Staff Bio

Ray Tscillard

Director
rtschillard@plcoutdoors.org

Ray Tschillard is the Director of the Poudre Learning Center, President of the Board of Directors for the Poudre Learning Center. He has over 31 years of educational experience working with students of all age levels and has been active in developing and promoting science curriculum that focuses on inquiry based methods. Ray is passionate about the development of students through outdoor education.
He completed his MA degree in Earth Science at the University of Northern Colorado and received a bachelor's degree in Earth Science from Simpson College. He and his wife Debbie have two adult children and two grandchildren.

Paulette Weaver

Curriculum Coordinator
pweaver@plcoutdoors.org

Paulette Weaver is the Curriculum Coordinator of the Poudre Learning Center. The combination of spending time outdoors, working with kids in the sciences and outdoor activities, and having great variety in the work environment seems nearly ideal for Paulette. She is a retired teacher who enjoys sharing her love of science and the outdoors with students. Paulette and her husband Ken have three grown daughters who are enjoying their respective careers on both coasts of the U. S.

Tammy Rusch

Administrative Assistant
trusch@plcoutdoors.org

Tammy is the Poudre Learning Center’s Administrative Assistant. Tammy has 9 years of experience working in supporting roles in K-12 education before coming to the PLC. Four of those years were spent in the District 6 office of Academic Achievement. Tammy was raised in Eastern Colorado and has spent most of her adult life in the Greeley area, currently a resident of Kersey. Tammy and her husband Mike have 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren.

Mike S.

Teacher in Residence
mswitzer@plcoutdoors.org

Early on Mike realized that education is the key to success and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Over the years he discovered how technology can be used to help students learn, he earned a masters degree in Educational Technology from Lesley University (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Mike has recently retired after teaching for 32 years.  In his spare time, he travels, skis, hunts ( He is always looking for a corn field to hunt in!), fishes, reads and spends time with family.

MaryAnn Murphy

Teacher in Residence
mmurphy@plcoutdoors.org

MaryAnn is a Teacher in Residence at the Poudre Learning Center. She grew up on a ranch in North Park and still occasionally “rides the range” with her brother on the family ranch. She is a 13-year teaching veteran. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from Colorado State University. She most recently earned a Master of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Northern Colorado. While at District 6, MaryAnn has taught general earth science, geology, astronomy, biology, natural science, and science research techniques at the high school level. MaryAnn has a passion for science through inquiry and the use of the great outdoors as a tool to make science education relevant for all students. She and her husband, Ryan, reside on a small farm outside Greeley and have three adult children whom she is willing to talk about ad nauseam.