SHAPING YOUNG MINDS

St. Thomas High School is a well-established college preparatory that provides a caring, intellectually challenging learning atmosphere in which young men develop the tools necessary to become successful in their future studies and careers. Our students are well prepared for an ever demanding and diverse world. Young alumni often tell us that the course content and workload in college is very manageable for them because they trained for academic rigor at St. Thomas.

To view our full course catalogue with all academic courses offered please click here.

Social Studies Department

In keeping with the philosophy of St. Thomas, the Social Studies Department prepares students to become participatory citizens of their communities, of the United States, and of the world. To that end, four credits in Social Studies are required for graduation.

St. Thomas students begin their Social Studies program in the ninth grade by studying Ancient World History. Sophomores study Modern World History. The emphasis in both the freshman and sophomore years is placed on political, economic, social, cultural, and geographical concepts and relationships. In the junior year, U.S. History and the role of the United States in world events becomes the focus. Seniors will build upon that knowledge by taking U.S. Government and Economics.

Grade 9: World Geography and Culture or Advanced World Geography and Culture

Grade 10: Modern World History/Geography II or AP World History

Grade 11: United States History or AP United States History

Grade 12: Government/Economics or AP Government/Advanced Economics

Electives: U.S. In World Affairs, U.S. In Conflict, Introduction to Legal Studies, War in Antiquity

Mike Adair (B.B.A., Southern Methodist University; M.A., University of Houston) has taught and coached at St. Thomas since 2005. He currently teaches Advanced World History/Geography II and U.S. History and serves as the Director of the Intramural Program at St. Thomas.

Danny Baker Is joining the History Department and is teaching Modern World History and US History. Danny was born in New Orleans and moved to Houston in 2003, where he attended Kingwood High School. He graduated from Tulane University in 2012 with a BA in English Literature. He then worked as an SAT tutor for a year before joining the staff at NCA in Kingwood, where he taught a variety of subjects, including 10th grade English and History. Last fall he was a long-term Latin substitute at St. Thomas, and he’s looking forward to working here in a permanent capacity. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, reading, soccer, and playing music. Danny will be teaching Modern World History and US History.

Chrissy Gensheimer (B.A., Secondary Education/Specialization in Social Studies, University of St. Thomas; Master’s in Private School Administration, University of St. Thomas) has been at St. Thomas since 2001. Mrs. Gensheimer currently shares the J.S. Abercrombie Master Teacher Chair in Political Science at STH. She has completed several Advanced Placement Institutes at Rice University and regularly attends the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies seminars. Mrs. Gensheimer is also a certified Visiting Team Member for TCCED and co-chaired the most recent St. Thomas High School accreditation. Currently she teaches AP U.S. History, U.S. Government and Economics and serves as the faculty liaison to the administration.

Philip Gensheimer (B.A. in Government from the University of Notre Dame, ’93; B.S. in Secondary Education-Social Studies from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, ’95; M.A. in Political Science from the University of Houston, 2008.) Mr. Gensheimer has been at St. Thomas High School since 1995 teaching all levels of U.S. Government and Economics. Mr. Gensheimer currently shares the J.S. Abercrombie Master Teacher Chair in Political Science at STH. Additionally, he sponsors the STH Houston Area Model United Nations club and assists in the Drama program on set builds. He has been an AP United States Government and Politics Reader and Table Leader since 2000. Mr. Gensheimer has served on the Houston Chronicle “Chronicle in Education” advisory board, the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Student Board of Directors advisory council, and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. He is also currently a Harris County Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar and a U.S. Selective Service System Registrar. Mr. Gensheimer was awarded a James Madison Fellowship in 2004 which includes the designation as a Teacher-Scholar of the Constitution.

Grover Green (B.A. Theology/History, M.Ed. Catholic Education and Leadership, University of St. Thomas) teaches World History & Geography I and Advanced World History & Geography I. He is a graduate of St. Thomas (2004) and taught for three years at Corpus Christi Catholic School. Mr. Green is the Faculty Co-Coordinator of Round-Up, Head Coach of Eagle Quiz Bowl Team, Faculty Leader for the Father/Son Retreat, and Faculty Co-Sponsor for the STHS Columbian Squires. He is currently working on a Masters in Theology from the Augustine Institute.

Holden Hollingsworth (B.A., History, Texas Christian University) First year at St. Thomas High School. Currently he teaches Modern World History, Spanish I and coaches Cross Country.

Brett Mills (B.A., History/PSC, University of Montana, M.A., Military History, American Military University) is the Dean of the Social Studies department. He spent six years in the United States Army and eight years teaching Texas history, U.S. history and leadership at Twin Creeks M.S. in Spring ISD and U.S. History at San Jacinto College before joining the St. Thomas faculty in 2002. Mr. Mills has published numerous journal and magazine articles, book reviews, and encyclopedia entries. He has received a number of academic fellowships, with the most recent in Scotland, where he studied at the University of Edinburgh. He is the director of the History Guild, which provides professional development opportunities for history and government teachers. He also works with the Bill of Rights Institute as a Master Teacher/Professional Development Instructor and travels around the country providing professional development to history teachers.  In addition, he is a member of the Teacher Advisory Group for the George Washington Institute at Mt. Vernon and a Teacher Ambassador for Ashbrook Institute/Teaching American History. Mr. Mills currently teaches U.S. in Conflict, U. S. in World Affairs, Civil War Era and U.S. History and has held the Gerald T. Coleman Master History Chair since 2002.