The Goddard School of Holly Springs

Bios

• Aash & Nan

  Aash & Nan have been the owners of The Goddard School® located in Holly Springs since it's inception in 2008. They have been Triangle residents since 1995 and love the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area as a great place to raise a family. It is their daily endeavor to provide a loving, nurturing and curiosity-filled environment for children. They are committed to providing a “home away from home” experience that will enrich every child's emotional, social, intellectual and physical development, while providing the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Combining their Technology backgrounds with Corporate Business Management experience, Aash and Nan bring a wealth of General Management and Marketing expertise in operating the school. They are excited to be a part of a growing Holly Springs community and are grateful to be afforded the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and their families!

• Mrs Vonetta

  Ms. Vonetta, the School Director, is a Level III NC Administrator with a Bachelor’s degree in Recreational Therapy/Child Development. She brings over 15 years of Early Childhood Education experience with 7+ years in Management roles. By combining her previous teaching experience with her Administrative skillset, she aims at providing a stellar learning experience for our children along with a warm and welcoming environment for our families and faculty! She really enjoys watching children become confident in their abilities as they imbibe new information and continue to grow. On a personal note, she is the mother of fourteen-year-old son and in her free time enjoys riding 4-wheelers, spending time with her family, and attending live events!

• Ms Mariah

  Ms. Mariah is the Assistant Director of The Goddard School in Holly Springs. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts from SUNY and brings 10+ years of Early Childhood experience working in a variety of high-quality preschool settings in NY and NC. She is a Level II certified NC Director. She is also First Aid and CPR certified along with having her SIDS certification.

• Ms Amy

  Ms. Amy has been with our school since 2022. She has over 20 years of experience. She has a Masters degree in theatre and dance, and has obtained her NC credentials in Early Childhood. She is also currently taking early education classes with a goal of obtaining an Associates in Early Childhood education. She is also certified in First aid, CPR, SIDS and BSAC. Ms. Amy believes that each child learns differently and it's important to embrace this while teaching. She strives to provide a positive, loving environment with lots of creativity and hands on learning and play. Her favorite book is "Pete the Cat: I love my white shoes" because it always gets children so excited to sing along and has a positive message about keep on going! Outside of work Ms. Amy loves to bake, dance, read, go swimming and go to the movies with her family, including her 2 beautiful daughters. She loves to learn about different cultures and is currently taking classes to learn Japanese and Malayalam.

• Ms Candice

  Ms. Candice has been with our school since 2019. She has an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education. Additionally she has her CPR/First Aid and SIDs certifications. She has always had the passion for caring and teaching children. She loves watching children grow and learn. Her favorite children books are all the ones authored by Dr. Seuss. Candice's pride and joy is her son, Dominic! She enjoys spending all her free time playing games with him. When not doing that, she enjoys singing Karaoke.

• Ms Dakota

  Ms. Dakota has been with our school since 2021. She has over 8 years of experience working in childcare. She has an Associates degree in Early childhood education and is now pursuing a Bachelors degree in Early childhood education. She is also certified in First aid/ CPR. Ms. Dakota believes that all children learn and grow at different times as as teachers we should bring patience, love and creativity to the classroom. Her favorite children's book is "Love you forever" by Robert Munch because it was a book her mother always read to her as a child and the message still remains important and relevant today. Ms. Dakota was born and raised in a small town in North Carolina and now lives in the Sanford area with her husband! She is bi-lingual and helps to coach the youth team at her church alongside her husband. Outside of work she loves to read, craft, play various PC games and shop at local thrift stores!

• Ms Jayrissa

  Ms. Jayrissa has been with our school since 2021. She joined our team with over 7 years of experience teaching and assisting in both High School and Elementary school classrooms. She has her NC credentials in early childhood and an Associates degree in Arts. She is currently working towards an Associates Degree in Early Childhood. Ms. Jayrissa's teaching philosophy is that all children are created unique and must have educational opportunities that cater to their unique learning style. Her favorite children's book is "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss. Ms. Jayrissa is newer to the RDU area but has enjoyed getting to explore here! Outside of work she loves spending time with her family and friends, traveling and enjoying life. She also enjoys creating and singing music and actually did her first live recording in November of 2021!

• Ms Latoya

  Ms. Latoya has been with our school since 2022. She has over 15 years of experience with 7 of those years teaching 3-4 year old's. Ms. Latoya has her NC Early Childhood credentials and is working towards her Early Childhood Associates Degree. She is First Aid, CPR and SIDS trained. She also has her BSAC certification. Ms. Latoya's educational philosophy is that all children are different and special in their own way! Her favorite book is "The Three Little Pigs" because it teaches children to never give up and that even if things aren't going how you thought they would that you should never give up! Keep on going and you can do it! Outside of work, Ms. Latoya keeps busy with her own 3 children! She was born and raised in North Carolina and loves to read, go shopping, and of course spending time with her family!!

• Ms Leitha

  Ms. Leitha has been with our school since 2020. She has over 20 years of experience in early childhood. She has an Associates degree in Early Childhood and is currently working on her Bachelors degree. Ms. Leitha is on the North Carolina Association of Educators for the past 5 years. She is also part of the Lee County Literacy Council that uses trained volunteer tutors to improve the reading comprehension, writing and spelling of children. Ms. Leitha is CPR and First Aid certified. Some of Ms. Leitha's favorite children books are by the author Ezra Jack Keats: The Snowy Day Peter's chair Whistle for Willie and Goggles! Ms. Leitha is a proud mother of 2 kids and is also a grandmother to 4 grandchildren.

• Ms Mumtaz

  Ms. Mumtaz has been with our school since 2025. She has over three years of experience in a licensed childcare facility. She holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology and has earned her NC credentials in early childhood education. She is also CPR and First Aid certified. Ms. Mumtaz is passionate about creating a positive and nurturing classroom environment where every child feels loved, supported, and encouraged to learn and grow. One of her favorite books is The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, which she enjoys for its playful rhymes and the fun-filled adventure the kids in the book get to go on. Although she is not originally from North Carolina, Ms. Mumtaz has happily made it her home. She is a proud mother of two and enjoys spending her free time with her children, traveling, watching TV, and connecting with her extended family.

• Ms Ramya

  Ms. Ramya has been with our school since 2023. She has over 2 years of experience teaching preschoolers. She has her Masters degree in Microbiology and has also obtained the NC Early Childhood Credentials. Ms. Ramya is First Aid and CPR certified. When it comes to teaching, Ms. Ramya believes that a classroom should be a safe, caring community where children can express their thoughts, speak their mind, grow, and most importantly, have fun! Her favorite book is "Where the Wild Things Are" because she loves the message of not judging others just because they may look different than you. It was a favorite of hers to read to her children when they were little. Ms. Ramya used to live in Boston but has now called Holly Springs home for 3 years now! Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her family as well as going on vacations together! She is always open minded and loves to continue to learn new things each and every day!

• Ms Stacy

  Ms. Stacy has been with our school since 2023. She has over 12 years of experience in the early childhood field, including running her own in-home daycare. She is certified in First aid and CPR and has her certificate in SIDS as well. Ms. Stacy has her NC Early Childhood credentials and is working on obtaining her degree in Early education. She looks forward to helping the infants master each milestone while in her class. Ms. Stacy's philosophy of education is that every child can and will learn at their own pace. By learning each child's individual needs, she can help to ensure they progress and meet their milestones. Her favorite children's book is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" because she loves how many different lessons there are throughout the book and that every time you read it, you get something new out of it! Outside of work Ms. Stacy loves to craft, camp, swim or play soccer!

• Ms Vilmary

  Ms. Vilmary (Vilma) has been with our school since 2019. Although her earlier goal was to be a Culinary Arts teacher, she quickly realized that her real passion was to work with children and has obtained her Associates degree in Early Childhood Education through Wake Tech! Vilma is a very patient teacher that enjoys the curious nature of children. Her favorite children's book is "Don't call me names". This is her favorite book because she believes that everybody should get an opportunity to learn no matter how different they are from the others. In her spare time Vilma loves to read, craft ( she's an expert with the cricut machine!) and also play beach volley ball!

• Bella

  Ms. Bella (Ms. Z) joined the Goddard School with 9 years of experience. She has her NC Credentials and is certified in First Aid and CPR. Ms. Z wants to create a safe, nurturing space for the children to thrive and be excited to come to school everyday. She loves getting to grow beautiful relationships with the children and making them feel safe and loved every day. Her favorite book is "Green Eggs and Ham" because it was her favorite book to read as a kid and one that her dad read to her every night before bed. Ms. Z is born and raised here in North Carolina! Outside of work, she loves to be outdoors, enjoys dancing and art and loves to go car shows every weekend! She is also on her way to becoming fluent in Sign language.

• Ms Laura

  Ms. Laura has been with our school since 2025. She has over 5 years of experience teaching in the classroom setting as well as 6 years of experience being a nanny. She is working towards her associate’s degree in early childhood education. She is first aid/ CPR certified. Ms. Laura strives to provide a safe, healthy and nurturing environment where play is the tool where a child can learn and grow! Also being silly and having fun because we all need happiness and laughter in our lives! Ms. Laura's favorite children's books are "Harold and the Purple Crayon" and "Press Here". She likes that “Harold and the Purple Crayon” teaches children that imagination is their best tool and likes to read the book “Press Here” because it teaches children to listen, as well as learn their directions, work on pointing, and lots more things! Ms. Laura is originally from New Hampshire but has now called Holly Springs home for over 10 years! She has two daughters and loves spending time with them.

• Ms Lori

  Ms. Lori has been with our school since 2024. She has a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She is also certified in CPR/ First Aid. Ms. Lori wants to create a safe, secure and nurturing environment. A place where all children feel free to use their imagination and express their creativity so that they develop a love for learning and school that continues throughout their education. Ms. Lori's favorite children's books are Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss because they are funny, silly and engaging. They have bright colorful pictures and teach children to clean up messes, try new things, and be responsible. Ms. Lori grew up and lived in New York most of her life before moving to the Holly Springs area with her husband and two children.

• Ms Lynn

  Ms. Lynn has been with our school since 2013. She has her NC Early childhood credentials as well as an Associates degree in Office Administration. She is certified in First Aid, CPR and SIDS. Ms. Lynn's teaching philosophy is that all children are unique and must have a stimulating educational environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. She wants to be able to provide a safe environment where students are invited to share their ideas and take risks. Her favorite children's book is "Firetruck" by Ian Shultz because it is a song within a book and the children always love singing along with it! Outside of the classroom, Ms. Lynn loves nature! She enjoys nature walks and finding different bugs and insects to take pictures of, sharing her finds with the children. She also loves shopping, travelling, and spending time with her daughter and her parents!

• Ms Mounika

  Ms. Mounika has been with our school since 2023. She has previous experience working with Preschool programs as an assistant. She has a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR. Ms. Mounika believes that a classroom should be a safe and caring community where children are free to speak their mind and blossom and grow. She aims to bring an open mind and positive attitude to the classroom each and every day. Ms. Mounika loves "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series and enjoys reading them with her children. Outside of work Mounika loves to travel, learn new cultures, cook and spend time with her family!

• Ms Priyanka

  Ms. Priyanka has been with our school since 2023. She has previous experience working as a teacher's aid in both preschool and elementary school classrooms. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology but plans to pursue an Associates degree in Early childhood education as well. Ms. Priyanka is certified in First aid/CPR and SIDS. Ms. Priyanka's teaching philosophy is that love and care for the individual child is what matters most inside the classroom. The love and care we show and give them at school are what they will take forward with them in their lives. Ms. Priyanka prides herself on being a patient, calm individual with a passion for helping children in their overall development. Her favorite book is "Are you my Mother?" by P.D Eastman. Outside of work Ms. Priyanka enjoys doing different activities with her family, including watching new T.V shows, travelling, listening to music, or simply going to the park!

• Ms Sarita

  Ms. Sarita has been with our school since 2024. She has a post graduate Diploma in Management in Apparel Merchandising & Logistics. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR. Ms. Sarita believes that the best way to teach children is to lead by example as children are very observant and like to mimic. With teaching children, patience is key, as everything is new for them and they are just little explorers. Her favorite children's book is "Pete the Cat" because it is so much fun to read with the children and get a good reaction from them. Ms. Sarita was born and raised in India but has since then called North Carolina home for over 7 years now with her husband and two children. Outside of work she loves to travel, play basketball and explore new restaurants.

• Ms Sonya

  Ms. Sonya has been with our school since 2024. She has over 2 years' experience teaching History and Geography at an elementary and middle school. She also has several years' experience volunteering at her church's childcare program. Ms. Sonya has a Masters degree in history, has her NC Childcare Credentials and is working to pursue her early childhood certification from Wake Tech Community College. She is also certified in First aid and CPR. Ms. Sonya believes that all children are unique and must be provided with an educational environment that meets their full potential. Her favorite children's book is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle because it teaches children about healthy eating habits and about perseverance. Ms. Sonya resides in the Holly Springs area with her family and loves to learn new languages, including Spanish and Sign Language.

• Ms Yareli

  Ms. Luna (Yareli) has been with our school since 2023. She has previous experience working in a preschool classroom as well as substituting in an Elementary school setting. She has her NC Early Childhood credentials and is working towards her Early Childhood Associates Degree. Additionally Ms. Luna is certified in First Aid and CPR. Ms. Luna believes that all children learn and grow in different ways so its important to not set high expectations on them. It is Ms. Luna's hopes to create an environment where students can meet their potential in their own timing. Her favorite children's book is "No David" because it is a book about proper behaviors that teaches young children what not to do and what to do. Ms. Luna was born and raised in Holly Springs and plans to be here forever as she loves her home! Outside of work Ms. Luna loves to sing and dance, going to karaoke nights, eating out at restaurants and of course hanging out with family!

• Ms Arianna

  Ms. Arianna has been with our school since 2024. She has her NC Early Childhood Credentials and working on her Associates Degree in Early Childhood. She is First Aid/CPR certified and also has her SIDS certification. Ms. Arianna believes that all children can learn in a safe environment where they are able to freely express themselves and grow as much as they need. Her favorite children's book is "Pinkalicious" because growing up, she was obsessed with the color pink and loved the little stories that were told to her. Ms. Arianna moved to Holly Springs almost 6 years ago and has loved being a part of the community. She aspires to further her education and work as a labor and delivery nurse.

• Ms Sharon

  Ms. Sharon has been with our school since 2025. She has over 2 years of experience working in the early childhood field. She is studying to be an ultrasound technician and is certified in First Aid/ CPR. Ms. Sharon believes that every child is a unique individual deserving of love and support and hopes to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the children in her class so that they can grow and flourish. Her favorite children's book is "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown because it teaches children about the comfort of routine and was a favorite bedtime story for her growing up. Ms. Sharon is originally from Brooklyn, NY and although new to the area she is excited for this next chapter in her life! Outside of work she enjoys travelling, nature walks, spending time with her family and watching movies.

• Ms Thelma

  Ms. Thelma has been with our school since 2023. She has several years of experience running her own in-home childcare center. She has an Associates degree in Business Administration and is First Aid/ CPR certified. Ms. Thelma believes that each child is unique and special in their own creative way. Her purpose is to enhance their knowledge educationally and spiritually through various technical and written resources. Her favorite children's book is "One-Two-Three Numbers" because it helps to begin number counting with children, and is well received due to the colorful pictures. Ms. Thelma recently moved to the Wake County area to to be close to her children and grandchildren! Outside of work she enjoys sewing, reading and finding new and fun ways to stay active.