Tomales High School’s new principal, Francisco Manriquez, brings 14 years of experience to West Marin and a nuanced understanding of the student body’s needs. Once an undocumented student in the United States school system, he understands the challenges that students and their families face as they navigate education in this country. His background as a collegiate wrestler helps, too. 

“In wrestling, you get in situations, and you scramble—going with the motion, the movement, when you need to, like water,” he said. “Education is a lot like that.”

Growing up in Redwood Valley, a small town in Mendocino County filled with hardworking people, Mr. Manriquez studied and competed at Ukiah High School while his parents worked at the now-defunct Mrs. Denson’s Cookie Factory. He earned an athletic scholarship to U.C. Davis, and soon found himself wrestling for the Aggies.

After earning a bachelor’s degree, he went on to pursue a master’s degree from Sonoma State University and launch a career in education.

Whether on the mat or in the classroom, Mr. Manriquez attributes his success to his win-no-matter-what mindset, overcoming whatever obstacle is placed before him. He stresses the importance of visualizing goals and speaking them into existence. Life will always find a way to throw a bump in the road when least expected but navigating and remaining focused is key, he says.

In 1984, when he was about 4 years old, he and his family arrived in the U.S. from Celaya, in Guanajuato. His stepfather had worked as a teacher in Mexico, but he ended up making more money selling tacos. In just one night at a taqueria, he could earn two weeks’ worth of his salary as a teacher. Ultimately, his family decided to head north in search of economic opportunity. 

Like many first-generation students, Mr. Manriquez decided to pursue higher education to honor the sacrifices that his parents had made. He endured the hardships brought on by his undocumented status in the U.S., all while learning to navigate the school system, racism, language, culture and identity.

This is a lived experience that he shares with many of his students and their families. “We share that, and we can come together because of those reasons. And then I can build a better relationship with the kids and the families because we get it. We understand,” said Mr. Manriquez, who lives outside Sebastopol.

It can be difficult for parents to get involved in their child’s education, and even more so for those who do not speak English. But shared experiences and language help break down barriers of access, allowing families to engage.

Before arriving at Tomales, Mr. Manriquez was the first Spanish-speaking Latino principal who grew up undocumented at Healdsburg High School. There, he managed a student body that was two-thirds Latino. At Tomales High, as many as 70 percent of the roughly 130 students identify as Latino. Walking through the halls, students are often heard communicating with one another in Spanish. In fact, students retain the language more here than in neighboring schools— “which is beautiful,” Mr. Manriquez said.

Seventy percent of students at Tomales High are socioeconomically disadvantaged, according to the California School Dashboard 2023 report. A quarter of the student body is considered English learners, meaning they are actively learning to communicate effectively in English while also keeping up with their coursework. Test scores in English language arts and mathematics fall into the orange “low” category, meaning they are below the statewide standard. 

As principal, Mr. Manriquez’s goal is to establish long-term stability and boost students’ test scores and performance, while also getting families involved in the school.

“I’m just excited that I can help people,” Mr. Manriquez said. “I’m excited for anybody who comes to Tomales High School because we’re going to support them and make sure that they get a good education.”

After-school tutoring is available in the library with snacks every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:10 to 5 p.m. During those times, librarian Abby Spaletta and Bridge the Gap tutor Adriana Quintana support students in science, math, history, English and Spanish.

You can call, email or visit Francisco Manriquez, who holds an open-door policy to address families’ needs in both English and Spanish. He can be reached at (707) 878-2286 ext. 206, via email [email protected], or at his office at Tomales High School.