The Goddard School of West Windsor

Bios

• Mr Stu

  I am proud and honored to be the on-site owner of a Goddard preschool. I have a Ph.D. in Chemistry, and worked for 29 years in Research & Development, directing product development for Consumer Healthcare products at GlaxoSmithKline. I have one son, Austin, born on Valentines Day in 1998. I came to the realization that I was ready to make a significant career change and relished the opportunity to do something together with Dawn whereby we could build and grow something that would have a broad and profound impact. I felt an immediate connection to the Goddard philosophy of fostering the love of learning while providing a safe, nurturing environment for children. It was a perfect fit!

• Ms Dawn

  I love spending time with children and am excited to be an on-site owner at the West Windsor Goddard School. There is no better sound than that of children laughing and having a wonderful time learning and enjoying themselves at our school. Being able to share my day with so many happy children is simply a dream come true. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Journalism and have been an editor and writer for several trade and online publications covering categories including toys, entertainment, publishing, consumer trends and retailing. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of writing my first children's book several years ago. My greatest accomplishment though is my wonderful son Austin.

• Nadine

  My name is Ms. Nadine and I hold a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication and an associate degree in business administration. I have over 20 years’ experience working in the education field. I have taught in preschool programs as well as served as a paraprofessional in the NY school district in Westchester County. My work in Education has seen me teach across the tri-state area of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. I’ve also been an avid dancer as I minored in Modern Dance in college and for many years performed with an amateur dance company at various venues across the country year-round. My husband and I recently moved to Princeton Junction from Edison. We have been married for 18 years and have 3 children, Mia, Samuel, and Maxwell (a girl!). Early education has been my passion for the length of my career as I firmly believe the first 5 years are a crucial foundation in a child’s life and it provides the foundation for the rest of a child’s development.

• Melissa

  My name is Ms. Melissa and I am the Assistant Director. I have been in the childcare profession for 12 years and I have loved every minute of it. It is so rewarding seeing children grow and achieve all the exciting milestones like learning to walk and learning to read. Prior to joining Goddard, I was the Assistant Director at Lightbridge Academy. I have also worked in a variety of preschools including the Princeton Nursery School, Bright Beginnings, and another Goddard school over the past decade. I recently gave birth to my fifth child Joel and have three older daughters and a son. In my spare time, I enjoy going to the beach with my family, taking hikes, baking, and playing board games.

• Anu

  My name is Anu and I am the Lead Teacher in the PreK 1 classroom. I have been teaching children for 10 years and have a CDA and an early childhood education certificate from MCCC (Mercer County Community College). Being a PreK teacher is one of the most rewarding things I have done in my professional experience. Working with children provides me with the opportunity to develop a new purpose every day. I feel proud of myself when a child learns something new, and when they can do something for the first time. I love to see their enthusiasm for new and fresh activities. I am looking forward to a class filled with fun, learning, and lots of adventures. I love to visit new places, shop, read books, watch TV, and spend time with my husband and two children.

• Dayana

  My name is Dayana and I am the Lead Teacher in the Get Set room. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an associate degree in pedagogy, both earned at a university from my home in Colombia. I have been teaching for seven years and enjoy working with children through sensory activities and different learning materials. Getting children up and moving is also important for their development as is exposing them to books. Among my favorites is "Panda Panda What Do You See?" In my free time, I enjoy swimming, reading, taking walks, dancing, and spending time with my family.

• Keliann

  My name is Ms. Keliann and I am the Lead Teacher in the PreK 2 room. This will be my ninth year teaching and my third year working with PreK. I have a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in Psychology and Early Childhood Education, and have participated in valuable research in emerging early childhood literacy skills. I’m looking forward to returning to school for a master’s in child psychology. Although I have no children of my own, my life is enriched and surrounded by family. I have a wonderful partner, an amazing mother, a dog named Valentino and two younger brothers. I come from a family of teachers – my aunt was one and so are a few of my cousins.

• Maritza

  My name is Ms. Maritza and I am the Lead Teacher in the Toddler classroom. I spent two years studying Criminal Justice, but my true passion is working with kids which I have done for the past 11 years. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, cooking and spending time with my daughter Ayla. My daughter just turned two and we like to spend our time together making slime, having dance parties and watching Disney movies.

• Patricia

  My name is Ms. Patricia, and I am the Lead Teacher for the Preschool 1 classroom. I have been in the education field for 15 years and I always look forward to coming to school every day. Even though I work with tiny tots during the day, I spend my evening hours working as a Registered Behavioral Technician working 1-on-1 with children with special needs. I am also studying at the University of West Alabama majoring in psychology in human behavior and science. Despite my busy life, I am committed to dedicating my time to my students and working through any situation to help them achieve their goals.

• Mrs Susanna

  My name is Mrs. Phillips and I am the Kindergarten Teacher. I earned my bachelor of arts degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and History from New Jersey City University. I also have my NJ Teaching Certification in Elementary K-5 and P-3. I have been in the teaching field for 13 years and absolutely enjoy every moment of it. My goal is to make learning fun by providing each student with activities and other resources that will allow them to learn in every way possible. I believe that it is imperative to also build a strong relationship with my students’ parents as it ensures a maximum opportunity for growth and development in each student. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, listening to music, hiking, and most importantly, spending time with my family.

• Alexis

  My name is Ms. Alexis and I have been teaching for four years. I chose this profession because I love watching children grow and learn new skills. Apart from teaching, I love playing video games, learning about Japanese culture and spending time with family and friends. Instilling a love of reading in children is very important to me and I often turn to the classics such as “Watermelon Seed” and “Rainbow Fish” to foster a child’s relationship with books and the written word.

• Ms Dawn

  My name is Ms. Dawn and I am the Assistant Teacher in the Infant room. I came to The Goddard School with about six years of experience working with Infants and Toddlers in other schools. I grew up with younger cousins that I helped babysit, especially my two nieces and a nephew, that sparked my love of being around children. I adopted my son when he was two weeks old through a stay-in family adoption.

• Gayathri

  My name is Ms. Gayathri and I completed my Bachelor of Education along with a Master of Science from Bharathidasan University in India. I am very passionate about teaching children and believe in engaging them with creative and exciting activities. A strong teacher in the classroom goes a long way in helping facilitate an environment of social, emotional, and physical development. With this in mind, my goal each day is to create a classroom environment where the kids can learn through play and be confident. I love spending time with my family, traveling and artwork.

• Luz

  My name is Ms. Luz and I have a bachelor’s degree in both education and psychopedagogy. Before moving to New Jersey, I have worked in the education field for several years in Mexico City and Florida. I love children and working with them brings me great satisfaction. I love seeing their development and evolution while in my classroom and as they progress through the different classrooms. In my spare time, I really enjoy listening to music, exercising, and above all, spending time with my two daughters and my husband.

• Ms Preethi

  My name is Ms. Rao and I have been in the teaching profession for about a decade now. I chose this profession since I am extremely passionate about teaching and love children. The warmth, love and affection that I get from them is my biggest reward and asset. Apart from teaching, I love reading, making art projects, traveling and cooking. I am really happy to be a part of the Goddard School and working with Ms. Phillips in the Kindergarten classroom. I look forward to having a great time with her and all the children.

• Ryan

  My name is Ms. Ryan and I am the Lead Teacher in the Preschool 2 room. This experience gives me a chance to fulfill a personal passion by working with young children for the very first time. I really enjoy being around children and am focused on working with them to build a strong foundation for learning. I am extremely hands on and like to provide support and new ideas that can benefit the students and class. I love exploring new places and sharing new experiences with my nephews and teaching them new skills. There is no doubt that children are our future and adults can also learn from them. All these influences and passions prompted me to complete a degree in Early Childhood Education at an online university.

• Sherine

  My name is Ms. Sherine and I am an Assistant Teacher in the Toddler room. I recently completed my degree in the medical field at Fortis Institute. Working at my first preschool has given me an opportunity to fulfill a desire to work with children and watch them grow and develop. My husband and I are raising five wonderful children ages 6 to 19 years old. I also have a tankful of tropical fish that I enjoy caring for. My favorite quote is, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen, can change the world,”– Malala Yousatzai.

• Yolanda

  My name is Yolanda, and I am the Assistant Teacher in the infant room. I have devoted most of my adult life to working with and nurturing children. I have volunteered at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton school as well as Sister Bette Nursery School for several years each. I have five sons of my own and six grandchildren. Children are among the most precious treasures this world has to offer, and I am deeply grateful to be part of their journey through life. In my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with my family, helping others and brightening someone’s day with a smile.

• Yuko

  My name is Ms. Yuko and I am the Assistant Teacher in the PreK 1 room. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, I have lived in the West Windsor area for the past 15 years and have been an active volunteer at after-school programs in the area. Prior to relocating to the US, I held a variety of positions including a human resources post for IT an global company and a sales management position in a Tokyo-based company. Having raised two of my own multi-cultural children in West Windsor, I bring experience as a parent to the classroom. I am a strong believer in the benefits of introducing sports and music to children at a young age. As such, I can often be found enjoying outdoor activities with the students on the playground or teaching a new song on my piano. In my spare time, I enjoy walking my dog, gardening, baking, and cheering on my children's sports teams.