Our Goddard School Teachers

The Goddard School of Manhattan has locations on both the Upper West Side and Upper East Side. We are a school, not a daycare center. We are committed to providing the highest level of stimulating development and warm nurturant care for Infants, and an age-appropriate curriculum for One Year-Olds and up in our Toddler, Preschool, and Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. Our schools are state-of-the-art facilities with many large sun-filled rooms. Our degreed teachers utilize our unique curriculum to teach your child in a fun and loving environment. As a parent, you stay connected with daily activity reports emailed to you, with photos and videos! Contact us for a tour of our Infant/Toddler Center and our Preschool Center. Bill Swan Ph.D., Onsite Owner

Sandra Sa has a Master's Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University and has NYS Teaching Certification. She started her tenure at The Goddard School in January 2012 as Education Director after working 8 years in leadership in another successful preschool. She has supported the growth of The Goddard Schools over the years, and she heads the Kindergarten Exmissions Program for the schools. Sandra's passion lies in supporting the education of young children while being a resource for families and teachers during this important time in a child's life.

Dr. Sandra "Chap" Chapman is the Education Director at 73rd Street and Broadway. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University, a Master of Science in Education from Bank Street College of Education, and an Educational Doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College. Dr. Chap has worked with children, families, and educators since 1990. She is a mother to two young adults. Dr. Chap’s passion for working with and learning from young children led her to writing and speaking about their development. Her most recent presentation was in November, 2024 for the NAEYC Annual Conference.

Chelsea is the Program Director of the 73rd & Broadway Goddard School location and has been with The Goddard School since 2022. She has a Master of Philosophy Degree in International Peace Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Affairs. She strives to create a happy and welcoming school environment for the children and loves to see each child’s unique journey as they learn and grow.

Xavier's journey in education began in undergrad when he spent summers as a youth theatre instructor for ages 5-18 in the Great Lakes State of Michigan! Upon receiving his BA in 2020 he jumped into a co-lead teaching position for 3K. He soon accepted an assistant teaching position closer to home where he spent three years contributing as a teaching assistant, lead, and administrator. Mr. Xavier has always enjoyed new and healthy challenges which led to his transplant to NYC in January of 2025. He has taken pride in stepping into the Assistant Director position at 73rd & Broadway and looks forward to growing with the Goddard School.

Born and raised on Long Island, Ms. Erin comes to us with a passion for learning through play. She holds a bachelor's in psychology with a minor in education from LeMoyne College as well as a master's in early childhood special education from Fordham University. Erin has been in the education industry for 24 years and has worked in many schools throughout New York City in a Kindergarten as well as 3K and 4K classrooms. Her favorite experience was when she worked for seven years at a special education preschool and had the opportunity to work collaboratively with her students and their respective Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists.  There she worked as an integrated teacher as well as in the 8:1:3 classroom. Ms. Erin is very grateful to work at the Goddard School as the Lead teacher in the South Ferry classroom-with the stars of the show- the adorable babies and their families.

Ms. Zanele has been working with children since 2014. She is currently an Infant Teacher and is truly passionate about helping children learn and grow. Supporting them as they reach their developmental milestones brings her so much joy and fulfillment. She loves creating a nurturing and engaging environment where every child feels safe, cared for, and encouraged to explore. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys going on hikes, traveling to new places, and watching movies. These activities help her stay inspired and bring fresh energy to her work with children every day.

Ms. Jessica is an Assistant Teacher at the Goddard School. She has been working with children ages 8 months to 5 year olds since 2014. She has a variety of experiences with children including teaching, tutoring, and babysitting. Ms. Jessica is fluent in Spanish and loves to help the little ones learn this language. She has worked as an Assistant Teacher in Pre-K, 3K, and toddler classes. She is a motivated and very experienced educator who has a passion to support children in all aspects of learning.

Since 2017, Ms. Cairo has been in early childhood education working with different age groups ranging from 6 weeks old to 15 years old! She has been working with The Goddard school since April 2025 and has loved working with all the kids she has come in contact with! She is currently pursuing her degree in Early Childhood Education while gaining hands-on experience at The Goddard School. She truly enjoys working with children, watching them grow, and seeing their curiosity as they explore the world around them. One of her favorite aspects of the job is creating art projects with the kids and seeing their faces light up when they accomplish something amazing!

Ms. Abigail has absolutely loved every moment of her time with The Goddard School! She has been working in the preschool setting since 2022 and has truly found a passion in helping young children grow, learn, and discover new things each day. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and loves finding new ways to bring creativity and joy into the classroom. She is so excited to continue learning and growing alongside her students this year!

Ms. Samira is a Lead Teacher in our Preschool/ Pre-K classroom. She is currently finishing her bachelor's degree in childhood education and wants to pursue her master's in educational leadership. Ms. Samira leads her room with a focus on social- emotional development and student autonomy. She believes that working with children has been extremely rewarding and fun. She also hopes to impact their lives in a positive way, just as they have impacted hers. 

Ms. Heather graduated from Grand Canyon University in Early Childhood Education. She has been working in Early Childhood Education since 2015. She chose this field because she wants to help the next generation prepare for what they want to accomplish in their future. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books, listening to music and spending time with family and friends.

Ms. Karina has been in Early Childhood Education since 2023. She went into early childhood because she wants to help shape the youngest generation of children socially, emotionally and cognitively. Psychology is her passion, and she enjoy applying what she has learned to the educational part of a child’s life. 

Ms. Joana is an enthusiastic and outgoing person. She brings a lot of laughter and joy to the children and classroom. She has been working with children since 2018. Joana is looking forward to completing her associate degree in early childhood education. She has taught the children sign language and yoga in her prior experiences. She loves to be very creative with her art projects, and sensory activities. Joana's biggest goal is to give your children a safe environment, and an exciting fun place to play and learn. Joana is very excited to be a part of The Goddard School. 

Ms. Emma is a Music Teacher at multiple Goddard locations. With over a decade of experience in the world of performing and a BFA in Musical Theatre from Pace University, Emma is eager to share her love of music with the next generation of bright students. She believes that music can be used as an integral tool in early childhood development. Whether singing, dancing, or taking turns strumming the guitar, class with Ms. Emma is sure to be a day of fun songs and warm energy. Emma is happiest when she is singing and smiling with the kids and looks forward to cultivating a nurturing learning environment.