Our Goddard School Teachers

WELCOME! Smitha & Justin Makil are excited to introduce themselves as the owners of The Goddard School of Celina. Although they are embarking on this journey as a husband and wife team, Smitha will be the on-site owner and operator with Justin as her support. As parents of three beautiful girls (ages 9, 5, and 2), Smitha & Justin recognize the importance of a safe and nurturing learning environment, which is why they chose The Goddard School. In fact, their eldest daughter started at The Goddard School in Lincoln Park-Chicago when she was 2.5 years and graduated from the program. Their middle daughter has been attending The Goddard School of Frisco, and Smitha & Justin became believers of the program and its consistency throughout- whether it was in Chicago or Dallas. They are proud to offer the opportunity for children to grow through exploration and hands-on learning. Prior to owning a Goddard School, Smitha and Justin were balancing their busy careers and family life- but they realized they wanted to do something together that would benefit their family as a whole on a different level. Smitha completed her B.S. in Community Health- Health Administration & Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and also has a B.S. in Nursing from Chamberlain College of Nursing. Prior to moving to the DFW area, Smitha worked as a Labor & Delivery RN at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Most recently, Smitha worked as a Gynecology Triage RN at Adriatica Women’s Health in McKinney. While Smitha enjoyed her career as a Nurse, she is excited to apply some of her skills and expertise to The Goddard School, which she believes is more important than ever. Justin completed a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Computer Science from Binghamton University in New York, and later went on to complete his M.B.A. from NYU Stern Business School. While Justin continues his career, he is also excited for the opportunity to support Smitha in this journey together and bring his expertise into the operational side. “My husband and I always knew we wanted to start our own business venture together, and after witnessing the development and growth in our children from a social, academic, mental and physical standpoint, we knew opening a Goddard School was it- what could be better?!,” Smitha said. “We believe our balance makes a great team and this gives us the opportunity to make the impact we were hoping to achieve as business owners.” Smitha & Justin invite your family to visit the beautiful new Goddard School in Celina. They are eager to introduce you to the incredible faculty, including the Education Director, and looks forward to talking with you about the School’s high-quality learning program.

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Mrs. Jamie has been an incredible asset to our school, serving as a Pre-K teacher, Education Director, and now as Administrative Manager! She holds Associate’s degrees in Child Development and Arts & Sciences, along with a Master Teacher Certification from Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. After moving to Texas in 2019, Jamie joined The Goddard School of Celina in 2021 and continues to be a valued member of our team. Outside of school, Jamie enjoys baking, antiquing, hiking, and camping with her husband. She shares, “Early childhood education is often overlooked, yet it is a critical time for learning and growth. How children develop during these years helps shape who they become as adults, and I love seeing that carried through even on the operational side.” Her favorite children’s books include Skippyjon Jones and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? While her classroom students adored her, the entire school now benefits from her dedication, expertise, and leadership.

Mrs. Jackie has been a valued member of our team since we opened in 2021, first as a teacher and now as part of our Administrative Team! Her positive energy and welcoming smile brighten our school each day. She holds an Associate of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Born in Tampa, Florida, Mrs. Jackie has lived in Texas since the age of two. She chose early childhood education because of her love for teaching and her desire to make a meaningful impact on children—an appreciation that has grown since becoming a mother of two. In her free time, Mrs. Jackie enjoys spending time with friends and family, watching Netflix, and shopping. She shares, “Every day is different. I love the energy of working with children and seeing them succeed.” Her favorite children’s book series is Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann. We are grateful to have Mrs. Jackie as part of our school family and are excited to work even more closely with her on our front office team!

Ms. Izzy joined The Goddard School of Celina in early 2025 and quickly became a wonderful fit with our team! Her positivity shines from the moment you meet her and remains strong even on the most challenging days. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University and brings a background in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Ms. Izzy was drawn to early childhood education to help build strong foundational skills, with a focus on social-emotional development, while nurturing young minds. She said, "I love being able to shape brilliant minds, while being fun, positive, and above all- silly!" Outside of school, Ms. Izzy enjoys spooky movies and shows, painting, diamond art, reading, organizing, camping, and spending time with pets. Her favorite children’s book is Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. We are grateful to have Ms. Izzy’s energy, warmth, and leadership positively impacting our school community!

Ms. Sloan joined our team in early 2022 with three years of childcare experience and a strong appreciation for the Goddard philosophy, having previously worked at another Goddard location. She is married and has two young daughters, one of whom also attended a Goddard School—making her connection to our mission especially meaningful. In her free time, Ms. Sloan enjoys DIY projects, cooking, baking, and spending time with her family. Her favorite part of working with young children is “watching them grow and learn new things.” With experience across multiple age groups, she values each stage of early development and also brings a passion for supporting school operations, allowing her to contribute in a unique, well-rounded role at Goddard Celina. Her favorite children’s book is Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. Ms. Sloan has grown tremendously during her time with us, and we are grateful for the dedication, versatility, and heart she brings to our school community every day.

We are thrilled to have Mr. Ruben on our team as our Wonder of Learning® Curriculum Specialist. A native New Yorker, Mr. Ruben is well known for building strong, meaningful relationships with students, colleagues, and families—something you’ll quickly notice upon meeting him. He brings over 20 years of experience in youth development and early childhood education and previously served as a STEM instructor at Celina Primary. Mr. Ruben holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and has a natural passion for creatively nurturing young minds. Outside of school, he enjoys exercising, playing games and puzzles, working on hands-on projects, and traveling with his family—especially visiting relatives in Puerto Rico. Family is very important to him; he has been married to his college sweetheart, Errica, for over 30 years, and together they have two children, Ruben (Tres) III and Romi. We are excited to have Mr. Ruben’s energy, expertise, and warmth as part of our school community!

We are so blessed to have Ms. Eden leading out Infant Room! Ms. Eden has a B.S. in Computer Science from St. Louis University in the Philippines, Child Development Certification (CDA) and has been working in childcare for over 7 years, specifically with the infants. Ms. Eden feels it is where her heart is! She has two daughters herself, and her knowledge of teaching, expertise in childcare, & her kindness is an immeasurable advantage. You will often find her guiding the babies to walk, run, share, sing, dance, count, and sign! Ms. Eden also shares the same genuine care for her coworkers and her families! In her spare time, she loves reading, knitting, and crocheting. When asked why she loves the Infant Room, Ms. Eden said she "loves taking part in their growth and development even beyond the Infant Room." Her favorite children's book is "Oh The Places You'll Go," by Dr. Seuss. Her classroom goal is "to provide a fun-filled, nurturing, and safe learning environment" for her babies.

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We are so excited to have Ms. Lisa on our Infant Team! She instantly made a connection to that room and has been so amazing since she started with us! Ms. Lisa comes to us with healthcare and childcare experience, including with her own children, and she has a Bachelor's of Science degree in English, with a minor in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. In her spare time, Ms. Lisa loves spending time with her husband, two children, and their three fur babies! She also loves crafts, reading, writing, drawing, crocheting, and listening to music! She was actually a writer for her college newspaper and even had some stories and articles published! Ms. Lisa says that she's "always dreamed of helping children find their inspiration and teaching them to nurture it." Her favorite children's book is, "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein. We're so glad for her to be on our team loving our babies!

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There isn't enough that can be said about Ms. Nidhi's passion for children and the love that came spewing from her from the very first day she joined our team! Ms. Nidhi comes to us with a Bachelor's in Business Administration, but always had a love for childcare. Ms. Nidhi is married and has two boys herself, and in her spare time, she loves to run, read, cook, and dance with her kids! Ms. Nidhi started as a Resource Teacher, but she quickly bonded to our First Steps Room and she has been such a wonderful presence for those babies! When asked what she loves most about working with children, Ms. Nidhi said, "I want to see the development and growth of the children. I get a great joy out of discovering how children learn and help them to extend their interest and knowledge- they just put a smile on my face!" Ms. Nidhi's favorite children's book is, "The Cat in the Hat," by Dr. Seuss. We are so glad she decided to join our Goddard Celina team!

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We are so excited that Ms. Nubia decided to join our Goddard Celina team! She is a natural born teacher, especially for our young toddlers! Ms. Nubia obtained a Bachelors of Science in Electronic Engineering from Saint Thomas University. However, she also went to Jai Institute for Parenting to become a Conscious Parenting Coach! She has three boys herself, with her oldest being 13 and then twin 11-year old boys. Ms. Nubia loves the outdoors and in her spare time she loves to camp, hike, and draw. Her favorite children's book is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," by Eric Carle. When asked what she loved working with the young toddler age, she said, "I love connecting and creating a bond, having fun with them, and playing while learning- it is just so fun to watch how they grow." She is such a gracious blessing for all those around her and we're lucky to have her!

Ms. Donna has been with the Goddard System since 2011 (New Jersey), and we are so thankful that she has now joined us here in Texas! She says she's enjoyed every moment of her time with Goddard, and is so glad to continue her experience at Goddard-Celina! She is a mother to four grown children and has two beautiful grand-daughters. Ms. Donna said, "I lived in New Jersey all my life until 2021 when Texas and my grandchildren were calling my name." When asked what she loves about the 5 & unders, Ms. Donna said, "I love watching them enter the building as Infants and exiting the building as PreK graduates after watching them grow." While Ms. Donna has worked with all age-groups, she was mostly an Infant Teacher. Here at Celina, she has been in our Toddler age-group, and has found a new love! Her classroom goals are "to love and teach the kids, through all the mistakes, so that they can grow into themselves." Her favorite children's book series is "Dr. Seuss." We are so lucky to have her!

Ms. Vrutika has been such a joy since she joined our team! She instantly showed us what a team player she was for her colleagues and what a fun and engaging teacher she was for our kiddos! Ms. Vrutika has a B.A. in Arts, B.S. in Education, and Postgraduate degree in Computer Applications from her home state of Gujurat, India. She is married, and has two wonderful children, a 12 year-old daughter and 4-year old son. In her spare time, she loves cooking, reading, and gardening, and she tries to engage her children with her hobbies as much as possible! Her favorite children's book is, "Llama Llama Red Pajama," by Anna Deadney, which she reads to her Toddlers now. And, when asked what she loves most about working with children, Ms. V said, "As a mother of two, I love spending my time with other children to grow them like I do my own." We are so lucky she decided to join our team!

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Ms. Revathi has been such a wonderful addition to the Goddard Celina Team! While she started as a Resource Teacher, we quickly saw that happy place was with the Toddlers! Her positivity and energy resonate throughout the room to provide such an uplifting environment for this active age-group! Ms. Revathi is married and has one son, who she loves spending time with in her free-time. She also loves crafting, upcycling, loves cooking for others, and gardening! Ms. Revathi's favorite children's book is the classic, "Corduroy." When asked about working with children, Ms. Revathi said, "when I'm with children, I feel it's a totally different world of innocence, unconditional love, non-judgemental thought process, and more importantly- you experience straight-forward answers and kindness." We're thankful to have found someone with so much heart to join our Toddler Room Team! We're glad to have you, Ms. Revathi!

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Ms. Hannah is a Celina native, who has lived here most of her life! She grew up with her grandparents and had experience taking care of her younger siblings, which made it easy for her to transition into the childcare setting. Her long-term goal is to be a Special Education Teacher, but she had done an absolute wonderful job in our First Steps Room for her first year with us at Goddard Celina, and now has transitioned to being the Get-Set Room Lead Teacher! She has been such a wonderful addition to our team! While she loves both age groups, she has loved enhancing the learning and creativity with this age-group. Ms. Hannah says, "I really want to create a FUN learning experience for my class!" Ms. Hannah loves all of the Dr. Seuss books, but her favorite children's book is "The Lorax," by Dr. Seuss! We're so happy to have Ms. Hannah leading our Get-Set Room!

Ms. Bhumi comes to us with 5+ years of childcare experience in the DFW area! She recently moved to Celina with her family, and is excited to start a new adventure with a Goddard School! Ms. Bhumi has two children of her own, but loves working with the Preschool age and seeing how they thrive at such a young age! In her spare time, she loves spending time with her kids, listening to music, cooking, and reading books. Her favorite part of teaching is Circle Time, because she loves bringing the whole class together and building on their learning each day. Her favorite children's book is, "The Little Red Hen."

Ms. Shelsy came to us with more than 2 years of childcare experience, and babysitting her nieces for years before that became a driving force for her to pursue childcare! It is one of her favorite hobbies to spend time with her nieces to watch them learn and grow, as well as reading and shopping. Ms. Shelsy is a Texas native hopes to continue developing in the field and advance in Education. she hopes to work her way up to the Kindergarten age one day. when asked what she loves about the Preschool world, she said “One thing I love most is teaching them something new and then watching them practice and seeing the excitement on their faces when they do it all by themselves!” One of her classroom goals is having her children explore art through plants, flowers, and nature. Ms. Shelsy’s favorite children’s book is “How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?” by Jane Yolen. We are so happy to have her on our team and we know she will continue doing wonderful things!

We are so blessed to have Ms. Maria with us here at Goddard Celina! She came to us with 11+ years of childcare experience, with the most recent experience being in Celina ISD. She earned her CDA when she lived in Memphis, before moving to Texas. Ms. Maria is married with four beautiful children, and stays busy with a lot of basketball! But, she also loves traveling, spending time with family, and visiting her parents in Guadalajara whenever she has the chance. While Ms. Maria loves all of the Disney books, her favorite children's book is "The Thank You Book." Ms. Maria's engagement with her students is an absolute joy to watch every single day. When asked what she loves most about working with children, Ms. Maria said "I absolute love helping them to learn each day and giving them a loving environment." In fact, when we asked about her hobbies, Ms. Maria pointed to her classroom and said, "This is may passion and my most fulfilling hobby!" We are lucky to have her!

Ms. Pilar embarked on a new journey when she joined Goddard Celina, and is so excited for the opportunity of working in the Preschool setting! Ms. Pilar has done nannying in the past, and has three children of her own, who are her most precious gifts! Ms. Pilar moved from Mexico at the age of 5, and lived in Indiana for most of her life, until she moved to Texas in 2023! Prior to deciding to entire the world of childcare, Ms. Pilar was actually a radio host on Spanish radio show based out of Indiana, and still loves dabbling in the media world in her free time. In addition, she also loves to dance, listen to podcasts, cook, and spend time with her fiance, son, and two daughters. She keeps her kids busy with crafts and activities constantly! Her favorite children's book is, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," by Eric Carle. When asked what she loves most about working with children, Ms. Pilar said, "I love to see them learn something each day and explore the world around them!"

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We are so excited that Ms. Sherry has joined our Goddard-Celina team! She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and has worked in childcare for over 10 years. She’s experienced with all ages under five and especially loves the Goddard philosophy. Ms. Sherry says, “The 5 and unders are like little sponges that love to learn, and there is nothing better than that.” In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with family—especially her grandkids—and visiting Colorado. On rainy days, she loves Netflix binges and relaxing with her two pups. A Missouri native, Ms. Sherry lived in Florida for 20 years before becoming a Texan, so she’s a proud Florida Gators fan (despite her Texan husband!). Her classroom themes this year include kindness, fun, science, literacy, and lots of books, writing, and sight words. Her favorite children’s book series are Pete the Cat and Dr. Seuss. We’re so grateful to have her on our team!

We're so glad to have Ms. Maissa on our team, especially as a Prosper native! Ever since Ms. Maissa was little, it was her dream to become a teacher, and it's what she's working towards now! Ms. Maissa worked in the Ready-Set-Teach program at her high school, which only grew her love for teaching and working with young kids. She's excited to expand her growth in teaching by focusing on the foundational skills for the under-five population, while working on building relationships with them. She said that's what she's most excited about working at Goddard Celina- to see how their growth leads them to their achievements all year long! In her spare time, Ms. Maissa enjoys shopping, watching movies, baking, drinking coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Her favorite children's book is a classic, "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein. We're so excited to see all that Ms. Maissa will bring to our school and we're excited to have her on our team!

We are so excited to have Ms. Amy onboard at The Goddard School of Celina! Ms. Amy is originally from Houston, but her love of volleyball led her to be a student-athlete at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She completed her bacherlor's degree in education there, and also met her college sweetheart, Danny! They moved to Frisco soon after, where Ms. Amy was able to be a Kindergarten teacher in Frisco ISD for 8 years before coming to us. She now lives in Celina and has a unique perspective with being a Goddard Celina parent first! Ms. Amy says, "I want my students to fill like our classroom is a home away from home. I hope that as a class, we can grow our love of learning academically, socially, and emotionally." Ms. Amy's favorite children's book is "If You Give a Pig a Pancake," by Laura Numeroff. We love having Ms. Amy co-lead our PreK 1 room!

Ms. Barbara came to us with Goddard experience, and enjoyed her time in childcare despite having her degree in Medical Insurance, Billing, and Coding from Everest College. Being a mother to four children of her own, Ms. Barbara has always felt more of a reward from the outcome she gets working with children than her other jobs before. In her spare time, Ms. Barbara loves DIY crafting! Her favorite children's book is, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" by Bill Martin Jr., as she tends to gravitate the most to the young tots now that her children have grown up! When asked what she loves most about working with children, Ms. Barbara said, "to see them smile for the little things every single day." We're lucky to have Ms. Barbara on our team with us!

Mr. Ruben III, otherwise known as Mr. Tres, is another Celina native and was new to the childcare world when he joined us, but has always been around childcare with his Father being an Educator, and wanted to help children experience the same positive experiences he grew up with. He is currently busy pursuing his own college degree, but also films videos for his social media platforms in his spare time, as media marketing has always been a passion of his. He was always active in sports, but his real love is roller skating and often makes it a family affair! Mr. Tres' favorite children's book is "Wonder," by RJ Palacio. And, when asked what he loves most about working with children, Mr. Tres said, "Every time I see the kids' faces, it fills me with the joys and the memories of growing up in childcare. I love working with the kids because it is FUN and I get to help educate the future of tomorrow." We're glad to have you, Mr. Tres!

We are so excited that Ms. Mica joined our team with her calm and positive presence! Ms. Mica came to us with two years of childcare experience after being homeschooled in her younger years, however, Ms. Mica wanted to explore the different age groups under five as they are exploding with different personalities! Although Ms. Mica started off as a Resource Teacher at our school, and she quickly found her footing on our Toddler wing. She has been such a fantastic addition to our school! In her spare time Ms. Mica loves scrap-booking, practicing different make-up techniques, canoeing, collecting different items, and cooking! Her favorite children's book is "Green Eggs and Ham," by Dr. Seuss. When asked what she loves about the Preschool setting and age-groups, she said, "I love seeing and watching the uniqueness of every child develop! Every day is so different from the last!" We're so lucky to have such a loving and open-minded teacher for our little tots!

We are so thankful that sweet Ms. Hallie decided to join our team at Goddard Celina! She comes to us with about 5 years of childcare experience, which is something she was doing while working on her Bachelor's of Science degree from Harding University! Ms. Hallie has a B.S. in Medical Humanities and a Minor in Child Development, and she will be beginning her Masters for Occupational Therapy in the Summer of 2024! In her free time, Ms. Hallie loves to bake, work on puzzles, read, and play board games! Her favorite childrens' books are the "Franklin The Turtle" series, by Paulette Bourgeois. When Ms. Hallie was asked what she loves most about children, she said, "I love watching children grow and learn new things about the world everyday."