The Colonel: Do you have any hobbies? If so, what are they?
Monty Hoffmann: I read quite a bit, I golf, and I’m embarrassed to say I play a little fantasy sports.

TC: What’s your favorite book? Author?
MH: I’m kind of a sci-fi guy by nature. L. Ron Hubbard’s Battlefield Earth is probably my favorite book. Robert Heinlein is my favorite author; he’s an older science-fiction writer before there was Asimov and Ray Bradbury. [Heinlein] was really popular in the 40s and 50s.

TC: How long have you worked here? What’s your shift like?
MH: Ten years, October 1st. My normal shift starts at 6:30 [a.m.] every day [until] 3 [p.m.], but that usually fluctuates depending on what activities are going on.

TC: Have you ever participated in any school events?
MH: I like to be involved as much as I can. If I’m not working, I can always come down and participate at least. As far as retreats, my policy has always been, well, I don’t ever want to impose on the students. If they want me to be there, I’m happy to be there—I’m honored to be there, actually. It’s a funny thing: You guys always step up and always make me feel like I belong here.

TC: Do you feel appreciated?
MH: Oh, yeah. I may be having a little bit of a rough day—which there aren’t very many of them—and I’ll kind of just be getting tunnel vision. Out of the clear blue sky, somebody’ll say, ‘Hi, Monty! Hope you have a nice day!’ It brings me back down to earth, that I’m still at Roosevelt, that this is where I’m supposed to be. Sometimes, I feel responsible for most of everything that goes on here. When people are uncomfortable, it makes me feel bad that I can’t get things done quicker for them. But the teachers, the administration and the kids have always made me feel welcome and appreciated.