Mr. Francisco

Welcome students and parents! A little about me:

I taught PE for 5 years at St. Andrew's Country Day School in Kenmore until its closing and am thrilled to be here at OLV! When I am not teaching I play recreational touch football almost year-round and in a kickball league part of the year. I also enjoy disc golf, park golf (ask me about it sometime!), and biking. One of my favorite things to do is cook, especially making some delicious game day recipes for Bills games.

Grading policy: 

Physical Education: 80% daily effort, participation, conduct, 20% assessments

8th grade Health: 60% class work, 20% projects, 20% tests/quizzes

December 2024 newsletter:

Physical Education- Students have been playing a variety of Christmas games. Pre-K has come up with some creative winter/Christmas movements including turning into snowplows, polar bears, and reindeer. PreK-1st grade have played a game of snowman down that reinforces underhand and overhand throwing skills from earlier in the year. Some classes have enjoyed some Christmas tag games such as Grinch tag, candy cane tag, and a fun twist on sharks and minnows called Christmas cookies. Teamwork, cooperation, and communication are crucial in the games of Santa Swap and Elf Express. Pre-K worked together to put presents under the gym's Christmas tree, and grades K-4 used scooters to deliver presents in the ever-popular game of Santa's Sleigh Ride. Middle school classes had a few classes of ultimate frisbee and enjoyed a few games of Snowman Snowball Battle where each team tried to knock over the opposing team's snowmen (bowling pins).

Health- 8^th grade students continued working with the Scholastic Choices magazine and read and reviewed articles on the topics of first aid, growth spurts, effective communication with adults, a profile of a partially paralyzed teenage actress who is in the movie Wicked, and a day in the life of a librarian. Using the magazine as a catalyst, Students also had a spirited discussion on the topic of whether the voting should be lowered or not. Our next project focuses on the topic of empathy, which prompted students to examine their empathy levels, and situations in which they have previously shown empathy. We began preliminary work on a poster project that students will be presenting to the class after we return from the break.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and joyous vacation!

November 2024 newsletter:

This month in PE students have been practicing kicking skills and playing soccer. Our younger students have been learning to kick with the inside of their foot to pass to targets, dribbling the ball with control, trapping the ball, using powerful kicks to score goals, and punting. 

Middle school students have completed a unit based on the Sport Education Model. Students divided into teams of 3 for a World Cup soccer event. Teams chose a country to represent, practiced together, devised strategies, and played matches against all the other teams in a group stage. The teams were then ranked and played a World Cup tournament which wrapped up right before Thanksgiving. Some students took on roles of stat-keeper and referee during the event as well. Students completed a reflection form at the end of the unit to rate various elements of their team's performance, especially their teamwork and sportsmanship.

In health class, 8th grade has been learning about various types of diseases, both communicable and non-communicable, along with ways to prevent each of them. We've also been using the Scholastic Choices magazine. It has fostered some spirited discussions on the topics of trick-or-treating for teens and navigating the world of social media. Additionally, students have been reading and reviewing articles on topics such as the importance of breakfast, being organized, healthy friendships, a day in the life of a mechanic, and a profile of a teen living with severe vision impairment.

Philosophy: I believe all students should be provided with a variety of activities that allows them to explore several different ways to be physically active. The goal is to provide students with enjoyment, competition and motivation to want to be physically active through the remainder of their lives. Students will also learn about what it means to live a happy and healthy lifestyle.