PONDERAY — Melinda Rossman knows how to draw a crowd.

Several people in attendance at the Lake Pend Oreille School Board meeting on Dec. 12 were there specifically for her presentation on the Home School Academy. But that is not the only crowd she's drawn. She has also grown the Home School Academy from its initial 16 students in 2016 to nearly 70 ready to start in January.

"We found an absolute diamond in Melinda Rossman and she has far exceeded our expectations," said LPOSD Superintendent Shawn Woodward.

Rossman, teacher and facilitator of Sandpoint's Home School Academy, said when she saw the newspaper advertisement for the position, she said, "That's my job." And it was.

"This is by far the most extraordinary experience of my professional career," Rossman said.

The Home School Academy provides supplemental education for local home-school students. It is administered through LPOSD and requires students to attend a minimum of two-and-half-hours per week, though many attend more than the minimum. At the end of September 2016, the school achieved 503 student contact hours. One year later, at the end of September 2017, that number grew to 2,350 contact hours  — for one month.

"Right now I think we are just under 7,000 hours for this year as far as student attendance hours," Rossman said. "So it is pretty awesome what is going on with our school."

Rossman holds different classes each day of the week and the programs change for fall, winter and spring sessions. For the upcoming winter session, for example, Monday classes will include reading, writing and science. On Tuesdays, the kids will hit the slopes during an eight-week ski program on Schweitzer. Wednesdays will be filled with dance, art and math. Thursdays, Rossman said, will consist of an "in-depth mountain" education program. The final day of the week will remain "Freeform Fridays" with the students continuing their current lessons in learning the Latin language.

A few of the parents spoke to the trustees about their experience with the Home School Academy, all of whom agreed having such a "unique" program in Sandpoint is exciting.

Suanne Ellis, who was initially leary of the school as it is part of LPOSD, said her son is thriving in the home-school. He struggled to fit in when he attended Sagle Elementary, she said, but after trying out the Home School Academy last spring, he told his mom how great it was.

"He knew we were welcome — he was welcome," Ellis said. "The kid who couldn’t fit in elsewhere was welcome. I know this story isn’t the only story of a child feeling that way … The mutual respect in that room — I don’t like to call it a classroom but I don’t have a better word for it — it’s not just the teacher to the student, it’s student to student. That’s phenomenal."

Her son is one of several students in the program who are above grade-level, and she said that is one of the big draws for parents.

Cheri Tilford, who also spoke at the meeting, is a parent and teaches art to the home-school students.

"I am continually impressed by the kids and the families who are part of the program," Tilford said. "They are open and they’re generous and they’re sweet, and I think that’s because Melinda is a sweet person who is generous and open and she pulls that to her. I can only imagine how much (the school) is going to grow and how awesome it is going to get."

Mary Malone can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.