- Innovation Academy
- About the Teacher

Phone: 520-269-4646
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
*BA Psychology, University of Arizona *Masters degree in Elementary Education, University of Phoenix *Gifted Endorsement *Early Childhood Endorsement *SEI Endorsement
Ms. Lori LaRussa
Welcome to Second Grade! We are in Learning Lab 16.
Hi! My name is Lori LaRussa. I am so excited to teach at Innovation Academy family! I am an alumni of Amphitheater school district. I went to Copper Creek Elementary, Coronado Middle School and I graduated from C.D.O! I have lived in northwest Tucson since I was 8 years old. I always knew that I would be a teacher and I am so excited to be teaching in the district that I grew up in.
I have taught grades kindergarten through second grade for the last 18 years, I taught for 10 years at Lulu Walker, another Amphi school. I love children and teaching. I wake up in the morning excited about going to work! Teaching is definitely more of a passion to me than a job. I have a Masters degree in Elementary Education and a B.A. in Psychology. I have a endorsements in Gifted Education, Early Childhood education and teaching English as a second language. I love to teach STEM and project based learning. I am very passionate about giving my students problem solving skills and providing them many opportunities to collaborate and use open ended thinking. I have also been coaching and coordinating the Odyssey of the Mind program for the last several years. I believe it is so valuable to teach kids creative problem solving skills and how to apply those skills to real life.
I believe that elementary age is the most important time to instill a love of learning in every student, and I strive to make school a very positive experience for every child. I hope to help set the tone for a lifetime of learning. I like to make learning fun and relevant for every student. I believe the teacher-student relationship is very important. I make it my mission to get to know each of my students individually. This is my favorite part of my job! I find that that when teachers have a strong positive relationship with their students, then the most valuable learning can occur.
I like when parents volunteer - cutting, stapling, working one on one with children, or becoming an even more active part of our classroom. I appreciate being partners with you in the education of your child. I believe that communication between the classroom and home is critical, so please always feel free to email me with any questions or comments you may have. llarussa@amphi.com
I am looking forward to another fantastic year!