Our Teachers

Mrs. Brooke is the onsite owner of The Goddard School located at Arapahoe Road and Aurora Parkway in Aurora, CO. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a degree in Business Management & Finance, Mrs. Brooke worked in the corporate world as a financial controller. As a working mother, she enrolled her two oldest children in the first Goddard School opened in Colorado. Mrs. Brooke fell in love with the Goddard philosophy as her children thrived in the program and she embraced the idea of opening her own school. Three years later, The Goddard School in Aurora was born! Her youngest son, Colin, was the first student enrolled and one of the school's first graduates. Mrs. Brooke strives each day to provide both her students and their parents the greatest possible preschool experience and to build a strong foundation upon which they will thrive!

Mrs. Shannon is the Director of Education at The Goddard School, and has been for over 13 years now. She has worked in Early Childhood since 1995 and has been director qualified in the State of Colorado since 2005. "I have been around children my entire life. My parents owned and operated their own childcare center, and since I was young, I knew I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I believe that children should have fun learning and feel they are in a positive, loving environment. I have worked at many centers and this Goddard School, by far, is the most dedicated to approaching Early Childhood Education the way I learned about it in college. The children need to come first every day and at The Goddard School, everything from the top down ensures this," adds Shannon.

Mrs. Jenessa is the Assistant Director at our school. She previously taught Junior Kindergarten in our Elephants classroom and has been with us for five years! She currently lives in Parker, Colorado with her husband and sweet pups: Dobby, Pookie and Bodi. She graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Human Development and Family Studies in 2019, and soon began working here at Goddard. She knew from a young age that her passion was working with children. Throughout her career she has had amazing opportunities where she has gotten to work with nonprofits, school districts and child care centers. She says, "Getting to watch children learn and grow is something I will never take for granted. I truly believe that given a strong foundation, all children are destined to do amazing things."

Our Infant Nursery Supervisor, Mrs. Dalila, has a Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has been working in ECE since 1993 and has been with us for nearly 8 years. "I am very enthusiastic about teaching and enjoy seeing children learning and interacting with one another, I love to create an environment for the children that remind them of their home and culture. Spending my days loving on your babies is the best part of my days!"

Ms. Sammi is one of our Infant Nursery Supervisors in the Lion Cubs classroom. She has been working in childcare for over six years and has spent the last three years here at Goddard. Ms. Sammi has experience working with all age groups, but she has a soft spot for the infants. When asked about her teaching philosophy, Ms. Sammi said, "I love working with children of all ages. They always find a way to make me smile and I love seeing children learn and try new things. Being able to witness that spark of learning brings me so much joy and is why I became a teacher! It is my goal to instill a love of learning and exploration into each child in my care, and to help them discover the things they are passionate about. Being in childcare has taught me that learning never stops, and I have found that the children have as much (if not more) to teach me as I do them!"

Ms. Laryssa is one of our First Steps teachers in the Zebra classroom. She has been with Goddard for over two years and previously worked in one of our Pre-K classrooms. She is excited to be taking on this new role as a First Steps teacher. When asked why she enjoys working with children she said, "Every day brings something new when it comes to working with children. Watching them test boundaries and learn from their mistakes is something I find to be very fascinating. It is so rewarding to watch children learn and grow!"

Ms. Jenifer is one of our First Steps teachers in the Zebra classroom. She has been working in childcare for several years, where she has worked with mainly infants and toddlers. Ms. Jenifer is lead qualified and director qualified through Colorado Shines. When asked why she enjoys working with toddlers she said, "It is so fun watching them experience new things. They are learning how to walk, talk, and just be little humans."

Ms. Salina is one of our lead Toddler (Hippos) teacher and has been with the Goddard school for over 5 years now. When asked her teaching philosophy, Ms. Salina said, "I believe teaching children involves much more than just a lesson plan. Supporting each student’s individuality and emotional growth is equally as important. There is no such thing as misbehavior, only misguided behavior. As a teacher, I feel that it is my job to provide my students with the tools they need to understand and express their feelings. Not only do I focus on creating a bond with my students, but also their families. In my experience, children flourish when parents and teachers can work cohesively."

Ms. Kelly is one of our Toddler teachers in the Hippo classroom. She has been here at Goddard for nearly two years and loves being in a classroom setting. When asked about why she enjoys working with children she said, "I love helping them learn fundamental skills and watching them get excited when they learn something new. Every day is a new adventure when working with children!"

Mrs. Robyn is one of our Get Set teachers in the Crocodile classroom. This is her first year working at a childcare center and she is eager to begin her journey as a Get Set teacher. Before landing in the Crocodile classroom, Mrs. Robyn spent time as one of our Resource teachers where she was able to get to know all of the children throughout the building. When asked why she wants to be a teacher Mrs. Robyn said, "I enjoy getting to connect with each kid in the classroom. It is my goal to know something interesting about every child I work with and form a bond with them. I'm excited to be taking on the role of a Get Set teacher and can't wait to see the future will bring"

Ms. Taishayna is one of our Get Set teachers in the Crocodile classroom. She has been at Goddard for over two years now where she has helped in all classrooms. When asked about her teaching philosophy, Ms. Tai responded, "I am so excited to begin my teaching career here at Goddard. Working with children has always been a dream of mine. I love the idea of being able to learn as much as the children are through my interactions with them every day. I love being able to help children set goals and achieve them. I am determined to make sure that the children leaving my care understand that they can do anything they set their minds to!"

Mrs. Nicole is our lead preschool (Chimpanzee) teacher. She has worked at the Goddard School for many years and is an asset to the Goddard team. When asked her teaching philosophy, Mrs. Nicole stated, "Working with young kids is my passion! Creating a classroom in which each child feels safe, loved, and challenged is one of my top priorities. I know that children learn best though engaged play and I do my best to create a curriculum to fit the needs of each child in my care on a daily basis. With a structured environment and open opportunities for children to explore, the sky is the limit! I especially love to read, create art, and dance! Having fun while learning is what it’s all about and I look forward to helping foster a life time positive attitude toward learning and the world around them."

Ms. Deanne is one our Preschool teachers in the Chimpanzee classroom. She has over seven years of experience working childcare, mostly with toddlers and preschoolers. Ms. Deanne is originally from the Philippines and moved to Colorado in 2016. She recently got married and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. When asked what her teaching philosophy is Ms. Deanne said, "I believe in creating a nurturing environment where every child is valued, respected and encouraged to explore their unique potential. I view teaching as a collaborative journey, working hand in hand with parents to understand and support their child's individual needs I aim to make the learning process enjoyable and meaningful."

Ms. Maha is a preschool teacher in our leopard classroom. She moved to the United States nearly 20 years ago and has been living in Colorado with her family for the last 13 years. She has been working as an ECE teacher for over 10 years, and has been here at Goddard for over three years. When asked about her teaching philosophy Ms. Maha said, "I view each child as an individual and it is my goal to help develop each child's strengths, interests, skills, abilities and knowledge to enhance their learning experience". When she's not being an amazing leader in her classroom, Ms. Maha enjoys gardening, hiking and cooking!

Ms. Nidhi is in our Preschool 2 classroom (leopards). She started with us earlier this year as a resource teacher, but quickly learned she has a passion for working with children. Ms. Nidhi earned her lead teacher certification through Colorado Shines and has been a wonderful asset to our team. Her silly and fun personality brings so much joy to the classroom and the building as a whole. When asked what her teaching philosophy was, she said, "I believe we as educators play a huge role in child development. I want to make all of the children in my class feel welcome and safe, while of course having fun!"

Ms. Crystal is one of our Junior Kindergarten teachers in our Elephant classroom. She joined is in November 2023 and we are so thankful for all that she has brought to our school. Ms. Crystal is a Colorado Native and in her free time, enjoys spending time with her friends and family while exploring this beautiful state we live. She has been working in childcare for over five years, and is a qualified lead teacher through Colorado Shines. When asked why she wanted to work in childcare she said, "I love to watch children learn! When they finally grasp a concept we have been working on and their faces light up, it truly makes my day!"

Ms. Kaya is one of Junior Kindergarten teachers in the Elephant Classroom! She recently joined us after moving from Fort Collins. Ms. Kaya has been working in childcare since April of 2019 and has her level 3 teaching credential through Colorado Shines. Ms. Kaya graduated from Colorado State University where she studied Theater Performance. She says, "Interacting with children through acting and singing is my favorite way to bond with my students. It allows them to be creative and to test new boundaries without having to be afraid."

Ms. Mercedes is one of our junior kindergarten teachers in the giraffe classroom. She has been in the ECE field for 10 years and has experience working with children of all ages. Ms. Mercedes is not only lead teacher qualified, but director qualified as well. She is also an infant nursery supervisor. When asked what her teaching philosophy is, Ms. Mercedes said, "I enjoy any activities that allow creative and self expression. I strongly believe making a mess is one of the best and most fun ways to learn!".

Ms. Sarah is one of our resource teachers. She has been taking Early Childhood courses at Arapahoe Community College and is working towards a degree in education. When asked why she wants to be a teacher, Ms. Sarah said, "I believe there is no right or wrong way to learn, as long as you make it fun! I try to make sure that every time I interact with the children in my care, it is from their perspective. I love learning from the children and hope they learn as much from me every day as I do from them!"

Ms. Zuilen is one of our amazing resource teachers! She recently moved to Colorado from Miami and quickly began her journey with us. Ms. Zuilen loves spending time in the infant and toddler classrooms and the kiddos love her just as much. While working here, Ms. Zuilen has earned her lead teacher credential through Colorado Shines. When asked why she wanted to work in childcare, Ms. Zuilen said, "I love spending time with the little ones and watching how quickly they learn and grow. I also love teaching different Spanish words."