Photo Courtesy Leslie Schelly
Leslie Schelly has come full circle, joining the staff of Idyllwild School as front-office secretary. Having put her own three children through Idyllwild Elementary and Middle schools, she now joins the extended family of Idyllwild School. “I’m very excited to be here,” she said, noting that she first applied for the position eight years ago. “I’m now much better prepared for the job in terms of skill level, having worked in my husband’s office [chiropractor Dr. Chip Schelly] and at the dental office [Drs. Dunn and Dunn in Idyllwild]. I also think it’s a better time to be working here without having a child currently in attendance.”
Sons Logan and Chad and daughter Chloe all attended Idyllwild School. Once Logan started school, Schelly became involved with the school’s Parent Teacher Association. “What has always impressed me about the school is how involved parents have been as volunteers. I think our children have been very successful in their schooling and Idyllwild School has been a huge part of that. I’ve always felt, when my children were in school here, that I had a friend relationship with their teachers.”
Born in Covina and raised in Cypress, in Orange County, Schelly remembered having a great childhood, growing up with fields and groves all around, with a wonderful family and friends. She graduated from Cypress High School and was a cheerleader while there. “I think I was chosen for cheerleader because I was very loud,” she laughed. She attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and graduated with a degree in design engineering technology. She worked for Northrop Grumman Aviation in Pico Rivera in the computer design department and in code and software development.
She met husband Chip at church in 1990. “I was president of the woman’s organization for our [Mormon Church] ward,” she remembered. “I told Chip I had all the numbers of the women in the group and could give them to him. Six months later, he called me and not long after we were engaged and married.
“When we first moved here, it seemed way more remote than I had imagined. My adjustment was a long one until Logan was able to start school. Now I so love living in this little community. I see the beauty of God’s creation every day. It is so spiritually uplifting.”
Schelly said that if she had her “druthers,” she’d not necessarily be working full-time. “I’m happy being a full-time mother, homemaker and wife. But now I’m part of this larger family with this great staff, teachers and student body.”
She smiled, which she often does, in describing how it is to be called “Mrs. Schelly” at school. “It took me 29 years to find a husband and now I’m proud to be called Mrs. Schelly.”
