Social studies department head: Lou LaRusso

From the time he was in middle school, Lou knew he wanted to be a social studies teacher. Upon completing high school, he entered St. Joseph’s College in their program for secondary education where he graduated in the top 20 of his class. Wasting little time after graduation, he was then accepted into Saint John’s University to complete his M.A. in American history.
Most of Lou’s time is spent researching alternative perspectives to the common historical narratives commonly found in today’s textbooks. Since his biggest interests are the American Revolution and the New England Patriots, when he isn’t teaching, he is most likely found somewhere in Boston. Since he became a father in March 2022, he still loves Boston and the Patriots, but enjoys them from the couch or photo albums while trying to catch up on sleep.

Knowing not everyone can relate to the general American history story, Lou encourages his students to do their homework and find relatable stories within the grand scheme. An avid proponent of physical activity, Lou encourages work on both the mind and body to be complete and whole, including exploring interests outside of school as well. Lou works in historic preservation over the summers, rehabilitating the historic cemeteries in the Town of Oyster Bay, hoping to help the next generation enjoy the local history before it gets swallowed up by development as so many sites have.