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. 

  • Mr Jim Worley

    Mr Jim Worley

    Owner
    Mr. Worley obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Maryland and His Master of Science degree in Engineering from Stanford University. He has Business Administration training from both Georgia State University and The University of Maryland. Mr. Worley has over 25 years of professional experience in Engineering and in Business Administration both at AT&T and at Hughes Network Systems. Mr. and Mrs. Worley have been with Goddard since 2003. Long-time residents of Gaithersburg, the Worleys make their home within a mile of the school.
  • Mrs Jill Worley

    Mrs Jill Worley

    Owner
    Mrs. Worley received her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from The University of Maryland. She spent the first portion of her career at Continental Insurance in customer relations, and then as a computer programmer and trainer. After owning and operating the Goddard School located in Frederick for five years, the Worleys opened The Goddard School in Gaithersburg in September of 2007. The Worleys have three grown children, who were very active within the Montgomery County Public School System. Their daughter, Katherine, is the on-site owner of their new sister school in North Bethesda.
  • Mrs Roebuck

    Mrs Roebuck

    Executive Director
    Mrs. Roebuck, our Executive Director, oversees all three of our Sister Schools: North Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and Silver Spring. She has her Elementary Education degree from East Carolina University and spent the first six years of her career teaching in the public schools and then as a Pre-Kindergarten/ Kindergarten teacher in a private school setting. Before joining The Goddard School, she helped open and operate a number of smaller preschool locations in lower Montgomery County. Mrs. Roebuck lives with her husband and sons Roland and Luke, who is in our Prekindergarten program.
  • Mrs Porter

    Mrs Porter

    Director of Education
    Mrs. Porter holds a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from East Stroudsburg University. She previously taught our kindergarten program for seven years and was Goddard Systems "Teacher of the Year" in 2018. She loves “making learning fun for her children so that they are eager and curious about the world.” When not watching the Boston Red Sox play, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Sean, their daughter, Arden and their dog, Buckley.
  • Mrs White

    Mrs White

    Assistant Director
    Mrs. White joined The Goddard School in 2015. She spent the first 7 years teaching Early Preschool and Preschool. From 2020-22 she was our first/second/third grade teacher. She will miss the classroom but is enjoying the challenge of helping our school run smoothly! She received her BA in Liberal Arts from Penn State University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and especially enjoys sharing her love of reading with her children. As a teacher, she said the best thing about her job was that she learned new things every day from her students!
  • Mrs Wesley

    Mrs Wesley

    Assistant Director
    Mrs. Wesley comes to The Goddard School in Gaithersburg having taught first grade and Prekindergarten. She holds a BS degree in Elementary Education from Pensacola Christian College with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. Mrs. Wesley says her favorite part about teaching was watching the children come into her classroom excited to learn each day. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two daughters and husband. Her younger daughter, Charlotte, is a Goddard student in our Chipmunk class!
  • Ms Mfuta

    Ms Mfuta

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Mfuta joined our school in 2015 as a lead infant teacher in our Ladybug room. She holds a BA from Strayer University and her 45 and 90-hr certifications. Ms. Mfuta strives to create a warm and nurturing environment for her babies. She hopes to lay a foundation that will help her students grow to become both smart and independent.
  • Mrs Jazayeri

    Mrs Jazayeri

    Lead Teacher
    Mrs. Jazayeri joined us in 2008 and has been an integral part of our infant/ toddler program ever since. She is a lead teacher in our Ladybug room, caring for our littlest Goddard Students. She has a BS in Education and her 90-hr Infant/ Toddler Certification. Ms. Jazayeri’s favorite children’s book is Quilt Story by Tony Johnson, because it reminds her of the dreams of childhood and the love of family. She enjoys seeing her babies grow into “big kids” and loves the hugs she is able to give and receive every day!
  • Ms Muid

    Ms Muid

    Lead Teacher
    Infants. Ms. Muid recently joined us as a lead teacher in our Caterpillar room. She has over 20 years of teaching experience, a BS in Psychology and her Infant/ Toddler certifications with MSDE. She loves teaching our youngest Goddard students!
  • Ms Durham

    Ms Durham

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Durham joined our school in 2019, bringing over 12 years of experience. As a lead teacher and team leader in our toddler program, she holds her infant/ toddler 90-hr certification. Although she has worked with older ages, Ms. Durham loves being a toddler teacher and watching how much they grow at this age. When not teaching our little ones, she enjoys watching hockey and basketball and going for long walks.
  • Ms Kikaya

    Ms Kikaya

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Kikaya is a lead teacher in our Early Preschool program. She holds a BA from the Art Institute of Washington and her 90-hr certification. She is also our Yoga instructor every Thursday. Ms. Kikaya joined us in 2019 and has five years teaching experience, working with a variety of ages. Ms. Kikaya believes in building lifelong relationships with her students and hopes that they will come back to visit her!
  • Ms Martinez

    Ms Martinez

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Martinez received her BA in Psychology from Trinity Washington University. She loves being a teacher because she has the ability to impact children's lives. When not at school, Ms. Martinez enjoys tennis, playing video games and going out with friends.
  • Mrs Dave

    Mrs Dave

    Lead Teacher
    Mrs. Dave joined The Goddard School in 2019 and is a lead teacher in our Early Preschool. She also teachers the Storytime Chess program to all of the students in our school from preschool to kindergarten. She has over 25 years of teaching experience. She holds her 90-hr Certification along with a BS and MBA. Mrs. Dave has a passion for teaching and enjoys preparing creative and meaningful lessons for her little ones. She is very excited to get to know each of her students and their families. She especially enjoys the daily interactions with her students and the stories that they share with her.
  • Ms Jyotsana

    Ms Jyotsana

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Jyotsana recently joined The Goddard School in Gaithersburg. She comes to us with five years of experience in childcare. She has a Masters of Science degree from India and her MSDE 90-hour preschool certification. She is excited to be a part of The Goddard School faculty!
  • Mrs Bailey

    Mrs Bailey

    Lead Teacher
    Mrs. Bailey is a lead teacher in our Early Preschool program. She is also our Sign Language instructor. She joined The Goddard School in 2009, bringing many years of preschool teaching experience. She holds an AA in Early Childhood Education and a BS in Business. Mrs. Bailey creates a wonderfully warm and nurturing classroom for all of her students. She believes that fostering independence and curiosity will successfully prepare her students for preschool. Mrs. Bailey is the mother of two grown children. She loves to ice skate all year round and to visit Nags Head Beach with her family.
  • Ms Ottenwaelder

    Ms Ottenwaelder

    Lead Teacher
    Early Preschool. Ms Ottenwaelder, "Ms. O", has a BS in Behavioral and Community Health from The University of MD, College Park. She absolutely loves working with our young two-year-olds. In her spare time, she likes to crochet and play the guitar.
  • Ms Bloom

    Ms Bloom

    Lead Teacher
    Early Preschool/ Preschool. Ms. Bloom received a BA degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State. She says her favorite part of being a teacher is watching the children learn and grow - and learning and growing with them!
  • Mrs Roynestad

    Mrs Roynestad

    Lead Teacher
    Mrs. Roynestad is a lead early preschool/ preschool teacher in our Fox room, as well as our Preschool Team Leader. She holds a BA in Human Development and Family Science from Messiah College. Mrs. Roynestad joined our school in 2016. One of her favorite children’s books is the Winnie the Pooh series, because they teach the value of friendship. She believes that school teaches children a lot more than literacy and STEM. They learn about friendship and caring for one another. She lives with her husband and her beautiful daughter, Hailey.
  • Ms Mirzayeva

    Ms Mirzayeva

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Mirzayeva is a Lead Teacher in our Preschool program and holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University. She has nine years of experience in private preschool settings. Ms. Mirzayeva is originally from Azerbaijan and speaks Azerbaijani, Turkish and Russian. She lives with her daughter, husband and their new puppy, Dastan. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing and spending time with family.
  • Ms Quinones

    Ms Quinones

    Lead Teacher
    Preschool. Ms. Quinones has her BS degree from the University of Md, College Park and her 90-hour Preschool certification. She forms wonderful relationships with her children, which she says is the foundation for a productive learning environment. In her spare time she enjoys watching action films and puzzles!
  • Ms Santamaria

    Ms Santamaria

    Lead Teacher
    Preschool/ Prekindergarten. Ms. Santamaria is a Lead Teacher in our Preschool/ Prekindergarten class. She holds a BA in Psychology from Loyola University. She enjoyed a term studying abroad in New Castle, England. In her spare time she enjoys listening to music and reading.
  • Ms Burcher

    Ms Burcher

    Lead Teacher
    Ms Burcher joined us in 2018 and has taught Early preschool, Preschool and Prekindergarten. A lead teacher in our prekindergarten Deer classroom and Team Leader to our Early Preschool team, she holds a BS from James Madison University and her 90-hr certification. Ms. Burcher enjoys sharing stories with her students and making the weekly themes come to life. She especially enjoys visits from her former students so that she can see how much they have grown!
  • Ms Quinones

    Ms Quinones

    Lead Teacher
    Ms. Quinones joined our school in 2016 and has had the opportunity to teach toddlers through kindergarten. She is the lead teacher for our preschool/ prekindergarten class as well as our Prekindergarten team leader. She holds a BA from Liberty University in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Quinones' experience with all age groups allows her to understand how children develop as they graduate from one program to another.
  • Ms Hecox

    Ms Hecox

    Lead Teacher
    Early Preschool. Ms. Hecox recently joined our school with her son, CJ. She is a lead teacher in our Early Preschool program. She holds a BS in Psychology from University of Maryland, University College. She has 10 years experience teacher infants through preschool. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Eli, their adorable children, CJ and Emily and their two dogs, Carl and Theo.
  • Ms Bassett

    Ms Bassett

    Lead Teacher
    Meet Goddard Systems' 2022 Teacher of the Year! Ms. Bassett joined our school in 2011 as a Preschool teacher. In 2020, she began teaching our Kindergarten program, bringing her same creativity and ingenuity to our older students. She understands that every one of her children is unique and special, and this challenges her to find new and varied ways to teach each of her students. This is why she was voted THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR! We are lucky to have her teaching at The Goddard School in Gaithersburg. Ms. Bassett graduated from the University of Notre Dame of Maryland with a degree in Elementary Education.
  • Ms Andraos

    Ms Andraos

    Assistant Teacher
    Ms. Andraos recently joined our School as an assistant toddler teacher, working with our youngest toddlers, the Bees. She loves both sports and music, a perfect combination for a toddler teacher! When not at school, she enjoys spending time with family.
  • Ms Maali

    Ms Maali

    Assistant Teacher
    Toddlers. Ms. Maali joined The Goddard School in 2015 as a FLEX teacher. This allowed her to work with all different ages in our school. She holds a BA in Nursing and her 90-hr certification. No matter the age, Ms. Maali loves singing songs and making everyone smile! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three children and family.
  • Ms Delgado

    Ms Delgado

    FLEX Teacher
    Ms. Delgado is a versatile Flex teacher, happily teaching infants or preschoolers. She has both her 90-hour preschool and school-age certifications. In her spare time, she enjoys singing and dancing!
  • Ms Sauma

    Ms Sauma

    Assistant Teacher
    Ms. Sauma is an assistant teacher in our toddler program. She has a BA in Communication Studies from American University. She believes the best part of being a teacher is encouraging her children to use their imaginations and seeing their playful side. Ms. Sauma aspires to make a positive difference in each of her student's lives and enjoys watching them grow.
  • Ms Jackson

    Ms Jackson

    Assistant Teacher
    Toddlers/ Early Preschool. Ms. Jackson recently joined our toddler program and has been a wonderful addition. An aspiring illustrator and animator, she holds a degree from the Art Institute of Virginia Beach and is pursuing her Masters in Art. She in the process of completing her MSDE Infant/ Toddler 90-hour certification.
  • Mrs Silva

    Mrs Silva

    Assistant Teacher
    Mrs. Silva is an Assistant Teacher in our Early Preschool class. She joined our school in 2018 and has her 90-hr Certification. Mrs. Silva loves creating a safe and nurturing classroom environment so that her children may learn and thrive. She believes it is important to communicate with her families to create a successful home to school relationship.
  • Ms Orozco

    Ms Orozco

    Assistant Teacher
    Preschool. Ms. Orozco says that the best part of being a teacher is working with children from different backgrounds. Every day in a preschool class is new and exciting! She is currently working on her 90-hour preschool certifications. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors, drawing, reading and writing.
  • Ms Sinnokrot

    Ms Sinnokrot

    Assistant Teacher
    Ms Sinnokrot joined us in 2019 and has worked with ages two to 10! She has her 90-hr certification and is currently pursuing a degree in education. Ms Sinnokrot is an assistant teacher in our prekindergarten program. She also teaches our gym class. The best thing about teaching? Watching children grow and how excited they get when they learn new things. Ms Sinnokrot comes from a family of four children and loves to bake in her spare time!
  • Ms Swink

    Ms Swink

    Assistant Teacher
    Ms. Swink is pursuing her Early Childhood Education degree from Frostburg University. She joined us with three years of experience. She says that she receives a thrill to work with students and watch them "get it" for the first time. She knows that in that moment, she has given the child something that they will use the rest of their lives. When she has spare time, she likes spending it with family and friends.
  • Ms Quintanilla

    Ms Quintanilla

    Assistant Teacher
    Ms. Quintanilla is the assistant teacher in our prekindergarten class. She also teaches Spanish in our school. She enjoys singing, creative art, baking and spending time outdoors. She feels it is very important to try new things that are outside her comfort zone. Her favorite part of being a teacher is being able to have a positive impact on young lives.
  • Ms Cooley

    Ms Cooley

    Assistant Teacher
    Ms Cooley is the assistant teacher in our Kindergarten class. She is also our Kindermusik specialist, working with our children from our youngest twos through her kindergarteners. She currently attends Montgomery College studying Early Childhood and Special Education. Her favorite part about teaching is the positive interactions and relationships she creates with the children. Ms Cooley is an avid collector of dream catchers!
  • Mrs Abianeh

    Mrs Abianeh

    Flex staff
    Ms. Abianeh joined our school in 2007 and is a FLEX teacher, working with every age group. She holds a degree in nursing and a 90-hr certification. Ms. Abianeh lives very nearby with her husband and two college-aged students. One mention of her children, and you can see how proud she is to be their mother!
  • Mrs Imani

    Mrs Imani

    Flex Staff
    Ms. Imani has been with our school since we first opened our doors in 2007! She has her 90-hour certification and over 20 years' experience. She enjoys teaching children of all ages and loves the story, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. In her spare time, Ms. Imani enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.
  • Ms Abalo

    Ms Abalo

    Part-Time Assistant Teacher
    Kindergarten. Ms. Abalo is a sophomore at Montgomery Community College studying Child Psychology. She believes "that every child is gifted, but that doesn't mean every child has the same gifts." She hopes to encourage all children to explore their talents and interests, and by doing this, help them to develop their own special gifts. In her spare time she enjoys spending time in the kitchen, reading, hiking and painting.
  • Mrs Agarunova

    Mrs Agarunova

    Part-time Assistant Teacher
    With over 20 years' experience, Ms. Agarunova has a true passion for teaching and educating young children. She enjoys getting to work with all the children and teachers at the school and especially enjoys reading fairy tales to the children. Ms. Agarunova holds a BA in Arts & Literature from Akhundov Pedagogic University. In her spare time, she enjoys shopping and going for walks.
  • Ms Zarei

    Ms Zarei

    FLEX Teacher
    Ms. Zarei is a FLEX teacher, working with all ages in our school. She has a BA in French literature. She lives with her husband, daughter and one year old puppy named Gucci. Ms. Zarei has two years’ experience working with children ages four months to four years old. In her free time, she enjoys arts and crafts, home design, flower arrangements, baking and spending time with family. Her favorite part about being a teacher is watching children grow every day. Her favorite children’s book is, “I Love You to the Moon and Back”, because it shows a parent's love for a child and the importance of making a child feel protected and safe.

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