Local man to oppose current Richland board president

In the only contested race this November involving Richland School Board candidates, newcomer Julian Armando Calvillo is vying for the seat in Area 3. He will be running against current president Deanna Rodriguez-Root.

Calvillo is a college-prep tutor and college peer-mentor for the Wonderful College Prep Academy/Delano HS/McFarland HS. He has a long history of educating high school students.

Calvillo said that he enjoys helping students achieve their educational goals. In addition, he is working towards a masters degree in biology so he can pursue a career in therapeutic gene research.

Calvillo believes that his work experience gives him an advantage when recognizing needs in students as well as possible deficiencies that may need to be addressed.

"Based on my experience working with students, I have learned to identify educational gaps and best practices that address various educational deficiencies some students encounter," he said.

Calvillo said that he is running because the Richland School District is where he first gained his love for learning.

"I have a great respect for the educators of Richland and I want to help attain the success that I know Richland can achieve," he said.

When asked what issues that Richland currently faces, Calvillo said that a major one is student safety. "Scientists have stated that the pandemic won't go away on its own, therefore, it must be treated with caution."

Calvillo said that he believes that one of the main purposes of the Richland School District is to ensure that students are adequately prepared for high school education.

"Currently, incoming freshmen to Shafter High School have about a sixth grade reading level," he said. "This indicates a severe lack of reading ability from our students."

Calvillo's vision is to help the board become a community driven body that collaborates with community members and Richland staff to achieve a new standard of success.

"This means improving board-community relations by making the board more accessible to the community," he said.