Meet Our Goddard Family

Our expertly trained and experienced teachers and staff blend the highest standards in early childhood education and development with nurturing care to help your child have fun while growing physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially.

Careers

If you want to help shape the hearts and minds of young children in a fun, nurturing environment, we’d love to have you work with us! We’re always looking for great teachers to join our family.

Check Out Our Job Listings

Warm, Nurturing & Highly Trusted

Learning happens best in a warm and nurturing environment, which is why our teachers take the time to make sure your little one feels safe and cared for every day to help them develop a lifelong love of learning. 

Expertise & Skills

Our caring teachers are highly experienced in the best methods to support your child with teachable moments of exploration, discovery and learning each and every day. 

  •  Swapna

    Swapna

    Owner
    An MBA from Kellogg School of Business, Swapna is passionate about making an impact on the world. She comes from a highly educated and entrepreneurial family and believes that creating a high quality learning environment with strong family values will nurture our next generation of thinkers and thought leaders, she seeks to do this by: - Fun learning experience through play - 21st century learning - All around development (social, emotional, cognitive) - Developing individual potential and creativity Swapna and Soumya are members of the same family. They are very excited about the new school and the impact it will have on the South Loop and neighboring community (Pilsen, Bronzeville, Printers Row, Hyde Park). They believe in hiring professional staff and investing in continuous education as a priority for creating a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment. They welcome all the families and teachers to be part of their exciting journey.
  • Ms Sandra

    Ms Sandra

    Teacher
    Ms. Sandra has high school diploma and has been working in childcare field for more than 7 years. She is a mother of 9 and enjoys spending time with her children. After taking a long break taking care of her children, she is now ready to get back into the field to give her best to the future young generations. She believes all children are capable of learning and reaching their dreams if they are given right resources and care from an early age. She chose to work at Goddard because she loved Goddard’s teaching philosophy and the individualization around each child’s needs. Ms. Sandra is certified in Food Handler, SIDS and SBS, Lead in Walter, and Mandate Reporter.
  •  Soumya

    Soumya

    Owner
    Soumya is born into an entrepreneurial family. She grew up watching her family run reputable international educational institutions. She accredits her success and her grounded personality to the values she received from her family and strong foundations she had in her early childhood education. She has an MBA from Rollins College, FL and a Certificate in Early Childhood Development field from Harold Washington College, Chicago, IL. Some of the teaching philosophies that resonate with her include whole child development, intentional teaching, and purposeful play. When Soumya learnt about the Goddard philosophy and learning program, she was excited to be part of the Franchisee family as it was a perfect alignment of her family goals and vision. Through The Goddard School’s play-based curriculum, she hopes to provide Fun Learning Experience (FL.E.X.) to all the children. Soumya has passion for music, dance, and outdoor sports. At The Goddard School South Loop, she along with her family wants to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and families, engaging learning materials and enrichment programs for children to experiment and explore, and large outdoor playgrounds to have fun and learn. Soumya and Swapna are members of same family. They are very excited for their new school and the impact it will have in the community. They are focused on hiring professional staff and investing in their continuous education is a priority for creating a nurturing environment. They welcome all the families and teachers to be part of their exciting journey.
  • Ms Chelcea

    Ms Chelcea

    Director
    Chelcea is originally from Cleveland, OH and has more than 20 years of experience in child development and has been in childcare administration for more than 7 years. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Child Development & Family Relations from Tennessee State University. Chelcea has a strong passion for early learning, especially enriching young minds through play and mindful experiences. She is a strong advocate for child development and is thrilled to be part of the administration team at The Goddard School. She has led programs in acquiring and monitoring NAEYC accreditation and Gold Level of Quality given by ExceleRate Illinois, a statewide quality recognition and improvement systems dedicated to making continuous quality improvements an everyday priority among early childhood providers. Chelcea’s first priority is maintaining warm relationships with the families and staff. Chelcea’s daughter is also going to The Goddard School program and loving it. In her free time Chelcea enjoys traveling, reading, shopping, and spending time with her daughter.
  • Ms Keirra

    Ms Keirra

    Curriculum Coordinator
    Kierra has her CDA for Infants and toddlers. She has 2 years of experience working with infants and children from ages 0 – 6 years old. She plans to further her education in Early Childhood Development field. Kierra believes children learn best through play and using their 5 senses because it helps them make sense of the world around them. She is passionate about this field because she loves to see children develop their skills as they grow, and she values her contributions in shaping the future generations. She is enthusiastic about going to work, knowing that everyday there is always something new to learn. Kierra chose to work with The Goddard School as she strongly believes in their F.L.EX framework, which stands for Fun Learning Experience. She is a big advocate for play based learning and delighted to pursue her philosophies while working with Goddard Families. She is trained in First Aid, CPR, Food Handling, SUID and SBS. Additionally, she is certified in IL Gateways Early Childhood Education Level 1 program.
  • Ms Ryan

    Ms Ryan

    Assistant Director
    Ms. Ryan, a native of Chicago IL. With 20 years of experience in child development. She believes in order to continue to inspire learning, you must always be willing to learn. Ms. Ryan has worked with children, from ages 6 weeks to 12 years old - yet she holds a soft spot, for infants and toddlers. She completed her Early Childhood Education Degree at Rasmussen College, and since then, she has taken on a variety of roles in early childhood education across the Chicagoland area. Ms. Ryan’s love and passion for children has led her into the position of the Assistant Director at the Goddard School, where she is excited to start building, healthy relationships with families and staff. Being a teacher for so many years, has been such a rewarding experience. And now growing into this position, allows her to be a support system for the teachers, and help Goddard continue to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our families.
  • Ms Charnique

    Ms Charnique

    Teacher
    Ms. Charnique has been in the ECE field for around 9 years. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and in Early Childhood Education. Charnique has worked with children from 6 weeks–18 years of age in educational settings. Ms. Charnique believes that all children learn differently and that as a teacher we have to be able to teach at their level. She believes children learn through play and hands on activities. Charnique also believes the five senses is the best way to teach young children (touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing). Ms. Charnique chose to work with the Goddard school because I love the diversity and wholeness that it offers. She doesn't believe in the idea of nature vs. nurture as she feels it takes both to help a children develop into the great people. Charnique is certified in Food Handlers, Lead in water, CPR/First Aid and SBS. During her free time she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family and just being out in nature.
  • Ms D'Je

    Ms D'Je

    Teacher
    D’je has an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Development. She has 8 years of experience working with children of all age groups. She believes that children should observe/explore and have fun while learning. D’je is excited to meet her new students and parents. She is excited to be part of the Goddard Family and cherish the learning opportunities it provides her. D’je is certified in First Aid, CPR, SUID and SBS, Medication Administration, Severe Allergy Awareness and Food Handling.
  • Ms Della

    Ms Della

    Teacher
    Ms. Della graduated from DePaul University in 2018 with a Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has been working with children for over 9 years. During her college career, she had the opportunity to do plenty of internships with children from ages 3 months to 9 years. Ms. Della enjoys working with children because every child is unique. She also enjoys helping each one discover their own strengths/talents and nurture those traits through her educational approach. Her approach is learning through play and positive reinforcement. Without having those two factors, students would not enjoy and absorb the information that is being taught to them. She also enjoys seeing the world through her students' eyes because there are so many different perspectives. This allows for Ms. Della to get a better understanding of how her students process prior knowledge and adopt it. Ms. Della is certified in First Aid and CPR, Food Handling, SIDS, SUID, and AAP Safe Sleep.
  • Ms Lizzette

    Ms Lizzette

    Teacher
    Lizzette has an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has more than 10 years of experience in the childcare industry working with age groups from 0-6 years old. She is a firm believer that young children thrive in an environment in which their creativity and curiosity are promoted and encouraged. She adopts the idea/theory that children are actively attempting to make sense of their own experiences by building their own knowledge and understandings of the world around them. She is an advocate of individualization play-based learning. Lizzette is very excited to become part of The Goddard Schools and meet all the wonderful families. Lizzette is certified in First Aid, CPR, SUID and SBS, Medication Administration, Severe Allergy Awareness and Food Handling.
  • Miss Mariela

    Miss Mariela

    Teacher
    My name is Mariela Barrios. I was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago and come from a large, close-knit Mexican family. Having a love for art led me to complete coursework in graphic design through the International Academy of Design and Technology. However, I have always found working with children fascinating and this motivated a career move into Early Childhood Education. I have worked in the field of ECE for 10+ years with 4yrs of experience in administration and currently working on completing a Child Care Associates credential in Preschool. Combining my two passions in art and early childhood has inspired me to pursue a career in Art Education in the future. It is my belief that children learn and acquire skills when their creativity is nurtured and encouraged. I chose to work at the Goddard School because it shows how passionate teachers and administrators are when it comes to a child’s growth and education.
  • Ms Tierra

    Ms Tierra

    Teacher
    Tierra Crawford is a graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor’s in sociology and recently completed a semester of coursework at Harold Washington College to earn credentials in early childhood education. Due to her educational background, she was able to obtain certifications that range from CNA training to being CPR certified. Since Tierra is the oldest of four children, she naturally gained experience in babysitting and used that knowledge along with her educational certifications to work with children in a childcare center. By doing so, she quickly discovered that aiding children in their development while building relationships with families was something she was passionate about. Ms. Tierra believes that when children are given the tools needed to support their development, their capabilities are truly endless. The Goddard standards align with her teaching beliefs, and the warm and supportive culture here, helped to make her decision to join this te
  • Ms Vivian

    Ms Vivian

    Teacher
    Vivian has B.S. in Education Studies. Vivian has diverse experiences in early childhood education, restaurant, and retail industries. She found that working with children makes her the happiest. Vivian believes students should have loving and safe environment in the classroom. She is excited to explore the creativity of the children and create a fun learning environment for them. Vivian is certified in First Aid, CPR, SUID and SBS, Medication Administration, Severe Allergy Awareness and Food Handling.
  • Ms Ciji

    Ms Ciji

    Kitchen Staff
    Ciji has over 10 years of experience as kitchen staff in childcare industry. She is in the process of going back to school in the spring of 2021 to continue her education in Early Childhood. Ciji believes that children should be in a loving and safe environment and they learn best when in these environments. She also believes children learn best while having fun, through play. Ciji chose to work with The Goddard School because she likes what the school stands for and that it is very family oriented. Ciji is trained in CPR, First aid, Mandate Reporter and she has her Food Service Manager certificate.
  • Ms DeAnna

    Ms DeAnna

    Teacher
    My name is DeAnna holds an ECE Level one credential and has over 3 years of experience in early childhood. She chose to work at Goddard because she believes and has heard of the schools prestige. She believes her beliefs align with those of the Goddard school and feels her energy adds to the school’s philosophy. Ms. DeAnna's educational philosophy is that essentialism is key. It broadens the pockets of our minds and allows us to look at life as a multitude of opportunities that have the potential to open so many doors. She feels the person she is allows her to be able to teach the skills that a child will take with them forever. Ms. DeAnna is passionate about the field is because she believes there is always a teachable moment for students and teachers. Each day is different, & each day brings new joys. In her free time Ms. DeAnna enjoys traveling and has an eye for fashion. She is also certified in Medication administration, SIDS, SBS, and CPR certified.
  • Ms Ivory

    Ms Ivory

    Resource Teacher
    Ivory Wood has abundant amount of experience working with children. Currently Ivory is assisting in our Pre-Toddler classroom here at The Goddard School of South Loop. Ivory is fun, energetic, and incredibly patient. She is so excited and ready to help our Pre-Toddlers thrive and ensure that they are successfully ready for our Two's program. Ivory has previously volunteered for her Sunday school youth group, and at local libraries working with young children. Ivory has always been very passionate about working with children. Ivory begin working with young children her sophomore year of high school. She decided to focus on early childhood education leaning the fundamentals and philosophies of education and young children. Ivory plans on furthering her education and going back to college to become a social worker. Ivory believes children should be top priority. Currently Ivory is assisting in our Pre-Toddler classroom here at The Goddard School of South Loop.
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