Mike and Nini Sokol are the owners of The Goddard School of Blaine, the 2020 - Current, Reader's Choice Best Preschool in Blaine and Spring Lake Park. Nini graduated from St. Thomas with a degree in Finance and is a Sr. Manager at Target Corp. Mike graduated from the U of MN with a degree in Biology, and Carlson School of Management with an MBA. He left his 21-year career at Best Buy to pursue his passion in bringing this school to the community. He still teaches at the U of MN, and supports primary and secondary education non-profits in MN. As parents of 3 small children - Isaac, Asher, and Elin - they understand the importance of whole-child development and have watched their own children thrive as Goddard students. Creating a safe, nurturing and high-quality Goddard School in the Blaine community is part of their vision to support community give-back and educate our future leaders. Mike and Nini look forward to welcoming you to the school and being part of the Goddard family!

Being a part of Goddard Blaine is such a blessing! After 25 years working in Early Childhood; I find myself at home at the school. I am absolutely thrilled to share such incredible health and safety guidelines, as well as hands on enrichments, along with top professional Teachers ;with Families in the community. I have been married to my Husband Dustin for 19years, we have 3 awesome children Landin, 16, Levi,13, and Delaney, 6. We live on acreage just north of the Blaine area. We have 3 dogs, and 5 chickens. I enjoy watching my children engaged in Dirt Biking, Fishing Team, Gymnastics, and Baseball. We are a family who spends most of their time outdoors enjoying one another. I myself like visiting Winery's with girlfriends, singing Karaoke, reading, hiking, and going to various musical concerts. I have begun to travel later in life, and I am absolutely loving it. Looking forward to getting to know all of the families and staff at the school!

Ms. Snow holds her Bachelors in Business Administration and a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications from St. Aloysius College, Mangalore University in India. She also has her Child Development Associate Certificate and Director's Certificate. Ms. Snow was born in India, but has made roots here in Minnesota and at the Goddard School of Blaine! She knows 5 languages, She has taught all age groups, but loves to focus on Preschool and Pre K ages. She has over 11 years experience including leadership as an Assistant Director at the previous center she worked at. Some activities that she loves doing with children are stories, art, and large motor. She also loves Parent Teacher Conferences! Ms. Snow enjoys bringing love and learning into the classrooms every day! Ms. Snow Lives in Blaine with her husband and Son. She has 2 cats Coco and Ginger and a dog Oreo.

Hi, my name is Felix and I strongly advocate for empowering others to live healthier lives through better nutrition and physical activity. I studied Nutrition Dietetics at the University of Minnesota, and come from a background of retail customer service and healthcare. I have a family of 4, with Maria, and daughters Olivia and Charlotte. I am also a huge sports fan (mainly Vikings and Timberwolves) and enjoy playing basketball and volleyball. I am very passionate about music as well. I enjoy DJing and composing music in my free time. I also recently released my first self-produced music album! [www.soundcloud.com/djsirf]

Ms. Jenny been working in a professional atmosphere with children for over 20 years, and currently holds her Child Development Credentials in the state of Minnesota. She has been a Lead teacher with ages Infants through School Age. While she loves all ages, her passions are with Toddler and Preschool classrooms. She two sons, aged 24 and 15 that she loves spending time with. In her spare time, she enjoys crafting, scrap booking, camping, and hanging with friends. She is very excited to be a part of the Goddard Blaine team!

Ms. Amber attended the University of Minnesota and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Child Psychology with a minor in Youth Studies. She has been working in Early Childhood Education since 2007, and loves exploring new activities with children! In her spare time, she loves spending time with her two children and her husband. They love the outdoors, and simply staying at home watching movies!

Ms. Amanda has always loved children, and spent most of her teenage years babysitting for families. She graduated in 2016, and started teaching at her first school one month later! She has been teaching for 4 years, and holds her Child Development Accreditation in Minnesota.She has two younger sisters, and loves spending time with her family. Ms. Amanda also has two cats named Simbaa and Nala! In her free time, Ms, Amanda loves watching softball games!

Ms BJ comes from a diverse background. She's of Indian origin but grew up in the UK. Although she has a degree in English and Masters in Journalism, she realized that her true passion was in helping shape young minds. She loves nurturing the creativity and help children grow and learn and become kind caring citizens of the world. When not teaching she loves travelling with her family, enjoying the company of her friends and taking her dog for long walks.

Ms. Jessica has always had a passion for kids. She has been working with kids since graduating high school and has over 20 years experience including 8 years in child care management. She has worked with all ages but loves the infant classrooms! She has her Child Development Associate Credential. Her favorite things to do with the kids are art and outside activities. Outside of work she loves spending time with her son going camping, four-wheeling, fishing, and spending time with family and friends!

Born and raised in Duluth, I started both my family and career in the classroom there. I married my husband Peter and moved to the Twin Cities, Blaine specifically to raise my family. I have two children Ben (27) and Ailee (23) who grew up here in the north metro. For over 30 plus years I have been in pre-k, kindergarten and elementary classrooms where I have grown my passion for teaching and supporting the young children in my classroom. In my spare time I love to spend time in my garden, cook and bake for friends and family and go for walks with my dog Angus! I am excited to be a part of the Goddard School Community

Ms. Lindsay has been working with children for 16 years. Lindsay attended Southwest Minnesota State University and graduated with a major in sociology and a minor in psychology. She enjoys watching children grow and learn each day. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Maggie. She also enjoys traveling and hanging with her friends and family. She is very excited to be a part of the Goddard Blaine team!

After 20+ years working in the banking industry, I decided to follow my heart by working in Childcare. I have worked with infants through preschoolers for 7 yrs. each age is special and i easily fall in love with the children i teach. My favorite age is infants, I just love to hear them giggle! I earned my Early Childhood Education Certificate from Rasmussen college. I am a proud mom of two with a great "hubby" and a sweet chihuahua, I absolutely love the Vikings and grew up Listening to Prince. I also love bowling with the best friends ever!

My name is Michelle, and I live in Cambridge, Mn, with my husband of 19 years, two teenage boys ages 16 and 14, and my spoiled senior chocolate lab. We love to travel, go camping, and do many other things we can as a family. I also enjoy reading books in my spare time, I read many different genres, but my favorite is mystery. I have worked for Isanti Middle School as a paraprofessional since 2019. During covid, when the schools were shut down, I worked for the daycare center connected with our school system. I recently completed my credits for my teacher AA and will continue my education with Grand Canyon University to get my dual BA K-6 general education and K-12 special education degree. I am excited to be part of this team at The Goddard School!

Hi my name is Bridget. I have a bachelors degree in early childhood education and have been working in the childcare field for 9 years. My husband, Josh and I have a 18 month old son named Owen Charles (a.k.a Squish). We enjoy being outdoors during all the seasons. We love camping all spring, summer and fall and of course hockey in the fall and winter, we are actual season ticket holders (Go Wild!)

Ms. Bella is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Science Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education at the University of Northwestern. She enjoys working with children, and has spent a large part of her career with Pre-Kindergarten ages. Assisting children with handwriting, reading, and creativity are her favorite passions in the classroom! In her spare time, Ms. Bella enjoys reading, drinking coffee, and traveling!

I’ve always enjoyed spending time with children I spend a lot of my time nannying and babysitting. My mother and sister both worked in childcare, and I am now passionately following in their footsteps. I attended Northwestern university of St. Paul majoring in Music education. In my spare time i enjoy singing, dancing, and traveling.

Ms. Kennedy is currently getting her degree in Elementary Education from Bemidji State University’s online program. She has been working with kids of all ages for 10 years. She is a teacher aide and especially loves the preschool age group. In her free time, she loves going to the cabin in the summer, hanging with friends, and playing with her puppies. She is thrilled to be a part of the Goddard Blaine team!

Hello, I have been in child care for around 40 years and have loved every minute of it, I graduated from 916 vocational school with a child development degree and went on to further my education and became a lead toddler teacher, although I have taught in all ages up to school age, I find self loving the toddler age, it is so fun and rewarding to see their growth and development and being a part of their learning. I live with my wonderful husband of 39 years and our sweet dog Maggie. We have 2 children, Jeremy 37 who is married to Jolene and they have our only grandson Mason who is 15, they live in North Dakota, we also have a daughter Larissa 30 who lives Idaho. I enjoy working on crafts, spending time with family, camping, scrapbooking and love watching the Vikings and spending time with friends. I am so excited to be a part of the Goddard School of Blaine, getting to know everyone and especially working with the kids.

Hi! My name is Ms. Aly and I’m excited to get to know you and your family! I live in Blaine, MN and grew up in the area! I have worked in Early Childhood Education for 7 years. I’ve taught Infants through Pre-Kindergarten; and have worked in Administration roles as well. I graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Concordia University in 2019. Outside of working with children, I love hanging out with my dogs Lola and Gracie Jane. We love spending time outdoors and soaking up the sun. In the summer you’ll find me spending all of my time at my families lake house. Some of my other interests include reading, singing and hanging out with friends! I’m so excited to be able to watch your child learn and grow, and I look forward to being a part of the Goddard family!

I have a passion for teaching and have worked over 10 years in childcare! I teach all about peace, love and happiness, and the core values! CARING, RESPONSIBILITY, HONESTY, and RESPECT. Other than teaching I enjoy spending time with my family, relaxing in a hammock, or playing softball. I am so excited to be a part of the Goddard family and working with the PreK children.

My name is Ilish Atwood. I grew up in Arizona and moved to Minnesota before 5th grade. I have one younger brother and 3 furry siblings: 2 old cats and one german shepherd. We moved a lot when I was young so I enjoy new experiences and traveling. My favorite place is in Oregon on my grandparents’ farm. I love the ocean and the forests. It always smells like rain. Some of my favorite activities include singing, gaming, baking, painting, and boxing. I am a college senior and hope to graduate with my BS in Psychology in spring of 2024. A few interesting facts about me include that I took 4 semesters of German in school and visited Germany for 3 weeks, played the cello from 3rd grade to senior year, and was on the swim team in high school. I have a background in art and psychology. Eventually I would like to specialize in child therapy and integrate art and alternative activities as ways for children to focus their attention and energy constructively.

Hello! My name is Kim and I am very excited to join the Goddard Family! A little about myself; I was born in Vietnam and moved to Minnesota when I was three years old. I graduated High School in Roseville and went on to complete my Bachelors Degree in Human Resources Development at the University of MInnesota. I have an 11 month old daughter named Violet, a dog named Frank, and a cat named Rose. In my free time I enjoy traveling, cheering for the Vikings, exploring new places to eat around Minnesota, and spending time on the lake in the summertime. I look forward to meeting everyone and making new friends at The Goddard School!

I am from the Iron range. I come from a small town. I have been around younger kids pretty much my whole life. Kids are definitely a huge part of my life. I am planning on furthering my education for early childhood. My hobbies outside of kids, are being outside and going on adventures. Fun fact about me I moved out of my parents house the day I graduated.

My name is Larissa! I grew up in Lutsen, MN and now live in Blaine with my fiance and our two dogs. I earned my bachelor's degree from UW-Eau Claire with a double major in criminal justice and psychology, but recently decided to pursue a career in education instead. I am currently working towards earning my master's degree in teaching and an elementary teaching license. I am so excited to be working with children! In my free time, I love spending time with family and doing anything outdoors!

Hi! My name is Ms. McKayla! I grew up in and continue to live in Blaine with my parents, two brothers, sister, our two dogs and three cats. I attended North Dakota State University after graduating high school in 2018. I’ve always had a passion for children and caring for others, and decided to go to school to be an educator. I started working in Early Childhood Education in 2023, and am loving working with the toddlers. When I’m not at work, I’m typically at home or with my boyfriend, playing video games, creating art, crocheting, or enjoying nature. I’m so excited to get to know the families and kids at Goddard!

Hi, my name is Hoziane. I am from Rwanda but I currently live in Blaine with my husband Olivier . I graduated from Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA) in 2017. I have always worked with children in various ways such as helping my sisters & aunties with their kids, church nurseries, and infant/toddler groups. It has always been my passion. I love seeing children learn new things and the excitement that it brings. I have one beautiful daughter Jael. We love to sing and dance during our free time, and we love to go explore outdoors, taking walks. My goal is to one day become a professional teacher!

Hi everyone! My name is Amber and I’m very excited to be joining the Goddard family. I grew up in Andover Minnesota and I have lived there my whole life. I have been working in a childcare setting for about 5 years now, and I love being able to enjoy the silliness they bring in each day. I’m currently working towards a degree in dental assisting at Hennepin Tech, and hope to work in pediatrics. In my free time I enjoy staying busy, being outdoors year round, and trying anything new. I look forward to meeting all the families and being able to help their children grow each and every day!

Hello, my name is Sabrina Chanthamontry and I graduated from Blaine High School. In my free time I enjoy traveling, reading, hiking, biking, walking, running, and playing tennis. I also enjoy watching movies, going to concerts and trying new foods and drinks. My favorite music genres are K-pop and American pop. In the future I plan to continue my education with the goal of eventually becoming a preschool teacher.

Hello, my name is Shannan. I have 22 years of childcare experience as an elementary reading para, day care aide, teacher and nanny. I got into teaching because of my love for children! I have had wonderful teachers in my life, and this has helped fuel my passion to help children learn and grow. I enjoy watching movies, but my favorite movie is “A Knight’s Tale”. I also love eating Mexican food, but always love seafood or a good burger! My favorite music artist is “Lauren Daigle”, and I hope to one day learn how to skydive!

My name is Annie Paulson. I currently attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College where I will be earning my Associate of Arts and Health Sciences in the fall of 2023. I enjoy spending time outside including swimming, skiing, and playing volleyball. I have one older sister and love spending time with my family. In high school I gained lots of experience babysitting and was able to work as a preschool teacher last year. I am excited to be back in the classroom and further pursue my passion for teaching.

I have 5 siblings and 2 nieces. I’ve lived in the Blaine area my entire life. I love to read and to learn new things. Over the summer I got certified to be a birth doula and actually got to be there for my nieces birth this past august. Working with children is something I love to do, I love to watch them experience life and see their imaginations come alive. My goal in life is to create something that will further help children in succeeding throughout the rest of their life. I love to join groups and try new things, I’m a big fan of the idea that you gotta at least try something once. I’ve known that working with children and watching them grow has been my passion since I was 6 years old when my little sister was born.

Hello! My name is Rory. I’m a mom to a 7 year old son, and I’ll be getting married this fall! We have three fur babies at home, Simba, Olivia, and Zelda. I am currently enrolled at Herzing University pursuing my Dental Assistance Degree. I’m a big-time Swiftie, so one of my biggest hobbies is collecting memorabilia related to Taylor Swift. Our family loves getting outdoors during the summer to enjoy the sunshine and go swimming! In the winter, we prefer to cuddle up on the couch with a good movie. I have such a passion for working with kids, and can’t wait to see what fun adventures The Goddard School has to offer!

Hi my name is Beth! I have two sons that are 11 and 15-years old, that keeps me very busy. I have been a preschool teacher for the past 18-years. I also work part time as a PCA. Raising my niece at a young age made me realize I wanted to work in childcare. I have always felt like I was connected with children. I love watching the children learn new things every day. I also love building meaningful connections with them so they are excited to come and learn, and have fun while doing it. I enjoy doing DIY projects, refinishing furniture and thrift shopping with my girlfriends and family. I spend a lot of time with my son’s and I am very active in the sports they play. We spend a lot of time at the batting cages practicing for baseball. I am so happy and excited to be part of the Goddard team!

Hi, I'm Hannah. I have always had a passion for kids and graduated with my 4 year degree in Child and Family Life from St. Catherine University in 2020 and have been working with young people ever since. In 2022 I found myself back at St. Kate's to marry my best friend, Paul. We love history, spending time with our nieces and nephews and exploring the great outdoors, especially the Boundary Waters! In my spare time you can usually find me on a soccer field coaching some awesome young ladies right here in Blaine at Twin Cities Rush. I also love rock climbing, crafting and all things Disney.

Hi, my name is Sarah and I have always had a passion for working with children. I have a family of 4, with Justin, our 7 year old Layla and our new miracle baby Lily who was born in August. We enjoy being outside going on walks to the park and during the summer you will find us at the beach almost daily. On Saturday nights we will be watching UFC and Sunday is football day in our household. I have been working in childcare for 13+ years now and am so excited to become part of the Goddard family!

My name is Sylvia Le, I reside in Blaine, Minnesota. I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Child Psychology. In 1993 I started teaching at St. Paul Public Schools. I taught 1st and 2nd graders and and also taught ESL to Vietnamese immigrants. In 2013 I received Minnesota certification as a medical interpreter in Vietnamese and worked as a medical interpreter at Minnesota Language Connection. In 2022 I joined Vietnamese Social Services as a community Program/Engagement Coordinator. I enjoy reading, storytelling, tutoring my nephews, exercising, outdoor activities, and cooking for families and friends. I would like to express my gratitude to be given the opportunity to join the Goddard family.

Hello! My name is Vanessa. I go to Blaine High School and will be a Junior this school year. I play soccer, ski, and also run track. I have always enjoyed being around younger kids and love working in the kitchen at home. During my free time I enjoy reading, painting, and spending time outside with my family, friends, or dog. My dogs name is Lola and she is a Cavapoo and is one year old. I live with my parents and have a 14 year old sister named Emily. I am very excited to be a part of the Goddard family!