Meet Our Goddard Family

My name is Katie Neuman. I have spent 16 years in teaching and educational leadership in the K-12 space. I earned Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, and a Master's Degree in Special Education from Truman State University. The last 13 years were in the special education and general education classrooms with learners ranging in ages K-12. The past three years, I worked at the administrative level at Badger Ridge Middle School in Verona, as the Multi-tiered Systems of Support Specialist, which provided me with a keen understanding of academic and social-emotional development in children of all ages. This is my first year outside K-12 public education. When we first moved to Wisconsin, 6 years ago, I was a new mother and new to the area. We found ‘The Goddard School’ in Verona, and it changed our lives. We were so impressed by the quality of culture, and the level of health and safety, we decided to move to Sun Prairie and open a school of our own.

My name is Keara Schweiger. I earned a Bachelors' degree in English Literature and a minor in Education from Lake Forest College in Illinois while participating in research on multilingual education in Africa, teaching preschool and middle school a hands-on STEAM program for children, and 2nd grade in Waukegan, Illinois. After graduating undergraduate, I accepted a position at The Goddard School in Deerfield, IL teaching 4K. From there, I moved to Verona, Wisconsin, where I taught preschool at The Goddard School. I am honored to be working at my now third Goddard School in Sun Prairie as the Director. Through my teaching experience, I have discovered a passion for assisting my students and their families with troubling situations outside of the educational environment, and I am currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Social Work. Outside of my career and education, my favorite things are reading and puzzles, road trips with family, and Madison's many festivals and fairs with friends.

Ms. Annie is going into her sophomore year at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and is studying CSD to be an elementary school speech language pathologist. She has been working with children since she was younger whether it was church childcare or doing a teaching internship her senior year. When she isn’t studying or working, you can catch her in the Blugold Marching Band or baking treats with her father. She also loves going on walks with her dog Mowgli and is super excited to be able to work with the Goddard School.

Ms. Claire attended California State University Stanislaus and earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She has experience as a before and after schoolteacher, summer camp counselor, assistant teacher, and office assistant in both the elementary and middle school settings. Ms. Claire is a passionate advocate for the environment serving as the ecology ‘point person’ for the schools she served. Educational access for minority children is another passion for Ms. Claire. She spent four months researching and documenting challenges that minority groups face in childhood education Ms. Claire is a new resident of Wisconsin and is joining us from California where she was born and raised. She wants to create a classroom environment which promotes fostering love and diversity. Ms. Claire is excited to incorporate multiple styles of learning, such as singing, dancing, and other creative means to empower each student’s individual development styles.

Ms. Danielle has fourteen years of experience in early childhood education across several different age groups. She has a CDA childcare certification and will be finishing her BA in Mass Communications. One of the most exciting aspects of teaching is running into children she taught years later and seeing how much they've grown. Knowing that she played a role in helping them develop many foundational skills never fails to make her smile. Coming from a family of teachers has definitely left a lasting effect on Ms. Danielle. As a very artsy, fun-loving person, she finds the learning through play approach a very natural process. Ms. Danielle has two young children of her own who help keep her creative juices flowing. Ms. Danielle is thrilled to be a part of the Goddard Family in Sun Prairie as she brings experience in lead teaching from a Goddard School previously. She is beyond excited to meet you and your child(ren)!

Mrs. Julia has an associate degree in General Business along with numerous courses in early childhood. She has more than five years’ experience in childcare in the private, public, and federally funded school systems. During Mrs. Julia’s time in college, she focused on business. However, she always held a desire to work in childcare. After graduating with her business degree, Julia went to work for a large mining corporation in Human Resources. While working in HR and developing her professional skills, Mrs. Julia’s passion for childcare remained. After a few years, Mrs. Julia decided return to went to work as the Lead Teacher at a private school in the 2-year-old room. Mrs. Julia continued her passion by teaching at CAP Services in the 3-year-old classroom, which has now led her to The Goddard School. Mrs. Julia has her Child Development Associate credential and is excited to teach at the Goddard School in Sun Prairie.

Mrs. Katelyn has been in the childcare setting since 2019 and has four young children. She is a prior member of the military with excellent communication skills, situational awareness and attention to detail. She is beyond thrilled to be a part of your child's growth and their learning experiences!

Mrs. Kelly brings real-life experience as a mom and by her work supporting an in-home daycare. Mrs. Kelly believes each child has a unique way of learning and she will guide each one to blossom in their own special way. You will find her classroom full of love, laughter and learning. Mrs. Kelly spends her free time with her husband and son. She loves sunshine, crafts, and sweet treats. As a teacher at Goddard, she looks forward to new challenges, smiling faces, and the development of future generations.

Ms. Kelly is a junior at UW Madison and is working towards her bachelor's degree in Human Development & Family Studies. Ms. Kelly has experience working with children from all ages and with learning disabilities, trauma, and other behavioral concerns. She has experience as a certified lead teacher, experience as an instructional aide, served as a Crisis Intervention Behavioral Therapist @ Achieving Collaborative Treatment and is trained in ABA therapy. Ms. Kelly was drawn to this profession by seeing first-hand how the pandemic affected families and wanted to make a difference through the classroom. She has so much love and enjoyment in facilitating curriculums that allow children to branch out and explore beyond their milestones. Ms. Kelly is excited to continue her journey at the Goddard School in Sun Prairie.

Born and raised in the Milwaukee area, Ms. Kristine attended Alverno College where she received her bachelor’s degree in education. After 6 years teaching in the Milwaukee Public School system, she decided to transition her focus to early childhood education. Ms. Kristine wanted to help children earlier age. Spending the last 13 years as an early childhood educator, she has found her love, passion, and enjoyment with the young children in the preschool setting. Ms. Kristine is passionate about literacy and her favorite book is "The Monster at the End of this Book." Ms. Kristine is excited to start her career at The Goddard School in Sun Prairie. She is a strong believer that it takes a village to raise a child and is passionate about partnering with families.

Mrs. Taylor graduated from UW-Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is a DPI certified teacher in both regular and special education for children birth-3rd grade. Mrs. Taylor has worked in education for the past 6 years, teaching 3 years of 4K in Sun Prairie and worked for a before and after school programs at the YMCA in Sun Prairie. Mrs. Taylor is passionate about the play-based approach to learning as well as the importance of social-emotional learning in the classroom. She hopes to bring her understanding and nurturing approach to the classroom and is excited to watch your little ones learn and discover the world around them. She wants my classroom to feel like an extension of home; somewhere that your child feels safe and happy!

Ms. Zaire’s passion for children began with the birth of her niece and has flourished into a career. She has spent the last two years in early childhood education in varying capacities working with infants through 4K. Ms. Zaire earned her early childhood education certifications for both assistant and lead teacher positions. She loves to see children thrive while learning through imaginative play, creativity, and exploration of their environment. Ms. Zaire loves the energy and positive atmosphere of the Goddard School in Sun Prairie and is excited to be a part of the teaching team.

Mrs. Amy graduated from Madison Area Technical College with a certification in Medical Assistance. She is currently pursuing a DCF teaching certification in early childhood development. Mrs. Amy has worked in the medical field for the past 10 years, where she worked as a medical assistant in a family medicine clinic. Amy wants to have a more direct impact on the people she helps in her field of work, most of all children. This passion has led her to her new journey at the Goddard School. Mrs. Amy was drawn to the mission and vision of the Goddard School, because of the focus on play-based learning and the importance of social-emotional learning in the classroom.

Ms. Calsey has always had a strong connection with children and have enjoyed helping kids grow, learn, and express themselves. This led to her joining the childcare field in 2021 and becoming certified through the Child Development Association. She is currently a full-time student to fulfill a career in Cardiovascular Sonography. Her favorite children’s book is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Suess. Ms. Calsey looks forward to helping students understand and grow through the ups and downs while learning every moment of the way at the Goddard School in Sun Prairie.

Ms. Jeremka comes to us from Iowa, where she worked in the public school system. She has 6 years of experience working with children of all ages. Ms. Jeremka is the oldest child of 10 children and found her love for children while helping care for her brothers and sisters. Ms. Jeremka is passionate about nurturing the inner wealth of little ones and helping guide their learning through play. She is dedicated to children's emotional and physical well-being and is excited to support the mission and vision of the Goddard School in Sun Prairie.

Ms. Talisa is very excited to be starting a career with Goddard school with many years of caregiving experience. She has been caring for others professionally, of all different ages and abilities. Her most recent caregiving position was with the elderly, and she is looking to now invest in her love for children, professionally. Working on her CDA certifications, she will serve as a resource staff teacher for art and photography. Ms. Talisa is excited to teaching at The Goddard School and the opportunity to work with your family!

Mrs. Christa has worked with children for numerous years. After high school, she joined the Navy and continued watching the children of fellow service members on nights and weekends. After leaving active duty in 2010, Mrs. Christa joined the reserves and prepared to be a mother. Mrs. Christa now has 3 children of her own along with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice focusing on security. She is a down to earth fun person and loves children of all ages. She is passionate about nurturing the hearts and minds of children as they learn about the world around them. Mrs. Christa loves reading and has turned her older two children into book worms. She has a strong belief in fostering a growth mindset in children and help them see that some mistakes are simply different paths, failure is ok, and not to give up.

With the desire to transition to her passion for children, Mrs. Pratima is changing careers from Business Administration to Education. Although she is new to the field, she has experience as a nurture being the mother of two young children. Mrs. Pratima enjoys cooking, trying new recipes, and gardening, and she looks to bring these experiences into the classroom. Excited for this new adventure, Mrs. Pratima is excited to grow with you and your family at the Goddard School in Sun Prairie.

Ms. Sylvia was born and raised in Chicago, IL. She is the oldest of six children. At a young age, she took on a leadership role in her family and led them on the right path. In 2014, she relocated to Beaver Dam, WI, with her two beautiful children, Mother, and siblings. She worked for Beaver Dam hospital as a resident assistant taking care of elders. In 2017 she joined the class of the Department of Corrections and became a correctional officer and was quickly promoted to a Sargent six months later. In 2018 she answered her calling and took a position at MMSD as a special education teacher assistant. In this role, she discovered her passion and learned that she has a gift for being patient with others and working with kids. She worked in multiple elementary positions before landing at East High School and then Capital High. When not at work, Ms. Sylvia serves as a Sunday school teacher and a formal youth director assistant.

Mrs. Tazhia has 10 years of early childhood education experience and 3 years of experience in a leadership role in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field. The last 8 years, she has been a lead teacher with preschool/prek aged children. She has a strong belief in relationship-style teaching, as children must have a solid foundation of trust built with a teacher to learn best. Mrs. Tazhia's primary skills include teaching: sign language, phonics/reading, technology and Spanish to preschoolers, which she will provide to our students through enrichment activities. Mrs. Tazhia has a certification through the Child Development Association and is currently attending college to earn my BA in Elementary Education. Her hobbies include singing, drawing, playing soccer and photography with her favorite book being, "The Book with No Pictures." Mrs. Tazhia is excited to join and bring all of her expertise of teaching to The Goddard School in Sun Prairie.

Mrs. Ursula is originally from Poland. She finished technical school in woodworking and carpentry, which she still enjoys as a hobby. She is excited to transition her career to childcare. Mrs. Ursula's time as a mother, she discovered her passion for teaching children! Mrs. Ursula is passionate about nurturing a love for learning with her students. She’s excited to bring her love for others into each and every classroom.