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Available Consultants

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During her 35-year career Debby Atherton held successful positions as an elementary, middle, and high school teacher and principal. Before her tenure as principal of Bullitt East High School, Ms. Atherton served as a Director of Secondary Education, a District Assessment Coordinator, and Regional Science Consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education.  Ms. Atherton was honored with the Louisville Writing Project's Patrona Award for her support of the teaching of writing.  In 2021 Governor Andy Beshear appointed Ms. Atherton to the state's School Curriculum, Assessment and Accountability Council.  (SCAAC) Since her retirement Ms. Atherton has provided professional development for teachers and administrators throughout Kentucky as a private educational consultant for Abell & Atherton Educational Consulting, Inc.

Holly Elmore is a 27-year veteran English teacher with experience in both middle (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) in Morgantown, KY. She served as Writing Cluster Leader for six years at Butler County Middle School and as On-Demand Coordinator for four years at Butler County High School. She fostered growth at the high school level and saw gains in over 34 points just in On-Demand.  Mrs. Elmore has designed multiple professional development workshops in her district for content teachers.  She helped all content teachers see the value of using reading and writing to demonstrate learning in their content areas.  Scores have once again moved in her area.  Mrs. Elmore is also a Western Kentucky University Writing Project Fellow.  She is also a leading member of the Professional Growth Effectiveness System and was asked to participate on the 50/50 Committee for the Butler County school system. "I love what I do and helping others help students achieve is the most rewarding job," per Mrs. Elmore.

Andrea Isaacs is a fifth year English teacher who lives to inspire others both inside and out of the classroom. She currently teaches freshmen, but has experience teaching juniors and seniors.  Andrea specializes in high-energy instruction that brings writing and reading to a prominent center of the educational experience. She has worked as a presenter for the Louisville Writing Project, along with a list of professional development and teacher trainings that encourage teachers to visually engage students while incorporating progressive technology and cross-content collaboration.

Gaye Foster has a variety of work and teaching experience, having worked in the medical profession for fifteen years prior to her twenty five years of teaching science for grades 7-12 in Allen County-Scottsville public schools.  Gaye is a 1990 WKU Writing Project Fellow and has co-directed both the writing project and the WKU Advanced Writing Project.  She worked as KDE's Region II Writing Consultant and has done Writing Across the Curriculum workshops across Kentucky and throughout the nation.

Nancy Huston brings her energy, excitement, and years of experiences.  This Elementary Consultant's expertise lies in her ability to engage students through the effective us of research-based strategies to immerse young learners in reading and writing.

Nancy has 17 years of classroom experience with first and second grade learners.  In addition, she has experience as the Assistant to the Director for the WKU Kentucky Reading Project for seven years, State Reading First Coach for four years, and grant coordinator for GRREC's Early Reading First program for four years. Nancy is a WKU Writing Project Fellow and has served on the WKU Writing Project advisory board and as the In Service Coordinator.  She is currently working part time as a K-3 Literacy Consultant for GRREC's Race to the Top grant.

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