Head Of School

Tim LaRocco is the Head of School at East-West. He’s been with the school for 12 years serving in a variety of roles and still teaches upper level history classes as well as PE.

Tim is originally from Long Island, New York, but has lived in Cambodia and has been at East-West for 14 years. Tim has a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas and a Masters of International Relations from the City College of New York. He earned a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University, and his Postgraduate Certificate in Education is from Leeds Beckett University. His Bachelor’s degree in history is from St. Joseph’s University.

Over the last decade, Tim developed from scratch with the students, the school’s Model UN program, organized field trips for his classes throughout Southeast Asia, and created the school’s House Games competition. On the administration side, he is responsible for the creation of the timetable in the secondary school, the writing of the school’s yearly WASC report, the maintenance of the school’s Teacher Ease database, and overseeing student discipline.

 “I am a servant leader. If a school is organized as a hierarchy, I consider myself in my role on the very bottom, working to support teachers to do their jobs, to support our students achieve academic success, and to move the school forward towards its vision. Secondary teachers have known over the last four years that my door is literally always open, and my hope is that all staff members will feel comfortable coming to me for any type of issue. I want to foster a culture of responsible freedom and focus, which nurtures us as professionals, learners, and human beings. We do not make haphazard decisions out of personal benefit or self-interests. Everything we do, we do for our kids.”

Vice-Head of School

I am originally from Northern California, USA, but have lived in Cambodia and have been at East-West for 10 years. This is my second stint at East-West and I am thrilled to be back on the team as the Vice-Head of School, Athletic Director and Physical Education Teacher. I have a Masters in Sports Fitness and Management from the University of San Francisco and have a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from Leeds Beckett University. I also received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Speech Communications from San Francisco State University.

For the past 14 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as an Athletic Director, and for 16 years, I’ve worked as a Physical Education Teacher. Throughout this journey, my greatest passion has been using sports and physical education classes as a platform to teach life lessons that go far beyond the game or classroom itself.

While I love athletics, my true purpose has always been to help students grow into respectful, hardworking, mentally tough individuals who know how to support one another, celebrate others’ success, and thrive as part of a team. I believe deeply that some of life’s most important lessons—like how to be likeable, how to handle adversity, how to work with others, and how to lead with humility—are best taught through sports. These are the values I’ve worked hard to instill in every student and athlete I’ve coached and taught.

As an Athletic Director, I’ve built programs that emphasize character over competition. I’ve mentored coaches, supported student-athletes, and created a culture rooted in integrity, teamwork, and personal growth. In my PE classroom, I’ve taken the same approach—fostering a fun, inclusive environment where effort, respect, and resilience are celebrated every day.

I truly love what I do, and bring energy, passion, experience, and a student-centered philosophy. It is an honor and privilege to have the opportunity to inspire and guide young people through sports and physical education classes at East-West. A responsibility I take very seriously.