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P.O. Box 147
Georgetown, KY 40324
Georgetown, KY 40324
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KCSS Officers and Steering Committee Members
Kelly Beckett, Executive Director
Andrew Danner, President
Rachael Yaden, Vice President
Jessica Goodpaster, Secretary
Andrew Danner, President
Rachael Yaden, Vice President
Jessica Goodpaster, Secretary
KCSS Steering Committee Members
Angela Clay
Annabeth Edens
Lauren Gallicchio
Jessica Goodpaster
Eddie Groves
Harmony Hendrick
Rebecca Ingram
Carly Muetterties
Kevin Presnell
Erik Ransom
Heather Ransom
Kim Sargent
Kimberlee Sharp
Caroline Sheffield
Wayne Stevens
Former Presidents:
Rick Daniel
Glenn Manns
Ryan New
Maddie Shepard
Annabeth Edens
Lauren Gallicchio
Jessica Goodpaster
Eddie Groves
Harmony Hendrick
Rebecca Ingram
Carly Muetterties
Kevin Presnell
Erik Ransom
Heather Ransom
Kim Sargent
Kimberlee Sharp
Caroline Sheffield
Wayne Stevens
Former Presidents:
Rick Daniel
Glenn Manns
Ryan New
Maddie Shepard
Kelly Beckett, Executive Director
Kelly Beckett is a current middle school social studies teacher in Scott County and has been in public education for thirteen years. She is graduating this spring from Morehead State University with her Education Specialist Degree in hopes of pursuing her passion of working in education policy and reform. She earned her Masters in Educational Leadership, Bachelors in Elementary Education, and Bachelors in Secondary Social Studies Education from Midway University. Her research has focused primarily on inequalities in education and how classroom instruction can greatly reduce those inequalities. She currently serves on her district curriculum team, teacher effectiveness and leadership network, and is the social studies department chair at her school. Previously, she served on multiple Site Based Decision Making Boards and as a district KEA president. She believes in teachers being advocates for their profession, their subject matter, and their students. She is very excited to be involved with KCSS because it allows her to advocate, educate, and inform on all things social studies at the state level.
Andrew Danner, President
Andrew Danner currently works as an Academic Designer for Imagine Learning. Before this, he spent 14 years as an educator in Shelby and Jefferson County Public Schools, serving as a teacher, Instructional Coach, student teacher mentor, Department Chair, and Professional Development coordinator, and Cross Country/Track and Field Coach. Through his work both in and out of the classroom, he always strives to help students grow into informed and active citizens, as well as open their minds to the voices and hidden histories that so often go unheard and untold. In addition to his teaching, he is a Doctoral student at the University of Kentucky, studying Curriculum and Instructional Design, and has had his work featured in local, state and national publications. He firmly believes that KCSS has a unique platform to both help teachers grow professionally, as well as be a strong advocate for Social Studies across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is eager to help move this important work forward.
Rachael Yaden, Vice President
Rachael Yaden has worked for the Lincoln County School District for 15 years. She began her career at the Lincoln County Middle School as a Social Studies teacher. While there, she served as the department chair for eight years. She has also served as a district social studies lead to the state cadres. Mrs. Yaden is a National Board Certified Teacher in Middle Level History/Social Studies. She was named Kentucky Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year in 2017. She is currently serving as the Vice President of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies. She has been blessed to have been a part of multiple competitive immersive history programs, including being a Master Teacher with the White House History Teacher Institute. She has presented at numerous conferences around the state. She has also presented at the National Council for History Education annual conference in Washington, D.C. She presented at the National Council of the Social Studies with her White House History Teacher Institute colleagues in 2021. She transitioned to an instructional coach in 2018 and is currently serving the students and faculty of Lincoln County High School.
Jessica Goodpaster, Secretary
Jessica Goodpaster is currently a middle school Social Studies teacher in Fayette County. She previously taught 8th grade social studies at Lincoln County. She holds a bachelor's degree in Secondary Social Studies Education with an emphasis on History and a minor in Political Science from the University of Kentucky. She also has a master's degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Kentucky. Jessica has been in the classroom for four years and she is dedicated to Social Studies education. KCSS is a great opportunity for her to be involved more throughout the state with Social Studies education.
Kelly Beckett is a current middle school social studies teacher in Scott County and has been in public education for thirteen years. She is graduating this spring from Morehead State University with her Education Specialist Degree in hopes of pursuing her passion of working in education policy and reform. She earned her Masters in Educational Leadership, Bachelors in Elementary Education, and Bachelors in Secondary Social Studies Education from Midway University. Her research has focused primarily on inequalities in education and how classroom instruction can greatly reduce those inequalities. She currently serves on her district curriculum team, teacher effectiveness and leadership network, and is the social studies department chair at her school. Previously, she served on multiple Site Based Decision Making Boards and as a district KEA president. She believes in teachers being advocates for their profession, their subject matter, and their students. She is very excited to be involved with KCSS because it allows her to advocate, educate, and inform on all things social studies at the state level.
Andrew Danner, President
Andrew Danner currently works as an Academic Designer for Imagine Learning. Before this, he spent 14 years as an educator in Shelby and Jefferson County Public Schools, serving as a teacher, Instructional Coach, student teacher mentor, Department Chair, and Professional Development coordinator, and Cross Country/Track and Field Coach. Through his work both in and out of the classroom, he always strives to help students grow into informed and active citizens, as well as open their minds to the voices and hidden histories that so often go unheard and untold. In addition to his teaching, he is a Doctoral student at the University of Kentucky, studying Curriculum and Instructional Design, and has had his work featured in local, state and national publications. He firmly believes that KCSS has a unique platform to both help teachers grow professionally, as well as be a strong advocate for Social Studies across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is eager to help move this important work forward.
Rachael Yaden, Vice President
Rachael Yaden has worked for the Lincoln County School District for 15 years. She began her career at the Lincoln County Middle School as a Social Studies teacher. While there, she served as the department chair for eight years. She has also served as a district social studies lead to the state cadres. Mrs. Yaden is a National Board Certified Teacher in Middle Level History/Social Studies. She was named Kentucky Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year in 2017. She is currently serving as the Vice President of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies. She has been blessed to have been a part of multiple competitive immersive history programs, including being a Master Teacher with the White House History Teacher Institute. She has presented at numerous conferences around the state. She has also presented at the National Council for History Education annual conference in Washington, D.C. She presented at the National Council of the Social Studies with her White House History Teacher Institute colleagues in 2021. She transitioned to an instructional coach in 2018 and is currently serving the students and faculty of Lincoln County High School.
Jessica Goodpaster, Secretary
Jessica Goodpaster is currently a middle school Social Studies teacher in Fayette County. She previously taught 8th grade social studies at Lincoln County. She holds a bachelor's degree in Secondary Social Studies Education with an emphasis on History and a minor in Political Science from the University of Kentucky. She also has a master's degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Kentucky. Jessica has been in the classroom for four years and she is dedicated to Social Studies education. KCSS is a great opportunity for her to be involved more throughout the state with Social Studies education.