The Goddard School Announces 2026 Circle of Excellence and President’s Club Members
Annual honors celebrate schools for providing outstanding educational experiences for students and excellence in serving families
- The Goddard School recognized its 2026 Circle of Excellence and President’s Club members, representing the top-performing Goddard Schools across the country.
- Circle of Excellence honorees are selected based on performance, quality of education and family experience. President’s Club members represent schools that have achieved Circle of Excellence status for at least two consecutive years.
- This year, 35 Goddard Schools across 12 states are being recognized, with Pennsylvania and Maryland leading the honorees at seven schools each and New Jersey contributing four.
King of Prussia, PA, Oct. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Goddard School®, the nation’s leading premium early childhood education provider, today announced its 2026 Circle of Excellence and President’s Club members, representing the top-performing Goddard Schools from across the country. To be selected for the Circle of Excellence, schools must meet stringent criteria measuring excellence in performance, quality of education and outstanding family experience. The President’s Club includes schools that have been selected for the Circle of Excellence for at least two consecutive years and consistently demonstrate the highest standards in early childhood education.
“Earning recognition through the Circle of Excellence and President’s Club reflects a sustained commitment to quality and continuous improvement across every aspect of a school’s operations,” said Darin Harris, CEO of Goddard Systems, LLC. “From fostering joyful learning experiences to building trusted relationships with families, this year’s honorees demonstrate what high-quality early childhood education looks like in action. We are proud to celebrate the franchisees whose leadership continues to have a lasting impact on the students, families and communities they serve.”
The 2026 Goddard School Circle of Excellence encompasses The Goddard Schools of:
- Columbia, MD: Lynn and Jim Moratis
- Eldersburg, MD: Jen and Dave Collins
- Fairfield – Little Falls Road, NJ: Amy Emann
- Ladera Ranch, CA: Christy Muro and Joe Delaney
- Lake Forest, CA: Parina and Jesal Mehta
- Long Hill Township, NJ: Sumara and Imran Ahmad
- Matthews, NC: Valerie and David Darmstaedter
- Monroe, CT: Kim and Rob Murray
- Peters Township – Venetia, PA: Lori, Bob and Jake Santo
- South Reno, NV: Chelli and Ryan Motherway
- Reno – Somersett, NV: Denise and Mark Cross
- Spring House, PA: Megan and Mike Thompson
- West Long Branch, NJ: Michele and Jeffrey Strumeier
- Wexford, PA: Shanna Oster
- White Marsh – Honeygo, MD: Krystle and Nick Molite
- Wilton, CT: Debbie and Ed Lee
The 2026 Goddard School President’s Club includes The Goddard Schools of:
- Anderson Township, OH: Wendy and Mark Reinhart
- Bala Cynwyd, PA: Jodi and Bill Straub
- Bellevue, WA: Olivia Teja and Kamal DeSilva
- Broadview Heights, OH: Kyle and Lindsay Thomas and Brittany Prais
- Carlsbad, CA: Shalini and Sanjeev Dhiman
- Chagrin Falls, OH: Kim and Scott DiMuzio
- Cranberry Township, PA: Dina and Matt Speranza and Carrie Dembowski
- Dedham, MA: Kristin and Peter McNulty
- Edgewater, MD: Dave and Jen Collins
- Forest Hill, MD: Dave and Amber O’Brien, Stephanie Langenfelder and Kahla Leftwich
- Horsham, PA: Kristen and Patrick Larkin
- Marriottsville, MD: Sheeba Mathew
- Middle River – Greenleigh, MD: Mary and Zachary Ukens
- Pittsburgh – Upper Saint Clair, PA: Lori, Bob, Madison and Tyler Santo
- Skokie – Evanston/Wilmette, IL: Mary and Andrew Fratini
- Sparks, NV: Jody and John Agaman and Kristen Harper
- Sugar Hill, GA: Robin and Ted Ray
- Swedesboro, NJ: Marc and Colleen Zahirnyi
- Westport, CT: Kristen and Ken Bodenstein
For more information about The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com, and to learn about franchise opportunities, go to GoddardSchoolFranchise.com.
###
ABOUT THE GODDARD SCHOOL®
The Goddard School—the trusted leader in early childhood education—has partnered with families for nearly four decades to create joyful, supportive environments where children flourish. With a commitment to nurturing curiosity, character and a love of learning, The Goddard School fosters social, emotional and academic development to empower each child to grow into the best version of themselves.
The Goddard School’s approach to education starts with a simple belief: children learn best when they are encouraged to explore their natural curiosity. Through its exclusive inquiry-based education program, Wonder of Learning®, children learn through hands-on discovery, while teachers thoughtfully build on their interests to create engaging, personalized classrooms. Supported by expert knowledge, data-driven insights and a deep understanding of child development, Wonder of Learning helps children build critical thinking and problem-solving skills while inspiring a lifelong love of learning.
The Goddard School serves almost 100,000 students from six weeks to six years old in 37 states and Washington, D.C. To learn more, visit GoddardSchool.com.
ABOUT GODDARD SYSTEMS, LLC
Established in 1988, Goddard Systems, LLC, is the manager of The Goddard School® franchise system. The Goddard School is the acknowledged leader in the premium early childcare and education market segment. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, The Goddard School has been consistently named one of the leading franchises in the United States by Entrepreneur (#68 in the 2026 Franchise 500) and one of the top franchise systems in worldwide sales by Franchise Times (#57 in the 2026 Top 400). Additionally, The Goddard School is included in Franchise Business Review’s 2026 Top 200 Franchises, a recognition of the best franchise opportunities based solely on ratings and reviews provided directly by franchise owners. Goddard Systems currently licenses more than 690 Goddard School franchises that serve almost 100,000 students in 37 states and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit GoddardSchoolFranchise.com.
CONTACT: Joe Markle Goddard Systems, LLC 610-405-9569 [email protected]
Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. UKNewshour.com takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
