Enrolling soon for 2026-2027!

Hi! My name is Cara Shambaugh, and I was born and raised in Massachusetts, where I received my Master’s in Education. 8 years ago, I moved across the country to Oregon to live on a farm. My husband Josh and I recently purchased property in Oregon City and named it Dragonfly Ranch. In August 2022, we moved there with our two kids, Rena (12) and Drew (6), as well as several horses, three goats, fifteen chickens, two cats, one bunny, one pig, and our dog, Remy. With the founding of Dragonfly Ranch Education, our focus is on educating children through hands-on experiences with ranch life, including raising animals and growing food. As Co-Director for Dragonfly Ranch Education, I design the curriculum and activities to make learning fun and exciting. I have had this role for 7 years and counting! By combining our strengths in education and the love of working with nature and animals, we intend Dragonfly Ranch Education to have a lasting impact on the lives of children in the community.  I have worked with children for over 20+ years and have seen firsthand how animals and the outdoors enhance learning and socialization! I have encountered this with my children as well. We love exploring and playing outside with nature and animals. 

My name is Dan Silvey, and I was born and raised right here in Oregon (OR). I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon and my Master's in Education from Portland State University. I currently live in Wilsonville, OR, with my wife (Amy), our two children (Declan, 11 & Josie, 9), and our boxer (Lucky). I am one of the founding members of Dragonfly Ranch, LLC. One of my major roles on the ranch is being a Co-Director for Dragonfly Ranch Education. I've been working in this role for 7 years. Before leaning into my interest in working with Preschool-aged children, I worked with kindergarten-5th-grade-aged students for over 15 years. As I’ve watched my own kids grow up, I’m reminded of how kids often look to the outdoors, play, and relationships to further their own interests. My own kids, as well as the ones I’ve worked with in schools, have influenced me in my work life, but also my family life. My family loves to adventure out and try new things when we can, as well as some of the things we just love like the Oregon Ducks, golfing, camping, & animals.