Dr. Valerie Truesdale Joins The Goddard School’s Educational Advisory Board

Renowned education leader brings policy expertise to leading early childhood education franchise

Goddard Systems, LLC (GSL), manager of The Goddard School franchise system, is honored to welcome Dr. Valerie Truesdale to its Educational Advisory Board (EAB). The EAB is comprised of a diversely skilled group of educators, researchers, physicians and early childhood experts who work closely with GSL’s education team to ensure The Goddard School's individualized learning program is consistently at the forefront of early childhood research and development.

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Dr. Valerie Truesdale (Photo: Business Wire)

“The Educational Advisory Board is a core differentiator that truly sets The Goddard School apart from any other early childhood education provider in the country,” said Dr. Lauren Starnes, senior vice president and chief academic officer, GSL. “The EAB enables us to take our educational programming to the next level with research and support from key experts. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Dr. Truesdale to the EAB and look forward to fully leveraging her unrivaled education policy expertise to further solidify Goddard’s academic program as the best of the best.”

A nationally renowned education policy expert, Dr. Truesdale has more than three decades of leadership experience and currently serves as the assistant executive director of the School Superintendents Association. She has spent the bulk of her career in the South Carolina public school system, including stints as a teacher, principal, chief instructional services officer and superintendent. She previously led the policy division of the South Carolina State Department of Education, supervising student assessment, educator licensure, technology services and policy. Before joining the School Superintendents Association, Dr. Truesdale served as the chief technology and transformation officer for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina.

“While my career has been focused on the K-12 setting, I’ve always appreciated the immense value and impact of early childhood education and I am so excited to support the nation’s premier early childhood provider,” said Dr. Truesdale. “I am thrilled to bring a unique perspective to Goddard and help shape its best-in-class academic program.”

Dr. Truesdale holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Clemson University, an M.B.A. in marketing from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of South Carolina. She is a past president of the International Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and was the first recipient of the national Women in School Leadership Award, conferred by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) in 2011.

For more information on The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com.

ABOUT GODDARD SYSTEMS, LLC

Established in 1988, Goddard Systems, LLC, the franchisor of The Goddard School, is the acknowledged leader in the premium early childcare and education market segment. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Goddard Systems has been consistently named one of the top childcare franchises in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine and one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) by Franchise Times. Goddard Systems currently licenses 600 Goddard School franchises that serve more than 75,000 students in 37 states and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit goddardschoolfranchise.com.

ABOUT THE GODDARD SCHOOL^®

Learning for fun. Learning for life.^®

Children learn best through experience. The Goddard School uses current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children have fun while learning the skills they need for long-term success in school and in life.

The distinctive structure positions schools to support the needs of families and helps ensure that children are known and appreciated for their individual talents and personalities. The Goddard School’s F.L.EX.^® Learning Program (Fun Learning Experience) helps children explore and discover their interests in a safe, nurturing environment. And a team of acknowledged experts in various fields of early childhood education guides the course of study.

Additionally, this program has earned AdvancED Corporation Accreditation and Middle States Corporate Accreditation for creating policies, programs and standards that help franchised locations meet high standards in early learning, child development and childcare. The Goddard School serves more than 75,000 students from six weeks to six years old in 600 Goddard Schools in 37 states and Washington, D.C. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit GoddardSchool.com.

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