The Goddard School Announces 2026 Franchisee Award Winners

Awards recognize exceptional performance and service

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (March 18, 2026) – The Goddard School has announced the recipients of its annual franchisee awards, which recognize franchisees who have made outstanding contributions to the Goddard School system—comprising more than 675 schools serving nearly 100,000 young children across the country—and to their local communities. The awards were selected and presented by Goddard Systems, the manager of The Goddard School franchise system, the nation’s leading provider of premium early childhood education. Honorees were recognized at the 2026 Goddard School Franchisee Convention in San Antonio.

The 2026 Goddard School franchisee awards and respective winners are:

• Franchisee of the Year – Dave Collins, The Goddard Schools of Edgewater and Eldersburg, MD: The Franchisee of the Year Award celebrates an extraordinary individual whose leadership, performance and deep commitment to early childhood education embody the heart and spirit of The Goddard School, inspiring everyone around them. Dave Collins consistently delivers operational excellence, as both of his schools are members of The Goddard School Circle of Excellence, an accolade honoring the top-performing Goddard Schools nationwide. He leads with a servant leadership model that develops strong directors and teams while extending his impact across the system as a trusted partner to fellow franchisees. He truly brings Goddard’s purpose to life every day.
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Brad and Risa May, The Goddard Schools of Chantilly – Westfields and Chantilly – South Riding, VA: The Lifetime Achievement Award honors franchisees whose long‑standing leadership, dedication and lasting contributions have significantly shaped The Goddard School brand and its reputation over time. The Mays exemplify the best of long-term franchise leadership. Through decades of ownership, they have built schools defined by educational quality, operational strength, brand love and people-first leadership. They have also extended their impact through mentorship and engagement across the Goddard School system.
• Resiliency Award – Nan Song, The Goddard School of Chino Hills, CA: The Resiliency Award recognizes a franchisee who approaches opportunities for growth with determination, adaptability and courage, emerging stronger while continuing to deliver excellence for families and teams. Nan Song exemplifies resilience through measurable transformation. By embracing leadership coaching, she reset school culture and grew leadership confidence, resulting in an enhanced experience for her entire school community.
• Humanitarian Award – The Dallas-Fort Worth Market Goddard Schools: The Humanitarian Award honors franchisees who extend their impact beyond their schools to serve their communities and those in need. Twenty Goddard Schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth market came together to coordinate a regional diaper drive, donating more than 42,000 diapers to local organizations. These franchisees demonstrated compassion, collaboration and a shared dedication to serving families in their community.
• Emerging Leader Award – Samantha Boccella Mitkus, The Goddard School of Royersford, PA: The Emerging Leader Award recognizes a franchisee who is newer to the Goddard School system but has already demonstrated exceptional leadership, growth and passion for the Goddard School brand. Since taking ownership of The Goddard School of Royersford in 2024, Samantha Boccella Mitkus has led rapid and sustainable change, building relationships with local leaders and strengthening her school’s presence in the community. Her visible, empathetic leadership and strong execution around safety, culture and family experience have driven both trust and results.
• Outstanding Family Experience Award – Quentin and Lauren Smallwood, The Goddard School of South Windsor, CT: The Outstanding Family Experience Award recognizes franchisees who consistently deliver exceptional service and care, and create meaningful relationships with the families they serve. Since opening their school in 2023, the Smallwoods have fostered an engaged school community, and the school’s consistently strong Net Promoter Score (NPS), parent survey results and Google reviews reflect families’ high satisfaction.
• Educational Excellence Award – Tanny Rahman, The Goddard School of McKinney – Craig Ranch, TX, and Debbie Lee, The Goddard School of Wilton, CT: The Educational Excellence Award honors franchisees’ dedication to providing high-quality educational programming with a focus on intentionality, consistency and a commitment to continuous improvement. Tanny Rahman and Debbie Lee have demonstrated steadfast dedication to implementing Wonder of Learning®, The Goddard School’s exclusive inquiry-based education program, in their schools. Both achieved high Net Promoter Scores (NPS), high quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) ratings, strong Child Observation Record (COR) Advantage implementation and accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Moreover, The Goddard School of McKinney – Craig Ranch earned the highest accreditation level in NAEYC's new accreditation pathway, Accredited+.
• Transformational Development Award – Derick and Bobbie Doe, The Goddard School of Novi – Grand River, MI: The Transformational Development Award recognizes franchisees who have made a significant investment in their school through an annex, satellite or relocation, elevating the brand, expanding access for families and strengthening connections within school communities. The Does went above and beyond by reinvesting in their school, doubling its capacity to ensure more families in their community could benefit from the Goddard School experience.
• Cornerstone Award – Speranza Consulting and Investments, including Matt and Dina Speranza, Gio and Caterina Cuzzocrea and David and Autumn Horell, The Goddard Schools of Estero, FL, and Mars, PA: The Cornerstone Award honors franchisees who open new schools while demonstrating innovation, leadership and a deep commitment to their communities. Speranza Consulting and Investments has committed to opening new schools in new markets and developing state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened Goddard Schools of Estero, FL, and Mars, PA.
• Brand Ambassador Award: The Brand Ambassador Award recognizes franchisees who work tirelessly to bring to life The Goddard School brand promise to empower children to grow into the best version of themselves – and importantly, they bring other franchisees along to elevate an entire market. The four regional winners are:
  • Midwest: Michael Petrucelli, The Goddard School of Darien, IL
  • Northeast: Kim Murray, The Goddard Schools of Monroe and Shelton, CT
  • Southeast: Jim and Lynn Moratis, The Goddard School of Columbia, MD
  • West: Erin Goulet, The Goddard School of Snohomish, WA

For more information about The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com, and to learn about franchise opportunities, go to GoddardSchoolFranchise.com.

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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 (#58 in the 2025 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 675 Goddard School franchises that serve almost 100,000 students in 38 states and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit GoddardSchoolFranchise.com.

ABOUT THE GODDARD SCHOOL^®

Learning for fun. Learning for life.^®

For 38 years, The Goddard School has nurtured the extraordinary in every child, providing a warm, caring and safe environment that supports their individual social, emotional and academic development, appreciates their unique talents and personalities, and fosters skills they need for long-term success in school and in life.

The Goddard School’s exclusive inquiry-based education program, Wonder of Learning^®, embraces how children learn best—through their innate curiosity—because research confirms that when wonder leads, learning follows. Wonder of Learning is backed by expert knowledge, data-driven insight and unwavering compassion for growing minds, encouraging children to explore their curiosities and interests as they discover the joy—and wonder—of learning. The Goddard School serves almost 100,000 students from six weeks to six years old in 38 states and Washington, D.C. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com.