Countless times, senior Zoey Izen glances up at her rear-view mirror only to find red and blue lights glaring back at her. But when she pulls over to the side of the road and rolls her window down, she is met by Montalvo’s grin rather than the stern, unfamiliar face that she expected. Izen falls for Montalvo’s joke every time.

Montalvo’s sense of humor, which shines through with his practical jokes and willingness to help with Homecoming proposals, as he did for senior Sarah Bliesner, is one of his defining characteristics, and makes him an easy person for students to talk to.

“He’s someone that every student should look up to,” Izen said. “He’s not one of those people you have to be afraid of.”

Going beyond the call of duty, Montalvo will stay after school to wait with students whose parents are late to pick them up, and takes students home himself if they cannot get a ride home.

“He’s kind of like the behind-the-scenes guy, but he’s like the behind-the-scenes superhero because he just does so much,” junior Danni Messina said.

United by their focus on students’ best interests, the staff and Montalvo work well together too. Not only do they collaborate to support students, but Montalvo also helps Liberty teachers work through issues that they might be dealing with at home.

“He has a heart of gold and will do anything for his friends and for this school,” Kinsley said.