I've taught a variety of math courses throughout the years. I went to UT and graduated in 2016 with a B.S. in Mathematics, where I student taught at LASA that Spring alongside Mr. Laughead.

I thought math was stupid for quite a while, until I took calculus and all the little aspects of math that we had learned for so long finally came together in a cohesive narrative. I try to pass along all those pieces as much as I can in all of my classes. The narrative of math influences the way I teach my classes now, and I think turns my dreaded experience of precal into something way more enjoyable for y'all.

I love donuts (it's from my math research I did in college), I love math, I like playing music (drums and bass for church), and I enjoy reading and listening to debates on theology.

If we had class in person, I'd offer you some trail mix. One day...

Hi! I'm Mr. Deram.  
I taught at LASA for 4 years pre-pandemic, and have been back since 2024.  I have taught AP Calc AB/BC, AP Precalc, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics Left, AP Physics Right, and AP Physics C.  This year I'm (probably) teaching at least one of those courses =)

In my free time, I crew for and fly hot air balloons, run (I'm probably training for a marathon but complaining about it), and do DIY house projects.  I have 3 cats (Hephaestus, Spock, and Godzilla) and a (very pitiful but endearing) dog Teeny.  

Hi I'm Sarah Harrelson. I grew up in Houston and am one of like six people in the world who loves Houston (because it's the greatest city in the country). I started teaching math at LASA in 2008. Before that I worked at high schools and colleges in Long Island (that's in New York you Texans) and the twin cities (Minnesota omg people buy a map). I have degrees from UT-Austin and U of M-TC, so all in all I spent 19 years benefiting from high quality public schools before becoming a teacher in one.

Things to know about me - I use way too many words when I speak and I flap my hands around a lot. I get very excited and take some things way too seriously. I flip out about math and often explain mathematical ideas to people who definitely did not ask me to. I secretly worry every time a student brings me some new idea to think about that I won't be smart enough to understand. I try too hard when I'm teaching and come off as pretty dorky sometimes. I get super uncomfortable when people cry in front of me, and I don't like hugs. I've got two kids who I make fun of all the time - they both play softball. I love the Astros and no I don't want to talk about sign stealing. I really really love (and complain about constantly) my job.

I grew up in Maryland and later graduated from Williams College with a BA in Physics.

I moved to Texas in 2016, and I have been teaching at LASA since 2023. I love working with all of the amazing students here!

When I'm not in class, you'll find me either coaching the track team, running around Ladybird Lake, or hanging out with Ms. Weems' cat (Coco).

I managed to graduate from LASA in 2012, and came back to teach after graduating from UT with a major in physics in 2016. I've taught lots of math classes here, as well as Spanish. When I'm not doing math, I'm usually playing video games, or doing whatever the more well-rounded people in my life want to do together.

I have been teaching at LASA since 2013 after a 22 year career as a digital chip designer here in Austin. I have a MS from UT in Electrical Engineering and BSEE & minor in CS from Missouri S&T. I have worked on CISC & RISC microprocessors as well as networking ASICs. I teach Fundamentals of CS, AP CS (sometimes), and Digital Electronics. Teaching at LASA has enabled me to share my passion for engineering & CS with my students. My wife (MS in Chemical Engineering), daughter (BS in Aerospace Engineering), and son (BS in Electrical Engineering & BS in Computer Science) are all working engineers.

Hi! I'm John Nelson and I have been teaching and coaching in AISD since 2011. Currently I serve as the Head Boys Basketball Coach and Special Education Department Chair at LASA. I also teach a section of Algebra.

After spending my first 12 years in education at Navarro High School, I made the move to LASA in 2024, joining forces with my Wife, the esteemed, Dr. Pinkston of the English Department. If she were editing this for me, it might have fewer grammatical errors.  My hope is to become a true power couple, to be feared and respected within the LASA community. 

My wife and I have two sons, Jamie and Silas and a dog named Thelma. They occupy 99.9% of my time away from LASA HS. The other .1% I spend playing sports, exercising, fishing, traveling, snowboarding, and really any adventuring I can do. 
Oh! I also have an identical twin brother so there is one more fun fact. 

I attended Warren Wilson College, which is a tiny, beautiful, liberal arts school in the mountains just outside of Asheville, NC. It was great. I ended up walking onto the basketball team, an experience only possible at a tiny school like WWC. (I am still waiting on my first NIL check). I studied psychology in college and thought I might go into clinical therapy only to scrap that idea immediately following graduation. After a stop in the service industry, followed by a few years in social work, I ended up getting certified to teach and I haven't looked back.

Hello! My name is Terry Stripling and I've been teaching Calculus at LASA since 2021.

I grew up in Auburn, Alabama (War Eagle!) and moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas (Hook-em!) where I received a B.S. in Mathematics and a M.S. in Statistics.

After graduating, I worked as a consulting pension actuary. After resigning from that, I did volunteer work at my kid's schools, which included subbing for the Calculus teachers at their high school. This resulted in my decision to take on a second career and become a teacher. After becoming certified, I was welcomed to the wonderful math team at LASA.

I play a few instruments. I play the clarinet (I'm a former Longhorn Band member and current Longhorn Alumni Band member), I'm a very average cellist, and I'm a lousy piano player (although it comes in handy sometimes).

Hello, I was born in Mexico City and moved to Texas when I was 8. I still visit Mexico from time to time, mostly for the food (and family). I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016 and have been teaching Math ever since. In my free time, I like to play sports, read, enjoy nature and listen to music.

Hi! My name is Hannah Weems and I've been teaching at LASA since August 2021. In my time here, I've taught AP Statistics, Advanced Geometry, Algebra II AB, and Advanced Mathematical Reasoning.
I grew up right here in Austin and graduated from McCallum's Fine Arts Academy in 2009. I have a Bachelor's in Statistics and a Master's in Secondary Math Education, both from the University of Rochester in upstate New York.
I live with my wonderful husband (LASA's own Mr. Ganesan!) and our cat Coco. I spend my free time watching horror movies, painting, and gardening.

As a lifelong Austinite, I have always been able to call Austin home. I love teaching geometry, so much so that I have been teaching it for over 30 years. For 20 of those years I prepared students at Kealing Middle School so that they might become LASA students someday (like both of my own children were able to do).

For many years I would spend my summers dancing and singing in local musicals and even did a few shows during the school year. I met my wife in a production of West Side Story and was able to share the stage with her for many productions.

Hi there! I started teaching in 2020, yeah, that year. I have a degree in Civil Engineering from UT Austin and practiced for about 7 years before teaching Math at the high school level.

In my spare time I enjoy going on nature hikes and reading a good non-fiction book. I never learned to swim because of, you know... sharks. Not a big fan of cats, but I love dogs. My 100 pound German Shepherd still thinks he's a baby and may have caused me some permanent back problems but I still love him.