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.
Science Department
Four credits of science are required at St. Thomas. Incoming ninth graders take either a regular or advanced level of Biology. Depending on their performance as freshmen, all students are required to take regular or advanced level Chemistry as Sophomores. Upperclassmen are offered a great deal of flexibility in their scheduling but must complete a year of Physics to complete their science requirement. Other offerings, though, include AP Environmental Science, Earth Science, and Engineering. Advanced Placement courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are also open to qualified students.
Grade 9: Adv. Biology or Biology
Grade 10: Adv. Chemistry or Chemistry
Grade 11: AP Chemistry, Physics, AP Physics, Acc. Physics, AP Biology or Engineer Your World.
Grade 12: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Physics, AP Physics, AP Physics 2, Acc. Physics, Anatomy & Physiology, Earth Science, AP Environmental Science, or Engineer Your World.
Electives: Applications of Engineering (1 semester course)
Claire Conboy, Ph. D. (B.A., Chemistry and Mathematics, Holy Name College; M.S. Chemistry, University of California at Davis; Ph. D. Chemistry, University of Illinios at Chicago) joined the St. Thomas Science Department in 2015. She currently teaches Chemistry, Advanced Chemistry and AP Chemistry. Dr. Conboy has more than 20 years of industrial research experience and has taught at local community colleges.
Philip Cuneo (B.S., Science Education and M.Ed., Counseling, University of St. Thomas) joined the faculty of St. Thomas in 1990 and has served as both a science teacher, twice holding the Master Teacher’s Chair, and as Director of Guidance. He currently teaches freshman biology. Mr. Cuneo’s students have fund-raised to preserve twenty acres in the Darian Biosphere of Panama; worked extensively with the Coastal Prairie Conservancy and the Buffalo Bayou Partnership to establish pocket prairies in both Hermann Park and along Buffalo Bayou; and submitted transect surveys of fauna in the southeastern region of Texas to iNaturalist. Mr. Cuneo is a Texas Master Naturalist and current moderator of the St. Thomas Chess Club.
Michael Erickson (B.S. Engineering Science, Minor in Mathematics, Trinity University) received an Engineering Science degree at Trinity University in 2018. He currently teach Physics and Earth Science. He is also the Quiz Bowl Moderator and an assistant cross country coach.
Marie Montalbano Lomax (B.S., Microbiology, Texas A&M University, ASCP MB, MPH Epidemiology Texas A&M) is a Native Houstonian who graduated from Katy High School and attended Texas A& M University before working at Baylor College of Medicine in Molecular Genetics & DNA Forensics. She has 30 years of teaching expertise in all areas of science including AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Space Science. She has been an Advanced Placement Biology Consultant and AP Grader of the Biology Exam for 20 years. Ms. Lomax teaches Chemistry, and Anatomy & Physiology.
Deepika Mamnani (B.E., Computer Science, Mumbai University) earned her degree in Computer Science Engineering in 1999 and has 22 years of experience in the IT sector. Alongside her IT career, she volunteered as a English and Computers tutor at Memorial Assistance Ministries – Literacy Advance Services from 2011 to 2020 and at the Navjyot Foundation in India where she taught Science. In 2022, she transitioned full time to education through Teach for America, serving as a Science educator in HISD. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins and teaches Physics at St. Thomas using inquiry and problem-based learning techniques.
Pamela Masau (B.S Geology with a minor in chemistry and several graduate courses in Geology from the University of New Orleans) joined St. Thomas in the fall of ’23. After a stint in a mining analytical lab, Mrs. Masau began teaching science in 2005. She has taught (and is certified in) every science subject area. She currently teaches AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2 and Earth Science. She is also the science coach for the annual TAPPS Science Academic competition.
Pete Nordloh, Ph.D.(B.S., Biology, Xavier University in Cincinnati; Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Vermont) is from Cincinnati, Ohio where he attended St. Xavier High School and graduated with a B.S. in Biology in 1985. Dr. Nordloh earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Vermont in 1991. After post-doctoral research at the University of British Columbia and Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Nordloh began teaching at the Community College level for four years. Dr. Nordloh then spent 5 years as the Head Brewer at Saint Arnold Brewing Company from 1996-2001. Dr. Nordloh currently teaches freshman Advanced Biology, AP Biology and Anatomy and Physiology. Dr. Nordloh has two sons, Sam and Ben who graduated from St. Thomas. Dr. Nordloh sponsors the Rocketry Team, the Pre-Med Club, the LEGO club and the Table-Top Gaming Club.
Noel Romero ’08 (B.S., Biology, Syracuse University) is a proud alumnus of St. Thomas High School and is part of the Class of 2008. He went to work at a Fortune 500 Laboratory for about five years before changing course and pursuing his teaching certification. He taught 8th Grade Physics and Chemistry for two years before getting the opportunity to join the St. Thomas Family. He now teaches Biology and Chemistry and is looking forward to inspiring and educating his fellow Eagle Brothers for years to come.
