With a crisp morning breeze blowing across the parking lot, Upper School Security Guard Tony Tutino stands confidently by his post at the main entrance, as he has every morning for the past four years. But this Wednesday morning is different: it is the end of his security career. As Tutino watches students stream into school, he can’t help but feel bittersweet about his retirement a, but knows this is the rightful progression of his life. After a 34-year career in law enforcement and security, Tutino’s last day was March 5. Following his retirement, Tutino is moving to South Carolina.
Tutino interacted with every student when he ran check-in and check-out at the school’s South Entrance, coordinated guest visits and prepared for any possible security threats. He is known by students for his charismatic personality and his support for his coworkers.
Tutino said he applied his 30 years of experience working in the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department to foster a strong sense of community on campus.
“The best part of my job is mentoring young people,” Tutino said. “I’ve been able to help them not only in school, but also by inspiring them to be better people. After they graduate high school and move onto college, they can take those lessons with them on how to do the right thing when they’re confronted with challenges.”
Tutino said the best part of his job was the relationships he has fostered with the students over the years, and he enjoys checking in with them when they visit the campus after graduating.
“I’ve developed a lot of relationships with the kids as far as getting to know them and them getting to know me,” Tutino said. “The alumni often come back to the school, and they always have a smile on their face and they want to talk to me. I am grateful for the opportunity to develop relationships with the students and know they still take the time to come back and see me. It’s also good to know I’m appreciated in the school community, because as I’m retiring, a lot of the kids are bringing me gifts and sweets.”
Tutino works with Head of Upper School Security Earl Saunders, who previously worked at the California State Rehabilitation Center for over 30 years before coming to the school. Saunders said he has developed a strong rapport with Tutino in their time working together, despite coming from different career paths.
“I’ve been working with Tony for four years, and while both of us have backgrounds in law enforcement, we come from different fields,” Saunders said. “Even with these differences, we both have the same ideas on how to handle situations at the school. Whether it be a minor accident or a kid losing a laptop, we both know that the number one thing is protecting the students and faculty. We both try to develop relationships with all the kids so we can help solve their problems. Tony and I are both sarcastic, good communicators and neither one of us are afraid to ask people questions.”
Saunders said the strong relationship he has built with Tutino over the time they worked together has made the work more manageable.
“Tony and I know each other so well that even if he called me on the radio, I can figure out what exactly I need to do without exchanging a lot of information,” Saunders said. “We are both attentive and always know what should be happening at school. Our chemistry is similar to the shows where cops work together for a long time, and they seem to be each other’s other half. Tony and I always know what the other person is doing
because we are always on the same page. Out of all my coworkers throughout my profession, Tony has been one of the easiest people to work with because we think alike and see things in the same light, and I’ll definitely miss that connection.”
Tutino has also left a lasting im
pression on the students, going above and beyond to nurture personal relationships with them. Pearl Gatins ’25said she appreciates his friendly personality and is sad to see him leave the school.
“Tony is without a doubt one of the highlight of my high school experience,” Gatins said. “Every morning without fail, he was there to greet me and always puts a smile on everyone’s face. I will miss his jokes and how much of an impact he had on the school and my life.”
Security Guard Jeff Anderson, who mans the North Entrance and has worked with Tutino for the past four years, said his experience in the Sheriff’s Department has made him a significant asset to the security team.
“Tony is very dedicated to his job and very loyal to the school,” Anderson said. “He’s very friendly with the kids and purposeful in his work and I can tell this job means a lot to him. He’s going to be sorely missed among the security team because his time working [at Ventura County Sheriff’s Department] before coming to the school has given him a lot of relevant experience.”
Saunders said he recognizes the strong connection Tutino has with the students and believes those relationships and his openness to solving their problems will leave a lasting impression on the students.
“Tony is very open to listening to the different students’ needs and considers their input when making the final decisions,” Saunders said. “I know the students are going to miss Tony because he was such a good listener, and it’s rare to find adults who are willing to listen before making a quick judgment. Every student has stories about Tony helping them or how he made them feel good, and it’s really hard to replace that.”
Raquel Moradi ’26 said she looked forward to seeing Tutino every morning, and that their daily conversations never failed to make her day.
“You know it is going to be a good day when you walk into school and see Tony standing there greeting you, smiling,” Moradi said. “He’s always the first person to make me laugh in the mornings and never fails to brighten up my day when I see him around campus. I will miss Tony so much, and I’m so grateful for the mark he’s left on my high school experience.”
