SSA is saying goodbye to three important figures who have changed the Academy for the better: John Glorioso, Toni Pettavino and Yvette Cardinale. As they step into retirement, they are not only leaving behind a legacy of love and learning, but also entering a new chapter in their lives.

Geometry teacher John “Big G” Glorioso is retiring after a whopping 50 years of teaching altogether. He started working at age 12 for an air conditioning company because his high school alma mater, Holy Cross High School, was very expensive. Much like the rest of his family (except for his oldest brother who became an attorney), he actually was not planning to go to college.

Referring to his brother, Glorioso said, “He had my life planned out.” His brother insisted that he study engineering in college and then go on to law school. To afford tuition, Glorioso worked as a bus driver for Holy Cross. This is where he found his love for education because he was doing many things that teachers do: interacting with the students, subbing for their classes and grading their papers. These experiences made Glorioso decide to become a teacher, although his brother was furious upon finding out that he was switching his career path. He graduated from the University of New Orleans and also earned a master’s degree in math.

What’s next for Glorioso after a decades-long teaching career? He says he’s looking forward to spending time with his 12 grandchildren and spending time outside in the spring and summer weather. His words of advice to fellow teachers? “You have to love this to do it,” he says. Glorioso believes that the only way to be fair to the students is to show a true love for teaching, rather than teaching just for a “job.” It’s no secret that he truly loves what he does.

“I hope that when [my students] get a little older and a little more mature, they can look back and say, ‘he really cared about us,’” Glorioso remarked as he reminisced on his time at SSA. “I might not show it all the time because I like to pick and tease, but if they can look back and say that Big G really cared about us, then I have accomplished my goal.” I think I can speak for many when I say that the love and warmth Big G has shown his students has proven more impactful than any math formula or calculation.