Nick D. Abruzzo has been a member of High School for the Arts mathematics faculty since 2000, teaching Euclidean Geometry, Elementary & Intermediate Algebra, Mythology, Acting and having previously taught a state-subsidized math preparation course for the Scholastic Aptitude Test at Hollywood High School and Marshall High School. He has curriculum on file at the Getty Center Education Division linking mathematics and art and has written the curriculum for Arts High’s pilot course “New Genres-Geometry”, which is underwritten by the Keck Foundation and co-taught by Japanese American National Museum resident artist Clement Hanami; he is a mathematics representative on the PreK-12 Curriculum Committee for the Los Angeles County Office of Education and an interview judge for the Los Angeles County Academic Decathlon.
During summers, Mr. Abruzzo has taught Euclidean Geometry for the Jaime Escalante Accelerated Math & Science Program at East Los Angeles College. He holds a preliminary teaching credential for secondary mathematics from the Carnegie Grant-winning Michael D. Eisner College of Education, where he was a recipient of the APLE grant.
Nick hails from Los Angeles, where he attended the Hamilton Academy of Music. Having there studied classical piano, vocal jazz, theatre, musical theatre, and warmed the bench for their conference-winning basketball team, he graduated with honors and their Best Actor and Best German Student awards. He attended Los Angeles City College (Dean’s Honor Roll) and University of Michigan (National Society of Arts & Letters Drama Scholarship) toward his major in theatre and his minor in mathematics, and he is presently pursuing his Master of Science in Teaching Mathematics from the University of New Hampshire, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, where he has been awarded a tuition scholarship from the Office of the Dean of The Graduate School. In addition to teaching for the high school, he is a sometime stage director and steering committee member for Lincoln Center Theater’s annual Directors Lab West, which is hosted at the Pasadena Playhouse in May and is sponsored by the Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers.
Visit his class website at http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/nabruzz
Classes: Geometry, AP Calculus - A/B - B/C
E-mail: nabruzz@calstatela.edu Phone: (323) 343-6318
Dallas Russell was born in Peoria, Illinois. He earned his B.A. degree in Business/Accounting from Moorhouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and his M.B.A. degree in Finance from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He advanced in the business world as a Sales and Account Representative for DelMonte and became their top salesman during his second year with the firm. He then worked for Kimberly Clark as a Financial Analyst until he came to California in 1981. He earned his teaching credential in Mathematics from Cal. State-Dominguez Hills and his Masters of Arts in Education from Cal. State-L.A. He then taught with LAUSD and became a colleague and good friend of Jaime Escalante while teaching at Griffith Junior High, Garfield High School, and East L.A. College. In 1994, Mr. Russell was awarded the Metro L.A. Mathematics Teacher of the Year award in recognition of excellence, effectiveness, and innovation.
Mr. Russell came to Arts High in 1994 and has used his expertise to advance the learning and life skills of many students. In 2005, he was honored to be named the Good Will Ambassador by the Science Technology Network of Educators and an MIT Nest Fellow. .
Mr. Russell has one son who has earned a Masters degree in Engineering from M.I.T. and is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech.
Classes: Algebra I, Algebra II, Math Intervention
E-mail: drussell@calstatela.edu Phone: (323) 343-6378