Focus on Friends: Kevin Romero

If you’ve passed the Common Room lately, you’ve likely heard catchy tunes and seen Kindergarten or Grade 1 students moving with purpose and a surprising degree of independence. It’s not accidental. It reflects Kevin Romero’s carefully structured, skill-based approach to teaching PE.

Kevin teaches PE to our youngest learners with a clear, structured approach and a steadfast belief in their potential. Each class is composed of a carefully laid out progression of skills differentiated to meet the needs of individual students. In any given class, all children could be working on a given skill, like catching, but there might be four different versions of how they can practice, ensuring that every child has a way to practice that allows for both challenge and success. 

In addition to his work in the Lower School, Kevin teaches Middle School fitness and coaches Girls’ Varsity Soccer, Middle School Basketball, and Middle School Softball. His presence spans the full K–12 experience, allowing him to build lasting relationships with students as they grow.

Kevin’s journey to the classroom began in El Salvador, where soccer was his world. After moving to the United States. to play for the New York Red Bulls U18 team, he balanced English studies at BMCC with a job in food service. His true calling emerged when he began coaching for Super Soccer Stars. While playing for local teams like the Brooklyn Italians and Baruch College, Kevin realized he was as comfortable coaching three-year-olds as he was elite travel players. This passion led him to Queens College, where he pursued a degree in Physical Education.

Though Kevin joined the faculty full-time in September 2022, his history with Friends runs deeper. He previously served as a coach, substitute, and a vital "floater" teacher during the pandemic. During that time, he began to see how special the Friends community was, the ways in which everyone worked together and supported one another. When a full-time PE position opened, he stepped into the role with a deep understanding of the community. 

Through his work Kevin is developing a movement foundation for our youngest students that promotes confidence, collaboration, and patience. “Working with young children for so long [at Super Soccer Stars and at Friends] helped me to understand where kids come from,” he says. “Sure, it’s about the skills they are learning, but it’s more about the success they are achieving.”

That success is often fostered in small moments. When a child struggles, Kevin drops to one knee to meet them at eye level. "I don’t baby them or change my voice," he explains. "I get excited with them for what they can do."

When asked what keeps him at Friends, his answer is immediate: "The kids. Their curiosity and their smiles when they do something they didn't know they could do before. There is nothing better."

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Focus on Friends is an initiative of the Friends Seminary administration designed to celebrate the people and programs that make our community thrive. Each month, a member of the Senior Administration will select an individual, group, department, or office—uplifting those who are doing exciting work, leading with creativity, or simply contributing in meaningful ways to the spirit of Friends. This month’s story was chosen and written by Erin Gordon, Head of Lower School.