The Goddard School of Wentzville

Bios

• Marla

  My name is Marla Brunk and I am the proud owner of The Goddard School located in Manchester, Missouri. My background is in business. I have a dual BSBA in Marketing / Logistics from University of Missouri - Columbia and an MBA from SIUE. I was first a parent of three children enrolled in a Goddard School and fell in love with Goddard's philosophy, standards, curriculum, and warm family environment. Now I have the opportunity to share this same experience with your family. I am always available to parents and children for questions, hugs, or whatever you need.

• Jessica

  Jessica believes every child has gifts and can be a leader. It takes the right learning environment and loving, supportive teachers and staff to help each child reach their full potential. Her professional career in education includes serving as a teacher, assistant principal and principal in the elementary setting. She believes that early childhood education is key in setting the tone for students to love learning and is dedicated to being part of creating a memorable and engaging experience from birth to preschool for both parents and students. Jessica is a mom to three and her youngest is a Goddard student. She loves cooking, being with her family, and helping kids grow!

• Kayla

  Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Missouri State University and has spent the last 8 years in both teaching and administrative roles. She has a passion for education and helping students reach their full potential. She believes that every child deserves the opportunity to learn in an environment that fosters curiosity, builds confidence, and encourages growth. She loves movies and musicals, reading, hanging out with family and friends, and time at the beach. Fun fact: she met her husband in a college dance competition!

• Alexis

  Lexi is the Lead Teacher in the 2's classroom. She is working towards a degree in early childhood education. She has always had a passion for working with children; she loves seeing their minds work watching them learn. She's been babysitting and working with kids since she was about 14 years old. She is looking forward to watching the kids grow and learn as well as continuing to build a relationship with each child.

• Annie

  Annie is the lead teacher in the Bridge Classroom. She has worked in the preschool setting since 1993. Annie has her Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential and has completed various continued education courses. Annie’s favorite part about teaching is allowing children to get messy as they explore science, art and sensory items.

• Bella

  Bella is the lead Pre-K teacher where she helps young learners prepare for the exciting transition to kindergarten. With a passion for early childhood education, she creates a classroom environment filled with creativity, discovery, and meaningful learning experiences. She focuses her classroom on building confidence, fostering independence, and encouraging kindness as her students reach important developmental milestones. She feels honored to play such a meaningful role in each child’s growth and loves being part of their learning journey every day.

• Izzy

  Izzy is the lead teacher in the Preschool Classroom. The reason Izzy loves working with kids and being a teacher is because he loves creating an honest and open environment where children can come and learn, explore, grow and be themselves each and every day. He loves watching how the kids interact with each other and how they build relationships with the other kids and teachers around them. Building a relationship first with the kids is very important to him and he hopes that he can be a good role model. Some of his favorite activities to do with the kids are reading, dancing, art, and exploring the many things they find outside.

• Jessica

  Jessica is the lead teacher in our Mobile Infant Classroom. She has been at The Goddard School in Wentzville since 2014, and holds a bachelor's degree from MSU. She has worked with children of all ages as a recreation therapist and as an assistant teacher in both preschool and elementary school settings. She always says "If your child comes home a colorful mess, they had a great day." Jessica's greatest blessing in life is being a mother.

• Julie

  Julie is the co-lead teacher in our Young 2's Classroom. She was born in Florida and after about 8 years she moved to Illinois. She moved to Wentzville in 2014. She has always wanted to work with kids. Being at Goddard has confirmed her love of working with kids. She loves to watch the kids develop new skills everyday. In her free time she loves to hunt and fish with her boyfriend and friends. She hopes to continue to grow as a teacher and make great relationships with kids and parents!

• Khyleigh

  Khyleigh is our Lead Teacher in our Infant Classroom. Khyleigh describes herself as a patient, adaptable, and experienced educator who is passionate about teaching and helping children grow. Her professional career in education includes teaching children lifelong skills in her general management role of a swim school, using her teacher skills at another Goddard School as a mentor to others, and director experience at The Bridge Academy daycare center which focused on infants and children with autism. She holds an Associates Degree from Jefferson College, as well as a CDA (Child Development Associate) certification. Her goal is to build connections all throughout our school here in Wentzville. She wants each child to feel loved, confident, independent, and learning new things every day while also having tons of fun. She feels beyond thankful to be working at a place with such wonderful students, families, and coworkers.

• Lisa

  Ms. Lisa is our school cook. She has over 20 years of combined experience in the kitchen and in the classroom. Ms. Lisa wears many hats around the school, and helps our daily routines run smoothly. Lisa has 3 children and 10 grandchildren who she loves spending time with. In her free time, she loves going on walks and visiting thrift stores.

• Mackenzie

  Kenzie is a Lead teacher in our Toddler Classroom. She graduated from St. Charles Community College in 2024. Kenzie says that she adores getting to see all the different personalities develop in each kid and and loves getting to take care of them. In her free time she loves spending time with family and friends either going to church, cute coffee shops, or watching movies. Her favorite hobby is baking. At Goddard, Kenzie wants each kid to feel loved, important, and wants them to learn more every day. She said that she has never been more thankful working at a place with such wonderful families and coworkers. Kenzie cannot wait to see what the future holds and is so excited to spend her time at Goddard.

• Ms Melody

  Melody is a Lead Teacher in our Toddler Classroom. She has a passion for teaching and watching little ones grow and learn. She has 2 completed semesters towards a child psychology degree at MSU. She loves Goddard because it is a hands-on educational experience for all the students here. She has been working in childcare for two years and has loved every minute of it. Her hobbies include singing, crafting, and spending time with friends, family and playing with her son, Finley.

• Phoenyx

  Phoenyx has an Associates Degree from St. Charles Community College and aspires to continue her education in Early Childhood Development. Phoenyx loves to dance and sing with the kids and tries to make each child laugh every day. She grew up in a big family with four siblings and more than a dozen cousins and has always wanted to be a teacher. She loved to do her homework by playing “School” and teaching the assignments to her stuffed animals. In her free time, Phoenyx loves to be outside, watch hockey, and read.

• Allie

  Allie is so excited to be part of The Goddard School family. She has a strong passion for early childhood education, and loves watching young minds grow, explore, and discover the world around them. She believes that learning should always be filled with fun, creativity, and lots of love. Her teaching style is nurturing and play-based, focusing on helping children build confidence, independence, and social-emotional skills. When I am not in the classroom, you can find me behind a camera- I run a photography business. She also enjoys reading, decorating, and a good iced coffee to keep the day and myself going. 

• Grace

  Grace is the co-teacher in our twos classroom. She will graduate from University of Missouri-St. Louis with a bachelor’s in early childhood education with a dream to become a first grade teacher. She has a heart for young children and finds so much joy in the classroom. Her philosophy is built on a trusted, safe, and nurturing environment for each student. She believes each child brings a unique set of gifts to the classroom and loves getting to watch their personalities as they learn and play. Grace loves to spend her free time going on coffee runs and long walks with her dog. She enjoys weekends at the lake with her boyfriend and family making memories that will last a lifetime. In 5 years Grace hopes to be an amazing teacher, married, and have a family of her own.

• Hannah

  Hannah is a passionate and dedicated educator who has been working in the field of early childhood education for over a year, starting at Kids R Kids before moving to Goddard. At just 18 years old, she is committed to furthering her education by attending St. Charles Community College to obtain her certification in early childhood education. Following that, she plans to pursue her bachelor's degree at Lindenwood University, where she aims to become double certified in special education. Hannah loves working with children and believes in the importance of creating a nurturing and engaging learning environment that fosters a lifelong love of learning. Her enthusiasm for education drives her to make a positive impact in the lives of her students every day!

• Isabel

  Isabel has a lifelong passion for working with children. She's always found joy in connecting with young minds. She worked as a behavioral therapist for 2 years before finding Goddard and has discovered a deep love for helping kids learn how to understand and regulate their emotions—turning challenges into growth and progress. Whether it’s through songs, dance breaks, genuine encouragement, she finds the greatest reward in bringing smiles to children’s faces. Work is more than a job, its creativity, and a commitment to making every child feel seen, supported, and celebrated.

• Mikah

  Mikah serves as an Assistant Teacher/Floater at our school and has been in childcare since 2022. She believes that every student has the potential to grow and learn with appropriate support and encouragement. With experience in both daycare environments and a special education school, Mikah has developed a patient, creative, and nurturing teaching style. Currently, she is pursuing an Early Childhood Education degree at Lindenwood University and is dedicated to helping each child grow, learn, and thrive uniquely. Her background in theatre allows Mikah to infuse creativity, fun, and a love for singing and dancing into the classroom daily. She aims to make each day engaging, playful, and rich in learning for the children she nurtures. Mikah feels incredibly fortunate to be part of such a unique environment where children can laugh, grow, and flourish.