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Tomball Independent School District

Alumni Spotlight: Collin Nicholas (THS, '07)

Collin Nicholas is a 2007 graduate of Tomball High School and currently serves Creekside Park Junior High as Assistant Principal. 

Collin Nicholas

COLLIN NICHOLAS, Tomball High School, 2007
Assistant Principal at Creekside Park Junior High

Returning home and now serving as the Assistant Principal at Creekside Park Junior High, Collin Nicholas has been able to quickly make an impact on the younger generation through teaching and building relationships - two things that come so natural to him.

Nicholas grew up in Tomball and was exposed to life in the education world at a very young age with a mother who was an active volunteer on campuses throughout his childhood and who later served on the Tomball ISD Board of Trustees for over 10 years. He also had a grandfather who dedicated his career to serving children as an Elementary Principal.

“Our world needs good people who care about others, who stand up for what is right, and give back to their community, and that is what I try to model for all students and teachers that I work with,” Nicholas said. 

His family moved to the Tomball area shortly after he was born and he has only ever known Tomball schools. A 2007 graduate of Tomball High School, Nicholas also attended Lakewood Elementary, Tomball Intermediate, and Tomball Junior High during his K-12 experience. 

“I had a really great experience at all campuses that I attended in TISD,” he said. “Teachers cared about me and my success, staff were friendly and supportive, and I felt like I was prepared for college, mission trips, career, family and beyond because of what I learned in Tomball.”

Nicholas played basketball all four years in high school and was a member of the National Honor Society, graduating in the Top 10% of his 2007 class. His educational success as well as being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led him to attend BYU. 

“My family has been a BYU family since I can remember, and it was honestly the only place I seriously pursued out of high school,” Nicholas said. “It is where my parents met and where I was born. I was blessed to be admitted and had a great experience.”

During his time at BYU, Nicholas was called to serve a church mission in Chile. There, he spent two years serving the people of Santiago and quickly became immersed in the culture and learned Spanish.

“When I returned to BYU after my mission trip, I didn’t have a career path set, and figured I loved Spanish, and I have loved teaching and helping people the past two years, so I gave Spanish teaching a try. I instantly fell in love with teaching and never looked back.”

After Nicholas received his Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Teaching from BYU, he returned to the Houston area and began his teaching career in Aldine ISD. From there, he made his way to Klein ISD as a Spanish teacher and coach for a little over four years. He then received his Master’s of Education Administration from Lamar University and from there, decided he was ready to pursue an administrative role.

“I shadowed an administrator on my campus and was so inspired by how he could connect with the students and teachers he worked with, and it was after that day I knew I would go for the next step in my career,” Nicholas recalls when asked why he wanted to pursue administration.

In 2019, he joined Cleveland ISD as an Assistant Principal and as soon as Tomball ISD had an administrative opening, coming home was all he ever wanted.

“From the moment I got into the teaching field, I knew I wanted to come back home,” he said. 

In 2020, Nicholas joined Tomball ISD as an Assistant Principal at Willow Wood Junior High and following an administrative transition, he became the Assistant Principal at Creekside Park Junior High in 2021, where he currently serves.

“It took a few years for the opportunity to come available, but I am so glad it did. The district was so great for me and my family growing up, and as I dove into the field, the reputation of the district not only in Houston but in Texas, helped solidify my desire to come back home. I knew this [Tomball] was the place I wanted to be and it is such a blessing to be back.”

As Assistant Principal at CPJHS, Nicholas has been able to make a positive impact on students while remaining committed to growing as a leader.

“The best part of my job is getting to work with students who need support, and seeing teachers, staff, parents, and community come together to help that student feel loved, see success, and then continue to grow as they move through the district is amazing,” he said. “I love being a small part of the Tomball experience for someone else, just like so many others were for me when I was a student here.”

And despite growth and change since he was a student, Tomball, for Nicholas, remains a family.

“Everyone knows everyone, and everyone is genuinely ready to help with whatever is needed. It has been really cool to see the district from a student perspective, a parent perspective, and now as an employee to succeed.”

Nicholas and his wife, Rebecca, are parents to seven children, five of whom are currently enrolled in Tomball schools with the youngest two soon to be. Coming full circle, Nicholas now has the chance to raise his children in his hometown and have his children experience the magic that Tomball offers.

“Tomball has grown so much since I was a child but has kept the same hometown feel,” he said. “I feel very blessed to live and work in Tomball and to have my kids come through Tomball. My wife and I genuinely feel like we have found our forever home in Tomball and in Tomball ISD.”

 

  • 2022-2023
  • Alumni Spotlight
  • CPJHS
  • Nicholas
  • THS