Granville Elementary School is thrilled to welcome our new Kindergarten students in August! Our experienced teachers are dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for our students to thrive. With a focus on academic excellence and social development, we are confident that our new students will have a successful and enjoyable year. We look forward to seeing the impact they will make in our school community.
You can help your child get ready for kindergarten right now! You don’t need special tools or toys. Loving, laughing, smiling, and hugging your child every day makes a big difference in their growth. For more easy, everyday ideas to help your child grow and learn, check out these resources.
Granville, Ohio Preschool Programs
Granville Parent Co-op
Kids Education and Recreation
Little Village
Sonshine Preschool
St. Edward’s Preschool
Welsh Hills
Zero to Three Children don’t come with a manual, but fortunately, parents can turn to ZERO TO THREE child resources for up-to-date caregiving information and support. We are committed to bringing out the best in each baby and toddler and know that parents are key to the success of our mission.
Centers for Disease Control: Child Development Information about developmental milestones and tips for things that parents can do to help their children during each stage of development.
Start Early Parents are a child’s first and best teacher. That’s why Start Early assembles resources from our experts that give parents tools to help their children thrive.
Vonda McDonald: I have been teaching art for 31 years. I have two daughters who graduated from Granville Schools. I love inspiring students to explore art, think creatively and to problem solve.
Sarah Sherwood: I’m Sarah Sherwood, a Granville graduate and your child’s library teacher. In the library, you’ll see lots of hands-on learning, and exploration as students build a love of reading, thinking, and discovering. One of my favorite parts of my role is getting to watch students grow from kindergarten through third grade!
Chris Ward: I love teaching physical education for grades K–3 because it gives me the opportunity to help students build confidence, fundamental motor skills, and a lifelong appreciation for physical activity. Watching K–3 students grow in their skills, learn to work together, and experience success in an inclusive and supportive environment makes my job incredibly rewarding.
Adriana Spencer: Adriana Spencer was born in Mexico and received a Bachelor’s degree in art education and Spanish, as well as a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso. She loves teaching kindergarten Spanish because young children are natural, fearless language learners who thrive with songs, movement, and play, allowing her to build a joyful foundation for lifelong language learning.
KG TEAM
Erin Bade: Hello, my name is Erin Bade. I have been teaching kindergarten at Granville Elementary School for 11 years. What I love most about kindergarten is being a part of each students first school experience and helping them develop their excitement for learning. My biggest hope is that each student will feel loved and safe in my classroom.
Jessica Weaver: Hi! I'm Jessica Weaver and I'm one of the kindergarten teachers at GES. Being a Granville graduate myself, I love being able to instill the same love for the school and our town as I've felt for many years. I love to dance and sing and make learning fun for all the littlest Blue Aces! My ultimate goal as a teacher though is to connect, show love, and make my students feel safe with me, and in our classroom.
Janet Diddle: My name is Janet Diddle, and I have been teaching kindergarten in Granville for 23 years. I love helping young students find a love for learning and helping them achieve so many new things in their first year of school. I also grew up in Granville, so it is special to be able to teach in the same district that I attended. When I am not teaching, I enjoy reading, baking, and spending time with my husband at our home in Westerville.
Lindsay Miller: My name is Lindsay Miller and I have been teaching in Granville for 16 years. My family has strong ties to this community, and my husband and I are excited to be raising our 2 little boys in Granville as well. I love teaching kindergarten because each day brings curiosity, joy, and big moments of discovery. I enjoy guiding children as they learn to read, count, and use their voices; watching their confidence grow is incredibly rewarding. I value the chance to build strong relationships with students and families and to create a classroom where every child feels safe, seen, and excited to learn.
Anne Stewart: Hello! My name is Anne Stewart and I have been teaching for 18 years. I love teaching Kindergarten and helping our youngest students learn about themselves and how to be part of a classroom community. My goal is to instill a love of learning, help children make connections and friends, and help every child find their own passions. I want every child to love coming to school every day! I can’t wait to get to know and love your kindergartener!
Danae Griffith: Hello! My name is Danae Griffith, and I have been teaching for 16 years. This is my third year teaching kindergarten, and I love watching kindergarteners build friendships and learn to read. It’s such an exciting year full of growth and fun. I live in the community with my husband, 2 dogs and 2 kids who will attend GES and GIS. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and playing pickleball.
Jeaneen Durham: My name is Ms. Durham and I have been teaching in Granville Schools since 2013. I love everything nature and spend most of my time outside even in the Winter. I love teaching kindergarten because kinders are so excited to discover new things and I try my best to make sure we have fun while doing so.
GES OFFICE STAFF
Brennan Swords , Administrative Assistant: Brennan Swords joined Granville Elementary in 2023 after moving to Granville with her family in 2022. She loves working in the front office and getting to know all the students throughout the year. Brennan and her husband, Robby, are proud to be part of the Granville community. Robby coaches wrestling at Granville High School, and their daughter Ruby is a sixth grader at Granville Intermediate School. Outside of school, Brennan enjoys all things volleyball, taking long walks, reading, spending time with friends and family, and hanging out with their big chocolate Lab, Buster. She’s excited to welcome everyone and help make it a great school year!
Tiera Cramer, Office Aide
Gina Burdick, District Nurse: I am District school nurse for Granville schools and my office is at the elementary school. I will be going into my 15th year here at Granville in this role. I love meeting all the new Kindergarteners every year!
Isabelle Thatcher, School Counselor: I have been in education for over twenty years. I have been an elementary school counselor for ten years after being an elementary school classroom teacher. I grew up in Granville and raised our three children in the community. I love teaching children about their feelings and helping them build their friendships at school.
NAEYC School classrooms are busy places where young children learn all sorts of things, including social and emotional skills such as how to express feelings and how to work together with friends on a project. Here are some suggestions for helping your child develop social and emotional skills at home.
American Academy of Pediatrics During your child's preschool-age years, they'll discover a lot about themselves and interacting with people around them. Once they reach age 3, your child will be much less selfish than they were before. They'll be less dependent on you. This is a sign that their own sense of identity is stronger and more secure.
Social Competence Checklist Social competence refers to a person’s ability to get along with others. The checklist was created to help teachers and caregivers assess preschool children’s social competence.
Reading Rockets Browse resources to strengthen reading and literacy skills — everything from multilingual reading tips to hands-on STEM activities, with books and joyful reading at the center.
Day By Day Ohio Family Literacy Calendar A perpetual calendar for young children and their families, featuring a song, a video, activities, and book recommendations for every day of the year! DayByDayOH, a service of the State Library of Ohio in collaboration with Ohio Ready to Read, also includes literacy and health information and an Ohio public library locator map.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio provides young children a free book every month from birth to age five. Families in any Ohio county may enroll their young children in this program as early as birth. This opportunity is FREE for families. The Imagination Library is reaching children in all 88 counties thanks to the support of Ohio's public libraries and other early childhood literacy partners.
PBS Parents: Literacy: Parents and caregivers can learn about reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills at every age from 2-8, explore how children become readers and writers, and discover ways to help them develop by talking, reading, and writing together every day.
NAEYC Children who have lots of experiences with books absorb the rhythms and patterns of language and, at surprisingly early ages, begin to imitate the language and gestures their parents and caregivers use while sharing stories, sometimes turning pages and murmuring as they “read” the pictures.
Reach Out and Read Sharing books creates special moments between children and the caring adults in their lives. These moments help children feel loved, build their brains, and spark a lifelong love of reading. Reach Out and Read offers helpful resources for families who want to enjoy reading together.
OSU Family Literacy Toolkit For each age group, you will find learning milestones, learning at home resources, ideas for communicating with your child’s school including questions to ask, and ways to get help as you advocate for your child’s learning needs.
Journey to 5 in Licking County is a newly formed, county-wide initiative that is working to increase the number of children who are prepared to succeed in kindergarten. Granville Schools is proud to be one of the nearly 30 different organizations participating in Journey to 5.
About Us
Recognizing that early childhood experiences lay the foundation for lifelong success, Journey to 5 in Licking County serves as both an advocate and a partner for families, ensuring every child has the opportunity to flourish.
Mission: is to create and promote opportunities that ensure our youngest children have the foundation to reach their greatest potential on their journey to kindergarten.
Vision: is to create an environment where all Licking County children are prepared to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.
Resources by age group to support your child
Journey to 5 has compiled brochures with resources ranging from 0-5 years old.
Have additional questions about the journey to 5 program? please contact us.
