Our Goddard School Teachers

Ms. Nazlin's educational experiences includes earning a degree in Pre-Nursing and training as an esthetician. She also completed an internship at a preschool in England and enjoyed being an active room parent in her children's schools. Ms. Nazlin's family is the basis for the reason that she chose The Goddard School. She is happy to provide Goddard School's outstanding program to the children in our community.

Ms. Tiffany has been with The Goddard School located in Lake Ridge since before it opened in January of 2012. She has her degree in Psychology and Education from The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Ms. Tiffany spent the first twelve years of her career in Early Childhood Education in Virginia, giving her an excellent experience base with the Virginia State Department of Early Education expectations for children entering elementary school. Tiffany manages the school's curriculum of learning which includes overseeing the school's outstanding teachers.

Ms. Michelle earned her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Ashford University. She has over 14 years of Early Childhood and Teaching Experience. Ms. Michelle has worked with Infants to Kindergarten aged children and truly enjoys working with all ages. It's a joy for her to watch children absorb new information and gain necessary life skills.

Ms. Hafida has over forty years of teaching experience; eight of those years she taught elementary school in French and Arabic. Ms. Hafida loves to sing and dance. She has been with Goddard for over 7 years and looks forward to each new child she can teach.

Ms. Maria moved here from Argentina back in 2009. She attended Germanna College and studied Art and General Studies. She has been working with children for over two years. Ms. Maria is excited to continue to learn and grow her skills.

Ms. Diane Thomas has over 25 years of teaching experience. She has obtained a degree in practical skills in teaching from Ashworth State Collage. Ms. Diane feels strongly that all children are life-long learners and it is her wish to part of their educational journey.

Ms. Roxanne has worked with children in various settings for numerous years. She enjoys watching young faces light up every day. Ms. Roxanne loves teaching children and being a part of their growth. She feels that it truly is the best gift.

Ms. Katherine has over 6 years experience working with and caring for young children. She has two young boys of her own that she enjoys spending time with. Ms. Katherine relocated to Virginia from sunny Florida, after leaving her hometown of the Dominican Republic. She is currently working on completing her CDA. Ms. Katherine looks forward to watching each child in her class grow and gain new skills. She enjoys reading books and creating art activities with her class.

Ms. Hamasa brings over a decade of experience and dedication to working with young children. She has previously worked in a Kindergarten class as well as had the opportunity to have a home-based day care for toddlers. Ms. Hamasa is very nurturing and enjoys helping young minds learn new skills.

Ms. Carita has worked with children for over 10 years and truly enjoys watching them grow and develop. She has two daughters of her own and spends her free time riding bikes and reading books. Ms. Carita is excited to be a part of The Goddard School family and looks forward to building relationships with all the children and families.

Ms. Shahida has earned her bachelor's degree in Political Science and has over three years of experience working with children. She has worked in both elementary and middle school classrooms. Ms. Shahida is passionate about helping students reach their potential. She is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where students can learn and share with each other.

Ms. LaShawn has been working with children for over 20 years. She has worked here at The Goddard School for over 8 years. She has obtained her Child Development Associate CDA. Ms. LaShawn feels that to be a successful teacher you need to be creative, energetic and able to encourage self- expression.

Ms. Huda has earned her Bachelors of Arts in Translation. She is the mother of three children and has over 5 years of teaching experience. Ms. Huda is passionate about helping children discover and harness their unique abilities. Her approach to education is rooted in the fact that every child has the capacity to excel with the right guidance and support.

Ms. Pakiza is originally from Afghanistan where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree and an Executive Master’s degree in Policy Economics from the University of Central Asia. She has over eight years of experience working with various organizations in the education sector. Ms. Pakiza has worked with high school aged children and is ready for her journey here at The Goddard School.

Ms. Amy has over 13 years of teaching experience. She attended ELON University where she studied Elementary Education with a specialization in Special Education. She has worked with children from Toddlers through Pre-Kindergarten. Ms. Amy feels that communicating with families is vital for the success of each student. She uses her extensive classroom experience to be a positive role model for all of her young learners.

Ms. Stacie has been working with children for over six years. She is currently in school striving to obtain her bachelor’s degree. Ms. Stacie enjoys working with children in small groups and engaging in meaningful conversations with them.

Ms. Maria has worked in preschools for over 26 years. She has earned her Liberal Arts C.D.A. Ms. Maria is passionate about the enthusiasm and eagerness that students show and thoroughly enjoys developing relationships with them. She is fluent in Spanish and teaches our students Spanish several times a week.

Ms. Ashley S. has worked with children for over 10 years. She has obtained her CDA. She enjoys reading and singing with the children. Ms. Ashley firmly believes that when you work with children you get to be a part of their growth and you get to see their personalities develop.

Ms. Leah has her Bachelor of Science in Home Technology with a major in Child Development. She comes in and teaches the students Music and Spanish two times a week. Ms. Leah loves to teach through hands on experiences and believes that learning a new language helps in improving listening and memory retention.

Ms. Ashley J.has over 12 years of experience and has obtained her Bachelors in Developmental Psychology from Liberty University. Her passion for wanting to work with young children developed as a young adolescent and it blossomed into a career as she continued her professional journey.