Lauren Smith of Kalispell will be the new principal at St. Matthew’s Parish School.

Smith is completing her fourth year as a counselor at Flathead High School and will assume her duties at St. Matthew’s in July.

She will succeed Principal Joanna Eichner, who is returning to teaching.

As a congregant and volunteer at St. Matthew’s, Smith said she is excited to take on a leadership role in the school.

“It wasn’t the principal position so much as I wanted to be part of St. Matthew’s [in a new way] and saw it as an opportunity to make a difference in kids’ lives and the parish community,” Smith said.

She said faith definitely has a place in education.

“Children today are faced with a lot of challenges,” Smith said. “For them to be able to use their faith to make decisions in their lives is definitely needed and helpful.”  

In 1993, Smith received a Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. While working in at-risk youth programs at Grandview and Smoky Hill high schools in Aurora, Colo., from 1997 to 2001, she earned a Master’s in Educational Counseling from the University of Phoenix.

She said she is ready to undertake new challenges. “I’ve taken a step out in faith, too.”

Eichner will return to teaching in the fall. Eichner said she wanted to slow down the pace of life to spend more time with her three children who are 2, 4 and 6 years old. She said the decision wasn’t easy.

“Working at St. Matthew’s is a vocation of service. What you’re doing, you’re doing for the benefit of the community,” Eichner said.

She joined St. Matthew’s as an upper-grade teacher in 2001. Eichner was principal while the early learning programs were revitalized and underwent expansion in September. Students switched from taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to the Criterion Referenced Test, which benchmarks student achievement in Montana public schools.

Eichner said she is glad to remain a part of the St. Matthew’s family.

“There’s no better place to be than St. Matthew’s. I’m looking forward to teaching again. We’re educating the whole student at St. Matthew’s — the spirit and mind,” Eichner said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.