through interactive art activities, such as painting. My favorite children’s book is Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I have been in the field of education for 7 years. I hold a A.A in Arts from Wright College. I am currently working on my CDA to become teacher qualified! I am passionate about teaching because every day those little brains learn something new. It is amazing to see how they grow and change from day to day. Due to my love of books, I love reading activities where I get to engage my students in fun and interactive read alouds. A fun fact about me is that I love to read, I am the mother of one high schooler and one college student, and I can crochet. My favorite children’s book is Corduroy by Don Freeman

I have been in the field of early childhood for over 10 years. I studied early childhood education at Vincennes University and am currently completing my CDA! I am passionate about teaching because I love the feeling of helping a child master a task. The confidence that they gain is so rewarding. A fun fact about me is that I love to ride ATVs and that I love going jet skiing. My favorite children's book is Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss.

I attended the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou) and am currently continuing my education to pursue music. I previously taught grades K-12 and am now venturing into the world of early childhood education. I am passionate about teaching because I love helping kids reach their potential. In my experience as a music teacher, it is a lot of fun getting to sing and make music with kids. My fun fact is that I have played the clarinet for 14 years. My favorite children’s book is The Bernstein Bears by Jan Berenstain, Stan Berenstain, & Mike Berenstain.

I attended Illinois State University where I majored in university studies with a minor in finance and business administration. I have been in the field of early childhood for over 4 years. I am passionate about teaching because I love being a part of a community that assists children with their growth and development. My fun fact is that I love reading! My favorite children's book is Corduroy by Don Freeman.

I attended Lake View High School but as of right now I am currently taking online courses for general education at Devry University. I have been in early childhood education for over 5 years and started as a volunteer at my aunt's home daycare when I was in high school. I am passionate about teaching because kids bring me joy! They have the most excitement and are the most curious children to be around. One time, I had a student grow her own plant and every day she showed me a picture of the plant grow...it was fun to see her excitement. My favorite children's book is "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff.

Though I have only been in the field for a short time, I am excited to further my education by getting my CDA and earning my Early Childhood Education credentials. I enjoy teaching because I love assisting the children as they learn through play. Sensory activities are my favorite because it allows the children to learn using all their senses. My fun fact is that I have a child-like personality, which is great because I have a younger brother with who I am very close with. My favorite children’s book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

I have been in Early Childhood Education for 10 years. I have my certification in Cultural Linguistics and Appropriate Practices. I am passionate about teaching because I believe that every child has the potential to succeed. It is my goal to help shape the young minds and prepare them for their future. I get excited to see children learn and grow. A fun fact I love to dance salsa and bowling My favorite children's book is The Fairytale of Snow White.

In high school I would volunteer at the near by elementary school for after school matters where I worked with preschoolers to be creative and focus on academic work. After high school I went to Malcolm X and graduated with an associates in Science to further my career in becoming a NICU nurse. I’ve always known I wanted to work with children but being in the health care profession made me miss the connections I built with students. I love what I do because I get to create my own environment and feed off my inner creativity. It’s also amazing to see the growth of each and every child as they reach a new milestone and the amount of love you provide and receive is an amazing reward that you cherish forever. A fun fact about me I love to cook! (I’m not great at it though). My favorite children book is Pete The Cat: I Love My White Shoes

I began as a criminal justice major at UIC, I decided to switch my major to elementary education. My goal is to teach first grade. I am passionate about teaching, because I enjoy seeing the children learn and grow. I am happy to be apart of the process of their development. A fun fact about me is that I knit and play the guitar. My favorite children's book is Corduroy.

I have been working in early childhood education for 4 years now. I have experience working with children from 1 years old to 12 years old. I am very passionate about my role as an educator, I don't take my role lightly nor for granted. I am humbled to be able to help young minds get a head start on their learning journey. In my spare time I enjoy working out, going to festivals, Cruises and Disney. My favorite children's book is The Giving Tree.

I attended Truman College for my associates degree. I have worked in the ECE field for 2 years and I am a mother of two. I am passionate about teaching because, I feel children are the future and it is our job to show them kindness, love, and courage. I want to motivate them to become the best version of themselves. A fun fact about me is I love giraffes they are my favorite animals My favorite children's book is The Giving Tree.

I have experience working with infants and toddlers. I graduated from Lakeview High School. I am passionate about teaching because it is fun to teach children new things. A fun fact about me is I am really into fashion and art. My favorite children's book is Kindness is my Superpower.

I graduated from JCFS Therapeutic School. While in school I decided to join the early childhood filed and started to work with children. Working with children made me realize that this was the career path I wanted to pursue. I am passionate about teaching because when I was in elementary school I was diagnosed with a learning disability. My teachers worked very hard to make me feel included in the classroom and encouraged me always. I want to be this kind of teacher and I want to help children who need extra assistance. A fun fact about be is I love to try new restaurants and to attend concerts. My favorite children's book is The Junie B. Jones Series