Goddard Systems Honors Kim Groves as the 2025 Goddard School Director of the Year

Groves serves as the regional director for four Goddard Schools in the greater Greenville, SC, area

Goddard Systems, LLC, the manager of The Goddard School^® franchise system, the nation’s leading premium early childhood education provider, today announced the 2025 Goddard School Director of the Year is Kim Groves, regional director of The Goddard School of Greenville, The Goddard School of Greenville (Pelham Road), The Goddard School of Simpsonville (Harrison Bridge) and The Goddard School of Simpsonville (Five Forks) in South Carolina.

The Director of the Year award celebrates a Goddard School director's outstanding educational and operational leadership. This honor is presented to a director who has been with The Goddard School for at least two years, fully embraces and implements education initiatives with integrity and serves as a mentor to their peers. They consistently seek growth opportunities for both themselves and their team, cultivate a positive school culture and actively collaborate within their local market and the broader Goddard School system.

“We are honored to recognize Kim Groves as the 2025 Goddard School Director of the Year. Her exceptional leadership, devotion to operational excellence and unwavering commitment to educational quality make her an incredibly deserving recipient,” said Darin Harris, CEO of Goddard Systems, LLC. “Directors like Kim are crucial to fostering warm and nurturing school environments where teachers are empowered and the children they serve are supported and inspired to develop a love of learning. Congratulations, Kim!”

Groves joined the management team at The Goddard School of Simpsonville (Harrison Bridge) in 2007 and has since expanded her role to serve as regional director for four Goddard Schools. Under her guidance, the schools have achieved exceptional results—including consistently high occupancy, family satisfaction and health and safety reviews—while also advancing implementation of Wonder of Learning^®, The Goddard School’s exclusive inquiry-based education program.

"Kim is an extraordinary leader who brings energy, vision and heart to everything she does, and her ability to motivate her teams, uphold the highest standards and foster a culture of excellence across the schools she serves is nothing short of remarkable,” said Melanie Hyatt, owner of The Goddard Schools of Greenville, Greenville (Pelham Road), Simpsonville (Harrison Bridge) and Simpsonville (Five Forks). “We’ve seen firsthand how her commitment to both operational success and developing meaningful relationships with families and staff has transformed our schools and enriched our community. This recognition is so well-deserved, and we couldn’t be prouder to have her leading our teams."

Beyond her schools, Kim has strengthened the broader Goddard School director community by launching regional collaboration calls, creating a platform for sharing best practices, fostering professional development and elevating performance in the Southeast region. Additionally, The Goddard School of Simpsonville (Five Forks) was recognized as a Goddard School President’s Club member in 2024 and 2025. This prestigious accolade honors the top-performing Goddard Schools that consistently elevate the Goddard brand, reputation and business performance through outstanding achievements in education and operational delivery.

Groves is one of three Director of the Year finalists. The other two deserving finalists are:

• Ryan Mayes, The Goddard School of Goodyear, AZ
• Erin Renaud, The Goddard School of O’Fallon (Dardenne Prairie), MO

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