The Goddard School of Durham

Bios

• Mr Mehul

  Mehul is the proud owner of The Goddard School® located in Durham. Mehul, his wife Kruti and their son have been Triangle residents since 2001. Mehul runs the school with integrity, sincerity and a genuine concern for the children under his care. His goal is to provide a strong foundation for our children, and is thrilled to be a part of the Durham community. Mehul has a Master’s degree in Computer Science and worked as a senior software developer for more than 12 years. He welcomes you to the School, and thanks you for being a member of the Goddard family!

• Mrs Tammy

  Tammy is a life long early childhood advocate. She loves serving children, families, and other educators. Tammy is a graduate of UNCG with a BA in Human Development & Family Studies and a minor in Early Childhood Education. She is a Level 3 Administrator with a Master's in Infant/Toddler Learning and is currently in another master’s program at UNCG for Educational Leadership in Administration. She believes in professional development and formal education and that people are always students continuously learning, developing, and growing. To further contribute to the field of early childhood , Tammy is a part of the Legacy Leaders. They are professional presenters with North Carolina Association of the Education of Young Children (NCAEYC) Equity Circle. She presents monthly on the topic of equity in early childhood. Tammy resides in Durham with her husband. They have seven adult children and three grandchild. She loves reading, riding bikes and dancing to all genres of music!

• Mrs Jessica

  Mrs. Jessica has an Associate of Arts degree as well as vast experience with administrative duties. In the past she has volunteered with the Girl Scouts of America and has a four-year-old of her own in the Bear's class! She is actively taking administrative and medical coding classes at Wake Technical Community College and enjoys spending her time with the children here at Goddard. She believes that every child is different and should be treated as such, especially when it comes to education. Her father is retired from the Marines and her family has moved many times throughout her childhood, but she has spent most of her time here in NC and currently lives in Apex with her husband and daughter.

• Ms Pallavi

  Pallavi has always had the passion to guide and develop people. She has her Bachelor's in Psychology and her Master's in Organizational Leadership. She also has some certification classes in early childhood education. She has been in this field since 2016, and two of those years she spent teaching English in China. She is excited and looking forward to working with the children, teachers and admin at the Goddard school. Pallavi is from Austin, Texas and moved to North Carolina in 2021 from Colorado. She enjoys exploring new places, trying new foods, biking and being in the mountains and spending time with her fiancé and their cat!

• Ms Beverly

  Ms. Beverly is a teacher in the Eager Elephants classroom, and has her early childhood 1 and 2 credentials and is set to graduate with her Bachelor's of science and child development in 2024! She believes that every child has his or her own unique way of learning. She enjoys shopping, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

• Ms Dianne

  Ms. Dianne is a teacher in the Friendly Frogs classrooms. She has been teaching since 1980 and has her EDU 119 credential! She has high expectations for the classroom and believes it should always be a safe place for children. She believes that learning is fun and enjoys going on walking trails as well as spending time with her grandchildren.

• Ms Fatima

  Ms. Fatima is teaching in our Kind Koalas classroom. She has been teaching since 2021. Since she was younger, she has always wanted to be a teacher. She enjoys helping young learners get ready for "big school." When she's not working she plays soccer and spends time with her two baby girls!

• Ms Ganzixin (Doris)

  Ms. Zixin is a teacher in the Eager Elephants classrooms. She has her Bachelor's of English and her Master's for teaching English as a second language from the University of Central Oklahoma! She has also studied at the University of La Verne for leadership and management as well as Seton Hill University for program management. She has always believed that the ability of children to make their own choices is very important for their development. It is only when they can make their own choices that they are most likely to stimulate their love and interest in things. When they are passionate about something, they can further enjoy the process of learning, and cultivate a rich imagination. She likes to play piano, make handcrafts, and bake!

• Ms Hemali

  Hemali is teaching in our Playful Pandas classroom. She has been teaching since 2018. She has her Masters and bachelor's in commerce from Mumbai University and certified in Abacus and Mental Arithmetic working with young age groups. She believes in providing a nurturing, child-initiated, play based environment that fosters self-confidence, trust, creativity, autonomy and acceptance of individual differences. In her free time she enjoys listening to music and relaxing!

• Ms Hua

  Ms. Hua is teaching in the Brave Bears classroom and has been working in Early Childhood Education since 2012. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and 15 credit hours in ECE related courses. She also has a passion to work with children and loves to see them grow daily. In her free time, she enjoys watching TV and the news and travelling!

• Ms Laquonta

  Ms. Laquonta is one of our Bears teachers. She has been teaching since 2021 and has her Bachelors in Family and Consumer Sciences from North Carolina Central University. She believes that children learn through play, and she knows some sign language! In her free time, she enjoys horror movies and spending time with her family.

• Ms Lobely

  Ms. Lobely is teaching in the Lively Lions classroom. She has a Bachelor's in Mass Media, CDA and Infant/Toddler Care certifications. She has been teaching since 2017. She decided when she got to the United States to pause her work in Journalism and started teaching children. She loves being a teacher, teaching Spanish to young learners and providing a happy environment. In her free time, she likes to read books and watch movies!

• Ms Megan

  Ms. Megan is teaching in our Playful Pandas classroom. She has been teaching since May 2022. She has her Associate's degree in general studies and her certification is nursing assistance. She also has completed multiple early childhood trainings. She believes that they are all unique young individuals, and her approach will be unique as well. She will tailor her teaching to the unique needs of each and every child. When she is isn't working, she is the proud owner and artist of LunaHugs Glass, where “Broken is Beautiful.” Her favorite muses are, you guessed it, cats!

• Ms Mirabel

  Ms. Mirabel is teaching in the Perky Penguins room. She has worked in the daycare profession for 4 years now and has been working for Goddard Schools since 2021! She believes "all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally." In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her "paw children"!

• Ms Naeema

  Ms. Naeema is teaching is our Mighty Moose classroom. She has her Bachelor's in both Psychology and Education from Pakistan and is currently getting her Associates in Early Childhood from Durham Tech. She has been teaching since 2010, but ever since she was younger she has never missed an opportunity to teach and help someone grow. She is passionate about teaching and love kids. In her free time, she spends time with her family which includes five children of her own and baking and cooking!

• Ms Rashida

  Ms. Rashida is teaching in the Kicking Kangaroos classroom. She has been teaching since 2011. She has her Bachelor's in Education. Ms. Rashida believes in teaching children with love and kindness as well as teaching with compassion and respect to help grow and develop a human being. When she is not teaching she enjoys cooking and sewing!

• Ms Siama

  Ms. Siama is teaching in the Perky Penguins classroom, and is very excited to be working with you and your children. She holds an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education and has been teaching since 2018. She is originally from the Ivory Coast and enjoys spending time with her children. She also loves watching TV shows, going to the beach, travelling and being with her family!

• Ms Tonya

  Tonya is teaching in our Mighty Moose classroom. She has always loved working with young children. She had no choice, but to make Early Childhood Education her chosen profession and has been in this field since 1990. She believes that all children deserve a safe, learning environment with love and respect, and it is her mission to provide that. Tonya graduated from Piedmont Community College with her Associates in Early Childhood and she is a level 2 Director's certification. She has also done work with technical assistance and CACFP with local childcare facilities. Tonya resides in Roxboro and she enjoys going to the theatre, watching movies and spending time at the beach!

• Mr Tyler

  Mr. Tyler is teaching in the Friendly Frogs classroom and has been teaching since 2021. He has his Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science and Child Development as well as his Master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies. He believes in helping kids learn through play. Play is the best kind of learning for kids under 5 years of age. In his free time, he enjoys his love for music. He played the piano for 3 years and Saxophone for 7 years!

• Aaliyah

  Ms. Liyah is teaching in the Koala's class and has been teaching since 2024. She currently holds a Bachelor of Psychology from North Carolina Central University. She believes that "all children need is lots of love and guidance!" and that it takes a special someone to help bring out their potential. She enjoys learning students' personalities to see their different learning styles. She also likes challenging her students to see how much they understand. In her free time, she enjoys making new memories with her daughter, trying new restaurants, and hosting gatherings at her home.

• Aaliyah

  Ms. Aaliyah is a FLEX teacher helping in the classrooms at our school. She has been teaching since 2019 and is currently in school for Early Childhood Education. Her philosophy is to teach with free expression. In her free time, she likes to travel and go shopping!

• Ms Glenda

  Ms. Glenda is one of our FLEX teachers currently helping in the Kangaroos room. She has been teaching since 2024. She believes that teaching has a very important role in a child's life, and that teachers are key to a successful education! In her free time she loves spending time with her son and going for walks.

• Kendra

  Ms. Kendra is a teacher helping in the Lion's class. She has been teaching since 2020, and believes that as a teacher, it is her responsibility to know her learners and what kind of knowledge and experience they bring to the group. In her free time, she likes to read Bible stories!

• Ms Khedidja

  Ms. Khedidja is one of our FLEX teachers and helps in our classrooms. She has a Computer Science background and has worked with elementary and middle school children. She has been teaching since 1985, however this is her first early childhood experience. She believes that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational background where they can grow mentally and emotionally. In her free time, she loves spending time with her grandchildren, shopping and traveling.

• Ms Myka

  Ms. Myka is one of our FLEX teachers and helps in our classrooms. She has been with Goddard since August of 2022. She recently graduated with her BS in Family and Consumer Sciences in December 2023! She believes children have the right to lead their own learning experience. She is also the only right-handed member of her family!

• Ms Sephra

  Ms. Sephra is a FLEX teacher and is helping in the Koalas classroom. She has a background working in early childhood but took some time to be with her own children. She recently got back into teaching and is currently pursuing in getting her degree in early childhood education. She has been teaching since 2023. She believes that each child is special in their own way, that they learn at their own pace, and that every child needs love. When she's not teaching children, she is with her own children and enjoys indulging in retail therapy, trying new food recipes, learning new makeup trends and coloring!