Our Teachers

Mrs. Asli is the proud owner of The Goddard School of Katy. A resident of the Katy area for more than twenty five years, she proudly has many ties to the community, residents and businesses in the area. Asli holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with many years of business experience in the oil and gas industry. With the birth of her first son, she truly felt a calling to work with children, and went back to school to get her Education degree and has worked as a teacher for many years. Asli and her husband Kirk have three boys and can be seen at various little league soccer, and baseball games and tournaments on the weekends. Asli is our onsite owner, and is passionate about early childhood education. She loves meeting families, and getting to know children's personalities. Stop by to personally receive a tour by Asli! See you at school!

Meet Ms. Danielle "Dani" who has been with our school since 2011! She is a mother to two amazing boys and has now had the pleasure of experiencing the Goddard program as a director and as a parent. Dani studied education at Sam Houston State University, and moved to Katy with her husband after college. She is the second oldest of ten siblings and has always loved being around children. Always eager to further her education in Early Childhood Development, Dani has completed a Child Development Associates degree and Director Certification. She is very passionate about making learning fun, and truly believes that when fun learning happens, more children participate and remember the lessons they are taught.

Meet our Operations Director Ms. JoAnn. She has been with our school since 2014 and her main focus is the health and safety of all our little ones. JoAnn sees all of the children at Goddard as an extension of her own family and is dedicated to making sure they have the best experience at their home away from home. JoAnn started her career in early childhood education as a teacher working with infants through school-age children. JoAnn's passion for working with kids made her aspire to assist in their development from a higher level. Through the role of director, she has been able to mentor and coach teachers with her 20 plus years of experience.

Angie is originally from California and moved to Texas in 2007 with her husband. From a young age, she has always loved children whether it was babysitting her nephews and nieces or working in a preschool setting. Mrs. Angie joined our Goddard family in 2012 and has been bringing smiles to the faces of her little ones ever since. Angie has her Child Development Associate certification and knows that the early years build a foundation for a love of learning. Mrs. Angie's energetic personality and positive attitude make her a perfect fit for our First Steps class.

Ms. Detra joined our team in 2020 with over 10 years of experience in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Detra was born in South Boston, VA and moved to Texas back in 2002. While attending Hightower High School, she had her first job in childcare and loved it so much that she knew she had found her career path. She has been educating and caring for children ever since. Ms. Detra feels that children are the future and they deserve the best foundation possible to instill a love of learning. Ms. Detra feels grateful to be apart of the Goddard School and is looking forward to making contributions to her student’s growth and development. Some of her personal favorite books include Pete the Cat, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the Llama Llama stories.

Foster holds a degree in Education and Youth Studies from Beloit College in Wisconsin with a minor in Museum Studies. In addition to his education, Foster has over 10 years of experience working with children. He joined our team back in 2017 and has been inspiring young science enthusiasts ever since! He interned at the Rockford Children's Museum in Illinois, worked as a counselor for school age children at the YMCA, and worked at the Idea Lab. Joining our team has allowed him to further pursue his passion and love for working with children. Mr. Foster also leads our S.T.E.A.M. enrichment program throughout the school. He believes that his role as a teacher is to create an environment filled with positive guidance and encouragement so that the children can grow and thrive at their own pace.

Ms. Jayme joined the Goddard School in 2020 with over 8 years experience in Early Childhood Education. A native of Houston, TX, she is also a mother to two sweet girls. Ms. Jayme loves teaching all ages, but her favorite age of development is in the Preschool years! She aspires to continue her education in Early Childhood Education and become a certified teacher. Ms. Jayme loves music, dancing, and is a huge Disney fan. When she's not with her students at school, she spends her free time having fun adventures with her daughters. Ms. Jayme is happy to be a part of our Goddard family and looks forward to making a contribution to her student's growth and development.

Mrs. Jhoanna brings culture and diversity to our school as a native of Venezuela, South America. She has also called Spain, Europe her home before residing in Katy, TX with her husband and two children. She loves the developmental stage of the Toddler age group because they are curious and eager to be more independent, a skill that she enjoys fostering. Mrs. Jhoanna has been providing compassion, hugs, and lots of love to all of the students in her care since she joined our team in 2021.

Ms. LaMeika is excited to be a part of the Goddard School as she continues her career in Early Childhood Education. Ms. LaMeika studied at Praire View A&M University. She joined our team in 2019 and had been in the education field for over 10 years with each year bringing new experiences. Ms. LaMeika loves to see her students learn and grow and especially enjoys seeing them build self-confidence over time. Ms. LaMeika's teaching philosophy is that children should enjoy learning and that it is okay to make mistakes! She feels that children keep us young and they remind adults to keep an open mind. She is excited to contribute to your child's development as part of our Goddard family!

Margarita has more than twenty-five years of experience in the childcare industry and is a staple in our school as she was here from the beginning in 2010! She has been an infant teacher for twenty-three of these twenty-five years. Margarita just loves working with this age group. Margarita completed her CDA certification and she is always looking to further her education of teaching young children. She is passionate about facilitating an environment conducive for learning. Margarita is very happy to be a member of the Katy community and The Goddard School.

Maria holds a CDA certification and is a graduate of the Ashworth University Childcare Professional Program. She has been at Goddard and teaching in the preschool setting since 2011. She is excited to guide her students in exploring, learning, and having fun. Mrs. Maria is always entertained by the things her students say and do and she loves to witness when her students grasp the concepts she's teaching.

Mwikali started working with children in 1987 by volunteering in a kindergarten school in Nairobi, Kenya. She found that she loved it and thus started the journey in early childhood education. That same year, she enrolled in a two year kindergarten programme in Nairobi. Upon graduation she worked two years then went to Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada. Children have always been a delight and pleasure to work with and she always said that they have kept her young. She has learned a lot about children over the years and knows that the experience that she gains with each new class at the Goddard School will be one of growth, enrichment, and fulfillment. She has been impacting her students in the same way since she joined us in 2013!

We are so happy to introduce Ms. Christi! Ms. Christi is excited to be a part of the Goddard team since 2021. She is a recent graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University where she majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Early Childhood-6th grade. She joins us with a wealth of experience babysitting as well as experience with practicum hours in various schools and after-school care facilities. Getting to teach, learn with, care, and build relationships with children is such a JOY for Ms. Christi. Her personal teaching philosophy is that a relationship with her students has to be the foundation to teaching them. Knowing her students needs as individuals, their likes and dislikes only strengthens her ability to teach them. She looks forward to helping her students grow and develop at the Goddard School!

Meet Ms. Crystal! Ms. Crystal joined our team in 2021 with over 8 years experience. Most of her experience comes from being an enrichment leader for school age children at the YMCA in Kingwood. She prides herself on providing a safe and fun learning environment for her students to expand their young minds. Her personal teaching philosophy is to follow the golden rule, treat others as you would want to be treated. She truly loves being able to love, teach, and nurture children as they continue to grow!

Meet Ms. Desiree! Desiree joined us in 2020 with over 4 years experience working with young children. She thoroughly enjoys helping children meet their many milestones in their early years. Ms. Desiree is a native of Sealy, TX and has a twin brother and two younger siblings. Ms. Desiree loves coming to work everyday knowing that she is making a difference. She enjoys seeing her students smile, learn, and grow. She shares the belief that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.

Mrs. Irma has always had a passion for teaching children. She is a nurturer and quickly falls in love with the babies in her care. Mrs. Irma joined us in 2021 with over 10 years of experience in Early Childhood Education. She is passionate about working with children and focuses on learning the unique interests, abilities, and learning styles of each of her students so that she is able to give them the individualized care they need. Her loving and energetic personality is a true asset to our Goddard family.

Patricia is a native of Venezuela, but now calls Texas her home. A mother of three, Patricia believes that her maternal instincts and nurturing personality will benefit the children in her class. She loves to foster her students growth by first letting them experience things for themselves, and then offering subtle assistance. Patricia's ability to encourage a child's natural learning process makes her the ideal teacher for our Young Toddler class. Mrs. Patricia has been bringing smiles to the faces of our sweet Goddard students since 2017!

Mrs. Maria joins our Goddard family as a mother of three. Maria focuses on learning the unique interests, abilities, and learning styles of each of her students so that she is able to give them the individualized care they need. Quite the comedian, Maria has brought a light-hearted, fun energy to the classroom since she joined us in 2018.

We're so happy to introduce you to Ms. Kathy! Ms. Kathy was born in New Jersey but has been a part of the Katy community for most of her life. She attended Rylander Elementary, CRJH, and Cinco High School. Ms. Kathy has a twin sister and a brother. She enjoys working with kids and providing them with a loving, nurturing environment. Ms. Kathy loves showering her students with smiles, hugs, love, support, and positivity. She guides her students in the classroom using the philosophy that “The teacher has two tasks: to lead children to concentration and help them in their development afterward.” M.M.

Meet Mrs. Eden! Mrs. Eden has an abundance of experience working with children, starting when she was a sophomore in high school. She is originally from Hayward, California but has called Houston her home since 2009. Mrs. Eden is a mother to six amazing children and knows that routine and organization are essential in caring for children. She believes that early childhood education is her calling and that all children deserve a chance to learn and grow in a loving, nurturing environment. Her personal teaching philosophy is that consistency is the key to building relationships and routines in the classroom. We are so happy to have her as part of our Goddard family!

Meet Mrs. Angel! Mrs. Angel is a native of small town, TX (Jacksboro to be exact). She has been in the military since 2018 and is pursuing her education to become an ultrasound technician. Mrs. Angel's passion for working with children started when she was young. She's always known that she has the ability to motivate children to reach for the stars! In her experience as an early childhood professional, Mrs. Angel's favorite thing is seeing the children's smiling faces. She is looking forward to making an impact in her student's lives here at Goddard!

We are so happy to have Ms. Monica as part of our Goddard team! Ms. Monica is a mother to a beautiful 2 year old who loves life! She is a Houston native and thanks to her teachers growing up, she has known all her life that she has wanted to make an impact on children. She joins our team with prior experience working with school-age children and supporting classrooms of various ages. She looks forward to building relationships with her students and being a positive influence in their lives.

Mrs. Luisana is excited and be proud to be a part of the Goddard family! Mrs. Lulu is originally from Venezuela where she obtained her bachelor degree in Education from UPEL University of Venezuela. She joins our team with 11 years of experience in education. Mrs. Lulu has a true passion for working with toddlers and infants helping each child progress in all areas of their development including academic, social, language, and motor skills. She is honored to accept any challenge the kids throw her way as she believes each experience helps her grow as a teacher. Mrs. Luisana has been married for 12 years and has three fantastic children. They enjoy spending time as a family watching movies, cooking, playing, and skating! Her heart is full!

Ms. Norka is a native of Venezuela where she obtained her bachelors degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician. She relocated to Texas in 2021 with her son and is extremely family oriented. She began caring for her niece when she moved to Texas and enjoyed it so much that she chose to continue her career path in ECE. Her teaching philosophy is based on loving, recognizing, and nurturing the unique potential of each student and approaching them with compassion and empathy. She believes that creating an environment of acceptance and respect promotes growth. She is excited to care for and love on her students!

We are thrilled to have Ms. Tristen as part of our Goddard family! Ms. Tristen is a recent graduate of the Art Institute of Houston where she obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Photography. She has been passionate about teaching since she was young and is currently working toward acquiring her teaching certificate in art education and social studies. Ms. Tristen puts an emphasis on encouraging children to express their creativity and wants to nurture their natural curiosity!

Mrs. Elizete Bartlett is a native of Brazil & came to Houston in 2000 after marrying her wonderful husband, Aaron. She paused her studies in pedagogy to travel to Venezuela where she learned a new language and cared for a newborn. She continued to serve the family by caring for the child for the next 9 years spurring her love of child development. When she moved to the U.S., she learned yet another new language and volunteered teaching toddlers at Servant of Nations Church & continues her philanthropy by volunteering & teaching at Katy Community Fellowship. She has also obtained her certification as a Healthcare Interpreter. Over the years, her family has grown. She is a mother to a 20 yr. old son, 16 yr. old daughter, and her baby girl is now 7 yrs. old. Mrs. Elizete says that working with children fills her heart with joy. In her free time, she enjoys riding her bike and crafting. She looks forward to inspiring her students, guiding them, and impacting their future.

We are so pleased to introduce you to Mrs. Luz! Mrs. Luz is a native of Colombia where she had careers in several different fields until she relocated to the U.S. in 2001 with her family. She discovered her true passion and love for teaching when caring for children in her home. Mrs. Luz accepted a position in Pennsylvania as an assistant teacher in the Infant classroom and was intrigued by their constant development and progression of meeting milestones. Her family relocated to Texas where she continued working with children as a preschool teacher. Mrs. Luz knows that continued education is crucial and seeks out opportunities for development in her career as a teacher. She had the privilege of caring for her grandson until he started kindergarten. Mrs. Luz feels that life has taught her that active listening is the best skill and has helped her become an effective communicator with others. She also believes that life is gratifying when she can share and help others.

Ms. Makayla is originally from Houston and joins us as a seasonal employee when she's on break from furthering her education as a student at UNT. She has joined us for the past 2 Summers as well as winter breaks. She is currently taking classes to obtain her degree in psychology. Ms. Makayla shares a birthday with her twin sister and also has a 13 year old sister. Ms. Makayla is recently engaged too! When she's not studying, she is planning her upcoming wedding. We're so happy that she continues to return to the Goddard School to bring smiles to the faces of our school-age campers.

Mrs. Lorena is a native of Venezuela where she obtained her degree in Human Resources. She joins our team with an abundance of experience working with all age groups as a teacher and as an administrator. Mrs. Lorena has a deep love for children and recognizes them as the leaders of the future. She feels that children should be able to learn and grow in an emotionally and physically safe environment where their individual needs are supported. She believes in the importance of working together with her team to provide the best opportunity possible for her students. She is excited to start this new chapter with the Goddard family!

Meet Ms. Tricia! Ms. Tricia is from a large family and is the 4th oldest of 13 children. She herself has 3 beautiful daughters and 3 amazing grandchildren. She has been surrounded by children for her entire life and feels that being a teacher comes natural from her life experience. She loves seeing the unique personalities of each of her students and loves that she is able to contribute to teaching them about this great, big world of ours! She is excited to build partnerships with the families at Goddard.

We're so happy to introduce you to Ms. Juanita! Ms. Juanita joins us with 2 years experience in childcare. She is the oldest of 4 and is extremely family oriented. Culture and languages are big interests of hers and she is excited to share her love of sign language with her students. Ms. Juanita loves helping her students reach their full potential while reaching developmental milestones in a loving, fun learning environment. She is excited to contribute to her students academic and social growth while they are in her class.

Ms. Norkely was born in Venezuela. She obtained her Masters degree in Chemical Engineering in Venezuela, as well as taught as a Chemistry professor at Universidad de Oriente. Norkely has been with the Goddard School since 2017 working with infants through preschoolers. Ms. Norkely is patient, firm yet soft spoken, and creates a calm presence with our most active young students. She is excited to educate her students who are our future.