For 34 years, Todd Wangsness served as Los Altos High School’s all-knowing U.S., European, and art history teacher. But beyond his classroom, Wangsness has also served as the District Teachers’ Association president and chief negotiator, a track and field coach, a dad joke supplier, and even a travel guide.

“He’s a really dedicated teacher, just a wealth of information,” said English teacher Margaret Bennett, Wangsness’ wife. “I know that a lot of his colleagues come to him when they have history questions. He’s seen with high integrity.”

As a teacher, Wangsness is a generous man — if you ask him a question, he’ll give you the answer and more.

“You could ask him anything about European history, and he’ll also have a cool story about a politician or a king,” history teacher Christa Wemmer said. “Sometimes I bring my computer and I’ll write it down. He filters out the cool and quirky stuff beyond the textbook.”

“He’ll be remembered as one of the best history teachers of all time,” junior Matthew Lee-Asiong said. “It’s the tidbits of information, even if they weren’t part of the core curriculum.”

Wangsness always aimed to teach in an innovative way — he extended teaching beyond the classroom, and even beyond the country. 

In the summer of 1998, Wangsness brought students to the source of the content they were learning: Europe. The expedition was geared mainly to students in European and art history classes, including AP Art History, which Wangsness taught at LAHS for several years between 2002 and 2009.

In two weeks, the group traveled to nine countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. They were country-hopping and spending only a few hours in some countries as they visited historic sites.

“It was crazy but it was fun,” Benne tt said.

Whether abroad or on campus, he brings energy to his teaching, keeping his classroom’s atmosphere light with his weekly Friday dad joke. 

“They always light up my day and get me laughing,” junior Betsy Cortes said.

“My friend and I write them down every time,” junior Arianna Perloff said. “We’re going to rank them at the end of the year.”

But his impact at LAHS goes beyond his classes and students. Aside from knowing all about history and delivering his weekly punchlines, he has served the MVLA staff through his 30 years in the District Teachers’ Association, acting as the union’s president between 2001 and 2012, and as a chief negotiator for the past 25 years, fighting to uphold the union contract and expand teachers’ rights. 

“He is the kindest, most giving, generous person, and he helps everybody who needs it,” Wemmer said. “He’s very protective of the work we do and making sure the teachers are treated fairly. It’s nice to have someone who hears our concerns and cares about them.”

His leadership isn’t limited to the union. Wangsness also impacted the local sports scene, serving as assistant football coach at LAHS from 1992 to 1996 and assistant track and field coach at MVHS in 1991. 

But his biggest successes came coaching track and field at LAHS alongside Bennett between 1992 and 1998. During his tenure, the boys team won CCS championships in 1993, and competed in the indoor track nationals in 1994. Wangsness and Bennett also expanded the girls team, laying a foundation for today’s dominant team.

“We started with 12 girls in track, and by the time we were done, there were 60 or 70 girls,” Wangsness said. “In the last decades, other people have kept that tradition going and built up both of the track programs to really high levels.”

Their success on the track mirrors the pair’s success off the field, even for things as mundane as their commute to work.

“We have a 45-minute commute each way,” Bennett said. “He drives and I work, paper grading and so forth. It’s great, because I don’t love driving.”

Beyond car rides, their marriage has been defined by their complementing traits.

“We’re a marriage of opposites,” Bennett said. “I am much more of a detailed person, he’s more of a big picture. He’s great with dates. I’m not great with dates. We balance each other out.”

At the end of the day, Wangsness has no secret to success. For those who know him, he’s simply generous with his knowledge and time and dedicated to his community.

“Everyone goes to him for advice,” Bennett said. “He’s like a father figure in the department.”