Alum Update: Coron says wELCoME to the ELC

@LLHSForeverWarriors Shelly (Bruni ‘04) Coron has joined the Lakeside faculty as an Extended Learning Center (ELC) teacher. Shelly has coached Warrior JV volleyball for the past 10 years and says it’s nice to now work full-time at her alma mater. “I have so many great memories of being at Lakeside. I was involved in sports, choir, and band,” she says. “From being on the initial courtyard building crew to seeing the Twin Towers during a band trip, the memories remain steadfast in my mind and I will always appreciate the opportunities I was given.” With a B.A. in Fitness Studies, Shelly wasn’t necessarily planning to work in education; however, when a friend who worked at Genesee Lake School, Oconomowoc, recruited her to be an instructional aide in the classroom, she was up to the challenge, found a perfect fit and worked there for 10 years. She earned a masters in Special Ed and became a teacher, working with students who were diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disabilities and faced challenges well beyond the resources that mainstream school districts could provide.

This resumé allows her to bring a unique perspective to the Lakeside ELC. “I have seen the drastic side of working with behavioral and academic challenges along with the hardships those students have faced along the way,” Shelly says. “I can help support students who may face some of those same challenges, but in a setting based around our LORD.” That’s the part she loves best about returning to Lakeside. “It is wonderful to be around Christians on a daily basis where I can share my faith without restrictions,” she shares. Plus, it helps the students. “I’ve been through most of the classes here and experiences at Lakeside from my years here where I can relate to the current students.” One part is different, however. “It feels odd to know that some of the current teachers have taught me previously. I can technically address them by their first name; however, sometimes find myself addressing them as Mr. or Mrs.,” she shares. “Old habits die hard, right?”

Shelly and her husband, Steve, live in Watertown with her stepdaughter Olivia. They are members at St. John, Juneau, her childhood church, where she’s in the choir. With a strong passion for volleyball, Shelly also is the co-director and coach at River City Volleyball Club in Watertown. “I can actively work with youth and show my faith on a weekly basis,” she says. She also plays in adult leagues and tournaments. “While volleyball takes up a large amount of my time in many aspects, I still find time to spend with my family whether it’s road trips, hunting, cookouts, or even selling our lab puppies,” she says. “Life may be busy, but I make the most of it!”

The Coron family at home