Brad Avery, Secondary Technology Trainer
Brad Avery taught mathematics at Rocky Mountain High School for 9 years prior to becoming an instructional technology trainer.  He has a passion for teaching and technology, and is very enthusiastic about working with teachers and students alike to create and facilitate learning opportunities that engage students via new technologies and transforming instruction through utilization of emerging technologies.  Brad has experience with a wide range of technology hardware and software including SMART boards, document cameras, Google Apps, Blackboard, many web 2.0 tools and resources, and much more.  He would be thrilled to meet with you to co-plan or co-teach lessons and to assist you with whatever technology needs or questions that you may have.   Brad also enjoys talking about himself in the third person, as evidenced by this biography.
Contact Brad at bavery@psdschools.org or 970-692-4889

Ben Johnson, Secondary Technology Trainer
Ben Johnson has fifteen years of teaching experience at the secondary and post-secondary level.  He has taught technology in Poudre School District, the University of Northern Colorado, and Colorado State University.  Ben is a certified Google educator and was honored as a Microsoft Innovative Educator.  He holds a PhD. in educational technology and a doctoral minor in applied statistics and research methods.  Ben loves to help teachers integrate technology because it makes learning exciting, relevant, and engaging.  Ben believes the power of technology lies in its ability to provide students with a vehicle for collaboration, problem solving, and critical thinking.  Specific areas of interest include: Google Apps, Blackboard, Game Programming, and Web 2.0 technology. 
Contact Ben at benj@psdschools.org or 970-490-3436

Mike Foster, Secondary Technology Trainer
Mike Foster comes from Blevins Middle School as a math, science, and geography teacher and taught elementary school early in his career.  He enjoys working with teachers and helping them discover how emerging technologies enhance delivery of their own curricular areas. He believes teachers must gain a practical, “golden-nugget” from each session, so expect time to try out each new skill.
Contact Mike at mfoster@psdschools.org or 970-692-4803

Adam McBride, Secondary Technology Trainer
Adam McBride has been teaching at Fort Lupton High School for six years.  During that time, he taught physics, math, all levels of chemistry, astronomy, was the school's MESA advisor, and was voted by his peers to be head of the science department. The Weld Re-8 school district also has a planetarium and Adam enjoyed working as the district's planetarium director.  During that time, he built a fulldome digital video system.  For his work in the planetarium, Adam was featured on the front page of the Greeley Tribune and was a Denver Post "Interesting Person in Colorado".   Adam currently holds a BS in chemistry from the University of Northern Colorado, completed a certificate program in "advanced science instruction" from Colorado State University, and plans on working toward his Master's degree in natural science education.  In his classroom, Adam loves using technology to facilitate an inquiry based learning model.  Adam believes that effective use of technology in the classroom is a great way to increase student engagement, achievement, and 21st century skills.  He looks forward to collaborating with such an awesome team of technology trainers and working with great PSD teachers.
Contact Adam at amcbride@psdschools.org or 970-692-4834

Ara McKelvey, Secondary Technology Trainer
Ara McKelvey has been working in education for the past 14 years as a classroom teacher, ELA teacher, and ELA coach. She enjoys planning and teaching alongside colleagues and has seen the benefit when it comes to meeting the needs of students. In her classes, students frequently create ebooks, do digital storytelling, and use various other types of technology that encourage collaboration and critical thinking. Ara has been using Smart software for several years. She is a Smart Certified Lesson Developer and became a Smart Exemplary Educator in 2011. She firmly believes that an effective use of technology can engage students, push their thinking to new levels, and prepare them for the amazing possibilities that await them. She is excited to help teachers explore different technological resources and apply them to ideas being taught in the classroom.
Contact Ara at aram@psdschools.org or at 970-692-4906

Aaron Berthold, Secondary Technology Trainer
Contact Aaron at aberthold@psdschools.org or 970-692-3622

Suzanne Biedscheid, Elementary Technology Trainer
Suzanne Biedscheid has been an elementary classroom teacher for 27 years with experience in all grades, K-6, where technology has always been a part of everyday teaching.  She is a 2010 Smart Exemplary Educator with 4 years teaching experience with a Smartboard in the classroom.   She believes, with proper training, teaching with a Smartboard is like having another teacher in the classroom.  Technology in the classroom does not end with a Smartboard for Suzanne. She can help your classroom come alive to meet the needs of our 21st century learners by modeling the latest, research-based technology integration techniques.
Contact Suzanne at sbiedsch@psdshools.org or 970-692-4748

Wayne Thornes, Elementary Technology Trainer
Wayne Thornes comes to us from Tucson, Arizona, where he worked as a Curriculum and Technology Integration Trainer focusing on elementary students and their teachers. A National Board Certified teacher, he has eighteen years of classroom experience working with students from Kindergarten to 8th grade. In his own classroom, he utilized a wide range of technological tools to help students be more engaged in learning, and worked to use technology to make his own work more efficient and effective. Recently he has worked with teachers on Smart Board lesson development, the seamless integration of clickers in daily instruction, using blogs and wikis to increase student engagement, the creation and publication of digital stories, on-line safety, using web 2.0 tools to facilitate on and off-line research and note-taking, and on developing lessons that utilize the collaborative power of Google Apps for Education. A strong believer in the power of just-in-time training, he is most excited about opportunities to work with individuals or small teams on planning and implementing 21st century learning opportunities for students, though he happy as well when a teacher is trying something to be in the classroom “just in case.”
Contact Wayne at wthornes@psdschools.org or 970-692-4904

Dan Shinneman, Elementary Technology Trainer
Dan Shinneman has been teaching for 13 years integrating technology in a variety of subject areas and grade levels. As the Media and Technology Specialist for Dunn Elementary, he has worked side by side with teachers to assist them in integrating technology into their lessons and units. Dan was also a trainer and coach for the Poudre School District Digital Educator Project and Ensuring Access. These programs supported 4th and 5th grade teachers with the integration of emerging technologies including: SMART boards, document cameras, student response systems clickers, netbooks and laptops. He was an art teacher for 9 years and enjoys enhancing lessons with creativity and technology. Dan is excited for the opportunity to support the elementary teachers with integrating technology across their curriculum. He is knowledgeable of emerging technologies and loves to work with both teachers and students.
Contact Dan at dshinnem@psdschools.org or at 970-692-4731

Juliet Sisnroy, Elementary Technology Trainer
Juliet Sisnroy has had the pleasure of working in Poudre School District elementary schools for the past ten years. She has been a classroom teacher, a literacy teacher, a Title I teacher, an instructional coach and a literacy coach. As a coach, Juliet has worked extensively with adult learners to positively affect classroom instruction with the ultimate goal of raising the level of student achievement. She has witnessed the power of working alongside teachers in their own classrooms as they interact with their unique students. As a technology trainer for the district, Juliet is excited for the opportunity to help teachers incorporate a variety of new technologies, including Smartboards, laptops, document cameras, netbooks, and a wealth of fun new software into their daily instruction. In her own classroom, Juliet has always had a passion for integrating a variety of technology tools into her instruction to enhance student learning and engagement. She looks forward to guiding other teachers as they do the same.
Contact Juliet at jsisnroy@psdschools.org or 970-692-4765