Pathfinder Forge Studio | Microschool in Plainfield & Naperville

Meet the Team

Meet the Founders

Katie & Tim — Pathfinder Forge Studio

Pathfinder Forge Studio was created by educators, parents, and entrepreneurs who believe learning should be meaningful, engaging, and rooted in both academic foundations and real-world application.

We’re Katie and Tim — high school sweethearts, lifelong learners, and parents of three — and we’re passionate about building an educational environment where students are known, challenged, and inspired.

Katie Matt

🎓 Katie’s Teaching Background

Katie graduated early from Augustana College with a degree in Biology, Secondary Education, and a minor in Environmental Studies. She began her teaching career at Bartlett High School, where she taught Biology and Chemistry for four years. She later returned to her alma mater, Neuqua Valley High School, teaching Biology and Honors Biology until 2022.

Alongside teaching, Katie coached boys and girls volleyball from, and competitively coached club volleyball until becoming a parent. Coaching reinforced her belief that learning, discipline, teamwork, and confidence are built through structured challenge and meaningful relationships.

While in the classroom, Katie specialized in problem-based learning and modeling instruction in science, an approach that emphasizes inquiry, experimentation, data analysis, and student-driven reasoning rather than memorization. Her classrooms were built around students asking questions, building models, testing ideas, and applying concepts to real-world problems.

Katie earned her Master’s Degree and Endorsement as an Educational Technology Specialist, completing over 60 additional graduate hours focused on areas such as Google ecosystem implementation, instructional technology leadership, curriculum design, and modeling-based science pedagogy. She became known for integrating technology purposefully — not as a replacement for teaching, but as a way to enhance collaboration, feedback, research, and creative problem solving.

Pathfinder Forge Studio was born from that intersection: the strength of homeschooling combined with the resources, structure, and professional practice of a school. Katie leads curriculum design at Pathfinder Forge Studio with a focus on hands-on projects, critical thinking, academic modeling, responsible AI integration, and learning that prepares students for real life — not just tests.

Tim Matt

Tim’s Teaching Background

Tim graduated from St. Ambrose University with a degree in Elementary Education and began his career teaching at Goodings Grove Elementary School, working with 4th grade students. He later taught at McCarty Elementary School, continuing in 3rd and 5th grade classrooms and developing a passion for building strong academic foundations through engaging, hands-on instruction.

Alongside teaching, Tim coached club girls volleyball and high school boys volleyball, bringing leadership, teamwork, goal-setting, and growth mindset into both academics and athletics.

During his career, Tim earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Technology, focusing on how digital tools, data, and emerging technologies can enhance learning rather than replace it. He has extensive experience integrating learning platforms, project workflows, collaboration tools, and now AI-supported practices into student-centered classrooms.

Today, Tim applies that background through entrepreneurship and innovation. As an owner of Plainfield Valhallan Esports Training Center, he works with students using technology, systems thinking, performance analytics, problem-solving, and teamwork — all core elements of modern education. Esports provides a natural bridge into coding logic, digital citizenship, strategic thinking, and applied math and communication skills.

At Pathfinder Forge Studio, Tim leads much of the technology, AI literacy, and project-based learning integration, helping students learn not just content, but how to use tools responsibly, think critically, collaborate, and build real-world solutions. His approach connects academics to practical application, preparing students for the future, not just the classroom.

Our Family & Entrepreneurial Journey

Katie and Tim married after college and now prioritize raising our three children with intention, curiosity, and connection.

In 2022, we made a major life shift and stepped away from the traditional public school system. While public education can be an amazing resource, we saw firsthand how large class sizes, limited flexibility, and systemic constraints often make it difficult for both students and teachers to truly thrive.

We entered an entrepreneurial season and opened a Dog Training Elite franchise, building a successful business focused on training everything from reactive family dogs to medical alert service dogs. That experience sharpened our skills in leadership, coaching, operations, and individualized instruction.

More recently, Tim opened a second franchise — Valhallan Esports Training Center — blending education, technology, and teamwork into a modern learning environment. This space now also supports Pathfinder Forge Studio as our professional studio location for in-person learning days.

Why We Built Pathfinder Forge Studio

One of the main reasons we left public education was a desire for something better — for students, teachers, and families.

With our own children, we saw both the strengths and the shortcomings of traditional schooling. We believe:

Students learn best in small groups
Engagement comes from doing, not memorizing
Academic standards matter, but so does application
Relationships drive growth
Families should be partners in education

Katie was homeschooled during middle school and experienced how powerful personalized learning can be. We love what homeschooling offers, but we also know families want access to professional instruction, structure, collaboration, and resources.

Pathfinder Forge Studio was created to bridge that gap.

Our goal is to combine:

Strong academic foundations
Project-based, modeled learning
Technology and AI literacy
Real-world application
A supportive microschool community

We’re starting with a pilot program so we can build thoughtfully, refine our practices, and invite families into the process before launching our full hybrid microschool in Fall 2026.

We believe that when education is intentional, relational, and practical, students gain not just knowledge — but confidence, curiosity, and purpose.

Our Mission

At Pathfinder Forge Studio, our mission is to create a learning environment where students develop:

✔ Strong academic skills
✔ Critical thinking
✔ Collaboration
✔ Creativity
✔ Responsibility
✔ A love for learning

We’re honored to build this alongside families in the Plainfield and Naperville area and invite you to join us on the journey.

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