The Goddard School of Grand Rapids (Knapp's Corner)

Bios

• Sean & Whitney

  Sean and Whitney are the Owners of the Goddard School located in Grand Rapids (Knapp's Corner). Whitney graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Hospitality Business and before opening the Goddard School had a career in Sales and Event Management for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Sean graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Business Management and worked in Outside Sales for a traffic control company. As parents of 8 year-old daughter, Eila, and 4 year-old, Iris, Sean and Whitney understand the importance of creating a safe, nurturing environment and want the Goddard School to be a child's home away from home. Both Sean and Whitney were born and raised in the Grand Rapids area and look forward to giving back to the community by educating it's future leaders. Sean and Whitney look forward to welcoming you to the school and introducing your family to the amazing faculty!

• Ali

  Ms. Ali is our Executive Director. She holds her Bachelor's Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Christian Education and Children's Ministry. She has 5 years of experience as a lead pre-k teacher in the Detroit area, over 15 years of working with children and 5 years as a dance instructor. Ms. Ali was a Day Camps Director with SpringHill Camps where she traveled throughout the midwest with a team of counselors to provide a fun week of camp for children in their hometown. Ms. Ali loves to do arts and crafts with the children, as well as watching them discover new ways to move and play! She loves teaching science and guiding them through curious play and experiments. Ms. Ali loves children and teaching them new skills. She enjoys seeing children realize and discover their new talents. You will usually find her smiling and being creative, and always finds joy in the little things!

• Michelle

  Ms. Michelle is our Director of Operations. She has a wide range of work experience in many different fields. Ms. Michelle worked at SpringHill Camps for over 22 years where she had many different roles including store manager/purchaser, registration professional and in-house designer. Ms. Michelle is a mother of 5 kids who all live in the Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo area. Ms. Michelle recently moved back to Grand Rapids to be near her kids and grandsons. She loves doing anything creative with kids including coloring, painting, baking or photography. Ms. Michelle joined the Goddard Knapp’s Corner Family because she loved the idea of supporting a school that is dedicated to providing quality education in a safe environment.

• Arianna

  Ms. Ana is a Co-Lead Teacher in our Preschool classroom, Rockin’ Robins! She has experience working with children at SpringHill Camps where she taught ages 4-12. She has experience working with large groups of children up to 20 and also has experience working one-on-one with children with special needs. Ms. Ana is currently in school working on attaining her associates degree in Child Development from the Child Care Institute. Ms. Ana and Ms. Jenna have been a co-teaching team for almost 2 years and are excited to continue working together in the Rockin’ Robins classroom. Ms. Ana chose to become a teacher because she has a passion for children and enjoys teaching them the tools to help with social emotional development. She also likes to see the student’s perspective about the world around them and teach them in a way that they understand but challenges them. Her favorite activities to do with students is anything creative, such as crafts and dramatic play!

• Ashley

  Ms. Ashley is one of our Floater Teachers in our Infant classrooms! Ms. Ashley just graduated from Wheaton College with a double major in psychology and International Relations. She did an internship at World Reset with the youth and children’s department where she worked with young immigrants, refugees, and their mothers. Ms. Ashley has also nannied and babysat for many families with children aged 6 months to 12 years old. In the fall she is starting on another degree in counseling, with which she hopes to continue her work with children. Ms. Ashley has the most experience and enjoyment teaching about music. She was a piano teacher in high school and loved teaching her students how to make and appreciate music. She grew up as a musician and has been playing piano since she was 4! She also plays the ukulele and sings and does some writing and storytelling as well! Ms. Ashley is passionate about psychology and development, so teaching is a huge part of that. She

• Courtney

  Ms. Courtney is one of our Floater teachers in our Toddler Classrooms. She Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood development from CMU. Since college, she's had experience in multiple daycare/preschool centers as well as working for Walt Disney World right after college, getting tons of one-on-one child experience! Ms. Courtney is the biggest Disney fan, and she loves incorporating Disney magic into her classroom and lesson plans. Her favorite activity to do with her students is arts and crafts. She says that, getting a little messy with some paint or play-doh is so fun and great for sensory, fine motor development, etc. She became a teacher because she has a huge love for helping children develop the skills needed to grow. The thing Ms. Courtney enjoys most about working with children is seeing their faces light up when they see her it's unlike anything else!

• Darby

  Ms. Darby comes to us from Omaha, NE, where she got her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an endorsement in early childhood education. She worked in daycare centers in high school, and student taught in a kindergarten class as well as floating in an elementary school with 3rd and 4th graders. She also coached diving for 4-13 year olds. Ms. Darby loves watching kids grow and develop! She considers herself a lifelong learner and has a passion to help children love to learn. She believes that these are the most important years of a child’s life, and she loves being there to watch them grow! She loves teaching math and reading, because she loves seeing their face light up when they start to recognize numbers, letters, and words. It’s incredible!

• Elizabeth

  Ms. Elizabeth is one of our Co-Lead teachers in our Preschool classroom, Busy Bees! Ms. Elizabeth is new to this field but has experience caring for children at an in-home daycare setting. Ms. Elizabeth has a son, who she loves supporting by going to all of his school and sporting events! She thinks it is always amazing watching children grow and learn while doing the things they love and enjoy! She decided to become a teacher because she believes a child's mind is so imaginative! There is no limit to what they can do. In her opinion, her favorite part is seeing a child's eyes light up when they see or experience something new to them. Ms. Elizabeth's favorite activity to do with her students is anything to do with arts and crafts or dramatic play. She thinks its so fun to watch their imaginations run wild!

• Erin

  Ms. Erin is a Co-Lead teacher in our Preschool classroom, Mighty Moose! She is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in teaching at GRCC and GVSU. She worked at a daycare for three years with infants and toddlers, and then nannied for a year. Erin moved from Connecticut two years ago to see a new city. She has three nieces and has been an aunt since she was seven. She has two cats named Ollie and Luna and spends most of her time at Reeds Lake, where she loves to read. Ms. Erin loves watching children grow and learn how unique and special each child is. Ms. Erin loves to learn herself and grow as a teacher alongside the students. She loves science and English related subjects and finds science so interesting to learn and experiment with in the classroom!

• Jenna

  Ms. Jenna is a Co-Lead Teacher in our Preschool classroom, Rockin’ Robins! She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Azusa Pacific University in 2021. She has previous experience working at an elementary school as a teacher aid, and with a before and after school daycare. Ms. Jenna first developed her passion for working with kids as a young teen babysitting and loves watching them develop their own unique personalities. Ms. Jenna and Ms. Arianna have been a co-teaching team for almost 2 years and are excited to continue working together in the Rockin’ Robins classroom. She enjoys being a part of the children's constant creativity. Her favorite activity to do with her students is anything that includes art projects as she loves to see them make their project their own!

• Jenna

  Ms. Jenna graduated in 2025 from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor’s of science in Psychology. She has experience working with children doing ABA therapy, as well as teaching dance to children of all ages! She enjoys teaching because of the passion children bring to the classroom. Seeing students’ progress is rewarding and exciting! She loves being able to cultivate a warm and welcoming space for students to explore and learn. Ms. Jenna loves to teach things like dance, art, or writing because they all allow for imagination, creativity, and expression to take over. She also loves to teach English with young children because it’s great to see them establish their voice and outlet of expression. In her free time, Jenna loves to be outside either reading or walking!

• Liliana

  Ms. Liliana is one of our Co-Lead teachers in our Toddler Classroom Pleasant Pheasants! Ms. Liliana has 4 years of experience working as an infant and toddler teacher. She is currently studying Early Childhood Education at Grand Rapids Community College. Ms. Liliana enjoys working with young children and helping them grow. She loves providing hands on experiences for children, especially in the science subject. Ms. Liliana became a teacher because she enjoys working with young children. She loves developing relationships with the children and families to help them grow and see all of the potential they have within them.

• Margaret

  Ms. Margaret is one of our Co-Lead Teachers in our First Steps Classroom, Tiny Turtles! Ms. Margaret has been working with kids for almost 15 years, with her last six years being focused on infants. She loves to watch children grow and learn as time progresses, especially when she sees them accomplish something with hard work. Ms. Margaret enjoys doing art projects, reading stories, singing songs, and getting into some sort of sensory experience! She has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and loves spending time outdoors.

• Rachel

  Ms. Rachel is one of our Program Lead teachers in our Preschool classrooms. Ms. Rachel graduated from Cornerstone University with a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and TESOL. She has 6 years of teaching experience at the Elementary/Preschool lever. She found her passion for working with young learners when she taught for GSRP. Ms. Rachel loves working in early childhood education. She believes that young children have innocent imaginations and are so eager to learn. She became a teacher because she loves seeing the extraordinary growth each student goes through. She also loves to see the development of each child's unique personalities. Her favorite activity to do with her students is to read silly and entertaining books. Her favorite part is to see how her students faces light up and when they ask for the story to be reread over and over again. Ms. Rachel strives to make her classroom an environment where young learners can express their creative endeavors and learn to grow!

• Erin

  Ms. Erin became a teacher because she loves watching children learn and explore. That “lightbulb moment” when something clicks and they figure out a problem on their own is what inspires her to keep teaching! Most of her experience comes from teaching dance to children ages 3–18. She has also been babysitting for many years and gained additional experience assisting at a daycare center while in college. Beyond dance, Ms. Erin especially loves helping children learn to read. Reading was one of her favorite activities growing up, and sharing that love with her students is one of her greatest joys. She is very excited to begin her journey here at The Goddard School and can’t wait to connect with her students and families!

• Jill

  Ms. Jill is one of our Preschool Floater Teachers! Ms. Jill has been a teacher for over 20 years and has been in lead teacher in a 3s classroom, as well as director for an overnight summer camp for 8 years. She has a BS in Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership. Her favorite subject to teach is history, which she also has a BA in. All of her vacations are historically relevant! Ms. Jill became a teacher because she loves being around all the excitement and energy of children, whether they are preschool or high school! Ms. Jill continues to teach because it makes a positive impact on the future. She is passionate about teaching, traveling, gardening, reading, and cooking, and enjoys yoga, walking, and spending time with family. She has also been married for 27 years and has a son who is a recent MSU graduate. Go Green!

• Kaylee

  Ms. Kaylee is our Assistant Teacher in our First Steps Classroom, Tiny Turtles! She has eight years of childcare experience and has taught infants to four years old. She loves teaching infants and toddlers the most because she is able to help them learn the basics of life. Ms. Kaylee’s aunt operated a daycare and that inspired Kaylee to work with children and maybe run her own daycare one day. She has lived in Rockford since 2017, when she and her husband remodeled their house together. They have been together for fourteen years and married for seven!

• McKenzie

  Ms. McKenzie is our Assistant Teacher in our Toddler classroom, Darling Deer! She is a recent graduate of Grand Valley State University, where she got her degree in elementary education. She began working with children at a young age by babysitting and working in various types of classrooms. Ms. McKenzie became a teacher to inspire children and watch them grow into the best versions of themselves. She continues to teach because it’s what she’s passionate about, and because she wants every child to feel loved and protected and learn more about the world around them. She likes teaching reading and social studies the best because she loves to learn about the past, and really enjoys when students begin to show a love of reading and find what works for them. Ms. McKenzie is originally from Traverse City and moved here to go to school.

• Nicole

  Ms. Nicole is our Assistant Teacher in our Bridge classroom, Busy Bees! She has worked with children her whole life, between babysitting and working in childcare for the past five years. Ms. Nicole has always loved children and loves watching them learn and grow. Ms. Nicole loves to teach colors and ABCs to younger ages, especially when she can make it fun and use songs to help kids learn.

• Sadie

  Ms. Sadie is one of our Co-Lead Teachers in our Toddler classroom, Darling Deer! Ms. Sadie is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a degree in Criminal Justice. She has worked with kids of all ages in the foster care system, as well as in the church nursery. During summers in college, she worked at kids’ camps at Indiana Wesleyan University. Ms. Sadie didn’t plan wasn’t always to be a teacher, but after working at a middle school during her senior year internship, Sadie fell in love with the job. She hopes to imitate what a good role model is, just like teachers did for her in the past. Each child is unique, and she looks forward to helping them grow! Ms. Sadie has lived in 8 states, traveled to 36, and visited 5 countries To learn new perspectives and cultures. She loves to be creative with drawing, painting, and arts and crafts. She also played college basketball and loves being able to be outside and active with kids!

• Taylor

  Ms. Taylor is one of of Floater Teachers in the Infant and Toddler classrooms. Ms. Taylor comes to us with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and plans on returning to school in the fall for a degree in school counseling. She has experience with children from babysitting, observing classrooms while in college, and working with a pediatric physical therapist. She became a teacher because she enjoys watching children grow. She continues to teach because she likes the idea of being the difference in a child’s life and helping them learn subjects that may be difficult for them. Ms. Taylor enjoys teaching arts and crafts because she herself loves crafty projects. Art also allows people to be themselves and has therapeutic and calming benefits. There’s never a wrong way to do it, and it’s always different! In her free time, Ms. Taylor enjoys lifting weights with her boyfriend and hanging out with their dogs, a German Shepherd and a Beagle. She also really enjoys the outdoors!

• Brittnee

  Ms. Brittnee is one of our Co-Lead Teachers in our Infant classroom, Sleeping Bears! She has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Northern Michigan University. She also has 6 years’ experience working in childcare centers, primarily with infants and toddlers. Ms. Brittnee has a daughter named Jaynee! They have a small family consisting of themselves, their dog Loona and 2 cats named Pancake and Simba! Ms. Brittnee loves spending time with her family and friends and much as possible. Ms. Brittnee became a teacher in 2016 because she loves watching kids grow through learning, exploring, and trying new things. Her favorite activity to do with her students is to sing songs and get messy with art or sensory! She loves seeing the process of watching a child figure out how to complete a difficult task and then having that "light bulb" moment!

• Emma

  Ms. Emma graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Elementary Education (PK–3) and a minor in TESOL. She has over 10 years of experience working with children, including roles as a babysitter, nanny, and in various classroom settings. As the oldest of three siblings, she’s always found joy in caring for others and naturally gravitated toward teaching. Emma is especially passionate about early literacy and loves helping children discover the joy of reading. She also enjoys teaching science, where she brings learning to life through fun, hands-on experiments. Emma describes herself as nurturing, outgoing, and enthusiastic about building meaningful connections with each child and their family. She is so excited to be part of the Goddard School at Knapp’s Corner and can’t wait to get to know your child, support their growth, and be part of their early learning journey!

• Joselyn

  Ms. Joselyn is one of our Floater Teachers in our Toddler and Preschool Classrooms! She is so excited to be part of our Goddard school! When she was younger, she had a hard time learning and didn’t like school. Her younger sister would often come ask her for help and Joselyn tried her best to make it fun. She found a lot of joy in helping her sister learn. She thinks of herself as a kind and caring individual with a strong focus on helping children succeed. Ms. Joselyn has a passion for helping those who struggle and wants to make learning fun and engaging for them! She particularly likes teaching English and reading. As a child, she enjoyed helping her grandparents out in the children’s nursery, and in college she did an internship as a home in Mexico, where there were 28 children and only 2 adults!

• Lexi

  Lexi Jaworski is one of our floater teachers at The Goddard School, bringing creativity, warmth, and experience to every classroom she visits. As the oldest of four siblings, she’s always had a nurturing spirit, which grew into years of working with children through church ministries, dance, music, and nannying. She trained in classical ballet through high school, played the viola, and later taught dance and assisted with music instruction. A favorite memory of hers is traveling and performing in Europe with her groups. Lexi recently celebrated her marriage in June and is very family-oriented. She’s especially passionate about reading and loves seeing children light up as they begin to read on their own.

• Lillian

  Ms. Lillian is one of our Co-Lead Teachers in our Toddler Classroom, Pleasant Pheasants! Ms. Lillian has experience from babysitting nieces and nephews, as well as helping out with after school daycare in middle school. She loves the energy that children have and wants to help shape the minds of future generations. Ms. Lillian loves math and art. Having the freedom to create and express creativity with no wrong answers is so important to your inner self and becoming who you want to be. Ms. Lillian is a very positive person and treats all children as if they were her own because we are all human and everyone deserves the same love and respect.

• Loie

  We’re so excited to welcome Ms. Loie to our team! She graduated summa cum laude from Central Michigan University with a degree in Early Childhood Development and Learning. Loie brings a wonderful blend of classroom knowledge and nature-based experience, having worked as an Outdoor Education Director at Camp Roger and a Naturalist Educator at Wittenbach Agriscience Center. She has a passion for helping children learn through hands-on exploration—whether it’s science, team building, or discovering the wonders of nature. Loie is known for her joyful spirit, creativity, and the way she builds strong, caring relationships with children and families. We’re so lucky to have her joining our Goddard family!