Virginia Campus

Cynthia Alter – Lead Preschool -1 Teacher
My academic background is in Sociology and Psychology.  I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.  I also continue to take classes in early childhood behavior and development and in methods of teaching children of this age.  I began my career as the director of a preschool in Minnesota and have worked with all levels of preschool children.  I have been on staff at Good Beginnings School since August, 1994. I believe each child is unique and I try to work with each one on his or her level to set realistic goals.  This helps your child build good self esteem by experiencing the satisfaction of achieving a goal, mastering a skill or learning something completely new.

I am married, and my husband John and I have lived in Reston since 1973.  We have four grown children, three daughters and one son.  We have three grandchildren – Jacob, and, twins, Zachary and Zoey.  We also have a Shih-Tzu named Pepper, so our nest is not completely empty.  I enjoy reading, listening to music, relaxing in the sun, going to concerts, watching movies, and trying a variety of cuisines, either cooking at home or going to local restaurants.  I try to eat wisely and I walk and exercise frequently.  I love to shop, especially at yard sales, and I love finding the unexpected treasure or bargain!  My greatest passion besides teaching is travel – to explore new places, cultures, tastes, sights and sounds.

Maria Munoz – Assistant Preschool -1 Teacher
My experience working with children dates back to the year 1999. I am certified in CPR, First Aid, Medication Administration, Daily Health Observation and Screening.  I have been with Good Beginnings School since August, 2008.

I was born in Mountain View, California.   We moved to Virginia when my father got a job working for the State Department.  When I was eight we moved to Panama in Central America.  We also lived in El Salvador before moving to the Dominican Republic.  My father retired this year and is now working for the Rand Corporation.  My mother works as a librarian at Herndon Fortnightly Library.  My brother is going to school and my sister is an EMT in New Orleans.  I enjoy swimming, horseback riding, watching “Dancing with the Stars” and just being with my friends.

Anna Stavrou – Lead Preschool -2 Teacher
Over the last 10 years, my life has centered on children in a variety of ways. My areas of expertise and experience encompass assistant and lead teaching roles in Pre-K through First Grade classrooms, camp directing, dramatic theater, as well as private childcare. I have recently moved from San Jose, California where I worked as a first grade teacher at a private school, and am happy to be back on the east coast where I am originally from. Prior to moving to California, I worked for a private preschool owned and operated by my mother in northern New Jersey. Being an integral part of a preschool has defined most of my life and has given me the experience and love for working with children. I am very excited to continue pursuing my career in early childhood education with Good Beginnings, and looking forward to getting to know my new students and their families. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova University where I majored in Art History. My love for art influences many aspects of my life, and the classroom is no exception! Aside from art, one of my biggest passions is cooking. My fiancé is the lucky taste-tester for many of my culinary endeavors. We love to travel and gain inspiration for our collaborations in the kitchen!

Madhushree Naik – Lead Jr. Kindergarten -1 Teacher
My name is Madhushree (Muh-doo-shree) Naik.  I am thrilled to be a part of the Good Beginnings family and have been here since August, 2009. I hope to play an integral role in your child’s enriching Junior Kindergarten experience.  I will strive to help your children “know, grow and care”.  My hope is that our classroom will have a “home away from home” atmosphere with a mix of professional care and a family’s sense of love and nurturing.  I would like to emphasize that you are your child’s first teacher, and I plan to work with you in helping each child become successful, confident, and creative learner.  My enthusiasm for learning can be “contagious”, and I hope to pass on this eagerness to your children.

I hold a Master of Education degree from George Mason University with a triple licensure in Early Childhood Education, Early childhood Special Education and ESL.  I have taught kindergarten, second, and third grades in the Fairfax County public school system, I have lived in Fairfax County since 1998, and I am in love with the cultural diversity this area has to offer.  I especially enjoy leisure reading and swimming.  I have been fortunate to work with children who are linguistically, culturally, and ability diverse for almost ten years.  My philosophy for early childhood education has been “fine tuned” by my own children’s (twins) development over the past few years.  A successful early childhood program is one that value and builds upon individual learning styles.

Emily Paros – Assistant Junior Kindergarten-2 Teacher
I am so excited to be the assistant teacher for Mrs. Naik and the Junior Kindergarten I class. I have been with Good Beginnings School since June of 2011 where I initially spent the summer as a counselor with Camp Good Beginnings. I enjoyed it so much I decided to stay year around! I had the chance to spend time with every class that summer, so I had met almost everybody and was happy to work with a great group of students. As for me, I was born and raised in the Northern Virginia area and graduated from South Lakes High School in 2011. I attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond for a semester and am continuing my education at Northern Virginia Community College while I work at the best job I've ever had. I live in Reston with my family; I have three younger brothers, a dog, a cat, and a snake. I love spending time at Good Beginnings, but in my free time I enjoy going to music shows, swimming, being outdoors, and shopping at thrift stores.

Meagan Napier –Lead Junior Kindergarten-2 Teacher
My formal training was in Cape Town South Africa where I obtained my Bachelors in Education with a specialization in Children with Special Needs. I have earned the title International Teacher having taught in South Africa, Taiwan, England, Ireland and the United States.  My range of teaching experiences extends from preschool to grades first through third and special language instruction to students through age 16.  Having 10 years in this role, I have the unique ability to transport children far beyond the borders of the USA through the means of storytelling, music and photography.  I have been with Good Beginnings School since August, 2009.

My personal interests include: delivering inspirational multi-media presentations; singing and writing songs; writing poetry and inspirational materials; photography; half marathons; Yoga; ballet; theatre and film; environmental and humanitarian causes; travel; reading; food and wine; health and healing; family and friends.

Shazia Rauf – Assistant Junior Kindergarten-2 Teacher
I have been with Good Beginnings School since October, 2008.  I was born in Pakistan.  I finished my high school and college in Pakistan as well.  I received my Masters degree in Political Science.  After I married, I came to America with my husband because an employment opportunity became available for him.  He is a chartered accountant and CPA.  We have two daughters and one son.

I have studied early childhood education at NOVA, attended many trainings and workshops focusing on young children.  I believe everyday brings new lessons and experiences.

Lead Kindergarten Teacher
I have been with Good Beginnings School since August, 2003.  I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education and have since been recertified in Elementary Education.  I have been teaching since 1989 in both public and private elementary school systems and have stayed with kindergarten since 1995.  I have tutored all grades in language arts, math, penmanship and reading. I am member of professional education organizations, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Elementary Section of the National Council of Teachers of English.  In 2005 I was honored in Who’s Who Among American Teachers.

Michelle Zambrano – Assistant Kindergarten Teacher
I live in Fairfax with my two boys, Nick and Zach; who are three years apart.  Both of my boys went through Kindergarten with Mrs. Ragsdale.  Zach graduated from GBS in 2005 and Nick was with Mrs. Ragsdale’s kindergarten class at Merritt Academy in 2002. We came to GBS so that Zach could experience Kindergarten with Mrs. Ragsdale too.  I have been actively involved at Lees Corner Elementary School since 2002.  I have been a Room Mother for both boys and volunteered for many PTA events.  I have spent many hours in the classroom assisting the students and teachers. 

I have been Mrs. Ragsdale’s assistant for four years and have really enjoyed myself. While Zach was here at GBS I organized the Scholastic Book Orders, the Book Fair and Teacher Appreciation Week.  I also assisted with Graduation and all of the Kindergarten field trips.
I work full time for Sunrise Senior Living at their International Headquarters in McLean, Virginia.  I am senior staff accountant and have been with the company since 1993.  My family and I travel to the Outer Banks of North Carolina at least twice a year where we enjoy the quiet beaches and of course mini-golf.

Maysoon Farhoud – Chef / Kindergarten After Care Teacher
I was born in Ramallah in the West Bank and had my first 6 years of schooling there. To complete the rest of my education our family moved to the village of Beitin, also in the central West Bank. After being married two years, I came to America in 1993 with my husband and two sons. When I first arrived, I attended school to learn English. Five years later I became a naturalized citizen. I moved to Virginia from Wisconsin in 2011; what a noteworthy change that has been! In Wisconsin I worked at a private child care facility where I wore many hats; working with infants, driving the after school care bus, taking children on field trips and even dabbling in the kitchen when the cook was not available. This experience has trained me to be ready for just about anything! I have been with Good Beginnings School since February of 2012 and I enjoy very much being here with everyone. I have the benefit of seeing all the children on a daily basis because each day I do the lunch count and deliver the food their classrooms; I see them again when I am releasing the teachers for lunch, and then in the kindergarten class for the afternoon. The children are a delight and it gives me great pleasure to watch them grow in all areas – physically, intellectually and socially! I enjoy cooking, walking and traveling overseas to visit my family in Palestine. We have four beautiful children now. Our oldest son is 21 and our youngest, a daughter is 14.

Ashley Yuan – Chinese Teacher / Facility, Operations, and Office Assistant
Under Construction

Cory Hanks – Gym Teacher
Having graduated from James Madison University in 2000, Coach Cory received his degree in Health Science and has been heavily involved in Sport and Nutrition since then. With a National Personal Training Certification, he has worked across the country promoting health and physical education, working specifically with children of all ages. His primary involvement in Athletics has been in the sport of soccer, where he will be in his sixteenth year of coaching and working with children. This past year he received the Volunteer Assistant Coaching position at George Washington University in DC. He has coached travel soccer for 15 years, and currently works with both the SYA travel program and the Arlington Soccer Program where he served as head coach for teams between the ages 8 and 16. He was also the lead trainer at Arlington Soccer Academy Advanced Training for U5-U8 teams, and he runs soccer programs at preschools in the area. His passion for teaching and being involved in the development of youth brings an enthusiasm and appreciation for helping develop children and grow their involvement in health and athletics.

Elizabeth McBride – French Teacher
I am the French teacher at GBS. I was born in Paris, France. I grew up speaking French with my French mother and English with my American father – at the same time! I attended the American School in Paris, which is essentially a bilingual school. I have a BS in business from Virginia Tech and spent 20 years plus in the corporate world working in medical marketing for international pharmaceuticals. My work entailed conducting training sessions for sales reps and marketing groups. I was a Project Manager for Parexel International until my second daughter was born. At that point. I became a stay-at-home mom. Both of my daughters attended GBS from early pre-school through Kindergarten. I recently started tutoring French on my own and began teaching early conversational French to GBS J-K and K classes in 2012. I use the immersion method, as children of this age pick up language very quickly. It has been a very positive and rewarding experience for me!

Carmen McMahon Director at Good Beginnings School, Virginia campus
Hello, my name is Carmen McMahon.  I am director at Good Beginnings School, Virginia campus.  I have been here since 1997.  Though born in New England (Connecticut), I was raised in New Jersey, Connecticut, Northern California, Maryland, Southern California, Southern Florida, with a 4 year stint overseas in Spain, back to Southern Florida and then back to Maryland.  My father was a career military officer enabling us to experience many regions, peoples and cultures.  Our usual mode of transportation of choice (his) was automobile, so, needless to say, our nation wide trek across this continent – back and forth – and our European trek throughout Spain, Portugal, France and Italy was bonding, eventful and educational!  I finally graduated from my third (!) high school in Maryland in 1970 and ran off to college in California to the University of San Diego.  My declared philosophy major ended up with my switching schools to Berean Bible College where I received my degree in Education, Administration and Missions in 1975.

I married in 1976, moved to Missouri and worked at Shepherdsfield School in Fulton from 1979-1984 in the preschool department and substituted regularly in kindergarten.  We moved back to the California desert where I co-directed the preschool program at Wee Wildewood Preschool in Palm Springs from 1986-1990 (and received Montessori certification in 1988). Throughout these years 1986-1992 our entire little family also worked with Native Americans and held summer camp programs with Black Buffalo of North American Indian Missions, Inc.  (I mainly had upper elementary girls where we all camped out in wagon trains!) In 1992 we moved to Virginia where I directed Children’s World Learning Center in Reston from 1993-1997; in 1998 I began mentoring junior high girls in an annual 10 month program every weekend and continue to do so presently. In 1997 I came to GBS and have yet to regret that decision! 

We have 5 grown children with 6 grandchildren…and counting!  I enjoy cooking, gardening, traveling, the ocean, reading, hiking and an occasional movie.