The Goddard School is set to open its doors in Riverton come spring 2026.

The early childhood education franchise held its groundbreaking June 6 at 12653 S. 3600 West. It will have 10 classrooms for approximately 160 students from 6 weeks to 6 years old. 

In the school’s press release, it also touted bringing 25 teaching jobs to the community 

“We are honored to bring The Goddard School experience to Utah and excited to provide an environment where our students will feel safe, supported and inspired to thrive in school and in life,” owner Bob Santo said. “We’re proud to become part of the Riverton community and look forward to supporting local families with high-quality early childhood education.” 

The school will use inquiry-based learning, specifically the Wonder of Learning program, an approach that focuses on the “natural curiosity and sense of wonder children bring into the classroom,” according to the press release. 

Educators, researchers, physicians and early childhood experts developed the curriculum used by Goddard which, through a proprietary app, assesses academic and social-emotional progress. 

 “We see every new school as an opportunity to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families, and we’re excited to begin that journey in Utah with The Goddard School of Riverton,” Matt Zaia said, senior vice president and chief development officer, Goddard Systems, LLC, manager of The Goddard School franchise system. “This is just the beginning of our efforts to serve communities across the state with the trusted care, inquiry-based learning and developmental support that families nationwide have come to expect from Goddard.” λ