Loudoun School for Advanced Studies

Only at LSAS.

This year, Channing, one of our rising seniors, has developed an original LSAS Signature Course and will co-teach it alongside an LSAS faculty member.

Students will explore the History of Basketball - from its invention to today's NBA and WNBA, and basketball's global influence - while examining its impact on culture, leadership, and even world politics. Through books, films, debates, and field experiences, they'll discover that basketball is about much more than what happens on the court.

At LSAS, students don't just learn - they help shape what learning looks like.

Congratulations Saanvi, an LSAS Class of 2026 graduate!

Saanvi was accepted to every one of her first-choice universities and has chosen to attend the University of Virginia as a Rodman Scholar.

The Rodman Scholars Program is an honors program for future engineering leaders, with students selected from the top 5% of each incoming class.

Saanvi's curiosity, determination, and love of learning have been a joy to watch throughout her time at LSAS. Saanvi, we are so proud of you and can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish at UVA and beyond!

Meet Mr. Cohen, our new Math Teacher!

A Northern Virginia native and UVA graduate, Mr. Cohen brings a wealth of experience teaching high school mathematics in independent schools. He's taught nearly every high school math course, created life-size math puzzles and logic games for schools, and even developed AI-powered math education software.

Mr. Cohen has a gift for breaking down complex ideas into simple, understandable concepts. He believes that confidence is earned by refusing to give up on challenging problems, and he strives to give every student the right balance of challenge, fun and support to help them grow - not just as mathematicians, but as confident learners.

We can't wait for our students to experience Mr. Cohen's creativity and passion for mathematics. Welcome to LSAS, Mr. Cohen!

The LSAS Way
At LSAS, our students help hire our teachers.

At LSAS, we believe the people who spend every day learning with our teachers should have a voice in welcoming new ones to our community.

That's why every finalist for a teaching position leads a sample lesson with our students. Afterward, students share thoughtful feedback on what they experienced. Was the lesson engaging? Did the teacher make complex ideas understandable? Were they approachable? Did they spark curiosity? Did students feel both challenged and supported?

While our administration makes the final hiring decisions, student feedback is a very important part of the process. Why? Because at LSAS, we know that great teaching is about more than subject-matter expertise. It's about building relationships, inspiring curiosity, creating a sense of belonging, and helping exceptional students grow with confidence.

Our students know what makes a remarkable LSAS teacher, and we're proud to give them a seat at the table.

Meet Ms. Robin, our new English teacher!

Ms. Robin is joining the LSAS faculty with a passion for helping students discover that great literature isn't just something you read, it's something you experience. With a graduate degree in English and journalism and years of teaching college English and literature, she loves sparking thoughtful conversations that help students better understand themselves and the world around them.

This year, she is introducing two new LSAS Signature Classes:
• A Study in Fairy Tales: Branching Out Beyond Disney
Explore the surprising origins, hidden meanings, and cultural impact of fairy tales from around the world.
• A Study in Short Fiction: Ghosts, Terror, and Madness
Dive into eerie, suspenseful, and psychologically complex stories from some of literature's greatest writers.

We can't wait for our students to experience Ms. Robin's creativity, warmth, and love of literature and writing. Welcome to LSAS, Ms. Robin!

Meet Mrs. Foltz!

She is one of the passionate math and science educators who helps bring learning to life at LSAS. Mrs. Foltz earned her B.S. in Community Health Education and her M.S. in Exercise Physiology. Before joining LSAS in 2024, she taught a variety of undergraduate courses at Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College.

What makes Mrs. Foltz’s approach unique is her fascination with the intersection of science and engineering. Having completed half of a Mechanical Engineering degree, she enjoys exploring biomechanics. From individual cells to complex body systems, she loves helping students discover how everything is connected through both chemistry and mechanics.

LSAS students often share how Mrs. Foltz’s encouragement helps them discover strengths they didn't know they had, building not only scientific understanding and mathematical skills, but also self-confidence!

In LSAS Signature Course “Wilderness Writing,” nature becomes both classroom and teacher. Students explore literature, art, and film while developing their own creative voices through immersive writing experiences inspired by the natural world.

These photos are from the course's culminating experience and final project: students spent a couple of nights camping on a working farm in the Shenandoah Valley. Surrounded by fields, forests, and the rhythms of farm life, students explored the connections between wilderness, agriculture, and civilization, and completed the research and writing that would become their final project papers.

When it was time to leave, every student wanted to stay longer. The experience created the kind of memories and sense of belonging that students carry with them long after the trip ends. Sometimes the best lessons come from stepping outside, slowing down, observing the world around us!

Meet Teacher Joe!

Since joining LSAS in 2021, "Teacher Joe" has inspired students to explore music far beyond the traditional classroom. A lifelong musician and educator, Joe has been teaching music in Northern Virginia since 2009 and is College Board-certified to teach AP Music Theory, a course he helped bring to LSAS.

While classically trained as a pianist, Joe's passion spans musical traditions from around the world, including Indian, Middle Eastern, African, and Javanese music. He loves helping students discover new genres, find their own musical voice, and understand how diverse influences come together in today's music.

This year, Teacher Joe will be teaching several of LSAS's popular Signature Courses, including Rock Through the Ages, Electronic Music Lab, and Uke-Box. From exploring the evolution of modern music to creating original compositions and developing performance skills, these courses give LSAS students unique opportunities to experience music in new and engaging ways!

Hot Ones: LSAS Edition

What happens when you hand the microphone to a student and challenge a group of brave teachers to survive increasingly spicy hot sauces? A lot of laughter. Some questionable decisions. And a whole lot of school spirit.

Maddie, who served as our fearless host, kept the heat turned up while interviewing Profe Niels, Teacher Joe, Ms. Molly, and Mrs. Derr as they battled their way through. The verdict? All the LSAS teachers came out victorious, even surviving Da Bomb ... barely.

Events like this remind us that one of the best parts of LSAS is the close-knit community we share and the willingness of our teachers to do just about anything for our students 🔥