Math Team
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David Arredondo
Math Teacher
Room: T201A
Office Hours
- AP Statistics: T TH 11:40-12:30 Notes: Lunch
- AP Calculus BC: T TH 11:40-12:30 Notes: Lunch
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Hi y'all!
I'm Mr. Arredondo and I like to teach math and statistics (which is the best branch of mathematics).
I didn't always know that though--I thought I was going to make a career with something to do with machine learning, but I learned that it wasn't for me.
When I'm not teaching math, I like to do math.
When I'm not doing math, I like to rock climb, read, trail run, play video games, dance, and swim, in that order of preference.
Oh, and I got my degree in Statistics from Columbia University in the City of New York, which is a pretentious school full of pretentious people. Those were things I was attracted to in my senior year of high school.
If you would like to know more about me, please ask! :-)
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Ryan Bailey
Math Teacher
Room: T108
Office Hours
- AB Calculus: T TH 4:00-5:00 4:00-5:00
- BC Calculus: T TH 4:00-5:00 4:00-5:00
- Logic/CPS: T TH 4:00-5:00 4:00-5:00
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Ryan Bailey (that's me) has taught a variety of courses, with Precalculus AB being my specialty taught every year. 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.
During the school year, I also sponsor Math Club, Christian Club, Food Consumption Club, Badder Movie Club, and many more I can't even remember at this point...
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...
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Sarah Harrelson
Math Teacher
Room: 409
Office Hours
- Linear Algebra: M F Monday 4pm-5pm Fridays: 7:40am-8:10am
- AMR: M F Monday 4pm-5pm Fridays: 7:40am-8:10am
- BC PreCal: M F Monday 4pm-5pm Fridays: 7:40am-8:10am
- Advanced Math Seminar: M F Monday 4pm-5pm Fridays: 7:40am-8:10am
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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.
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James (Marshall) Laughead
Math Teacher
Room: T211B
Office Hours
- Math: M T W TH F 3:55P-4:30P
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I managed to graduate from LASA in 2012, and came back after graduating from UT in 2016. I've taught Spanish I and Advanced Mathematical Reasoning, and am currently teaching BC Algebra II and BC Precalculus while trying to make a new math class for the future. 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.
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Raunel Magana
Room: T201B
Office Hours
- Precalculus: M W 11:35A-12:30P(Hours 1) 11:35A-12:30P(Hours 1)
- Algebra 2: M W 11:35A-12:30P(Hours 1) 11:35A-12:30P(Hours 1)
- Algebra 1: M W 11:35A-12:30P(Hours 1) 11:35A-12:30P(Hours 1)
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Iza Picazo
Math Teacher
Room: T207B
Office Hours
- Algebra II: T 4:00-5:00
- Algebra II: TH 11:40A-12:40 P
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I have lived in Austin since I was two and I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2023 with a BSA in Mathematics. My MBTI personality type is INTJ and the description sums me up well, though I feel there are some embellishments probably because I’m on the turbulent side of the assertive-turbulent scale. I enjoy playing video games like Valorant, Stardew Valley, and any Super Mario game (don’t ask me about my rank in Valorant). I also enjoy reading fantasy and sci-fi, swimming, eating, and being outside whenever it’s not hot.
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Elizabeth (Terry) Stripling
Math Teacher
Room: T212
Office Hours
- Math: T TH 4:00P-5:00P
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I teach Calculus and love absorbing all of the wonderful LASA traditions and history.
I grew up in Auburn, Alabama and did take a few courses at Auburn University (War Eagle!). For college, I headed to UT (Go Horns!) 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 and starting a family, I volunteered for every STEM opportunity at my daughter’s schools. I even substituted for a couple of the high school math teachers. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to become a teacher myself.
I love mathematics, but I also have an interest in music. At one point I was a pretty serious clarinet player. In college, I played in multiple ensembles including the Longhorn Band, but now I only play about once per year. I’m an exceptionally average cellist, but love playing in my community orchestra. And lastly, I’m a lousy piano player, but it does come in handy every once in a while.
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Raunel Suarez-Magana
Math Teacher
Room: T201B
Office Hours
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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.
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Hannah Weems
Math Teacher
Room: T204
Office Hours
- Geometry: M T W TH 7:30A-8:00A
- AP Statistics: M T W TH 7:30A-8:00A
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I was born an raised right here in Austin, and graduated from McCallum Fine Arts Academy in 2009. After that I ran away to Rochester, New York for college and graduate school. I came back to Austin in 2014 because I missed armadillos and scorpions I guess?
Before coming to LASA I spent about 6 years running a math tutoring center. I started at LASA during the 2021-22 school year.
I live with two humans (Kitty and Jasper) and one cat (Coco). When I'm not working I love movie marathons, crossword puzzles, dance marathons, and anything involving water. I always get the Wordle and I make a mean friendship bracelet.
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T. Michael Word
Math Teacher
Room: T214
Office Hours
- Geometry: T TH 4P-5P
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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 25 years. For 20 of those years I have been preparing 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 musical productions and even did a few shows during the school year. I met my wife in a production of West Side Story and now we focus our energy on embarrassing or occasionally entertaining our children by singing and dancing at home or sometimes spontaneously in public.
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Jose Zuniga
Math Teacher
Room: T211A
Office Hours
- PreCalculus: T W 4p-5:30p
- PreCalculus: M T W TH 11:40a-12:30p
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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.