Hello and welcome! I am Jodi Straub, the proud franchisee/owner of The Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd. I was born and raised in southeastern Pennsylvania, and I am excited to bring a renowned education system to the Lower Merion and Philadelphia communities. My husband and I are proud parents of 3 children, who are all in their teens. Simply, we have a passion for childhood education. I realize the importance of high-quality educational childcare in a safe and nurturing environment. As the owner, I am proud to say that I am actively involved in the daily operations of the school, and I am committed to maintaining the highest quality standards that our parents expect.

Hello! My name is Laura. I have worked in the Early Childhood field for the last 23 years in many different program areas; from classroom teaching to curriculum development to administration. I have a Master’s degree in Education from West Chester University and a Bachelor of Art in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Neumann University. I am currently enrolled in a Higher Education doctorate program at St. Joseph's University.

Ms. Lexie is our assistant director here at the Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd. Lexie holds a degree in Psychology from Cabrini University. She has experience working with pre-school and school-aged children and loves infants. She is certified in Pediatric First Aid/CPR, Health & Safety, Fire Safety, and Mandated Reporter. Lexie lives in Havertown, Pa and enjoys watching sports and spending quality time with family and friends.

Hello, My name is Maria. I am currently in my final step towards receiving my CDA. I have been working in childcare centers for the past five years and have never felt more passionate and fulfilled. When I am not working, I appreciate spending time with my big family, little cousins, and of course my dogs. We like to nature walk as I practice photography. With my friends, there is always music involved, or something lively. I look forward to caring for your child and helping to develop a lifelong love of learning.

Hello, My name is Latasha. I love reading, traveling, music, and spending time with my family. I am in school getting my degree in social work at Delaware County Community College.

Hello, My name is Holly. I live in Elkins Park with my husband and two sons, ages 18 and 10. I love to read, and my favorite types of books are fantasy and science fiction. In 2022, I obtained my bachelor's degree in Early education and I am currently enrolled in a master's degree program, both at Drexel University. I have worked with young children for over ten years and have found that there is nothing more rewarding than witnessing the joy of discovery in their eyes. I am excited to be here at Goddard because their reputation of high quality precedes them. I am looking forward to building strong, lasting relationships here at Goddard.

Hello, My name is Ms. Shana or Shay. I am so excited to be joining The Goddard family. I have previous experience in infants and both young and older toddlers. I am currently enrolled in online classes to achieve my CDA. I also have a dream to get my teaching degree and maybe one day opening my own childcare center. I love teaching because I love making learning fun for others and finding new ways to succeed. I am a very open minded and easy-going person. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I am very much looking forward to connecting with everyone.

Hello, My name is Katie. I taught Kindergarten and first grade in Philadelphia for seven years. Last year, I left the district and taught pre-school. I am glad that life’s journey brought me to Goddard, and I am very excited to work with your children.

Hello Parents, My name is Mrs. Shebotta (Mrs.S) for short. I am a mom to a 4 ½ year old daughter. I have a bachelor’s degree in child and family studies from Benedict College. My understanding and passion for children has been for 10 plus years. I look forward to supporting, learning, and helping your child grow and develop through play.

Hello, My name is Karla. I have always enjoyed childcare since a young age. Growing up I loved babysitting and mentoring my younger cousins, helping them with schoolwork, planning activities, and fun games. I have worked in daycare for over three years and love watching children learn, grow, and develop. In my free time, I like trying new restaurants, hiking, spending time outdoors, and traveling. I am excited to care for your children and watch them learn and reach their milestones!

Hello, My name is Briana. I graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 2019 with my bachelor’s in business administration. I enjoy art and drawing. I also enjoy working with children and watching them grow.

Hello, My name is Amanda, and I am currently studying chemistry at Delaware County Community College. I have been working with kids since I was 15 years old. I love watching kids grow and reach new milestones. When I am not working, I love to spend time with my friends and family and my pets. I am excited to get to know you and your children and watch them develop a love for learning!

Hi families, I am Cierra, a floating teacher here at the Goddard School of Bala Cynwyd. Outside of working here, I am a full-time student at Saint Joseph’s University studying Marketing and Leadership Development. Working at this center for the past year and a half has allowed me to build trust with the children and staff members and to cultivate a fun learning community for the children. Because my role allows me to transition to a variety of rooms across the school, I have had the opportunity to build great connections with the children all around. Working at the Goddard school has been a great experience thus far and my daily interactions make me happy even after a rigorous day at school.

Hello, My name is Naasiah. At the age of 14 I started working for an organization "The Helping Hand Rescue Mission". It is a church located in a rough area where children do not have much such as food, clothes, and money. This was my first job where I found my love for working with children. I also developed many different skills. I still work there when I can, but I did go to Manner College to become a dental hygienist, but unfortunately I did not continue that career path and decided to go to trade school and get my certification as a stride central tech. I am a huge sports fan. I love playing basketball, soccer, and softball. I also am a foodie. I enjoy traveling all over to different food and dessert spots. When I saw The Goddard School, I looked up the history and knew this is where I wanted to work. Money has never been the main focus, just working with children and being the best at it I can be.

Hello, My name is Sokhary. I graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology in December 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. I am a hard-working person. I tend to put a lot of effort into everything that I work on. I always try to give my best even if sometimes things do not work out well. I love working with children and teaching them things and it makes me happy to be around children.

Hello, My name is Angela. I have been working with infants and toddlers for over six years. I enjoy watching infants and toddlers develop and reach their milestones. I enjoy facilitating infants in their cognitive, physical, and social developments.

Hello! I am Miss Caitlin, and I have been working in the professional childcare field since 2008. I find that helping to shape the minds of young children is one of the most rewarding things a person can accomplish. I also love doing arts & crafts with them. I am certified in CPR/First Aid. In my spare time I enjoy making homemade & delicious candies, spending time with my family & friends, karaoke, and trivia nights. And I love everything Disney!

Hello! My name is Emeline (Emma-line). I am so happy to be here and to be teaching your babies! This truly is my passion. I have worked with children my whole life as I am the oldest of 14 cousins. Professionally I've worked with children for four years! I was and still am the designated babysitter for my 14 cousins. I went to Chestnut Hill college and got both my BA and MS in child psychology there. Outside of work you can find me holding someone's baby ??.

Hello! My name is Emily and I hold two degrees from Bloomsburg University - a bachelor’s in speech pathology and a master’s in early childhood education. I grew up in Hershey, PA, but truly fell in love with teaching while working with a pre-k program in Arizona. I have been teaching professionally since getting my PK-4 certification in 2018. I am beyond excited to lead a pre-k classroom here at Goddard and look forward to helping the children grow into their full potential. In my free time I enjoy crafting, spending time with my fiancé and our dog, and taking walks.

Hello, My name is Grace, and I am currently a teacher in the Warblers I reside in Philadelphia, born in Puerto Rico and also fluent in Spanish. I have always had an interest in Early Childhood and a passion to guide, construct, and assist young children with over 21 years of experience. I obtain a Child development Associate and have an extensive list of trainings. I look forward to working here and utilizing all that I have learned throughout my years of teaching.

Hello, My name is Sakeenah. I have worked with children 6 weeks-12 years of age since 1991. It truly is a god giving passion. I also come from a family of teachers. I have one daughter and two grandchildren who are my entire world. I believe in fostering young minds and giving them the tools, they need for a great beginning. I love to intentionally teach and see good outcomes academically, socially, and emotionally. My philosophy is to teach a child something new that I did not teach the day before to help them reach their highest potential.

Hello, My name is Mrs. Teresa. I have a degree in Marketing from Cabrini College as well as a Teachers Certification for Kindergarten-6th grade. I stayed home for 18 years raising my five children before returning to work in 2008. I am so excited to join the team at The Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd. My hobbies are spending as much time with my children and grandchildren. I love to paint with Acrylics and spend time at the beach with my family.

Hello, My name is Gabriele. I have been working with young children for many years. I look forward to caring for the children here at The Goddard School and helping them grow.

Hello, My name is Kwanasha. I am currently in CCP to receive my AA in early childhood education. I have completed the mandated reporter. I am excited to work at The Goddard School because I know it will help me expand diversity with the children. On my free time I enjoy reading and dancing for fun.

Hello, My name is Emma. I am a second- year nursing student at Drexel University. I like to stay with kids, so I hope I can be a pediatric nurse. I lived in New Jersey for five years and this is my second year in Philadelphia. I have three cats which I adopted last year. On my free time I enjoy listening to music and shopping. I am excited to be apart of The Goddard School and hope to get to know all the children.