Our Goddard School 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 nearly 15 years. 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 Pre- Kindergarten in our Pre-Kindergarten A classroom and has been with us for nearly six years! She currently lives in Elizabeth, 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 childcare 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."

Ms. Mercedes is our newest addition to the office as the Assistant Director of Curriculum. Before moving up to the office, she worked as a lead teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten B 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!".

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 9 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. Abigail is our newest teacher in the infant classroom! She recently moved back to Colorado after spending time living in Wisconsin. While living in Wisconsin, Ms. Abigail began working as an infant teacher at a Goddard School and fell in love with it. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading and crafting. When asked what her teaching philosophy was, Ms. Abigail said, "I have wanted to work with children for a long time and believe it is truly amazing getting to watch them grow. The bond you make between a child and their family is one thing I think is so important".

Ms. Laryssa is one of our Toddler teachers. She has been with Goddard for nearly 3 years and previously worked in one of our Pre-K classrooms. When Ms. Laryssa is not at school, she is spending time with her two children, Leilani and Xander. "I love being a mom and I hope to bring that energy into the classroom. I love getting to watch children learn and grow and it is amazing how much they change in such a short amount of time! I hope to make an impact on all of the children I work with and their families."

Ms. Zuilen is one of our amazing Toddler 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."

Ms. Salina is our lead teaching in the Twos classroom and has been with the Goddard school for over 8 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 our assistant teacher in the Twos 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!"

Ms. Shanea is one of our Bridge teachers in the Crocodile classroom. She has four years of experience in early childcare, an associate's degree in general education and is currently working towards her bachelor's degree in elementary education. When asked what her teacher philosophy is, Ms. Shanea said, "I believe that every child learns best in an environment where they feel safe and loved. My goal is to nurture their curiosity, independence and confidence through play and positive guidance. Watching children gain confidence and pride in themselves is the most rewarding part of what I do".

Ms. Trinidy is one of our teachers in the Bridge classroom! She began working with us earlier this year and we have enjoyed watching her learn and grow in the field. Ms. Trinidy is passionate about working with children, especially infants and toddlers. When she is not working, she is spending time with her friends, family and animals.

Mrs. Nicole is our lead preschool teacher in the Preschool A classroom. She has worked at the Goddard School for many years and is an asset to our 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 lifetime positive attitude toward learning and the world around them."

Ms. Taishayna is one of our teachers in the Preschool A classroom. She has been at Goddard for over three 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. Maha is a preschool teacher in our Preschool B 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 four years. When asked about her teaching philosophy Mrs. 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, Mrs. Maha enjoys gardening, hiking and cooking!

Mrs. Nidhi is one of our preschool teachers in the Preschool B classroom. She has been with us for over a year, and before landing in a preschool classroom she was a resource teacher. She quickly learned she has a passion for working with children. Mrs. 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!"

Mrs. Stacy is our lead teacher in the Pre-Kindergarten A classroom. She was born and raised here in Aurora, Colorado and now lives here with her husband and four children. She was our previous Assistant Director before taking some time to be at home with her two youngest. Now she's back in the classroom doing what she does best. Mrs. Stacy has a BS in Human Development and Family Studies; and has been working in early education since 2008. Mrs. Stacy has found that she is most passionate when working with children in an educational setting. "I have been around children my entire life. When I was younger, my mom was a teacher and then a nanny, and I knew that I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I try to teach my kids to always try new things even if they are intimidated or think they can’t; I know that each child is capable of much more than they believe and it's my goal that every child that leaves Goddard will have the confidence to move mountains!"

Ms. Jasmine is one of our Pre-Kindergarten 1 teachers! She has been working in childcare for nearly two years and before working with the older children, she was working with two-year-olds. When she is not at Goddard, Ms. Jasmine is studying to become a nurse and enjoys spending her free time reading or painting. When asked what her teaching philosophy is, Ms. Jasmine said, "I believe you learn the most through hands on experience. Each day offers a new lesson and experience that helps us grow. As much as I'm teaching the kids, I'm learning even more from them".

Ms. Jazz is one of our Pre-K teachers in the giraffe classroom! She recently joined our school in September, and we are so lucky to have her. Ms. Jazz has a bachelor's degree in liberal studies with a concentration in early childhood and human development and master's degree in elementary education. She grew up in Los Angeles, California and moved to Colorado about seven years ago. When asked what her teaching philosophy was, she said, "I believe that all children are capable of excelling and I love watching their "aha" moments. I believe in building a relationship with my students, so they feel loved, seen, heard and supported".

Ms. Elena is one of our teachers in the Pre-Kindergarten 2 classroom. She recently moved to the area with her two daughters and began working with us in September of 2024. Ms. Elena jumped right into our program and quickly formed a bond with staff and families. When asked why she wanted to work with children she said, "I love getting to watch my own children learn and grow every day so why not help others as well? It's a very rewarding profession to be in and I'm grateful for the opportunities it has given me."

Mrs. Robyn is one of our resource teachers. She has been here for nearly two years and has spent time working with all age groups. Ms. Robyn is a Colorado Native and lives in the area with her husband and huskies! 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. 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. Tomy is one of our resource teachers! She has been working in early childcare for several years and has experience working with infants through three-year-olds. In her free time, she loves spending time with her fiancé and son, Liam. "I love spending time with children! I'm so excited to help the children in my care learn and grow throughout the school year.". We are so happy to have Ms. Tomy on our team and can't wait to see the amazing ideas she brings to the classroom.

Mr. Pritesh joined our team in January of 2025 after moving here from India in December. His wife, Mrs. Nidhi is one of our preschool teachers and they would eventually like to own their own Goddard school someday.