mr. tom vellani

Tom grew up in Columbus, Ohio as the third of seven children. He is the beneficiary of a private school education, grammar, high school, and through his sophomore year in college when he transferred to The Ohio State University and earned a B.A. in History from the College of Humanities. Tom’s introduction to Latin was initiated at Aquinas College High School; he continued with Latin while at the university.

Mr. Vellani and his wife Mary have been married for 36 years. They have two children: Gina, who resides in New York City, and their son Peter, who lives in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Tom and Mary are active members of Bethesda Church in Prior Lake.

When Mr. Vellani retired from the business world in 2003 he determined to see what he could contribute in education. Starting first as a substitute teacher at Southwest and other Christian schools he began teaching Latin at Southwest in the 2004-05 school year. Mr. Vellani soon proposed a 4-year Latin program which was approved by the administration; the transition to this new curriculum started in the 2005-06 school year.

Hobbies include reading and doing chores on his hobby farm. It is no surprise that he is also a huge Buckeye fan. Any student that wears a garment that says Ohio State will always be approached by Mr. Vellani saying “O – H!” repeatedly until they respond with an “I – O,” you know, “O – H – I – O.”

Tom’s reasons for teaching are four: to serve, to befriend, to educate, and to enjoy.