COEUR d'ALENE - As Shelly Matthews provides a quick tour of Lutheran Academy of the Master at Ramsey and Kathleen, you can't help but notice a few things.

The class sizes are small, in the 10-15 student range. It is a calm, peaceful atmosphere, with the piano music of Jim Brickman playing in one room. The kids are smiling, studying and paying attention. Inside each room there is usually a Bible verse, such as this one: "Always be humble and gentle, be patient, accept each other with love." - Ephesians 4:2.

With 112 students in grades preschool to fifth-grade, the student to staff ratio is low.

"That's why we can do what we do in four days a week," Matthews says. "We have a very advanced curriculum. We just don't mess around. We don't have discipline issues."

It was Matthews who started the private, Christian school 15 years ago with 12 students. Today, as principal, she oversees a staff of 25, 6 full time, and a budget of less than $500,000.

It's about more than just teaching academics, she explains.

"We're developing strong Christian leaders, not only here on campus, but to be out in the community," the Twin Lakes resident said. "We started a program this year, developing strong Christian leaders who are humble servants, that's really important to me."

Matthews grew up in Indiana, the middle child of three of Larry and Lorraine Sower. The family lived in the country, where she developed a love for riding horses and swimming, and learned the value of hard work. She attended public schools and the Lutheran church. Over the years, the Ball State University graduate sold World Book Encyclopedias, taught at an Indian reservation and cleaned offices at night.

"We did what we had to do to survive," Matthews said.

Through it all, her faith has guided her.

"I have to turn to God first in everything I do and look for direction, because I couldn't do this, otherwise," she said.

What do you think when you look back on the past 15 years at Lutheran Academy of the Master?

I think God had a much bigger plan than I ever even envisioned. I started a preschool because my son was 4. I have a degree in education. I had educational materials to do preschool with him at home, but I never took the time to do it. I asked the church here if I could start a preschool, because I knew if I was responsible for other people's children, my other child would get the same benefit and it has just blossomed from there. It was time for me to go back to work. I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom as long as I could. Financially, I needed to get to work.

Turned out well, didn't it?

The irony is, after I asked the church permission to start a school here and they gave it to me, I got a call from Lakeland School District because I'd subbed with them some, asking me to do a long-term subbing position as an art teacher in the high school. She was taking a sabbatical and my specialty is art. My husband said 'You're taking it, right?' That was $20,000 versus starting something and making no money. I just knew I was supposed to start the preschool. He gulped hard and of course, supported me.

What are some challenges you've faced?

Staying true to who we are as we've grown, and we've grown quickly, because we were just preschool for a number of years and then when we took the leap of faith to start a first- and second-grade combo class with four kids, that was a huge leap of faith. The next year, we just blossomed. Christ the King school closed and we had 50 families come to us and say 'Hey, can you help us out?'

So it's been a challenge to keep the quality as we've grown and to keep the core values in place.

What is the key to success here?

You know, I write on the top of my principal's report every month for the school board, our core values and we have to stick with those.

It's the people here at this school that make it what it is. It's not me, it's the staff who really have sacrificed a lot to be here. We have single moms making less than $25,000 a year. I want to give them so much more. You can only charge so much for tuition, we're not an elitist school.

What are the core values?

Small student to staff ratio. It's a loving Christian atmosphere. I have the best staff in the world and they work for pennies on the dollar. A passion for kids, for making a difference in kids' lives and looking at the well-rounded child, to make sure this isn't just a school about academics. I love having the kids in my office to help mold them when they get in trouble. That's when I can have a huge affect on them. That's what the school is about. It's about tough love. We don't have discipline problems. I'll see kids in the fall, but we get them on the right track and then I don't see them again.

Did you ever have any doubts this school would work?

You know, I did. My job has been to find my place in God's plan. I held the school back for a while, it's a lot of work and I was trying to raise a family. I felt like when we did take the leap to start elementary school, I just had to let go of a lot and say, 'Lord, you put me where I am needed' but I've got to keep my family first because this job can just consume you. And I love it.

What is your main role here?

I feel like my responsibility has been to get that ship across the ocean to our destination without going off course too much. Being here from the beginning, I know what's worked and what's made us a success, so I have to just keep making sure I remind everybody as we make minor adjustments as we change. I have to be really strong in reminding people what our mission is and staying true to it.

What's next for you?

There's a new organization that's started called NICCE, North Idaho Coalition for Christian Education. A small group of us started it just this past fall. It's something I had envisioned for a long time. We need, as a Christian education community, to support each other, to be stronger, not look at each other as competition. We're all in this together. How can we strengthen what we're doing? I see that group getting stronger. I think God's going to open some big doors in the Christian education community. We need to get back to family values and a strong academic education without too many strings attached, and we can offer that. It's an investment in your child's education, but it's the best investment you'll make. If you do it early, it has the best payoff. I envision this school probably outgrowing this campus.

What would you do then? Find a new spot?

We're working on it. Our long range planning committee has been working on it. It's all in God's time, not mine.

Is there anything else you want the community to know about Lutheran Academy of the Master?

Come and see what we do. We have an open house at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Come and see the love for learning these kids have. These kids love to come to school.

Has it been a rewarding career so far?

It's a great job. You can't do it halfway. It takes a lot of time and energy. I love that.

SNAPSHOT

Shelly Matthews

Date of birth: May 10, 1963

Family: Husband, Paul. Two sons, Forrest and Parker.

Education: Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University

Number of hours on average you work in a week: 45

Number of hours on average you sleep in a night: 7-8

Hobbies: Paddleboarding,tennis, cycling, gardening

Favorite book: I'm trying to read more classics.

Favorite movie: I like romantic comedies. I like happy endings.

Favorite spectator sport: Whatever my kids are playing.

Favorite type of music: '80s. Depends on what I'm doing.

Quality you admire most in a person: Initiative.

Person who most influenced your life: I think God moves people in and out of your life all the time for you to learn from and I've had so many of those people in my life.

One thing you consider your greatest accomplishment: My family, my relationship with my husband.

Best advice you ever received: Pick your battles.