Our Goddard School Teachers

My name is Samantha Elliott. I am the proud of owner of three Goddard Schools. I own the Grove City School, the Worthington Hills School, and the Goddard Worthington II School. My husband, Rex, and I have three lovely daughters who are all Goddard graduates. We also have two beautiful labradoodles - Scout & Sasha. I am proud to be part of the The Goddard School and I am committed to providing the highest quality preschool experience for the children in our community.

Miss Alex is a part of the outstanding administrative team at The Goddard School of Worthington 2! She has a degree in Sports Management from Baldwin Wallace and has taught at the Worthington Hills Goddard for the last four years. Miss Alex is also Miss Sam's daughter and is thrilled to be involved in the family business. She is also the proud owner of three doggos: Niko, Archie, and Kaia!

Mr. Drew started working at our Worthington Hills location in 2017. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both English and Educational Studies from Denison University. Mr. Drew is our Director, and is passionate about helping all of our Goddard students. Mr. Drew is happily married to Jeannette and they have two sons named Elliott and Albert.

Miss Ruthie (or Miss Rue / Rutie as her children might call her) has been working with us at The Goddard School since May of 2021. Previously she could be found working around the building, drawing pictures on the walls as one of our very talented muralists. Miss Ruthie works in our Infant (Badger) room, where she puts her degree in Fine Arts and Education from the University of Cincinnati to good use. She loves her kids and is always teaching them fun, and engaging information both about art and other topics. In her free time she loves working on murals and other forms of art.

Miss Karen is the dictionary definition of a seasoned educator. Having worked in the school system for more than 35 years, she knows full well what it takes to nourish growing minds, and take ownership of a classroom. With a degree in Early Childhood Education, she is the perfect person to take the reins of our Pre-K (Elk) classroom, sharing with her other teachers and the students her years of valuable knowledge. Miss Karen has been with our Goddard School for more than a year now, and we look forward to the many wonderful years to come. Our school would not be the same without Miss Karen, and we smile a little brighter every morning knowing that she is here with us.

Miss Nichole (or Miss Cole as her children sometimes call her) is a wonderful educator, and one of the most energetic, loving and enthusiastic individuals you will ever meet. She always begins each day on her best foot possible, with a "Can Do" attitude that only a cup of coffee can replicate in others. Having been with The Goddard School for more than 5 years, and with our location for more than 1 year, Miss Nichole is the perfect person to have assisting in all of our young toddler classrooms. Her knowledge and persistence is unrivaled. Not only are we lucky to have Miss Nichole in our school, everyone is lucky to have her in this world.

Miss Emma is who we should all aspire to be in our everyday lives. She is bright; loving; funny, and kind. Our toddler classroom could not be the same without her, as her energy and love is unmatched. Each morning begins with a wide smile, an enthusiastic "good morning", and potentially a big, warm hug. Miss Emma wears her heart on her sleeve, and every room she walks into is brighter because of it. With a Degree in Early Childhood Education, Miss Emma is the perfect person to nurture her students and foster a lifelong love of learning, and a lifelong journey of kindness. We are incredibly lucky to have her at our school, which benefits greatly from her enthusiasm, boundless energy and hugs.

You’ll find many faces at The Goddard School on North High, and Ms. Alicia is one of the many bright ones you can find in our Moose room. One of three very talented, kind, and caring teachers, Ms. Alicia always comes to work with a smile on her face, ready to hop into her room with her kids. Having joined our staff in October of 2021, Ms. Alicia is a valued member of our staff, and our teaching community, and we are thankful to have Ms. Alicia with us!

When you walk into our Porcupine room, you are most likely to be greeted by the artwork on the walls, and Ms. Jenny, our extraordinary lead teacher who always welcomes her friends with a warm “hello” and “good morning, friends”. Having been in The Goddard School program herself when she was younger, Ms. Jenny came back to us in May of 2021, and she’s been hard at work teaching our young first steppers ever since. The artwork hanging from the walls of the room speaks for itself, and to her talent, as she works everyday to enrich the growing minds of her students. Ms. Jenny is a lovely individual, who cares greatly for the children in her care, and we are thrilled to have her here with us, as a member of our staff.

Working with Miss Miriam is an absolute joy. She always arrives to work in a good mood, and on occasion with chocolates from her travels. As one of the teachers in our first steps room, Miss Miriam is always engaged during her days here at The Goddard School. Whether she is making her coworkers laugh, or providing comfort for her kiddos, Miss Miriam always has a smile on her face. Her upbeat attitude is a lovely addition to our Goddard family, and we enjoy having her with us.

As a member of the first steps room, Ms. Laura is a kind hearted, nurturing individual, who always brings a smile with her to work, along with her positivity. Ms. Laura has been with us since April of 2022, though it feels as though she has been with us forever. Ms. Laura is a highly valued member of our staff and we couldn’t imagine a day at our school without her.

Every member of our staff has a “can do” attitude, but none quite as much as Ms. Leandrea. Always ready and willing to hop into any room, but finding her home in our Infant (Badger) classroom, Ms. Leandrea is an invaluable member of our staff. An amazing teacher who does her best to educate the students of each room in their own unique ways, Ms. Leandrea does everything she can to teach her children, both academically and socially. Quick to have kids talk it out, Ms. Leandrea is not only a wise educator, but an attentive teacher as well. Having joined our staff in March of 2022, we love every day when Ms. Leandrea walks into our building, and we know the kids do too.

Miss Symone may currently be in school and working towards her degree, but that doesn't mean she is any less present in our building. She is hardworking, always putting in her best effort to help teach and raise our friends in the first steps room during the mornings, while lending her time towards our older toddler classrooms in the afternoon. Miss Symone has a kind heart and a bright smile, and is no stranger to joking around with her coworkers. Our first steps room wouldn't be as lively without Miss Symone, and our building wouldn't be the same.

Helping out in our First-Steps classroom, Ms. Angela is a lovely member of our Goddard Family! Ms. Angela is currently attending Columbus State, where she is working towards her degree. In her free time, Ms. Angela enjoys traveling and cooking. Her favorite childhood memory was when her "middle school teacher let her help teach the class the lesson of the day every morning". Ms. Angela brings a ray of sunshine to her work with children, as she builds strong bonds and trusting relationships with these small kiddos.

As a member of our Infant (Badger) classroom, Ms. Ariana loves being able to watch the children in her care explore, and seeing how excited they are to learn new skills! Joining us in early 2024, she is currently taking a break from college, but has previously attended the Ohio State University. In her free time, she can be found working out, going shopping, and binge watching her favorite shows. One day, Ms. Ariana aspires to be a pediatrician or an OB-GYN, anything that allows her to assist with babies!

A familiar face to our Goddard community, Ms. Alysha first started with us in 2023, and has since returned to continue educating and encouraging the children in our Pre-K Plus classroom. Having attended the University of Kentucky, Ms. Alysha strives to put her best foot forward everyday she walks into the classroom. She enjoys watching children make connections and feel confident in themselves, something she always encourages with participation in the classroom. As she enjoys cooking, yoga, and trying new restaurants, Ms. Alysha hopes to one day be a food blogger or critic. As a member of our Goddard family, we love the enthusiasm she brings to her role in the classroom, and love that we get to share her with our families!

A welcoming member of our Goddard family, Ms. Aviona joined us in early 2025, though it feels as if she has been with us longer! You will often find Ms. Aviona in either our infant or First-Steps classrooms, helping provide care to all of our babies. With the belief that we create children's futures, she aspires to be a childcare owner or director, having continued her education with Columbus State and her years of early childhood experience. In her free time, Ms. Aviona enjoys shopping, taking walks in the park, and trying new foods.

You may have seen Mr. Matt in the evenings in our First-Steps or Toddler classrooms. It's no surprise that Mr. Matt's favorite childhood memory about a teacher stems from the fourth grade, when he bought her a tiara, "because she never had one as a kid." This speaks to who Mr. Matt is as a person, and as a valued member of our Goddard family. He likes working with the children, watching them learn and grow, as their unique personalities shines through. Having attended the Ohio State School for the Blind, Mr. Matt would one day like to a braille teacher!

Having joined our Goddard family in 2024, Mr. Nick is often found in our Pre-K, Pre-K Plus, and Aftercare classrooms! With a degree from the University of Dayton, Mr. Nick majored in Early Childhood Education, and is a valued member of our staff. Seeing everyday as unique, he enjoys fostering creativity, encouraging problem solving, and meeting the different kinds of personalities in the classroom. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, camping, watching movies, doing puzzles and baking. As an aspiring 4th or 5th grade teacher, Mr. Nick approaches each day with a desire to educate children and learn more himself. We are happy to have him as a member of our Goddard family, and encourage him to learn and grow more as one of our teachers.

Returning to our Goddard Family, Ms. Scout previously worked with us at sister school in Worthington Hills! With more than five years of early childhood experience, Ms. Scout is ready to share her love of teaching, and her nurturing spirit with the kiddos in our Bear classroom. With a degree from Columbus State and having spent her childhood in Canada, Ms. Scout can be found reading books, or playing at centers with these wonderful friends of ours! When not in the Pre-K (Bear) classroom, Ms. Scout can be found hanging out with her friends or working out. She enjoys the way in which children always make her smile and laugh each day. We are thrilled to have Ms. Scout back as a member of our community, and we can’t wait to share her with you too!

Joining our Goddard family in 2025, Ms. Megan has been a most welcome addition to our staff! Having graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in Inclusive Elementary Education, Ms. Megan is most often found in our Pre-K classrooms in the morning, and our Aftercare (Owl) classroom in the evening. When not working with children, she can be found reading, listening to music, playing with her dogs or shopping with friends. As someone who loves engaging with children, Ms. Megan believes "it's always fun and interesting to have conversations with kids and learn more about them." When she grows up, Ms. Megan would like to continue being in a career where she is "able to work, engage and interact with young children!"

Ms. Kris has worked for The Goddard Schools since 1999 starting out as a Get Set teacher at our Pickerington location. She advanced to become the director at our Pickerington location prior to moving to become the director at our Grove City location. Ms. Kris has a Master's in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Kris now works as an executive director between our Worthington and Grove City locations. She loves interacting with the children, especially exploring science experiments, puzzles, cooking, and board games. She lives with her husband, Chris and two dogs, Bandit and Bullet.

Having graduated from Denison University with a degree in History and Classical Studies, Ms. Gabi joined our Goddard Family in early 2025! She has been a lovely addition to our team, who loves watching the children in her care grow and learn. "It is so heartwarming seeing them develop and improve certain skills throughout their time in my classroom" she says as a teacher in our Bobcat (Toddler) classroom. In her free time, Ms. Gabi can be found playing tennis, going on walks, and spending time with her dog, Miso. Ms. Gabi loves working in schools and connecting with the children and aspires to one day be a director or superintendent of a school! We are glad to have Ms. Gabi with us, and look forward to sharing her with the Worthington Community.