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 AP Modern World History and U.S. History.

Danny Baker (B.A. in English Literature from Tulane University, 2012) has taught at St. Thomas since 2017. Danny currently teaches Modern World History and US History. He is the sponsor of the St. Thomas Film Club and the Dean of House Magee.

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.  In addition to teaching AP U.S. History, Mrs. Gensheimer serves as the Dean of Instruction.  In this role, she supports the school’s academic program, engages in coaching teachers, and works with the Admissions team to onboard new students.  Mrs. Gensheimer is also a certified Visiting Team Member for TCCBED and co-chaired the most recent St. Thomas High School accreditation.

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.  He also teaches an elective course on Constitutional law called Legal Studies and a dual-credit course in Texas State and Local Politics with the University of St. Thomas, where he is an adjunct faculty member.   Mr. Gensheimer currently holds the J.S. Abercrombie Master Teacher Chair in Political Science at STH. Additionally, he works with the STH Drama program leading students in building sets for the Fall and Spring productions.  In 2023, Mr. Gensheimer became the founding sponsor of the STH Welding Club.  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.  Lastly, Mr. Gensheimer is the father of two St. Thomas High School graduates.

Holden Hollingsworth (B.A., History, Texas Christian University) He has taught at St. Thomas since 2019. Currently he teaches Modern World History and AP U.S. History.

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 numerous  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 worked for the Bill of Rights Institute as Professional Development Instructor and traveled around the country providing professional development to history teachers. He also is a Master Teacher at BRI.  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 Servant Leadership, U.S. in Conflict, History of the Cold War, Civil War Era and U.S. History and has held the Gerald T. Coleman Master History Chair since 2002. Mills is on the coaching staff with Texas A&M Rugby and works as an announcer for Major League Rugby’s Houston Sabercats.  He is married to Sonya Mills and they have three sons, Conor (09), Riley (12), and Keegan (13), all graduates of STH.

Michael Modica, Ph.D.  (B.G.S., Louisiana State University-Shreveport; M.A., University of Houston-Clear Lake; Ph.D., Capella University) has taught at St. Thomas since 2022. He currently teaches Economics, Government, and U.S. History.  He is a retired Naval Officer.

Daniel Seehausen (B.F.A, Houston Christian University) joined St. Thomas in 2023. He currently teaches World Geography and Culture and is one of the faculty supervisors for the Dungeons and Dragons club. Before teaching World Geography and Culture at Saint Thomas, Daniel taught AP World History and Civics in Denver, Colorado.

Andy Waggenspack (B.A., History, UT San Antonio) has been teaching history at St. Thomas since 2022, and around the greater Houston area for the past 15 years. Mr. Waggenspack currently teaches 9th Grade World Geography, 9th Grade Advanced World Geography, and will be taking over the Chess Club this year.