Our Teachers

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. 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.

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

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!

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. 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!

Hi, my name is Shaia. I am a mother of four boys. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my little family and watching movies. I also enjoy exploring places I have never been, such as new restaurants, cafes, malls, etc. Growing up I wanted to be a teacher and I just like being around kids. I want to be able to make an impact on their life and watch them grow. My favorite thing about teaching is that I get to see kids expand their way of thinking and how curious they are.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Hello my name is Mayra Alejandra, I’m a mom to a 3 year old Girl (Olivia). My favorite hobby is having her model for our favorite children’s boutique you’ll find us there every weekend. During the summer we are always outside we love exploring every park that is around. We also have a pug and she is 1 year old and she is the best friend for our daughter (Olivia). I love kids, I have worked with young children in the past and I was a nanny for two amazing families this past summer. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for us here 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!

Hello my name is Cayla, I’m excited to be part of the amazing Goddard family. I have a love for teaching and learning. I have been working with children for about 8 years now. I currently live in Zimmerman where I grew up. I currently have a degree in child and adult care education and paraprofessional from St. Cloud Technology and Community College. I am currently going back to school at Southwest State University for Early Childhood Education (birth-3rd grade). My ultimate goal is to become a kindergarten teacher. On my little bit of free time I have being in school full time and working full time, I enjoy hang out with my friends and family and watching hockey. Also on my free time I enjoy being outdoors no matter what time of the year.

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.

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!

Hello! I’m Ms. Jasmine and I am from Blaine, Minnesota. I graduated from Blaine High school in 2020, and I have been working in early childhood education for about 3 years. I have always loved being around children and have a true passion helping young learners progress in all areas of their development. I come from a pretty big family, I have 6 younger sisters and a younger brother. Growing up, I spent a lot of time around my siblings and gained a strong sense of experience in a variety of different age groups. Outside of teaching, I am a cheerleading coach for Blaine High school and Roosevelt middle school. I spend most of my free time with my family, my boyfriend, and my dog, Aurora!

Hi, I’m Sami and I graduated college for Early Childhood Education by earning my Associates Degree. I have been working in the field for almost 8 years now as different roles such as a lead teacher, Assistant Director, and a Director. I stepped down from being apart of management due to missing making an impact on each child, which starts in the classroom as well as having more flexibility with being with my family at home. I enjoy being a momma to my daughter Luna and spending time with our family by going to baseball games (Go Twins!), road tripping to different places, antiquing, and being outside! During my free time, I like to read and participate in different reading clubs as well as writing book reviews! I cant wait to start this journey here at Goddard and can’t wait to grow relationships each one of you.

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 Kayla and I have a 12-year old son! He is my world! We also have a guinea pig named Chester. The reason I got into teaching is because I love watching children grow. It’s so special to see them flourish and use their creativity and imagination. It makes me so happy to see children implement what they have learned. I love seeing them use their knowledge during play, building and interacting with friends. In my free time I love camping, swimming, hiking and watching movies. I am passionate about teaching and I wish that I could make an impact such that every person has a warm pillow to lie their head on. Lastly, I would love to travel to the Bahamas or Hawaii one day!

Hello my name is Ria. I currently live in Monticello with my 2-year old daughter and my fiancé. In my free time I enjoy baking and watching Grey's Anatomy. My family and I really enjoy getting outside especially when it’s warm, or we also enjoy spending the day watching Miss Rachel!

Hello, my name is Nohemi and I am from Veracruz, Mexico. I am a mom of two boys, 9-years and 2-years old. I am also currently 18-weeks pregnant! I met my husband in 2016 and we got married later in 2021. My older son attends the Twin Cities Rush Soccer Club. We love to watch him play soccer as a family. One day I would love to travel to Santorini, Cancun, Hawaii and Tokyo. My goal in the future is to buy a house on the farm and grow my own vegetables and fruits.

My name is Samantha, I live in Ham Lake with my boyfriend Taylur and my dog River. I graduated with my AA degree at Lake Superior College. I grew up on a farm in Willow River, MN. I enjoy reading, watching movies, cooking, and going on hikes with my dog. I got into teaching by beginning as an aide at a different classroom and really fell in love with the creativity that comes from being a preschool teacher. My favorite thing about teaching is watching the children make connections and seeing their knowledge really grow.

Hi! My name is Sophie, I grew up in Ramsey Minnesota and I have 3 older sisters and a younger brother, and my cat Iris. I graduated high school in 2019 and I have been attending The University of Kansas to pursue a degree in exercise science. I have always enjoyed working with children, it truly is such a blessing watching them grow each day and seeing them smile! In my free time I enjoy being outside, frisbee golfing, reading, cooking, and watching sports and going to sporting events. Outside of working at Goddard, I also work as a swim instructor. I am so excited to join this amazing family at Goddard!

My name is Melissa. I am a mom of three wonderful boys and married to my junior high sweetheart. I love having the opportunity to teach children and be able to watch them grow as they develop life skills they will use for the rest of their lives. I have a BS in Early Childhood Education and I have a passion for special education integration and interactive learning. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, trying to cook different cultural foods , advocating and educating people about Autism awareness, and spending time with my family.

Hello, my name is Madison and I am Native American, White Earth and La Courte Ojibwe. I enjoy fishing, music, and writing in my spare time. Surprisingly, I really enjoy gloomy weather. I would love to travel to Seattle one day! My mom was a preschool teacher, and I think it had a major impact on me. I believe that every student you teach is a potential world-changer, and your guidance can help them on that journey.

Hello, my name is Selena and I have been in childcare for about 6-years now. In my free time I love to go for walks, watch movies, and hang out with my family and my boyfriend. I also enjoy cooking, coloring, fishing and shopping. I grew up around a lot of family members that are teachers so I have a lot of admiration from past teachers that loved and cared for me. I’m excited to meet new families, have new experiences and have a home away from home. I love being in the education field because it’s so rewarding to help teach, guide and learn with the next generation.

Hello, my name is Laura and I am a proud mom of 3 adult children. 2 grown and flown and 1 attending her first year at Virginia Tech. We are adding 1 more to our family as our oldest daughter is getting married this Fall! My hobbies include crafting, flower gardening, and home improvement projects with my husband. Also can’t forget to mention all the fun we have with our 2 Australian Labradoodles, Beamer and Bentley! I started my teaching career after graduating from Hamline University in 1995. I entered my studies because of my love for children and learning. All of my experiences in the classroom environment have proven to me that I am in the right place!