The Goddard School of Elgin

Bios

• Sheryl

  Sheryl is the Owner of the Goddard School located in Elgin. Sheryl’s inspiration to open the school came from her young daughters, Sophia and Emma, who are now Goddard graduates. Her Master's degree in psychology coupled with her experience of working at the American Academy of Pediatrics allows her to truly appreciate the importance of providing a solid foundation for young children. She believes taking care of children's hearts, bodies and minds gives her the opportunity to make a difference in their future and the future of all of those who are touched by them. This together with helping families find balance in their lives has inspired her to offer the BEST early childhood education program.

• Karen

  Ms. Karen is our spectacular Curriculum Director and our own in-house CDA Trainer. Karen was a Kindergarten Teacher for over 10 years and has a special skill for understanding individualized learning that helps benefit the needs of every child. She has a BA in Sociology from NIU and a M.Ed from Loyola University in Curriculum and Instruction. She is certified to teach in elementary education. She loves the curiosity and wonder that a child brings to a classroom. Ms. Karen enjoys DIY projects, cooking and traveling.

• Sue

  Hello I'm Sue, the Executive Director here at The Goddard School in Elgin. I'm proud to say that I have worked at this school since 2009, just three years after it opened. I have been a teacher in early childhood since 1985 and became the Director at Goddard in 2020! I have my Degree in Early Childhood Education and live with my amazing husband and have two children. Allison, my daughter, is 27 and lives with her wife in Vermont and my son, Cameron, is 21 and is currently in college. I look forward to many more years here at The Goddard School!

• Becky

  Becky is one of the teachers in our Get Set classroom. She has been working in early childhood education for 7 years and has spent most of that time in a 2 year old classroom. Becky enjoys this age because of the progess the children make from the beginning. Becky is hoping to complete her Bachlor's Degree in Early Childhood Education by June 2022. She is so excited to be part of our Goddard family.

• Danielle

  Ms. Danielle is a lead teacher in our Kindergarten Prep classroom. She has a Bachelors Degree from Stephens College in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She started working with children in 2013. Ms. Danielle has been with Goddard since 2019. For fun, she LOVES reading books, hanging with her pets and going to the movies.

• Heather

  Ms. Heather joined our school October 2021. She is one of our co-lead teachers in the Moose Mountain classroom. She has her Early Childhood Education degree from Elgin Community College and has been teaching in the field for 7 years. Ms. Heather has a daughter named Zoey who is smart, spunky and sassy. She has been married to her best friend for 7 years and has two rescue dogs. Ms. Heather enjoys being outside with her family, camping, and exploring new places.

• Jennifer

  Ms. Jen is one of our teachers in the infant program. She has been in childcare for 13 years and has worked in all ages. She has her CDA from Rasmussen College. Jen loves being in infants watching them grow and being able to teach them strategies they can use and learn from. She is CPR/First Aid certified. Jen loves to spend time with her daughter and other family members, shopping, swimming and watching movies.

• Kate

  Ms. Kate joined Goddard in 2023. She has her Infant/Toddler CDA credentials since 2023. She has working in childcare since 2021. She loves to teach because she loves building relationships with her students. She is the middle child in her family of 5 siblings and loves spending time with her 2 nephews. In her free time, Ms. Kate likes to sleep, shop and binge new shows on TV.

• Kimberly

  Ms. Kim is a lead teacher in our Moose Mountain classroom. Ms. Kim has an Associate’s degree in early childhood education from Elgin Community College. She is also trained in CPR/First Aid. Ms. Kim has been part of our Goddard family since 2014. She began teaching ballet at a couple of park districts in the area after High School. In 1992, Ms. Kim began teaching preschool in a childcare setting. She has two children and a goldendoodle with her husband. Ms. Kim enjoys sitting by the firepit with her family, listening to her children play instruments and being by the ocean or waterfalls. Ms. Kim believes every child who enters her classroom will always have a special place in her heart forever.

• Kourtney

  Ms. Kourtney has been a Lead Teacher at Goddard since 2019. She has lead both the Toddler classroom and the Young Preschool classroom, and is now our new Kindergarten teacher for Fall of 2023. She has her Associates in Elementary Education and Special Education, her Bachelor's in Communication Disorders and Sciences, and her Master's in Special Education. Ms. Kourtney welcomed her baby boy Braden in December 2023! In her spare time Kourtney loves to cuddle with her dog, Easton, and sleep!

• Kristine

  Kristine is one of our extraordinary Lead 2's Teachers. She has been teaching and having fun with children for 6 years. Seeing the children's smiles, hearing their silly stories and making them laugh are her favorite things about being a teacher. She always makes teaching fun and has a way on making children feel comfortable and express their feelings. Kristine hopes to continue making a difference on all children's lives from years to come.

• Maria

  Ms. Maria joined our Goddard team in 2024. She graduated from Larkin High School in 2016 and has taken several Early Childhood Education classes from NIU. She works in our Infant Program and states that she loves teaching young minds and enjoys instilling a love of school and learning into their lives. In her free time, Maria likes to spend time with her family and go to the gym.

• Megan

  Ms. Megan is a lead teacher in our Kindergarten Prep classroom. Ms. Megan Joined our Goddard team in 2018. She has a BA in Early Child and Elementary Education from Ashford University. Ms. Megan has worked with preschoolers with disabilities for 13 years. She has been teaching in early childhood for over 25 years.

• Rhea

  Ms. Rhea joined Goddard March 2023 and is the lead teacher in our Toddler room. She is originally from the Philippines but lived in Europe for 7 years before moving to the United States 5 years ago. Rhea's first job in the US was working at a Montessori school. That wonderful experience, in addition to being an Aupair in Europe, is where she realized her love for early childhood. Rhea earned her CDA and continues to study early childhood education from the Rasmussen University. She lives with her husband of 5 years in Elgin. Rhea likes to hike, travel, build with Legos and seafood.

• Riya

  Ms. Riya joined Goddard in 2023. She has her Early Education Degree from McHenry County College. She is currently student teaching to become a licensed teacher. She loves working with children because she loves getting to know them and watching them grow. Ms. Riya enjoys spending time outdoors and doing crafts such as bracelet making and painting. She loves to try new things and experience new adventures.

• Rosa

  Ms. Rosa joined Goddard in July of 2023 and is the lead teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten room. She has her Associates Degree from Harper College and has worked with children since 2022. She loves teaching because she loves to watch them grow, laugh and have fun. When she's not teaching, she loves to go shopping, spends time with friends and she loves to sleep. Ms. Rosa has 4 brothers and two dogs. Her dogs' names are Benito and Junior. She teaches because she loves to witness even the smallest of achievements. She loves to see the pride they have about their learning and milestones.

• Alicia

  Alicia joined our Goddard family in September 2022. She has been working with children for the past 4 years. Alicia has 7 younger siblings that she loves and cares for. She loves children and hopes for the opportunity to continue to nurture and educate in her future endeavors. On her down time, Alicia enjoys going on coffee runs , reading and spending time with her family.

• Autumn

  Ms. Autumn has been working in childcare since 2023. She graduated from Dundee Crown High School in 2023 and is going to get her CDA in 2023. She enjoys being an assistant in the younger classrooms because she loves to watch them grow and meet those developmental milestones. In her free time, Autumn loves to shop at Woodfield and watch new series on Netflix.

• Briauna

  Ms. Briauna joined Goddard in August of 2023 and is a Floater around the school. She has her High School Diploma and has been working with children since 2022. She is currently in the CDA program to get her certification to be a lead in an Infant/Toddler room. She enjoys teaching because she loves to watch the children reach their developmental milestones and gets joy from spending time with the students. In her free time, Ms. Briauna enjoys crocheting and likes to watch movies.

• Jazmin

  Jazmin joined Goddard in June 2022. She received her CDA for Preschool in Spring 2023 to become a Lead Teacher. While in the classroom, Jazmin enjoys being with the children and watching them grow and develop. She shares their excitement when they accomplish a goal and make new discoveries. When not at Goddard, Jazmin loves being outdoors and with her pet cat (Wicho) and dog (Rey).

• Kailee

  Kailee joined Goddard November 2022. She attained her CDA in early 2024. She loves getting to know all of the wonderful children at school while watching them grow and develop! Kailee is the oldest of five siblings. She enjoys reading and journaling. In her free time, Kailee enjoys spending time with family and friends and finding new shows to binge watch.

• Lela

  Lela Graf joined our school October 2021. She has two years of experience in early childhood and is certified CPR/first aid. A mom of a sweet 2 year old boy, she is dedicated to helping children learn and discover new things as they grow and develop. Lela received her Infant/Toddler CDA in Spring 2023. Lela has been married for two years and is extremely family oriented.

• Mariah

  Ms. Mariah joined Goddard in 2023. She is the Assistant Teacher in the Pre-Kindergarten room. She is new to teaching and is excited to learn more about child development. Ms. Mariah is currently enrolled in the CDA program to earn certification to lead a Preschool-age room. She is the oldest daughter of 3 siblings and enjoys going to the gym reading, baking and shopping.

• Samantha

  Ms. Samantha started working at Goddard in 2023! She is an Assistant Teacher in our infant/older infant classroom. Ms. Samantha is currently in our CDA certification program. She had her baby girl in December of 2023! In her free time, Ms. Samantha enjoys cooking, baking, and walking to her local famers market!

• Tamira

  Ms. Tamira wears multiple hats at our school. As the school's Head of Faculty, Ms. Tamira utilizes her degree in Business to create a work environment that nurishes not only the children's daily growth but the staff's sense of accomplishment and teamwork. Ms. Tamira joined our team in April 2019 and is dedicated, honest, and empowering. In her free time, Ms. Tamira likes to read, listen to music, and go shopping!

• Printa

  Printa joined our Goddard family February 2022 as our kitchen manager. She comes with 7 years of experience working in the food industry. Printa is a mother of 4 children and to a wonderful puppy named Buddy. She enjoys watching movies, camping, and doing anything that involves nature. When Printa isn't at work, you can find her listening to music or hanging out with family. She is very excited to be working at Goddard and being around the little ones.

• Tellie

  Ms. Tellie joined our school in 2017, and has worked in childcare since 2005! Tellie has her Infant-Toddler Child Development Associates, is CPR/First-aid certified, and has her ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification. Tellie leads each classroom to be at peak performance by guiding them in all best practices. In her spare time she chases her young son and enjoys spending time with her family. Her family includes her husband, 3 children, and 3 cats. Tellie also enjoys snacking, napping, and watching T.V. :)