Matt Komar - Principal
Mr. Komar joined St. Nicholas School as principal in 2003.  He attended many Catholic schools in the Bay Area and is a graduate of St. Christopher in San Jose and Bellarmine College Prep.  He earned his BBA from Gonzaga University, his credential from San Jose State University and his MA in educational administration from Santa Clara University.

Prior to his role at St. Nicholas School, Mr. Komar worked at St. Lucy School in Campbell and Five Wounds School in San Jose where he taught junior high math, religion, social studies and served as principal at St. Lucy.

Mr. Komar enjoys basketball and golf, watching funny movies and reading non-fiction books.  He lives in San Jose with his wife Tara, a teacher at Presentation High School, and their children, Emma and William.
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Rev. Larry Percell - Pastor
Father Larry became the 7th pastor of St. Nicholas Parish on July 1, 2005.  His has been an unusual path to the priesthood.  He was ordained a priest for service in the Diocese of San Jose on May 31, 2003, assigned to St. Nicholas as an associate pastor, and is now the pastor.

A native of San Francisco, Father Larry began his preparation for the priesthood when he entered St. Joseph’s College, the minor seminary for the Archdiocese of San Francisco in 1961.  He withdrew from the seminary in 1968, choosing instead to pursue a career in clinical psychology.  In 1970 he married the late Joan Carol Herrmann.  Together they raised a daughter and a son and ministered together at St. Martin Parish in Sunnyvale. In addition to his clinical practice, then Dr. Larry was an instructor in psychology and pastoral studies at St. Joseph’s College and later St. Patrick’s Seminary for twenty-five years. After his wife’s untimely death in 2000, he re-entered St. Patrick’s Seminary as a student to prepare for ordination.

Father Larry is now the grandfather of three granddaughters; two born to his son and daughter-in-law and one to his daughter and son-in-law.

“St. Nicholas Parish is a wonderful faith community.  I am truly blessed to be here as pastor.  My particular pastoral dreams are to continue to enhance the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist, to build upon our sense of community and hospitality for all age groups in the parish, and to reach out to the wider community in need.”
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Mr. Kevin Kannengeiser – Eighth Grade and Boy’s Co-Athletic Director
Mr. Kannengeiser (A.K.A. Mr. K as he is known by the students) has been a member of the St. Nicholas School faculty since 1977.  Before joining St. Nicholas, Mr. Kannengeiser spent six years teaching in the New York City public school system.  He teaches math and coaches the Celtic flag football and basketball teams among his numerous other roles.

In addition, Mr. Kannengeiser coordinates the annual St. Nicholas Boys’ Invitational Basketball Tournament which features school teams throughout the state.  He also travels with the eighth grade class to Washington D.C. each spring.

He attended Manhattan College and did his graduate work at Fordham University.  In the summer, he volunteers as a docent for the National Park Service on Alcatraz Island, helps at the Sacred Heart Community Center and competes in various 10k races.
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Mr. Carlos Eulate – Seventh Grade and Boys’ Co-Athletic Director
Mr. Eulate began his career at St. Nicholas School is 1998. In addition to teaching seventh grade homeroom, he is also a Language Arts specialist. Together with his seventh grade class he pioneered the use of the mobile technology lab (making laptops available in the classrooms) and continues to explore innovative ways to incorporate technology into his curriculum.

Prior to joining St. Nicholas School he taught middle school in San Carlos.

Mr. Eulate is a Los Altos native and a graduate of St. Simon School and St. Francis High School. He earned his BA from Cal State, Long Beach. During the summer Mr. Eulate teaches at local high schools and junior colleges.
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Mrs. Maureen Velasquez - Sixth Grade
Mrs. Maureen Velasquez is new to the St. Nicholas Community this year. She attended St. Pius, Notre Dame High School, Belmont and received her BA and Calif. Lifetime Credential from San Jose State. She received her Master's Degree and Administrative Credential from Notre Dame de Namur University. Mrs. Velasquez comes to us from St. Cyprian where she served as Principal for the past few years. For nine years Mrs. Velasquez was the Admissions Director at Notre Dame HS, Belmont, where she also taught math and directed the summer school program. Previously, she was Vice-Principal and 8th Grade teacher at St. Joseph, Mountain View. She is very excited about returning to the classroom full-time.

Her interests are reading and her family. Mrs. Velasquez has been married to her husband Rick for 36 years and they have three sons, Greg, Steven and David, one daughter-in-law, Krista, and a beautiful new granddaughter, Kyla.
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Mrs. Stacey Wilson – Fifth Grade and Girls’ Co-Athletic Director
Mrs. Wilson graduated from St. Nicholas School in 1989 and returned to St. Nicholas School in 2003 to teach. Mrs. Wilson and her family have been active St. Nicholas parishioners for many years. Her father, uncle and brother also are St. Nicholas School Alumni. Both of her parents taught at St. Nicholas School and her grandparents continue to be active members in the parish and ICF over the past 50+ years.

Mrs. Wilson earned her BS in Accounting and Finance from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and her teaching credential from San Francisco State University. In her spare time she enjoys coaching, being an avid sports fan and spending time with her friends and family.
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Mrs. Christina Anderson - Fourth Grade
Christina Anderson joined the St. Nicholas faculty in 2003. She is the fourth grade teacher.

Mrs. Anderson was raised in the South Bay Area and is a graduate of Five Wounds School and Presentation High School. Prior to joining St. Nicholas, she taught fourth grade at St. Martin of Tours in San Jose.

Mrs. Anderson graduated from San Jose State University, with a BA in psychology, and a minor in Spanish and completed the credential program at California State University Monterey Bay. Mrs. Anderson and her husband live in Santa Clara, with their young daughter. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family.
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Mrs. Grazi Horiuchi - Third Grade
Mrs. Horiuchi began her teaching career at St. Joseph's Mountain View in 1972.  She taught 3rd – 6th grades.  In 1984 Mrs. Horiuchi put aside her teaching career and became a full time mother.  She began her career at St. Nicholas School first as a parent of three, a science docent and a library volunteer.  As her involvement with St. Nicholas School grew she began substitute teaching, which eventually developed into a long-term sub position in the 4th grade.  Since then she has been a long term sub in 2nd and 5th grade, taught language arts in 5th grade, worked as a 1st, 4th and 5th grade aide and is now the 3rd grade teacher.
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Ms. Stacy French - Second Grade, Girls' Co-Athletic Director, and Assistant Principal Grades K-5
Ms. French came to St. Nicholas School in 1998 as a fifth grade teacher and has recently moved to the “other side of the quad” to teach second grade. Ms. French is a Bay Area native and attended Catholic school from first grade to twelfth grade. She has experience as an early childhood development director, implanted a statewide recruiting program for a social services organization and also worked in human resources.

She earned a BA from San Jose State University and a Montessori Credential from Hayward State. She also holds a Masters in Educational Administration from Santa Clara University. In addition to teaching, she enjoys dancing and reading. She has taught tap, ballet, jazz and theater arts for many years in the San Jose area.
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Ms. Kristen Petersen - First Grade
Kristen Petersen joined the St. Nicholas faculty in 2007. A South Bay Area native, Ms. Petersen is a graduate of St. Frances Cabrini Elementary School and Notre Dame High School, in San Jose. Prior to joining St. Nicholas School she taught Kindergarten at St. Frances Cabrini as the successor of her Kindergarten teacher.

Ms. Petersen graduated from California State University Monterey Bay (GO Fighting Otters!), with a BA in Liberal Studies, a minor in Human Development. She continued her education at California State University Monterey Bay and completed her credential program. She is working towards a Masters in Educational Administration at Santa Clara University.

In her spare time, she enjoys her Beagles, Buster and Dot, computers, crafting, being with friends and family, and will never turn down an opportunity to visit Starbucks.
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Ms. Sheila Thomas - Kindergarten Teacher and Student Council Advisor
Shelia Thomas is a graduate of St. Nicholas School and Sacred Heart High School, Atherton. She completed her BA in English as College of Norte Dame, Belmont and earned her credential at National University. Ms. Thomas returned home to St. Nicholas School in 2005 to teach our full day kindergarten class.

Ms. Thomas has customized integrated units based upon California State Framework for our kindergarten students, making the leading process more enjoyable and relevant for our youngest Celtics. In addition, the students participate in several field trips during the year to emphasize or illustrate points introduced in class.

Ms. Thomas returns to St. Nicholas School from Children’s Creative Learning Centers where she was a kindergarten teacher and assistant director of the center.
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Mary O’Shea – Librarian, Language Arts Teacher and Gardening Club Advisor
Mrs. O’Shea was born and educated in Ireland and has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Social Science degree from University College, Dublin. She trained as a librarian in Marymount School in Neuilly, France.

The St. Nicholas School Library has been her second home since 1982 and she has taught or co-taught in every grade at St. Nicholas School during her tenure. Mrs. O’Shea has deep ties to St. Nicholas School, two of her children are graduates and two of her grandchildren are current students. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, cooking, gardening (she leads the after-school Gardening Club), soccer (has coached 30 teams at St. Nicholas School), knitting and kids!
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Mrs. Mary Ann Balkenhol – Science Director
Mrs. Balkenhol began teaching at St. Nicholas School in 1985 and has been a member of the parish since 1973.

Mrs. Balkenhol graduated from Seattle University with majors in mathematics and education and a minor in physical science. In addition to teaching at St. Nicholas School, Mrs. Balkenhol manages a small business. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening and playing with her six grandchildren.

Prior to joining St. Nicholas School she taught high school math in Seattle and elementary science in the Los Altos School District.
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Mrs. Mary Buljalski – Science Teacher (Grades 6-8)
Stay Tuned!
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Ms. Patricia Verity – Science Teacher (Grades K-5)
Stay tuned!
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Mrs. Martha Sheridan – Spanish Teacher (Grades 6-8)
Mrs. Sheridan has been teaching Spanish at St. Nicholas since 1998. Prior to St. Nicholas she taught kindergarten, language arts, ESL and Spanish in Los Angeles.

Mrs. Sheridan graduated from UC Riverside, with a MA in Spanish literature and language, and completed her credential work at San Jose State University.

She has one child currently enrolled at St. Nicholas and two children who graduated from St. Nicholas School and attend local Catholic high schools.

Mrs. Sheridan spends her spare time swimming, reading, cooking and enjoying her family and friends.
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Mrs. Lynda Duffy – Social Studies (Grades 6-7), Religion (Grade 8), and Assistant Principal Grades 6-8
Mrs. Duffy is a native of Los Altos and an alumna of St. William School. She comes to St. Nicholas School with many years of teaching and administration experiences within the San Jose Diocese and abroad.

Mrs. Duffy graduated form UC Santa Barbara and completed her Life Multiple Credential K-12 and a California Clear Single Subject Credential, Social Studies at Cal State University Hayward.
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Wendy Gittings - Campus Minister
Wendy is in her third year at the Diocesan Institute for Leadership in Ministry and in her first year as Campus Minister at St. Nicholas School.

She graduated from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and holds an MBA from the University of Virginia. Throughout the 90s Wendy worked in investment banking for Chase Manhattan Bank in New York and San Francisco.

Wendy and husband Rob have three boys who attend St. Nicholas School.
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Nicholas Carlisle - Social and Emotional Learning Consultant
Nicholas Carlisle graduated with a Bachelors and Masters Degree from Oxford University, qualified as a lawyer with a human rights focus and served on the board of directors of Amnesty International in Britain. He has researched extensively into the effects of school bullying and has presented his findings at the North Coast Education Summit and the Pacific Sociological Association.

In 1997 he came to California and began his work of helping schools put an end to student bullying and harassment. He gained a Masters in Psychology and is licensed as a psychotherapist in California. Nicholas has worked in the field of education, with some breaks, for twenty-five years, first as a math teacher, and then as a school counselor, child therapist and educational consultant. He is the creator and director of the No Bully program (www.nobully.com) and has been working with St Nicholas since 2003, helping create a culture of empathy and inclusion.
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Leslie Davidson – School Counselor
Leslie Davidson joined St. Nicholas School in 2007. Leslie has over 10 years of experience working with children and youth in many different capacities. She is originally from Michigan where she completed her B.S. in Behavioral Communications/Theatre Arts, with a minor in English Language and Literature.

In 2000 she moved to California and began working as a Junior High English and Drama teacher for 2 years. Leslie decided to pursue her Master’s degree in counseling psychology to practice child and adolescent therapy. Leslie completed her M.A. in Counseling Psychology, with a Drama Therapy specialization, in 2006. She has been working therapeutically with children/youth and their families, for over 3 years.
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Ms. Donelda Ram - Extended Care Coordinator
Mrs. Ram came to St. Nicholas in the fall of 2004. She earned a BA in history from Hunter College in New York and also took classes at the School of Visual Arts.

She speaks Japanese, French and Spanish and enjoys working with children in the areas of art, drama and creative movement.
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