Bringing joy all around, special education teacher Joy Brunner is retiring after working at Paso Robles High School for 30 years. She has spent her time at PRHS educating over a thousand students with disabilities. Hardships have been faced , but after everything that has happened, Brunner maintains an uplifting and positive attitude towards the world.
Within her second year of teaching at PRHS, two of her students passed away. This event was rough on her well being, leading to her considering leaving the profession. Facing a devastating event, she surpassed the tragedy, working for another three decades and building trust within the school.
When Brunner discovered she had breast cancer, Brunner explained she found the school to be a place of support and comfort. She holds the high school and her students dearly to her heart.

Brunner has been around children most of her life, “As a 12-year-old, I started a Kids Club on my block. The kids paid a nickel each week to do crafts, play games and just have fun away from their parents” Brunner shared. Educating children isn’t all Brunner has done though, before she chose to be an educator she was in the travel industry.
“After earning my bachelors in Business Administration, I went into the Travel Industry. I had amazing travel opportunities but eventually grew tired of the same work day in and day out.” Brunner said. She earned her bachelor’s from Graceland College. During her time there she completed a year at Kansai Gaidai University halfway across the world in Osaka, Japan. Switching to being an educator required a Masters degree, she obtained hers at CSU Dominguez Hills.
Retirement isn’t the end of her story. Brunner plans to be very occupied after retirement; She will do business travel along with her husband, ride her bike everyday, take classes at the gym, and work at her church’s summer camp.