Our Teachers

Laura is a mother of five young daughters, a former educator, and a passionate advocate for early childhood education. A graduate of The Pingry School—where she also taught for ten years—and Columbia University’s Teachers College, she brings both experience and purpose to her work. She has earned the National Rookie of the Year and Circle of Excellence Awards, two of the highest honors in the Goddard system. When expecting her first daughter, Laura couldn’t find child care that met her standards—so she created it herself. She partnered with Goddard for its strong focus on health and safety and its inspiring Reggio Emilia-based Wonder of Learning curriculum. Just as important, each Goddard School is locally owned and rooted in community—something Laura deeply values. At her schools, she introduced trilingual immersion, where every child learns English, Spanish, and Mandarin, reflecting her belief that early childhood is the ideal time to raise confident, culturally aware communicators.

With over 30 years of experience in education, Ms. Mary brings deep knowledge, leadership, and heart to her role as the on-site operator of The Goddard School of Maplewood. She previously served as the Founding Director of The Goddard School of Millburn, Executive Director, and on-site operator of The Goddard School of Jersey City. Before joining Goddard, Mary held leadership roles including Executive Director of a charter school, Chief Academic Officer, and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. She has trained principals and teachers in instructional best practices, dual-language learning, data-driven instruction, and classroom management. At Goddard, Mary blends her academic expertise with a nurturing approach that puts children and families first. Her vision is to create a school where curiosity is encouraged, every child feels valued, and a lifelong love of learning.

Ms. Vanessa, our Director of Operations, brings a strong foundation in Early Childhood Education along with years of classroom and leadership experience. In her role, she supports not only the daily operations of the school but also plays a key part in fostering educational excellence. Ms. Vanessa coaches and mentors teachers on effective classroom management, adherence to Quality Assurance Standards, and delivering engaging, meaningful lessons. Her passion lies in building strong connections—with faculty, families, and especially children. She is known for her approachable leadership style and her commitment to maintaining a positive, nurturing school culture. “It is my pleasure,” she says, “to help create an environment that is warm and welcoming to all, and in which everyone feels valued and supported.” Ms. Vanessa’s thoughtful guidance helps ensure that every child and family at The Goddard School feels at home and set up for success.

Ms. Brianne brings over a decade of experience in early childhood education, classroom leadership, and curriculum development to her role as Director of Education. She has led preschool and Pre-K classrooms, overseen school-wide instructional quality, and supported teachers through coaching and training aligned with national standards like NAEYC and GrowNJKids. At The Goddard School, she partners closely with faculty to ensure that each classroom is developmentally rich, engaging, and responsive to the needs of every child. What parents love most about Brianne is her warm, down-to-earth approach—she communicates openly, listens carefully, and always puts the children first. She believes that learning should feel joyful, purposeful, and rooted in meaningful relationships. With her strong foundation in both education and care, Brianne ensures that every child is supported, every teacher is empowered, and every family feels right at home.

Ms. Lisa is a Lead English Teacher in our Infant Classroom with a bachelor’s in psychology and a Certification in Montessori. She became an infant teacher after college and fell in love with the fast pace, high energy, and loving atmosphere. “I love to see my students progress when they start in my classroom and become active toddlers.” When asked about why she loves our Wonder of Learning Curriculum, she says it provides opportunities for children to explore their natural curiosity while engaging in activities that help them develop more knowledge and skill. In terms of working at Goddard Maplewood, Ms. Lisa loves that the school is bright, beautiful and clean – a great environment for children and teachers to learn and play together!

Ms. Dilcia is a Lead Spanish Teacher in our Infant Program with coursework in Modern Languages and experience working with young children. “I grew up with School as my second home, and for me to play an important role in our children’s lives fills my heart with happiness.” When asked about her favorite area of the classroom, Ms. Dilcia explains that when children look in the mirror, they love to see their own facial expressions and those of others. “I can see children’s sense of self-awareness and social-awareness growing in a practical way, even as we study these things in our Social Emotional Curriculum – Life Lesson Library.” Ms. Dilcia’s favorite time of day is when they read books to the children – which is all day! “When we read, children listen and look, touch the book, smile, laugh and talk. It is a very nice way to build bonds with our children as they learn and grow.”

Ms. Aileen is a Lead Spanish Teacher in our Toddler & Preschool Program. With more than a decade of experience and an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education, Ms. Aileen When asked about why she loves our Wonder of Learning Curriculum, she says “it is inquiry-based, student-driven, and play-based which are three of the most important elements in an intentional and high-quality early-childhood education program. Her favorite time of day is both Large Group Gathering Time and Small Group Centers because both provide students with the perfect blend of structure and freedom. When asking Ms. Aileen what excites her most about the trilingual curriculum at Goddard Millburn, she says, “I see the children developing important skills such mental flexibility and critical thinking which improves their ability to learn anything.”

Ms. Sheena is a Lead Spanish Teacher in our Pre-School Program. With a Bachelors of Psychology and several years of experience working with children in educational childcare, Ms. Sheena says that “being a teacher is rewarding! I love seeing kids get excited about learning!” When asked what she loves about our curriculum, “Wonder of Learning,” she says it provides incredible support to teachers. It guides teachers in creating meaningful and intentional activities that relate to developmental goals for each child. It focuses on social-emotional development, in particular, which is so important in the first few years of life. Her favorite area of the classroom are the Evidence of Learning boards since students can admire their work which builds self-confidence and pride.

Ms. Jessica, an Assistant English Teacher in our Toddlers Program, has a Bachelors in English and several years experience working with young children. She became a teacher because “I love seeing the impact that I am making on a daily basis and observing the children flourish and grow.” When asked about why she loves our curriculum, “Wonder of Learning,” Ms. Jessica focuses on the importance of student-driven inquiry and hands-on-experiential learning. Her favorite time of day is Learning Lab because it allows her to observe and connect with each student as she guides them in the learning process. In terms of Goddard Maplewood, Ms. Jessica feels that there is great support for teachers and a culture of teamwork in our important mission together.

Ms. Makayla is an Assistant Spanish Teacher in our Infant Program. When asked about why she loves working at Goddard Maplewood, Ms. Makayla highlights Ms. Meredith’s commitment to health and safety and Ms. Vanessa’s focus on active engagement. Most of all, “I love the children and the excitement on their faces when teachers great them in the mornings (and how some of them don’t want to go home at the end of the day). I love observing how brilliant and kind they are and seeing them develop more and more each day.”

Mr. Alejandro is an Assistant Spanish Teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten Program. With a Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Mr. Alejandro has always had the desire to teach others because of the importance he feels around seeing others learn and grow. When asked about why he loves our Wonder of Learning Curriculum, he says that “students engage with hands-on, learning activities in which materials have been intentionally chosen to create a true learning-through-play experience.” In a recent project, Mr. Alejandro appreciated the wholistic learning experience – “children were cutting letters from various magazines to spell out their names before arranging them artistically on a canvas with other multimedia.” They talked about many different things (in Spanish) as they did the project together; they practice fine motor and literacy skills; and they were able to foster independence and self-expression as they made their whole project come together.

A Lead Spanish Teacher in our Toddler & Pre-School programs, Ms. Maria more than a decade of experience teaching and working with children. When asked about her philosophy of teaching, Ms. Maria says that “children must be active in their learning” and “that if a child enjoys her activities, she will learn easily and love learning.” Regarding our Wonder of Learning Curriculum, Ms. Maria explains that she enjoys watching students lead the activities using their innate curiosity and sense of imagination. The high-quality, intentional materials are designed to allow for meaningful exploration and learning. I love working at Goddard Maplewood because of the people around me – both students and faculty. I am always learning something new which keeps my experience as a teacher exciting and interesting."

Ms. Denise, a Lead Spanish Teacher in our Infant & Toddler Program, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and several years of experience working with young children. When asked about her favorite time of day with students, Ms. Denise loves working in Learning Lab and Small Groups. During this time, I get to observe them closely and support the learning of each child in an important way.” Her favorite area of the classroom is the Gathering Rug where everyone comes together. “In this area, children have opportunities to socialize as an entire group and we engage in activities that bond them as a community.”

Ms. Takiyah is a Lead English Teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten program. With an Associates in Early Childhood, Ms. Takiyah is currently working on a Bachelors degree in Education Leadership. When asked why she loves our curriculum, “Wonder of Learning,” Ms. Takiyah talks about “teamwork” and that our activities promote the development of social-emotional skills that are key to good relationships. In terms of our trilingual curriculum, she remarks that it is so amazing to see that children are actually learning to speak the languages – English, Spanish and Mandarin. Reflecting on her experience at Goddard Maplewood, Ms. Takiyah says she appreciates our teamwork culture and community-oriented vibe. “I like how everyone helps each other,” because this is a great model for the children and our future.

Ms. Karla is a Lead Spanish Teacher in our Toddler Program. A native Spanish speaker with a Masters in Teaching, Ms. Karla loves to create game-based learning for her students. She believes children should engage in hands-on learning with a play-based approach to learn best. In terms of our Wonder of Learning Curriculum, she says “it provides many opportunities for children’s natural curiosity to manifest.” Her favorite thing to do is interact with students which happens all day in different ways – Large Group, Small Group, Learning Centers, Meals and Playground. Finally, Ms. Karla encourages her students not to be afraid of making mistakes because failing it is a part of the learning process.

Ms. Cayleigh is an Assistant Spanish Teacher in our Toddler & Preschool Programs. "I always knew I wanted to be a teacher -- I feel like it is definitely my calling." Warm, attentive, dynamic, thoughtful and engaged, Ms. Cayleigh knows every child and family. Always willing to help at any time, she is a friendly team player who supports learning in every classroom.

Ms. Maryana is an Assistant Spanish Teacher in our Infant & Toddler program. At Goddard Maplewood, she is a resourceful and collaborative team player, who we rely upon for her dependable helping hand. Excellent at connecting with children on their level, communicating and empathizing, Ms. Maryana is a warm and nurturing guide for our students. When asked about our trilingual curriculum, Ms. Maryana says it is impressive to see how quickly children learn language, and she also enjoys learning them herself. In terms of Goddard Maplewood, she says the culture of teamwork and inclusiveness aligns with the School’s inspiring vision.

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Ms. Yaqiu brings over 16 years of experience in early childhood education and holds a Master’s degree in Teaching. As the Lead Mandarin Teacher in both the Bridge and Preschool programs, she fosters a dynamic and nurturing environment where young learners flourish. A trilingual educator, Ms. Yaqiu deeply understands the power of language in shaping confident, culturally aware communicators. “I believe that children have a hundred languages to express themselves—and Mandarin is a meaningful medium for connection, creativity, and discovery.” Drawing inspiration from the Wonder of Learning, she engages children in joyful, hands-on exploration of the Chinese language and culture through art, music, and storytelling, making each day a rich, immersive experience.

Hello, I’m Tisha! With over a decade of experience as a childcare provider, I have developed a deep passion for nurturing and guiding young minds. There is nothing more rewarding than witnessing the wonder in a child’s eyes as they explore, learn, and grow in their own unique way. I firmly believe that the best learning happens through play, discovery, and hands-on experiences, and I strive to create an environment filled with warmth, curiosity, and joy. Every day, I look forward to the laughter, milestones, and magical moments that make this work so fulfilling. Seeing their bright little faces each morning reminds me why I truly love what I do.