By Una Yarsky
With over 500 schools in 37 states, the Goddard School franchise opened its first DC location at the Wharf. The DC Goddard school is located at the intersection of 7th and I Streets, SW. The new school is owned and operated by third-generation franchisee Taylor Pope, along with his mother Anne Pope and his grandfather Don O’Brian.
This marks the third Goddard School opened by the Pope-O’Brian family, with the two other schools located in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Pope’s mother, Ann Pope, and grandfather, Don O’Brian, are both a part of the Goddard leadership team.
The Goddard school has educated children from six weeks to five years of age for over thirty years. The school is known for teaching children to “learn through play,” and has an overall goal of “lifelong learning” for their students, as described by Taylor Pope. The school’s well known enrichment programs include opportunities for students to learn yoga, sign language, Spanish, chess, and art, which increase in complexity as students progress through the school. Goddard teachers are also given the opportunity to tailor their curriculums and programs based on, as Pope says, “what they feel interests the students.”
The DC Goddard school opened on July 29 and admission for this 2019 school year closes September 3. The school’s hours run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and they currently have 42 families enrolled with a total capacity of 111 families. These families consist of both new and old Southwest residents, and they will have a chance to meet and discuss with each other, as well as Goddard staff, during the monthly PTA meetings.