Our Goddard School Teachers

Jim, Becky (wife), Sean (son) and Rachel (daughter) are thrilled to bring The Goddard School to the wonderful community of Mount Juliet. Jim earned both a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Education from Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. Becky earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, IL. Jim taught high school mathematics for many years and is now very excited to own and operate The Goddard School. He is friendly and welcoming and maintains a family-centered approach to early childhood education. Jim is also dedicated to providing a warm, safe and secure environment conducive to learning, especially learning while having fun. In his free time, Jim enjoys traveling, snow skiing and spending time with family and friends. The Goddard School goes well beyond a typical daycare. It provides the highest quality preschool care, education and experiences.

TaKayla began her career in Early Childhood Education soon after earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Child Studies, minored in Psychology and received her Child Care Director’s Credential from Western Kentucky University. As TaKayla’s journey continued, she attended Sullivan University where she earned a Master’s Degree in the Science of Management and completed 30-hour Administration Training through TECTA in 2023. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR. TaKayla has over 10 years of experience in early childhood education and childcare management. She is originally from Lexington, Kentucky and relocated to the Nashville area in 2015. TaKayla loves traveling to big cities, shopping and spending quality time with family and friends.

Chesslee joined The Goddard School in October 2024 with 20 years of childcare experience including over 11 years of teaching Preschool & Pre-K and also 9 years as a Childcare Director. Chesslee graduated from Wilson Central High School in 2008 before pursuing education for Cosmetology at Genesis Career College in 2010. She has also received certifications in ECE and TECTA. Chesslee is looking forward to building strong relationships with our families and children and excited to grow with Goddard.

Shannon joined The Goddard School in June 2021. She is from Mount Juliet but has lived in Lebanon the last 10 years. She has a daughter that attends Goddard and loves her fur babies. Shannon has experience working with children of all ages and is currently pursuing her degree in Early Childhood Education. Shannon has been an exceptional teacher here at Goddard from working in our Toddler, Preschool & Pre-K classrooms to assisting with admin duties. She is CPR & First Aid Certified and has won Teacher of the Month.

Taliyah joined Goddard in September 2022 and is enrolled at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, working towards a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics with a specialization in teaching English as a second language. Taliyah's favorite thing about teaching children is seeing them develop their personalities. She's looking forward to working and gaining experience at Goddard with hopes of pursuing her teaching career in the future.

Lisa joined the Goddard School in March 2021 as a Substitute Teacher before joining us fulltime in 2022. Lisa has over 15 years of experience in the Early Childhood Education field working with Infants, Toddlers, Preschool and Pre-K aged children. Lisa graduated from Nashville State Community College with her certificate in Early Childhood Education in 2014. She has a passion for children and would love to open her own childcare center in the future.

Madison joined Goddard in June 2022 with over 4 years in the care industry including Childcare and Adultcare. She recently relocated to Tennessee from Georgia and is excited to be back in her hometown. Madison describes herself as caring and loving and believes all children are unique and wonderfully made. She's excited to grow her career at Goddard.

JaBria joined The Goddard School in February 2022. She gained experience in the care industry after graduating high school in 2015. After having children of her own, she realized her passion for not only caring for adults but for children as well. JaBria believes the most important thing a teacher can do is be understanding and caring. She's excited to join The Goddard School and looks forward to learning more about ECE field.

Mrs. Marisela joins our team as a Lead Teacher and brings over 12 years of experience in early childhood education, with experience in both Preschool and Montessori settings. Originally from California, she earned her Associate Degree in Child Development from San Bernardino Valley College. Mrs. Marisela is passionate about creating a warm, nurturing classroom where children feel supported, confident, and excited to learn. We are so excited to have Mrs. Marisela as part of our Goddard family and look forward to all the love, knowledge, and experience she will bring to our students!

Ms. Laurie joined The Goddard School in September 2023. She started teaching in 1993 at Head Start. Laurie owned her own Daycare Center from 1993-1996 before taking a break from childcare. She returned to the Early Childhood Education field in 2009. Laurie received her associate degree in nursing and medical office management and wants to continue her education in ECE. She is very involved in Scouting and camping & loves to knit and crochet. Laurie loves watching a child's face when they learn something new! She's excited about her new journey at Goddard.

Morgan joined The Goddard School in October 2025, bringing with her over seven years of professional experience in early childhood education. She graduated from Aliso Niguel High School in 2017 and went on to earn her Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Development from Saddleback College. Morgan is a dedicated and passionate educator committed to fostering each child’s growth and development. She strives to inspire children to reach their full potential while providing thoughtful support as they navigate new learning experiences.

Samantha joined Goddard in August 2022 and brings over three years of experience in Early Childhood Education. While she has worked with children of all ages, she has a special passion for teaching toddlers. Samantha believes every child is unique and learns in their own way, and she strives to create an environment where each child can grow, explore, and thrive.

Danielle joined The Goddard School in June 2022. She is originally from Kentucky but has lived in Lebanon for 10 years. She graduated from high school in 2005 and is looking forward to pursuing her education in Early Childhood Development. Danielle has a passion for children and is excited to gain her experience at Goddard!

Sevval joined The Goddard School in September 2025, bringing more than a year of hands-on childcare experience. Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, she graduated from Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in 2019. Known for her upbeat, outgoing personality, Sevval loves connecting with children of all ages and creating moments that make them feel seen and valued. She believes every child is uniquely special and is excited to grow, learn, and shine alongside our Goddard community.

Rachel joined The Goddard School in May 2021 and has been a valued member of our team ever since. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alabama in May 2025. Originally from Illinois, Rachel relocated to Tennessee with her family. She is a dedicated and versatile educator who willingly assists in classrooms across all age groups and continues to support our school community during her summer breaks. We are proud to have Rachel as part of our team.

Angelina joined The Goddard School in July 2024. She graduated high school in May of 2024 before pursing her career in childcare. Angelina enjoys working with children of all ages, but she really enjoys the toddlers and twos the most! She believes that all children are special and learn at their own pace and the most important thing a teacher can do is be caring and loving. She's excited about her teaching career here at Goddard!

Bethany joined Goddard in April 2023 with experience working with children as a Bible Study Teacher. Bethany is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor is Family Studies at MTSU. She plans to pursue another degree in Early Childhood Education in the future. Bethany enjoys spending time with her family and friends and believe that it is important to teach children to believe in themselves and to never give up!

Ms. Natosha joined The Goddard School in February 2026 with over one year of childcare experience. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 2023 and has a passion for working with young children. Natosha believes in creating a warm, supportive classroom environment where children feel safe to learn, explore, and grow. She enjoys building positive relationships with her students and helping them reach new milestones each day

Ms. Iana joined The Goddard School in June 2026 and brings over five years of teaching experience to our school community. Her background includes teaching both Pre-K students and English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in Turkey, where she developed a passion for creating engaging and supportive learning environments. Originally from Russia, Ms. Iana earned her degree in English from South Ural State University. She enjoys helping children build confidence, develop new skills, and foster a lifelong love of learning. Ms. Iana is excited to be part of The Goddard School family and looks forward to partnering with families to support each child's growth and success.

Sean joined The Goddard School in October 2020. He was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, IL and recently relocated to Mount Juliet, TN. He graduated high school in 2019, began community college and is now interested in early childhood education. Sean is looking forward to helping young children learn and grow in our school's safe, secure and nurturing environment. He especially loves observing children's reactions to their new experiences. Sean enjoys spending time with friends, video games, snow skiing and traveling with his family.

Najellah joined our team in August 2026 and brings over 7 years of experience working with children. Her experience includes working as a private nanny and teaching both Preschool and Pre-K. She aspires to become a Pre-K teacher and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Middle Tennessee State University. We are so excited to have Najellah as part of our Goddard family!

Martha joined The Goddard School in May 2023 with over 10 years of childcare experience. Martha is most experience teaching Pre-K and Preschool aged children, but she loves spending time with the Infants and Toddlers. Martha is originally from Arizona and is excited to see what TN offers! She believes the most important thing a teacher can do is to provide company, attention and respect to all students. Martha is excited to grow with the Goddard School and looks forward to building meaningful relationships with the children and families.

Ms. Anna joined our Goddard family in March 2026 and brings over 3 years of experience working with infants and toddlers. A proud graduate of Mount Juliet High School, Class of 2021, Anna has a passion for working with our youngest learners and creating a warm, nurturing environment where they feel safe, loved, and supported as they grow and learn. We are so happy to have Ms. Anna as part of our Goddard family and look forward to all the care and love she brings to our little ones!

Olivia joined our team in July 2026 and graduated from Penn Foster. While she is new to the childcare field, she has quickly become a wonderful addition to our team. Olivia works well with children of all age groups and enjoys building positive relationships with each child she works with. We are so happy to have Olivia as part of our Goddard family