The Goddard School of Pittsford (Bushnell's Basin)

Bios

• Nan & Gary

  WELCOME to our school’s website! Here you'll learn about the caring, experienced, and credentialed staff we've assembled to provide the best early childhood care, development, and education in the area. At our school, your child’s development will be guided by our Fun Learning Experience (F.L.EX.®) curriculum which incorporates language, literacy, social and physical skills, social studies, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math). You’ll also learn about us: We have adult children and are committed to excellence in early childhood education. We live in Pittsford & have lived Fairport, NJ, PA and VA. Nan majored in Child Development & Family Relations, is an interpreter for the deaf & a Certified American Montessori Society Infant/Toddler Teacher. Gary grew up in West Irondequoit, is a retired architect, business exec & MCC department chair. He also owns Irrigation Tech, the area's largest sprinkler company. We look forward to welcoming you to our school!

• Carrie

  Carrie is our education director. She has been with our school for more than 10 years as a teacher and Assistant Director. Prior to joining The Goddard School Carrie earned a M.S., Childhood & Special Education from Roberts Wesleyan College, a B.S., Sociology from Nazareth College, and a New York State Teaching Certificate. She also holds certificates in First Aid, CPR, and MAT. In her role as Education Director, Carrie works closely with our 22 lead and assistant teachers to help them organize their classrooms, prepare lesson plans, and develop strategies and tactics to help each child achieve their unique potential.

• Lisa

  Lisa is our center director. She has been with our school for more than 10 years as a teacher, Administrative Director and Program Director. Prior to joining The Goddard School Lisa spent 10 years in early childhood education and after school care as a teacher and center director. Before that she earned a B.S., Fine Arts from Nazareth College. During the course of her early career Lisa also earned a Child Development Associate Credential in Infant & Toddler Education. She also holds certificate in First Aid, CPR, and MAT. In her role as Center Director Lisa manages student enrollment, teacher recruitment, school calendar development, regulatory compliance, parent communications and more!

• Alyssa K

  Alyssa is a co-lead teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten/Early Kindergarten Program. She has several years of Pre-K-12 teaching experience as well as theatrical directing and choreography experience. Prior to joining The Goddard School, Alyssa earned a M.A., Theatre Education from Emerson College and a B.A., Theatre & Performance and Arts Management from SUNY Purchase. She also holds a Teacher’s Assistant Certification, and a Certificate in Applied Theatre Education and is certified in First Aid and CPR. Alyssa also serves as a school-day closer.

• Amanda

  Amanda is a lead teacher in our Preschool/Early Pre-K Program. She has more than 10 years of experience in early childhood education including more than five years at The Goddard School as a teacher in our Preschool and Pre-K programs and six years as a Preschool Lead Teacher at another center. Prior to entering the field of early childhood education, Amanda earned an A.A., Human Science from Rochester Business Institute. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Annie

  Annie is a co-lead teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten program. She has more than two years of experience as an associate teacher at child development and early learning centers in Michigan where she earned an A.S., Early Childhood Education from Southwestern Michigan College.

• Caitlin

  Caitlin is a full-time flext teacher serving all of our programs. She has more than two years of experience as a lead and assistant Preschool teacher at an area childcare center and two years of summer camp counselor experience. Caitlin has taken coursework in the Communications Program at Finger Lakes Community College, as well as Early Childhood Education coursework at SUNY Potsdam, and Child Development Associate credential coursework Monroe Community College. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Caroline

  Caroline is a lead teacher in our Get SetEarly Preschool Program for older toddlers. She has several years of early childhood education center experience as a lead or assistant Preschool teacher, most recently as an assistant teacher at a local private school with a Todler-12 program. Prior to entering the field of early childhood education, Caroline earned an A.A., Early Childhood Education from the Community College of Vermont and pursued B.A. coursework in Early Childhood education.

• Casey

  Casey is a lead teacher in our Toddler Program where we have 1 teacher for every 5 children in a classroom with up to 10 children. She has more than seven years of experience in her role at The Goddard School and prior experience as an assistant preschool teacher and coordinator of a YMCA before and after school program. Before entering the field of early childhood education, Casey earned an A.S., Science from Monroe Community College and a B.A., Psychology from Nazareth College. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Elizabeth F

  Elizabeth is a co-lead teacher in our Get SetEarly Preschool Program for older toddlers. She has several years of early childhood education center and nannying experience. Before entering the field of early childhood education, Elizabeth earned an A.A. Early Childhood Education from Finger Lakes Community College and a B. S., Buisness Administration from Nazareth University. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Gabriela

  Gabbi is a co-lead teacher in our Infant Program for children 6 weeks to 12 months old where we have 1 teacher for every 4 infants in a classroom with up to 8 infants. She has several years of experience in early childhood care and education here in Pittsford as an assistant teacher while earning a B.A., Legal Studies with a minor in Psychology at Nazareth Univeristy (formerly Nazareth College). Gabbi is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Kara

  Kara has two years of expereince as a preschool lead teacher at a suburban Buffalo childcare center and two years of experience as a substitute Pre-K to 8th grade substitute teacher at a public school in Buffalo. She holds a B.A., Music Education from SUNY Buffalo, specializes in music and movement activities for children, is certified in First Aid, CPR and has completed Medication Administration Training (MAT).

• Lucy

  Lucy is a lead teacher in our Toddler Program where we have one teacher for every five children in a classroom with up to 10 children. She has more than five years of experience in early childhood care and education including three years at The Goddard School. Prior to entering the field of early childhood care and education, Lucy earned a B.A., English from SUNY Cortland. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR and serves as a school-day closer.

• Mackenzie

  Mackenzie is the lead teacher in our Older Infant Program where we have 1 teacher for every 4 children. She has more than five years of care giving experience in early childhood and geriatric settings. Before entering the field of early childhood development and education, Makenzie earned a B.A., Psychology from SUNY Buffalo State. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Michelle

  Michelle is a lead teacher in our Preschool/Early Pre-K Program. She has more than 10 years of experience as an assistant or lead teacher in Toddler and Preschool programs, including at a center serving children with special needs. Prior to her career in early childhood education, Michelle earned an A.A.S., Graphic Design from Finger Lakes Community College and a B.A., Arts from Eastern Kentucky University. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR, assists with training our new teachers, and serves as a school-day opener.

• Sarah

  Sarah is a co-lead teacher in our Preschool/Early Pre-K Program. Sarah has more than 10 years of experience in early childhood care and education, including seven years at The Goddard School as the leader of our Infant Program. Prior to entering the field of early childhood education, Sarah earned an A.S., Liberal Arts & Science from Finger Lakes Community College and a B.S., English from Nazareth College. Sarah is also certified in First Aid, CPR, and MAT and serves as a school-day opener or closer.

• Valerie

  Val is a lead teacher in our Seahorses Preschool Program. She has more than 15 years of experience as a Lead Teacher at daycare and early childhood education centers, including more than five years at The Goddard School where she has served as the Lead Teacher for Early Preschool, Preschool, and Pre-K classrooms. Val has a Child Development Associate Credential, an A.A. from Finger Lakes Community College, and an Early Childhood Education Certificate form Wayne Are Vocational Center and is certified in First Aid, CPR, and MAT.

• Alyssa S

  Alyssa has two years of child care experience, four years of retailing experience, and holds an A.S., Business Administration from Geneseee Community College. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Anyka

  Anyka is a full-time flex assistant teacher serving all of our age-based programs. She has two years of experience working in othe early childhood education settings and is certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Cynthia

  Cynthia is an Assistant Teacher who enthusiastically serves our toddler programs. She had several years of child-sitting and industrial supervision experience before joining The Goddard School faculty in 2022. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Erin

  Erin is a part-time flex teacher serving all of our programs in our Get Set Early Preschool Program for older toddlers. She had 10 years of experience working with children in therapeutic riding sessions and interned with an early intervention developmental group before joining The Goddard School in 2021 where she has served as a flex assistant and assistant teacher while pursuing a master's degree. Erin earned a B.A., Psychology from SUNY Geneseo and is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Heather

  Heather is a full-time flex assistant teacher serving all of our programs. She has four years of experience in early childhood education at large childcare centers as well as another year of nannying. Heather has completed 54 credits of coursework toward a Psychology degree at Monroe Community College and Niagara University and is contuing her pursuit of a bachelor's degree while working at The Goddard School. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Kathryn

  Kathryn is an assistant teacher in our Get Set Early Preschool program. Prior to joining our teaching team Kathryn gained nearly four years of experience as a lead preschool teacher at area childcare centers. She also earned a B.A., Communications & Social Interaction from SUNY Oswego and an A.A., Liberal Arts from Monroe Community College and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Elementary Education.

• Leslie

  Leslie is an assistant teacher in our Preschool program. Prior to serving in this role she was a flex assistant teacher serving all of our programs. Before following her mother's footsteps to pursue a career in early childhood education, Leslie worked for several years in the hospitality industry. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Maddie

  Maddie is a co-lead teacher in our Infant Program. She has more than five years of experience in early childhood education, nannying, and in retail and hospitality settings. Along the way she earned an A.S., Early Childhood Education from Monroe Community College and intends to further her education at SUNY Brockport in the near future. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Mattison

  Mattison is an assistant teacher in our Preschool/Early Pre-K program. She has experience as an assistant preschool teacher at another child care center. Mattison earned an A.S. in Early Childhood Education from Monroe Community College and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education at SUNY Empire State College. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Victoria

  Tori is a full-time flex assistant teacher serving all of our programs. She has five years of nannying experience. Prior to entering the childcare and early childhood education field Tori earned an A.S. General Studies from Monroe Community College and pursued coursework in architecture at SUNY Morrisville.

• Daniela

  Dani is a full-time flex lead teacher assisting with all of our programs and is pursuing a M.S., Forensic Medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Prior to joining The Goddard School Dani earned a B.S., Biology from Keuka College. She also spent two years as an Assistant Teacher at a large, local child care center, and a summer as a YMCA camp preschool counselor on one of the Finger Lakes.

• Elizabeth P

  Elizabeth is a part-time flex resource assisting in all of our programs while pursuing a bachelor's degree at Nazareth University after graduating from Monroe Community College. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Ella

  Ella is a part-time flex resource assisting with all of our programs while pursuing a B.S., Early Childhood Education at SUNY New Paltz. Prior to joining The Goddard School Ella spent several summers working for Pittsford Recreation and one summer at a childcare center in Pennsylvania.

• Laura

  Laura joined The Goddard School in 2021 as an assistant teacher in our Preschool/Early Pre-K Program and is now serving as a co-lead teacher in our Pre-Kindergarten program. Prior to joining The Goddard School faculty, Laura worked with elementary-age children enrolled in summer programs at Cornell University and as a store manager in child-oriented retailing. She also earned a B.A., Psychology from Nazareth College and is certified in First Aid and CPR.

• Wendy

  Wendy is a part-time flex resource who assists in all of our programs when teachers are absent or on break. She has several years of experience at The Goddard School, more than 10 year of experience as a PTA member in the Fairport Central School District, and six years as a Girl Scout Leader. Wendy also holds an A.S., Liberal Arts & Science from Finger Lakes Community College. She is also certified in First Aid and CPR.