Name: José Fresco
Grades: 9-12
Subject: Spanish Two, Four and Six (IB-HL)
Room Number: E-101
Phone: 612-668-3030
Voice Mail: 612-668-8982
Email: jose.fresco@mpls.k12.mn.us

¡¡¡Bienvenidos!!!  Welcome!!!  My name is José Fresco and I am from Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  I came here in 1980 to study at the University of Minnesota and I ended up staying, getting married and now we have two wonderful children.  Sophie is 10 and Miguel is 7.  They like to play soccer, golf, hockey and any sport imaginable.  My  family (my mom, brothers, sister, nephews, etc) still lives in Santa Cruz and I go to visit them every 3 or 4 years.  I have a brother in the Czech Republic and sister in Italy, but I haven't been to visit them in a while.

I am one of five Spanish teachers at Southwest and this is my fifth year teaching here. This is my 13th year, how time flies.  Before Southwest, I taught at North High School for 8 years and before that, at The International School of Minnesota in Eden Prairie for one year.

This year again I am teaching Spanish levels Two, Four and Spanish IB-HL (or level six). My classroom is in E101, across from the Community Ed. office. I usually get to school at 7:30 a.m. and I stay until 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. Any student is welcome to come to get any extra help before or after school. Parents, you are welcome to stop by anytime and see what we are doing in the classroom. You don't need to call or make an appointment, just show up.

Before teaching I worked at The Malt Shop (5 years), at A'ls Breakfast in Dinkytown (another 5 years) and at the U. of M. Hospital (for 14 years). I worked at a pediatric station (5A) taking care of kids with cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, heart, kidney and liver diseases, and with kids who needed transplant. While taking care of the kids, I found myself helping them with their homework and teaching them math, science, Spanish and other subjects. That is how I found my calling. In 1995 I went back to school, two years later I finished my BA in Spanish and a year later I got my ME (Master in Education).

I began teaching in 1999, I enjoy it a lot and I don't know when I am going to quit. Being in the classroom, interacting with the students, and seeing them learn new material is what makes my day. Besides teaching them Spanish, I teach them about the Hispanic culture and my life experiences in Bolivia and here, in the USA. I will also reinforce what, we, parents are teaching them at home: be responsible, follow the rules, respect one another, learn how to interact with classmates and teachers/adults in a positive way, and learn how to advocate for themselves. These things are the ones that are going to be the most useful and helpful in college and later in life.  Even more than Spanish.  And along these things, they will also learn Spanish in fun and enjoyable ways.

Teaching is my passion and I don't see myself doing anything else, except when I retire (which I am not planning to do for a long time). Then I would open a bicycle shop (and teach people how to fix and take care of their bikes), ride more and play golf (of course).

I like Southwest very much. The staff is great and so are the students and their parents. Students are polite, motivated, independent and most of all, very talented. Parents have been supportive and understanding and that is the reason why we are the best public school in the state for the second year in a row (113th in the country). I am lucky and thankful for being able to teach at Southwest and I don't have anything but good things to say about all of them. Let's have a wonderful year and have fun.

¡¡¡Buena suerte!!!

Señor Fresco