Goddard Systems Honors Fernando Torres as the 2024 Goddard School Director of the Year

Torres serves as the director of The Goddard School of Carlsbad, CA

Goddard Systems, LLC, the manager of The Goddard School franchise system, the nation’s leading premium early childhood education provider, proudly presents the 2024 Goddard School Director of the Year award to Fernando Torres, director of The Goddard School of Carlsbad, CA.

The Director of the Year award celebrates a Goddard School director's outstanding educational and operational leadership. This honor is given to a director who has been with Goddard for at least two years, fully embraces and implements education initiatives with integrity and serves as a mentor to their peers. They consistently seek growth opportunities for both themselves and their team, cultivate a positive school culture, and actively collaborate within their local market and the larger Goddard School network.

“Fernando exemplifies the passion and dedication to students and families that defines The Goddard School experience, and it is an honor to name him the 2024 Goddard School Director of the Year,” said Dennis R. Maple, chairman and CEO of Goddard Systems. “Directors play a pivotal role in creating environments where children thrive, teachers succeed and families feel supported. I extend my gratitude to not just Fernando, but to every director at the more than 630 Goddard Schools across the country for their unwavering commitment to the communities they serve.”

Torres has been The Goddard School of Carlsbad’s director since 2014. Under his leadership, the school has received its highest scores in family experience surveys and its highest retention rate of faculty and families. The school has also consistently received outstanding health and safety scores, strictly adhering to Goddard’s robust health and safety standards.

“I am beyond proud to congratulate Fernando for being named the 2024 Director of the Year,” said Shalini Dhiman, owner of The Goddard School of Carlsbad. “This honor is so well-deserved because he constantly contributes to the success and growth of our school. We appreciate his dedication to not only our school, but other Goddard Schools. Fernando frequently offers guidance to other directors, sharing his expertise on how to best lead a school.”

The Goddard School of Carlsbad was recognized as a Goddard School Circle of Excellence member in 2023 and 2024. This prestigious accolade honors the top-performing Goddard Schools that elevate the Goddard brand, reputation and business performance through outstanding achievements in education and operational delivery. Additionally, Torres has completed the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership program, earning a national credential as an early childhood education director. He was also instrumental in the school earning Cognia accreditation, a mark of distinction for demonstrating commitment to educational excellence and continuous improvement.

Torres is one of four Director of the Year finalists. The other three deserving finalists are:

• Tina Bright, The Goddard School of Greenville, SC
• Jami Lee, The Goddard School of Toms River, NJ
• Kelley Nelson, The Goddard School of Oakville, MO

For more information about The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com.