Our Goddard School Teachers

Welcome! My name is Mrs. Debbie. I am the proud Owner of the Goddard School, located in historic Crabapple. We are conveniently located near Crabapple Crossing Elementary School. I attended The University of Miami beginning in my Junior year in High School completing laboratory research in Animal Behavior. My husband Stephen and I have three children, Stephanie, CJ and Nina who all help us operate a safe, small setting, neighborhood school. Our incorporated name…”Childhood- The Joy of Being”, utilizes the initials of my son - for it is truly through his eyes that I have enjoyed the spontaneity of education and learning all over again! We pride ourselves in providing a small intimate family-like environment (capacity is 122 students) recognizing the uniqueness of each child and to provide honest and open communication with our families. Our Goddard School Crabapple/Alpharetta 2 has been open for 22 years- owned and operated by the same family since inception in 2003.

Hello, my name is Ms. Stephanie, and I am the Executive Director here at the Goddard School of Crabapple. I am a graduate of Kennesaw State University where I obtained my B.S. Degree in Psychology and Marketing. I have enjoyed working at our school for over 18 years! My husband Zak and I are blessed to have our son here with us and we are proud to be a long standing, family owned and operated learning facility. We look forward to welcoming you and your family to our school!

My name is Zak Didier and I am the Operations Manager of our family run facility. I have been here for the last 18 years and have enjoyed getting to know so many families in our local community.

Hi, my name is Ms. Emily! I have 10 years of experience working with children in developing countries with a focus on community development and children at risk. During my field experience I realized I had a passion for teaching which eventually lead me to the Goddard School. I have been a part of the Goddard Crabapple family for the past 13 years and I have loved my experience. Watching the students succeed and thrive in our learning environment brings me so much joy! Our teachers are some of the kindest and most nurturing people I've ever met. As a mom, I know I am leaving my children in the best care. Over the past two years I have enjoyed working in the office as apart of the administration team. I have loved welcoming all of our new families to Goddard!

My name is Ms. Chrissy and I have been teaching at the Goddard school for the past 11 years! I love working in our Preschool program. I am a graduate of Kennesaw State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. I have always had a passion for education and teaching young children. From helping with their homework to tutoring and volunteering, I have always enjoyed helping young children grow and succeed. I believe in being an empowering role model for my students by creating a positive and inspiring environment for each child to thrive. A personal goal of mine is to help each child look forward to coming to school each day by implementing unique child-focused, goal-oriented activities.

Hello! I am Ms. Ramya! I was born and raised in India and I have lived all over the world with my family. I am a mother of 2 and I love spending time with my children. I hold a Master’s Degree in Information Systems and Technology from the United Kingdom. Shortly after my children began school I discovered my passion for teaching. I strive to help children become the best possible versions of themselves. This passion of mine led me into the teaching profession. For the past 9 years I have had experience teaching in all levels of early education. While living in Indonesia, I was a Pre-K teacher and then quickly moved to teaching in the American International Elementary School. Once my family and I moved to the Alpharetta area, I was an assistant teacher at Fulton Science Private School. This is my 5th year teaching here at Goddard in the Kindergarten classroom and I am happy to continue my experience here.

Hello, my name is Ms. Fatemeh. I have enjoyed working at this school since the first day it opened 22 years ago! I have over 30 years of experience working with infants and young toddlers. I have two wonderful boys, one who graduated from UGA and another who is currently enrolled in college. I have a certificate in occupational childcare from Middlesex County Adult Technical School in New Jersey along with a CDA. I love my family, my job and the children I work with. The children in my classroom bring me so much joy. I’m so happy to be a part of the Goddard Crabapple family.

Hi, I’m Ms. Liz and I have been a teacher at the Goddard School for 10 years and I love being a part of the Goddard community. I live in Woodstock with my 2 little girls, Maisie who is in Kindergarten and Delaney who is in the infant program here at Goddard! I have completed my CDA certification and I am excited to use it in the Preschool classroom. This is my first year teaching in the Preschool setting and I am excited because it is such a fun and exciting time in a child’s life. It brings me so much joy to watch the children achieve their goals and the joy they feel when they’ve overcome them is the best reward as their teacher.

I’m Ms. Jessica! I moved to Georgia from Mexico 19 years ago. This is my third year working at the Goddard school and I am really enjoying it. I love being a part of our infant classroom team! I have always known I wanted to work with kids from a very young age. I have a background in infant care and I studied Early Childhood Education when I was in college. I love working in our Infant room because it brings me so much joy to watch the babies grow and learn!

Hi I’m Ms. Jalyn and this is my first year working at the Goddard school! I was born in Birmingham Alabama but I have lived in Georgia for many years with my family. I went to Reinhardt College and majored in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance. I love working with children and have 3 years of experience teaching in the childcare setting. In summer’s past I have also been a camp counselor. I am so excited to be a part of the Goddard Crabapple team and I can’t wait to meet all of your children!

Hi! My name is Ms. Alley and this is my second year at the Goddard school! I just graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Criminal Justice. I have a heart for children's advocacy and I love working with all ages. I have several years of experience working in childcare and I am so excited to be here as an assistant to the teachers here!

Hi! My name is Ms. Eliana and this is my first year working at Goddard Crabapple. I come with previous experience in childcare and I love working with children and infants. It brings me so much joy to see the babies learning and growing in our classroom. I aspire to work in Pediatric nursing one day. In my free time I love spending time with my family and my 2 year old daughter, Giana who is also at Goddard. I am so excited to be apart of this growing community in Crabapple! I cannot wait to meet your children!

I’m Ms. Riley and this is my third year with the Goddard school. I have several years of experience working with children and I love working in the Bridge classroom! I am currently enrolled at Gwinnett Tech studying early childhood education and I hope to implement my knowledge in the classroom setting. My favorite part about working with children is to watch them meet their developmental goals and to see them grow into their personalities. It brings me so much joy to work alongside our team of teachers where everyone truly cares about kids. I am excited to meet your little ones!

Hello, my name is Ms. Mabelys and I am so excited to start my first year at the Goddard School! I moved to Georgia from Venezuela 6 years ago. I am married and have a two year old daughter, Max, who is currently in one of our toddler rooms! I am bilingual in Spanish and English, but Spanish is my first language. I love working with children and am so happy to be here at Goddard!

Hi! I'm Ms. Sara and I have been a seasonal teacher at the Goddard school for the past 4 years. I currently attend the University of Tennessee and I have loved being apart of the Crabapple team while I am home from school. The children bring me so much joy. It is so exciting to see them grow and learn in the environment that Goddard provides.

Hello! My name is Mrs. Ellie and this is my second year working at Goddard Crabapple! I have 24 years of experience working in childcare. I began with my own home care center and I have worked in various daycare centers throughout the years. I have my Associate's Degree and I am currently renewing my CDA in early learning. I am also a mother of 9 with my youngest being 26. My hobbies are singing, reading and gardening! It is my pleasure to work with your little ones and I am so excited to be apart of the Goddard Crabapple team.

I am Ms. Hema and I am so happy to be at the Goddard School! I was born and raised in India where I completed my Master's degree in Computer Science and Engineering. I am now looking forward to gaining more experience in early childhood education and caring for young children. Working with the toddlers is truly special, I love helping them learn, grow and develop good habits. As a mother of two boys, I enjoy nurturing every child as if they were my own. I can't wait to meet your children!

Hi I'm Ms. Lily and I have 3 years of Early Education experience! I also hold a CNA & Phlebotomy certifications. My teaching philosophy is to teach through empathy and compassion. I believe it is very important to have patience when teaching toddlers. These children are learning everything for the very first time and it's crucial that as they are learning to be their truest self! Teaching this age is my passion because I get to see my students flourish into the best version of themselves.

I'm Ms. Stephanny and I am so proud to be an assistant teacher here! As a mom myself, I understand how precious the early years of learning are. I believe each child learns best through hands on experiences and joyful play. I aim to bring patience, kindness and a loving presence to the classroom every day. I hope to make each child feel safe, valued and excited to explore the world around them!

Hi I'm Ms. Melania, and I'm excited to be a part of the Goddard school! I have 10+ years of experience working in early childhood education and I hold a Child Development Associate's Degree. I am originally from Peru and I speak 3 different languages: English, Spanish and Italian. I love to incorporate language learning into the curriculum along with gross motor activities and games. I have a true passion for working with young learners and helping children progress in all areas. I am dedicated to fostering creativity, empathy, confidence, and motor skill development. I am so excited to be apart of this team and to help nurture your child's growth and creativity!

Hello, I am Swetha Godera, and I have over five years of experience in early childhood education. I believe in encouraging creativity and independence through play-based learning. I would like to create a space where children feel safe to explore, ask questions, and develop a love for learning. I completed my Master’s in Business Administration. I live here in Alpharetta with my family and two daughters. I enjoy spending quality time with my family, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.Teaching is not just a profession for me—it’s a rewarding journey where I get to inspire young minds and help shape their futures. I’m always eager to learn, grow, and contribute to a positive educational environment. I am so happy to be apart of this school!

Hello, I'm Ms. Adriel , and I am thrilled to be here at the Goddard School. With over ten years of teaching experience spanning from early elementary to high school, I am deeply passionate about nurturing the next generation. Currently, I am pursuing a degree in marketing at Herzing University to enhance my art and creative ventures. As a three-time published children's book author, I create and illustrate stories aimed at helping marginalized voices feel acknowledged. When I'm not busy creating or writing, I love spending time with my husband, exploring the city, trying new cuisines, and enjoying music. I eagerly anticipate the contributions I can make at Goddard and the journey of learning and growth we will embark on together.

My name is Ms. Souti and I was born and raised in India! This is my first year at Goddard Crabapple. I hold a Master's degree in Human Rights as well as an Early Child Care Certification. I have nearly 3 years of previous teaching experience and I am a mother of a 12 yr old boy. When my son was in his early years of school, I frequently volunteered in the classroom. Those experiences of spending time with the students and observing their daily growth deeply inspired my interest in teaching and working with young learners. My continued passion for teaching is what has brought me to the Goddard school today! I am so happy to be apart of this community and to continue to help enrich young learners!

I’m Ms. Shweta and I am excited to start my third year here at the Goddard school! I am originally from India where I grew up and I earned my Master’s Degree in Accounts and Finance. I have experience working in the Early Education setting for several years and I am happy to continue assistant teaching. My husband works in the IT field and we have been blessed with twin boys who are in 7th grade. I enjoy cooking, painting, arts and crafts and gardening. I love working with children and I love getting to know them and watch them grow!