Millennial Goddard School Franchisee Jillian Staffiera Shares Franchising Journey
December 23, 2019
For a 30 year old, Jillian Staffiera has accomplished a lot in her career. The owner of The Goddard School located in center city, Philadelphia, recently sat down with 1851Franchise.com to share her franchising journey, inspiration and advice for her younger self.
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The Goddard School Expands in the Philadelphia Market
December 16, 2019
The very first Goddard School location in center city Philadelphia combines history with innovation. Franchisees Jillian Staffiera and Jon Drialo renovated and restored a 100-year-old building to be the perfect place for children to have fun learning experiences every day.
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Veteran Goddard School Owner to Open Latest School in Florida
November 27, 2019
Pam King has owned and operated many Goddard Schools over the last 20 years, and when her family moved to West Orange, FL, she and her husband, Shawn, saw the perfect opportunity for a new Goddard School in the community.
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Goddard School Named One of Top 10 Children’s Franchises to Watch in 2020
November 27, 2019
The Goddard School was recently named one of 1851Franchise.com’s top 10 children’s education franchises to watch in 2020. The list is comprised of leading childcare brands that are placing an emphasis on innovation to help better meet the needs of the children and families they serve.
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Breaking Through the Holiday Noise with Your Brand Messaging
November 14, 2019
The holidays are upon us, which for many consumers, is their busiest time of year. In his latest contribution to Forbes, Paul Koulogeorge, The Goddard School’s Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations, provides advice on how to break through the holiday noise with your brand messaging.
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Goddard School Coming to Indian Land, SC
November 12, 2019
The Goddard School held an official groundbreaking on November 21 in Indian Land, SC. The new School will help to serve an increasing demand for childcare within the local community.
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“Life and Leadership Lessons I Learned in the Military,” with Mark Drinko of The Goddard School
November 10, 2019
Mark Drinko, the on-site owner of The Goddard School located in Franklin, TN, is featured in Authority Magazine’s series on veterans. In the article, Mark discusses his time in the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Desert Storm and how his service taught him the necessary skills to be a successful leader.
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The Goddard School Opens in Gallatin
October 26, 2019
The Goddard School in Gallatin, TN opened on October 7. Franchisees Leisa Byars and Del McSpadeen opened their second Goddard School location in Gallatin, TN on October 7. Byars will serve as the on-site owner for their new School.
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Data is ‘Major Foundation’ for Goddard School’s New Boss
October 23, 2019
Dennis Maple, the new CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc. recently attended an Educational Advisory Board symposium in the Boston area where he had the chance to interact with Goddard parents. Afterwards, Maple reviewed the event with the Franchise Times and then turned his focus to the one key element that he says will help him lead the Goddard School brand.
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Construction Begins for Play-Based Learning Center in Kent; Goddard School to Open in Winter 2020
October 18, 2019
As construction kicked off on October 4, officials joined Goddard School owner Chelsea Milton in a groundbreaking ceremony. In an interview, Milton spoke about her role, calling the ability to help children and families the most rewarding job she could imagine.
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Goddard Systems, Inc. Appoints Christina Estrada as Its New Vice President of Human Resources
October 15, 2019
Christina Estrada, GSI’s new vice president of Human Resources, has held a variety of leadership positions in the HR field. Most recently, she was the executive vice president of chief human resources for TIAA Bank. At GSI, Estrada will be responsible for talent acquisition, performance management, benefits and compensation and talent development.
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Franchise Development Leaders: The Goddard School’s Dennis Maple
October 2, 2019
In an interview, the new Goddard School president and CEO, Dennis Maple, discusses how his decades of experience with Fortune 500 companies will help shape his approach in his new role.
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What We Can Learn from the Similarities Between Teachers and Marketers
August 19, 2019
Paul Koulogeorge, VP of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations for Goddard Systems, Inc., offers insights on the traits that teachers and marketers share and what we can glean from these similarities.
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The Goddard School Expands its Footprint in McKinney, TX
August 14, 2019
Robbin and Rick Wells, franchisees of The Goddard School located in McKinney, are bringing a second location to the city to meet the demand for early childhood education options in the growing community.
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Franchisee Opens Goddard School in Memory of Late Wife
August 8, 2019
After losing his wife to cancer, franchisee Bhavesh Patel wanted to keep her memory alive in a way that would highlight her passion for education, so he opened The Goddard School located in Granger, IN.
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Four Keys To Attracting Millennials To Franchise Ownership
July 18, 2019
Paul Koulogeorge, VP of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations for Goddard Systems, Inc., shares insights on how franchises can entice millennials to become franchisees.
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Life and Leadership Lessons I Learned In The Military
July 9, 2019
Freddie Geiger, franchisee of The Goddard School located in Lake Wylie, SC, explains how his more than 20 years of experience in the U.S. military helped set him up for success as a Goddard franchisee.
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The Goddard School Featured at the 2019 Franchise Times Finance & Growth Conference
June 27, 2019
During his presentation on the growth of The Goddard School brand, Goddard Systems, Inc. CFO Bob Scopinich said mature Goddard Schools earn an average EBITDA of more than $373,000, which has helped accelerate the system’s expansion with the expectation of an additional 200 Schools within the next five years.
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The Goddard School is a Family Affair for Sibling Operators
June 20, 2019
Jodi and Bill Straub, franchisees of The Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd, PA, the 500th location in the franchise, are part of a family of franchisees that operate successful Goddard Schools in MD, PA and VA. They feel honored and privileged to provide high-quality early childhood care and education for their local community at this milestone location.
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The Goddard School Opens 500th Location in Philadelphia Area
June 10, 2019
Jodi and Bill Straub, franchisees of The Goddard School in Bala Cynwyd, PA, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the School, which is the 500th location in the Goddard system, an historic milestone for the franchise.
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Heroes Among Us: Janice Kennedy of The Goddard School
May 24, 2019
U.S. military veteran Janice Kennedy, franchisee of The Goddard School located in Olathe (Northwest), KS, details her experience in the U.S. Army Reserve and how the skills she learned there help her succeed as a Goddard franchisee.
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The Goddard School Franchise Hits Massive Milestone; Opens 500th School in Home City of Philadelphia
May 21, 2019
Jodi and Bill Straub, franchisees of the 500th Goddard School located in Bala Cynwyd, PA, are part of a family of franchisees that operate successful Goddard Schools in MD, PA and VA. They feel honored and privileged to provide high quality early childhood care and education for their local community at this milestone location.
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NJ Couple Walks Away from Wall Street Jobs to Fulfill Dream of Owning a Preschool
May 13, 2019
New Goddard School franchisees, Sumara and Imran Ahmad, became inspired to work with an institution that gives back to the community while providing a strong foundation in early childhood education.
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Goddard School Preschoolers and Families Learn How to Make a Difference on Earth Day
Annual Root for Earth Activities Teach Effects of Plastic, Energy Emissions and More
April 2, 2019
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA - (April 2, 2019) — The Goddard School®, the nation’s best-in-class preschool system, is proud to showcase the importance of environmental conservation through its month-long Root for Earth event, which is designed to teach children about daily environmental impacts and give busy families realistic tips for making a difference.
Preschoolers will participate in a new challenge this year to illustrate the environmental effect of single-use plastics. They will upcycle a month’s worth of single-use plastics into works of art to show how much plastic waste they saved. Each creation will be featured on The Goddard School’s national Facebook page, and members of the public can vote for their favorite project from April 22 through April 26. Winners will be announced April 29.
To demonstrate how children can make a difference, preschoolers will plant gardens, participate in recycled runway fashion shows, try glow-in-the-dark yoga and enjoy other eco-friendly projects inspired by science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. On Earth Day, Goddard Schools across the country will turn off all non-essential lighting for one hour to save nearly four million watts of energy. Since 2011, this Lights Out! initiative has saved up to 25.3 million watts of energy.
“Root for Earth provides students with a great opportunity to focus on the importance of caring for our environment through engaging STEAM lessons,” said Dr. Craig Bach, vice president of education at Goddard Systems, Inc., franchisor of The Goddard School. “Equipping children with the knowledge and leadership skills to meet future environmental challenges is imperative.”
With more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, The Goddard School uses the most current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children from six weeks to six years old have fun while learning skills for long-term success in school and in life. While The Goddard School’s play-based curriculum discusses environmental responsibility throughout the year, the Root for Earth campaign focuses exclusively on environmental lessons. Children are encouraged to explore the world around them, apply their knowledge at home and make sustainable choices.
Even busy families can support the environment in affordable ways. Visit www.goddardschool.com/rootforearth for time-saving, money-saving and environmentally friendly tips.
For more information on The Goddard School, please visit www.goddardschool.com.
Former IT Professional Fulfills Dream of Opening a Preschool
March 13, 2019
Priya Punugoti, franchisee of The Goddard School located in Lewisville (Castle Hills), TX, exemplifies the type of ambitious, altruistic entrepreneur that Goddard attracts. Read more about her journey from IT professional to preschool owner.
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Long-Time Educators Host Goddard School Grand Opening in Carol Stream, IL
March 6, 2019
After teaching in private and public schools for more than 10 years, Martin and Majlinda Gjini, franchisees of The Goddard School of Carol Stream, decided to open a school of their own and held a grand opening celebration to dedicate the occasion.
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Relationship Marketing: Making It Personal
February 13, 2019
Paul Koulogeorge, Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations for Goddard Systems, Inc., shares insights on how brands can build relationships with consumers.
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Former Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI) Employee Goes All In, Opens School of His Own
February 11, 2019
Franchisee Dave Collins, who previously worked for GSI, opened The Goddard School of Edgewater, MD with his wife, Jen. They bring Goddard’s play-based learning program to the area to meet the demand for early childhood education options in the growing community.
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Franchisees Expand Business with State-of-the-Art Gym
February 11, 2019
Franchisees Dawn and Stu Wilensky, franchisees of The Goddard School of West Windsor, NJ, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the opening of a new indoor gym space, which features a 20-foot rock climbing wall.
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How to Raise Financially Independent Daughters
January 7, 2019
Dr. Craig Bach and Dr. Jennifer Jipson, two members of The Goddard School’s Educational Advisory Board, provide advice on how parents can make small changes at home that can help their daughters grow into financially confident women.
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Brothers Join Forces to Open Preschool in Avery Ranch
Newest Goddard School Coming Soon to Austin Suburbs
Jan. 2, 2019
AUSTIN, TX - (Jan. 2, 2019) — After spending 10 years as a member of the Round Rock community educating young children, Ryan Rastelli, owner of The Goddard School in Round Rock, felt it was time to extend The Goddard School philosophy’s reach.
As his school recently marked 10 years of being a part of Round Rock, Ryan’s passion for supporting a community and his passions for education drove him to open his second location in Austin’s Avery Ranch community with his brother, David.
David Rastelli is the onsite owner of the newest Goddard School located in Avery Ranch. He joined forces with his brother, Ryan, to meet the growing community’s demand for early childhood education by bringing The Goddard School’s play-based curriculum to Avery Ranch.
“We’re excited to bring quality childcare programs to the Avery Ranch community,” David said. “As each family enters this family-run preschool, we hope they see how this state-of-the-art learning environment and unique curriculum benefits children’s growth and development to help them prepare for kindergarten and beyond.”
The 10-classroom preschool, serving about 180 children from six weeks to six years old and employing about 24 faculty members, officially opened its doors on Jan. 2, 2019.
The 11,312-square-foot building is a custom, craftsman-style building that is constructed around a heritage tree. The interior offers abundant lighting with high ceilings and lofted windows, and it has two outdoor play areas.
“We’ve been a part of so many families’ lives in the Round Rock area, and we want to become involved with more families,” Ryan said. “It’s a great feeling knowing that you have a positive effect on children’s lives, the lives of their younger siblings and others in the community. We’re helping to build the foundation for a successful education, and that’s personally gratifying for me.”
The Goddard School’s play-based F.L.EX. learning program (Fun Learning Experience) is grounded in research on how children learn best; children experience the deepest, most genuine learning when they are having fun. The focus is on building each child’s emotional, academic, social, creative and physical skills to provide a well-rounded experience and ensure each one becomes confident, joyful and fully prepared in school and in life.
The preschool, located at 9313 Pearson Ranch Road, will be open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
For more information about the newest Goddard School located in Avery Ranch in Austin, Texas and for a list of upcoming events visit www.goddardschool.com/Austin-IITX.
For more information on The Goddard School, please visit www.goddardschool.com.
Exploring Your Franchise
January 1, 2019
Joe Schumacher, CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc., shares insights on what entrepreneurs should look for when exploring franchise opportunities.
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