History
Both with a special education background, Richard Key and Natalie Puckett met while working at a Central Georgia middle school. As the school principal, Richard focused on student achievement by meeting individual student needs and school leadership, while providing a supportive family environment. As the lead special education teacher and later academic coach, Natalie specialized in student achievement through individualized student planning and specific teacher-focused coaching and support. We found that our professional specialties, skills, and interests complimented each other’s in surprising and valuable ways. This made us eager to cultivate our practice, one that combines our expertise and passion to meet the needs and empower students, educators, and educational leaders to reach higher and higher levels of performance and achievement. We believe what creates successful educational outcomes and makes innovation thrive is the passion that drives it, the monitoring that measures it, and the training that sustains it. This is the creative energy that sets us apart in the profession.
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Consultants
Partner/Owner
Educational Consultant/Advocate
Richard A. Key, MA
From working as a para-professional to leading four schools and guiding district initiatives, Richard has represented teacher and student needs since 1987. Richard has sought high levels of student and school performance in rural and urban districts. He has served as a principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels, and he has served as a district-level Title I Director. He is a School Improvement Trainer, Collaborative Language and Speech Services Delivery Model Trainer, a Georgia Leadership for School Improvement trained Leadership Preparation and Performance Coach, and has taught Effective Classroom Discipline Techniques. Richard was recognized as an outstanding educational leader by his superintendent in June 2003, and he was trained as a Leadership Preparation and Performance Coach in 2010. Richard was also selected by his peers as President of the Bibb County Elementary Association in 2010, and later as Bibb County’s Lead Middle School Principal. As principal, his specialized understanding of student needs and program implementation also supported the school in developing a detailed master schedule that provided for all student learning needs and earned the district an additional $3,000,000 in extra FTE earnings over five years.
Richard has charted a path for high levels of student growth and performance as a PreK-12 principal, and as a district-assigned mentor to other principals, with five of his assistant principals moving on to successfully lead their own schools. He received the Middle Georgia RESA Impact Award for service to students with special needs in 2012. Additionally, his work with innovative practices, Boyer’s School Improvement Model, and unique approaches to providing opportunities for all students to succeed led to winning the middle school Rising Star Award from the Georgia Association for Educational Leaders Student Support Team Association for Georgia Educators in April 2018. Additionally, Richard’s focused work on meeting individual student needs and community building moved the school from a 2 star climate rating when he was appointed as principal to a 4 star climate rating when he left the school June 2018. Richard has also taught in the general education, special education, and alternative education environments at the elementary and middle school levels.
In addition to his years of accomplished service in education, Richard also honorably served his country for 21 years in the United States Army Reserve National Guard of Florida, retiring as a First Sergeant, and having served as the Chief Medical NCO for the state for two years. He has served both at home supporting Floridians during hurricanes and flooding, and on federal active duty with his longest deployment to Baghdad, Iraq. During his distinguished career in the military he received a Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (4), National Defense Service Medal (2), Humanitarian Service Medal (2), Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Non-Commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2), Army Reserve Counter Terrorism Ribbon, Florida Service Medal, Florida Recruiter Ribbon, Florida State Active Duty Ribbon (3), and the Florida Service Ribbon (3).
Education
Gulf Coast Community College
Associates in Arts , 1988
Florida State University Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education, 1989
The University of West Florida Master’s of Arts in Educational Leadership, 1999
Valdosta State University Doctoral Candidate Dissertation on Teacher Success with At-Risk Students
Activities & Affiliations
Professional Association of Georgia Educators
Georgia Association for Educational Leaders
Georgia Middle School Association
Council for Exceptional Children
Chamber of Commerce
Association for Curriculum Development
Certifications
Georgia, SRL Level 6 Educational Leadership, Clearance Certificate
Elementary Education
Middle Grades: SRT -Language Arts, Social Science
Special Education: SRT -Clearance Certificate, Language Arts Cognitive Level (P-5, 4-8), Social Science (P-5, 4-8), Math (P-5), Science (P-5), Reading (P-5)
Florida, Elementary 1-6, School Principalship all levels
International Baccalaureate - Middle Grades experience
Presentations & Publications
Specially Designed Instruction and Universal Design for Learning. IDEAS Conference. Presentation conducted from GADOE, St. Simons Island, 2017.
Universal Design for Learning. IDEAS Conference. Presentation conducted from GADOE, St. Simons Island, 2017.
Embedded RtI Interventions: Scheduling Students and Maximizing the Master Schedule to Meet Student Needs. SSTAGE Promising Practices Conference. Presentation conducted from Athens, GA, 2018.
Embedded RtI Interventions: Scheduling Students and Maximizing the Master Schedule to Meet Student Needs. SSTAGE Drive in Conference. Macon, GA, 2018.
UDL, SDI, and Authentic Assessment. IDEAS Conference. Presentation conducted from GADOE, St. Simons Island, 2018.
Partner/Owner
Educational Consultant/Advocate
Natalie R. Puckett, MA
With a background in psychology to serving as a general education teacher to a special education teacher to leading school initiatives as the academic coach focused on at-risk students, Natalie has supported high student achievement and teacher success since 2003. Her focus during her teaching career has been to provide intensive reading interventions for students with mental, learning, and behavioral disabilities. Natalie has served as a school-level PBIS Coach, technology trainer, professional development creator and trainer, student adviser, basketball coach, and advocate for students with special needs. She has been recognized for her work with students with special needs by Middle Georgia RESA and was awarded their Impact Award in 2011. Additionally, Natalie was voted Teacher of the Year by her peers in 2018. Her work as an academic coach focusing on varied student populations supported the winning of the middle school Rising Star Award from the Georgia Association for Educational Leaders Student Support Team Association for Georgia Educators in April 2018. She has served as a mentor for new teachers, for TAPP teachers, and as a coach for struggling and high performing teachers.
Her focused work as an academic coach with math teachers in 2018 saw the number of students scoring proficient in math on the Georgia Milestones double from the previous year. While her work as PBIS Coach supported the schools move from a 3 star to a 4 star climate rating. Natalie has also worked to build relationships in the community to support student growth and to develop a community atmosphere at the school level. She has also served as an advocate for students with special needs and their families ensuring state and federal laws were followed by schools and districts, and to ensure plans were written to provide students the most effective education possible.
Education
The University of Georgia Bachelor’s of Education: Middle Grades Language Arts and Science, 2003
Wesleyan College Master’s of Arts in Middle Grades: Math and Science, 2010
Valdosta State University Doctoral Candidate Dissertation on Successful Students with Special Needs in the Regular Education Environment
Activities & Affiliations
• Professional Association for Georgia Educators
• Association for Middle Level Education
Certifications
• Montessori Lower Elementary 6-9 Curriculum - NAMC - Summer 2024
Georgia - SRT, SRS, Level 5 - Georgia Professional Standards Commission
Clearance Certificate
Teacher Support and Coaching Endorsement
Coaching Endorsement (Academic)
Reading Endorsement
Middle Grades 4-8 Language Arts
Middle Grades 4-8 Math
Middle Grades 4-8 Science
Middle Grades 4-8 Social Studies
Special Education General Curriculum - Consultative
Special Education Language Arts Cognitive Levels K-5, 4-8
Special Education Math Cognitive Levels K-5, 4-8
Special Education Science Cognitive Levels K-5, 4-8
Special Education Social Studies Cognitive Levels K-5, 4-8
Presentations & Publications
Listen to This! Audiobooks in the Classroom. Middle Ground, 31, August 2009.
ASPIRE Program: Real Experiences in Implementing and Facilitating an Effective Self Determination Program in Middle School. GraduateFIRST Best Practice Forum. Lecture conducted from GraduateFIRST, Macon, GA, January 2012.
Rutland Middle School Implementation of ASPIRE Program: GADOE Webinar. GADOE Webinar. Presentation conducted through GADOE Webinar, March 2012.
Student Led IEPs: Implementing Effective Student Led IEPs. IDEAS Conference. Lecture conducted from GADOE, St. Simons Island, GA, June 2012.
Specially Designed Instruction and Universal Design for Learning. IDEAS Conference. Presentation conducted from GADOE, St. Simons Island, GA, June 2012.
Embedded RtI Interventions: Scheduling Students and Maximizing the Master Schedule to Meet Student Needs. SSTAGE Promising Practices Conference. Presentation conducted from Athens, GA, January 2018.
UDL, SDI, and Authentic Assessment. IDEAS Conference. Presentation conducted from GADOE, St. Simons Island, GA, June 2018.
Educational Consultant/Advocate
Donna G. Poole, Ed. S
From beginning in the education profession as a special education teacher, Ms. Poole quickly moved from the classroom to leading schools and districts as an educational leader. Ms. Poole is an accomplished educator and administrator with a lifetime commitment to quality education for all students. She has worked tirelessly with parents, teachers in all her positions. She has worked with school and district leaders to ensure students were receiving a free and appropriate public education and that effective school improvement initiatives were in place. Ms. Poole has extensive experience and training in management (both interpersonal and financial/analytical), and she has over thirty-two years of educational service in Georgia – nine years teaching special education and twenty-one years as an administrator. She has consistently demonstrated an ability to focus the efforts of others on a common goal to achieve program improvements.
Ms. Poole has successfully led development, implementation, and evaluation of School Improvement Plans resulting in substantial gains in student achievement. She is actively involved in professional organizations and community initiatives, and she is an expert speaker and presenter of professional development in many disciplines within the educational profession. Mrs. Poole is an expert in special education, school improvement, and is a trainer on many topics. She is highly qualified to serve as an educational consultant or advocate.
Consultant/Lean six sigma
Malcolm W. Puckett, PhD
From a Masters degree in Christian Education and Practical Theology to a Doctorate in Engineering Management with a focus on strategic and tactical planning, decision analysis, decision making, financial management, research development, forecasting tends, and supporting paradigm shifts, Dr. Puckett has a unique background blending education and business quality improvement models. In 2011-12, he managed enough Lean Six Sigma projects to be awarded Black Belt status by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Since then he has been a management consultant available for federal agencies, educational institutions, private companies, and non-profit or charitable organizations.
Dr. Puckett has been an engineering manager and process improvement supervisor with the federal government, and he has consulted with church organizations. He managed over 25 Lean projects for the Air Force resulting in annual savings of over $1,000,000. He was a key member of a reengineering team for the USAF Materiel Command that identified $30,000,000 in annual savings.
He is passionate about helping organizations by selecting and deploying the most appropriate methodological mix of tools from Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Data Management, and Reengineering. His goal is to help good organizations move toward sustainable excellence and longevity by improving their overall effectiveness in accomplishing their mission and by increased efficiency in the use of resources and funds.
He is an able Toast Master and has served as President of Chapter 121 of the Federal Managers Association.