The Goddard School of Bala Cynwyd

Bios

• JoAnn (Jodi)

  Hello and welcome! I am Jodi Straub, the proud franchisee/owner of The Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd. I was born and raised in southeastern Pennsylvania, and I am excited to bring a renowned education system to the Lower Merion and Philadelphia communities. My husband and I are proud parents of 3 children, who are all in their teens. Simply, we have a passion for childhood education. I realize the importance of high-quality educational childcare in a safe and nurturing environment. As the owner, I am proud to say that I am actively involved in the daily operations of the school, and I am committed to maintaining the highest quality standards that our parents expect.

• Alexis

  Ms. Lexie is our assistant director here at the Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd. Lexie holds a degree in Psychology from Cabrini University. She has experience working with pre-school and school-aged children and loves infants. She is certified in Pediatric First Aid/CPR, Health & Safety, Fire Safety, and Mandated Reporter. Lexie lives in Havertown, Pa and enjoys watching sports and spending quality time with family and friends.

• Laura

  Hello! My name is Laura. I have worked in the Early Childhood field for the last 23 years in many different program areas; from classroom teaching to curriculum development to administration. I have a Master’s degree in Education from West Chester University and a Bachelor of Art in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Neumann University. I am currently enrolled in a Higher Education doctorate program at St. Joseph's University.

• Amanda

  Hello, My name is Amanda, and I am currently studying chemistry at Delaware County Community College. I have been working with kids since I was 15 years old. I love watching kids grow and reach new milestones. When I am not working, I love to spend time with my friends and family and my pets. I am excited to get to know you and your children and watch them develop a love for learning!

• Angela

  Hello, My name is Angela. I have been working with infants and toddlers for over six years. I enjoy watching infants and toddlers develop and reach their milestones. I enjoy facilitating infants in their cognitive, physical, and social developments.

• Caitlin

  Hello! I am Miss Caitlin, and I have been working in the professional childcare field since 2008. I find that helping to shape the minds of young children is one of the most rewarding things a person can accomplish. I also love doing arts & crafts with them. I am certified in CPR/First Aid. In my spare time I enjoy making homemade & delicious candies, spending time with my family & friends, karaoke, and trivia nights. And I love everything Disney!

• Emeline

  Hello! My name is Emeline (Emma-line). I am so happy to be here and to be teaching your babies! This truly is my passion. I have worked with children my whole life as I am the oldest of 14 cousins. Professionally I've worked with children for four years! I was and still am the designated babysitter for my 14 cousins. I went to Chestnut Hill college and got both my BA and MS in child psychology there. Outside of work you can find me holding someone's baby ??.

• Emily

  Hello! My name is Emily and I hold two degrees from Bloomsburg University - a bachelor’s in speech pathology and a master’s in early childhood education. I grew up in Hershey, PA, but truly fell in love with teaching while working with a pre-k program in Arizona. I have been teaching professionally since getting my PK-4 certification in 2018. I am beyond excited to lead a pre-k classroom here at Goddard and look forward to helping the children grow into their full potential. In my free time I enjoy crafting, spending time with my fiancé and our dog, and taking walks.

• Grace

  Hello, My name is Grace, and I am currently a teacher in the Warblers I reside in Philadelphia, born in Puerto Rico and also fluent in Spanish. I have always had an interest in Early Childhood and a passion to guide, construct, and assist young children with over 21 years of experience. I obtain a Child development Associate and have an extensive list of trainings. I look forward to working here and utilizing all that I have learned throughout my years of teaching.

• Holly

  Hello, My name is Holly. I live in Elkins Park with my husband and two sons, ages 18 and 10. I love to read, and my favorite types of books are fantasy and science fiction. In 2022, I obtained my bachelor's degree in Early education and I am currently enrolled in a master's degree program, both at Drexel University. I have worked with young children for over ten years and have found that there is nothing more rewarding than witnessing the joy of discovery in their eyes. I am excited to be here at Goddard because their reputation of high quality precedes them. I am looking forward to building strong, lasting relationships here at Goddard.

• Kathleen

  Hello, My name is Katie. I taught Kindergarten and first grade in Philadelphia for seven years. Last year, I left the district and taught pre-school. I am glad that life’s journey brought me to Goddard, and I am very excited to work with your children.

• Latasha

  Hello, My name is Latasha. I love reading, traveling, music, and spending time with my family. I am in school getting my degree in social work at Delaware County Community College.

• Maria

  Hello, My name is Maria. I am currently in my final step towards receiving my CDA. I have been working in childcare centers for the past five years and have never felt more passionate and fulfilled. When I am not working, I appreciate spending time with my big family, little cousins, and of course my dogs. We like to nature walk as I practice photography. With my friends, there is always music involved, or something lively. I look forward to caring for your child and helping to develop a lifelong love of learning.

• Sakeenah

  Hello, My name is Sakeenah. I have worked with children 6 weeks-12 years of age since 1991. It truly is a god giving passion. I also come from a family of teachers. I have one daughter and two grandchildren who are my entire world. I believe in fostering young minds and giving them the tools, they need for a great beginning. I love to intentionally teach and see good outcomes academically, socially, and emotionally. My philosophy is to teach a child something new that I did not teach the day before to help them reach their highest potential.

• Shana

  Hello, My name is Ms. Shana or Shay. I am so excited to be joining The Goddard family. I have previous experience in infants and both young and older toddlers. I am currently enrolled in online classes to achieve my CDA. I also have a dream to get my teaching degree and maybe one day opening my own childcare center. I love teaching because I love making learning fun for others and finding new ways to succeed. I am a very open minded and easy-going person. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. I am very much looking forward to connecting with everyone.

• Shebotta

  Hello Parents, My name is Mrs. Shebotta (Mrs.S) for short. I am a mom to a 4 ½ year old daughter. I have a bachelor’s degree in child and family studies from Benedict College. My understanding and passion for children has been for 10 plus years. I look forward to supporting, learning, and helping your child grow and develop through play.

• Teresa

  Hello, My name is Mrs. Teresa. I have a degree in Marketing from Cabrini College as well as a Teachers Certification for Kindergarten-6th grade. I stayed home for 18 years raising my five children before returning to work in 2008. I am so excited to join the team at The Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd. My hobbies are spending as much time with my children and grandchildren. I love to paint with Acrylics and spend time at the beach with my family.

• Briana

  Hello, My name is Briana. I graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 2019 with my bachelor’s in business administration. I enjoy art and drawing. I also enjoy working with children and watching them grow.

• Gabriel

  Hello, My name is Gabriele. I have been working with young children for many years. I look forward to caring for the children here at The Goddard School and helping them grow.

• Karla

  Hello, My name is Karla. I have always enjoyed childcare since a young age. Growing up I loved babysitting and mentoring my younger cousins, helping them with schoolwork, planning activities, and fun games. I have worked in daycare for over three years and love watching children learn, grow, and develop. In my free time, I like trying new restaurants, hiking, spending time outdoors, and traveling. I am excited to care for your children and watch them learn and reach their milestones!

• Kwanasha

  Hello, My name is Kwanasha. I am currently in CCP to receive my AA in early childhood education. I have completed the mandated reporter. I am excited to work at The Goddard School because I know it will help me expand diversity with the children. On my free time I enjoy reading and dancing for fun.

• Naasiah

  Hello, My name is Naasiah. At the age of 14 I started working for an organization "The Helping Hand Rescue Mission". It is a church located in a rough area where children do not have much such as food, clothes, and money. This was my first job where I found my love for working with children. I also developed many different skills. I still work there when I can, but I did go to Manner College to become a dental hygienist, but unfortunately I did not continue that career path and decided to go to trade school and get my certification as a stride central tech. I am a huge sports fan. I love playing basketball, soccer, and softball. I also am a foodie. I enjoy traveling all over to different food and dessert spots. When I saw The Goddard School, I looked up the history and knew this is where I wanted to work. Money has never been the main focus, just working with children and being the best at it I can be.

• Sokhary

  Hello, My name is Sokhary. I graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology in December 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. I am a hard-working person. I tend to put a lot of effort into everything that I work on. I always try to give my best even if sometimes things do not work out well. I love working with children and teaching them things and it makes me happy to be around children.

• Cierra

  Hi families, I am Cierra, a floating teacher here at the Goddard School of Bala Cynwyd. Outside of working here, I am a full-time student at Saint Joseph’s University studying Marketing and Leadership Development. Working at this center for the past year and a half has allowed me to build trust with the children and staff members and to cultivate a fun learning community for the children. Because my role allows me to transition to a variety of rooms across the school, I have had the opportunity to build great connections with the children all around. Working at the Goddard school has been a great experience thus far and my daily interactions make me happy even after a rigorous day at school.

• Emma

  Hello, My name is Emma. I am a second- year nursing student at Drexel University. I like to stay with kids, so I hope I can be a pediatric nurse. I lived in New Jersey for five years and this is my second year in Philadelphia. I have three cats which I adopted last year. On my free time I enjoy listening to music and shopping. I am excited to be apart of The Goddard School and hope to get to know all the children.