Manny Rangel on Relationships, Advocacy, and Belonging

Manny Rangel

So think first and foremost, thank you for having me here. It’s it’s a true honor, you know, as you’ll see in my way, we respond to a couple of things. It hasn’t always been that way. I’ve had to navigate these systems alone sometimes with you in my in my, in my, you know, experience because I’ve never had that. And so I want to be able to, I know what it feels like to be lonely. I know what it feels like to to have, you know, like many students or people who’ve come from the Yakima Valley where their stories feel numb because it’s the norm to have parents who work in the fields. You know, I mean, we have PhDs in in faith and in hard work and family. But when it comes to like the academic piece, the retirement piece, it’s where it’s very foreign to us. So I just want to say thank you for for allowing me to, to speak where my, my, where my passion is and from and then my heart, you know, just because that’s who I am and you know who I am. So, so yeah. I’m excited. So. Yes.

Gina Yonts

So when did you realize leadership was the gig for you? I mean, I know you were a baller. Let’s talk a little bit about you. You came into public education as a coach, right?

Manny Rangel

Yeah. So, you know, I coached, you know, hoops out of White Swan for many years. I’ve had, you know, played under some great coaches, Andy Folger, Steve Myers and you know Marcelino Suarez, Steve Elder you know, so I’ve had some really great mentors, you know, and and you know, but I take that a step further back. I had a really unique opportunity to be to play in my youth for a guy named Fred Zavala, a Captain Viking alumni. And so the way that he and Marty McCallum, the way they, the way they’re approached for me, where I came from, what I look like, you know, and just there was none of that. So I felt like, damn, these guys are really amazing people. And so, and I wanted to give back, you know, and so being able to, to have that, hard work, the, the genuine care for kids, the way they cared for me, I mean, I we’d go to these. It’s kind of funny. It’s like we’d go to these games. You know, played one heck of a game and then they come to eat. I mean, I’d find myself in a corner because I had no money to. And the next day. You know what? You’re with me. Come eat. And so like that. Genuine. Not even, like, thinking twice to feed me, you know. And so just want to be able to give.

You know, and, and I think serving in the military, I’ve seen a lot of things too. And, just, the whole thing about giving back, you know, the legacy that we leave behind. I mean, I’m nobody, just your average Joe. But the things that we do in our day to day life is making connections with people and students is. I want at the end of the day, you know what? I care about my kids. The way I was carried upon, you know, and I want to be able to to live, leave that legacy for the next, you know, whatever you know. And then people do the work all the time, but everyone has a different story. And again, you know, that just the the coaches of giving back that leadership and, and I knew I wanted it because I knew I wanted to do that, because I wanted to feel the way. I want people to feel the way I did. When you have people who pour into you that that you know that God has to never give up, the gonna go out to, to, to, to all perform people to just go out there and just get it done. And so I really feel these, these coaches were just pivotal people in my life throughout, you know, of giving back.

And heck, I just feel blessed to be in a position now as an administrator to give back, you know, and I do have some street cred. You know, I did play ball, I did I have some success, coach and and the army. And so I have all these things, you know, that, you know, you’re not going to outwork me, you know. And so that’s just being able to, you know. And so that’s just been really a unique experience. So anyway yeah.

Gina Yonts

Well that’s really exciting. So I know when I first met you, you were in an elementary intermediate level principal, and you’ve made some very strategic choices to be working at the middle level and currently as an assistant principal at the middle level. Tell me, what is something you enjoy most about leading from the role you’re in currently?

Manny Rangel

The the role that I have. First of all, I have a super superintendent and Mr. Rosenkranz who who believes that students, you know, believes in students, you know, and to have that type of leadership, you know, top down just you know, there’s a there’s a quote, you know, and I feel like Pete brings that to the table. He really he’s invested in his in his administration. And and for me, like the whole John Williams says, when players know that they’re valued and they’re appreciated, not just from their work but in their family, they’re going to work that much harder. And I feel like Pete does that for us. He does that for me, and so I really value that. But for me right now in middle school is that it’s such a, you know, it’s such a, age where kids can go either way. And right now, you know, I think at the end of the day, I want to make meaningful connections with students. If I can make those connections with students, the rigor will come. It’s just we got to get them here. And I feel like I can do that again through my personal experiences, my relentless, ambition to make those connections with families and genuine connections with families.

You know, because again, at the end of the day, I want to be able to connect with families the way my family, was connected with. And we didn’t have that. So for me, I’m never going to have a student ever feel like I did where they were just, you know, you’re you’re you’re in it. So I just don’t want that, you know. And so for me, I feel like God has put me in a position where I can make those meaningful and impactful connections with students and parents and yet be genuine in my approach, because we want and we all want the best for kids. But sometimes there are some layers that we have to peel back and and so we have to, work a little harder, which I don’t mind doing. Again, it’s just the work. The harder we work in, the harder we work in in investing in relationships. I think that it’s it’ll be worth it in the long run.

Gina Yonts

So that’s awesome. Well, that leads me to my next question. Yes. So is there a moment from your leadership journey this year at Le Center Middle School that reminds you why this work matters. You know what? I can see you getting a little bit emotional, and that means it matters. So, You’re good. You’re making a difference. Aren’t you?

Manny Rangel

Trying? So I had some students reach out to me earlier this year with, immigration stuff and family stuff, and, it’s just, when students can connect with you and they feel trusted and they feel respected, and they and you as an adult, you know, they feel like they can come to you. These students, you know, I don’t I, I know them, but they know that I’m human. I love on people. I love on families. It was just really, a pleasure to to connect with families and, and and bring them the support services that they needed.

That’s just the work that we do, you know. And, and I’d be an advocate for my for my students. I’m never going to. I’m, you know, as far as politics, I’m never going to get involved in politics. But when it comes to being an advocate for for the betterment of our children so that they’re safe and their families are safe, I’m going to I’m going to do that, you know, and and so we, you know, that’s what we do. And so, you know, I just feel like, and, you know, being advocate for, for our families and our students and, and so, you know, again, making those connections, you know, I can give you a couple of examples. We’ve had students who who have never shown up to parents who have never showed up to an IEP and, you know, and and of course, that just sent me the paperwork and we’ll do it through phone and, and the you just we’re we’re I’m I’m talking I’m texting parents on my phone. Hey, we want you at these meetings. We want you here. We want you to be a part of the process. And one of the coolest. We just had an IEP meeting last Tuesday, and the parent was like, this is actually a really unique meeting. Thank you for inviting me. And it was just that relentless.

And say to you, I want you to hear it’s not a. Our concerns come from a good place of wanting to help your child be successful, just like you do. So let us do that, please. And so no, it’s just the work is great. It’s it’s a lot of, a lot of, you know, just be relentless again. You know, I, I say this, I don’t mean to get emotional. It’s just it’s hard because it’s a it was a vehicle for me to get out of the situation that I was in with my family and, you know, to to be better, to get educated to, you know, it’s it’s not so much that I want to be better than anybody, but I, I definitely didn’t want to live a life of, of working in the field. And so I saw it as an opportunity to get to, to educate myself. And, and I thank God every day to that. He puts me in a position every single day to, to, to be in front of children. Sometimes some days are harder than others just because stuff that I’m personally going through. But it’s not that I’m I’m going to continue to to be an advocate for kids and families. And so no, just being able to connect that bridge with families who find the school system a little challenging because they’re afraid or they’re unaware.

And, and to really help families that, you know, we’re here to help. So.

Gina Yonts

Well, I love that Manny and I definitely it’s been a privilege to walk alongside you the last few years, just getting to know you and your family. They’re amazing people. You’re you and your wife Maria, have amazing three kids. I think I even got to be at Manuelito fifth birthday party. He’s probably driving now. I don’t know, it seems.

Manny Rangel

Like.

Gina Yonts

Years and three years and little kid years is a little bit like years. But let me ask you this question as you reflect on your time as a school leader, because you’ve been leading for a lot of years, where do you feel like you’ve grown the most in your leadership? Where do you feel like you’ve grown the most?

Manny Rangel

Because sometimes this job can be mundane. We can, and I and I don’t mean that to be disrespectful. I just sometimes we get callous because of just this is the way things are. But I think at the end, this is going to sound, cliche, but I want to be the the the coach k of relationship building with our students here in the center or wherever. You know, God takes me, you know, and of course, I enjoy I want to be here, you know, and I want to be I want to be coach K, I want to be coach one of the. And I feel like I’ve grown in that capacity to make those meaningful connections with families, because we can have all the rigor in the world. But if we don’t have that connection, that buy in from, you know, there’s that, you know, that, hey, they got my back, then we’re not going to we can we, we can have all the beautiful bells and whistles and I’ll take that to the bank. I mean, we have to have those meaningful connections and and honestly, I want to I want to be that I, I yearn to, you know, I’m going on in my 20 some years of administration, but I, I strive every year to be the coach k of of relationship building, the John Wooden’s I mean, you know, that’s who I want to be.

And so I feel like that is the area that I’ve, that I’ve grown in. I want to continue to grow. And again, in my humble opinion, every every day is a mean, is a is a is a, opportunity to make meaningful and powerful connections with students no matter what the previous day was like.

Gina Yonts

So resiliency at its finest, right? Oh my gosh. So when you think about the center middle school, of course you’re not you’re you’re not an army of one. It might feel like that on some days. You know, doing discipline and things like that as an assistant. However, when you think about the work happening in your school, where do you feel like you and your team have really made some meaningful progress?

Manny Rangel

I think when it comes to inclusionary work, I really enjoy my principal, Mr. McIntosh. Other than he’s a cougar, you know? Bye bye bye college. But, the guy really loves the work. I mean, obviously, he’s. We’re sped guys, you know, and we really just love that connect the the camaraderie that we have with our teachers and our team to put kids that are inclusion work has put him in the best place possible to be successful, and I love how our team wraps around our students when it comes to that work, because there’s also been some very difficult conversations where students aren’t being successful in inclusion. So we have to, you know, go back to the drawing board and, you know, and resource putting back into resource, you know, because they’re not. So that work is it’s not always easy. But I feel like as a team we really you know, there’s always there’s always work to do. But I mean as far as right now in the moment is just being able to put that lens of what’s best for our students in inclusion. And we’re going to, you know, teach them. We’re going to love on them.

We’re going to, you know, give them all the tools that they need to be successful, you know, and so, you know, from our parents and we’re all, you know, trying to calibrate together so that our kids can be successful in the setting.

Gina Yonts

That’s amazing. Okay. So now let’s talk a little bit about the eight criterion. The AWSP eight criterion. And again. Thinking about those eight criteria, which one do you feel you’ve had the most success with in your current leadership role?

Manny Rangel

I just, the staff support the, the I think I. I’m sorry. I’m drawing.

Gina Yonts

A line. I’m thinking it’s criterion one because I know you and we’ve had so many stories about as you’re building culture that’s not just with students and families and community. It is with your staff. And you’ve received some pretty amazing, recognition from them. Do you want to talk about that? Because that is criterion one. Brag on yourself. Just a hot minute, man.

Manny Rangel

Well, you know, we we we as a staff, you know, we work with each other for 180 days out of the school year. And we have to figure out how to, you know, make those powerful connections with our teachers and love on them. One of the things that was true before I even got here, we have a monthly shout out to our staff, and we sit in front of our at our in every, first of the month. We we sit in, you know, the staff monthly award goes out to whoever you know. And so just, just and then we have our, our, our, our, our monthly, luncheons. I mean, it’s just really making it a, a, a family affair of what we can do as a get together to bring, you know, the just the team together, you know, and just all of that I feel has just been it’s been well received. You know, we have a lot of support from our from our, our staff. And this is just a, you know, we had principals appreciation, a couple weeks back and this is where we had our staff. I don’t take care of, middle school supervision for us. And like, you guys, aren’t you guys? Are you guys, we we value what you do. And it’s just that kind of camaraderie.

Gina Yonts

That’s actually stepped up to manage the administrative supervision.

Manny Rangel

During middle.

Gina Yonts

School lunch.

Manny Rangel

Yeah, we actually got lunch. And so.

Gina Yonts

How kind and thoughtful a simple thing like that. That’s right.

Manny Rangel

You know, and so. No, but again, just bringing that back to, to, you know, the forefront of community, you know, and, and, you know, we walk the walk, we’re in classrooms, we’re calibrating with our teachers. We’re checking in and and just genuine, you know, one of the really unique things I learned working, in a different building is that those accountable conversations, you know, accountable steps, I believe and, you know, the actionable items with the conversations and and the follow through, I think, has served really well in this building because I love me and we love having conversations with our teachers. And every time we talk with our staff, it’s what we’re doing. What can we do to help. And and it’s been really well received. And so anyway, just, you know.

Gina Yonts

So talk to me about you. You gave it an acronym there that I’m not familiar with for I would know.

Manny Rangel

With the book that we read over when I was working with Mr. Maxwell. Oh, power to power was too powerful.

Gina Yonts

Oh, powerless. Too powerful. Absolutely. Oh, my gosh. Chuck Salinas and Chuck Salinas. Oh, my gosh, you’re right. And in a school improvement lens, there framework can be super powerful. But it is all built on relational trust.

Manny Rangel

Yes.

Gina Yonts

Which is which is no surprise that that really, really speaks to you, especially your your leadership heart. So again, what initially led you to focus on the relationships within leadership? Because this is literally what you do. You’re very dynamic at this when you are coaching a basketball team. I can only imagine how those kids wanted to run through a brick wall for you, but I see how your family loves up on you. I see how your colleagues really appreciate you. Mr. Rosenkrantz kind of thinks you hung the moon and the stars. I mean, sorry, here’s this man. That might be a little bit extra, but at the same time, they really have tried to figure out how to keep you involved in their school system because of this relentless pursuit of culture. So what initially led you to focus on that? And then what’s happening in your school that has made that work really elevated?

Manny Rangel

So I don’t know if so. Like for me. One of the things I value the most is, is when I was going through my my trialing years as a student, there was teachers that saw me for me, nobody else. You know, regardless of where I came from. Regardless, they saw they valued me as a person. And, you know, that’s where I feel like I thrive because I can make that connection with people. I can make them feel because I know what it feels like. I know what it feels like to be said, told these things and so on and so forth. And and genuinely, I just care about people you know. I care about where they come from, I care. I want to know their story. I want to know they’re what makes them go. You know, and and, you might not always like my approach, but I feel like if I get if I can do anything to make your experience at our school much more pleasant, please let me know, you know, and from, you know, sitting in 504 meetings to IEP meetings, to just parent meetings because their children are are acting a certain way because they’re going through puberty. I mean, it’s just I want to be able to understand so that I can make, you know, interventions to help students be successful in our building.

You know, and I think, just I know what it feels like to be left out. And it’s not and it’s not. Okay. It’s not. I know what it feels like to be told you’re not college material. I know what it feels like to be told you’re not going to make it. I know what it feels like to be told you’re going to be like the rest of those guys that are out there looking in over here, and I just.

Gina Yonts

It’s just not going to happen. Not on.

Manny Rangel

Your way?

Gina Yonts

No, Not.

Manny Rangel

From. Not on my watch.

Gina Yonts

I appreciate that. Yeah. Manny. And this is why I was so excited to visit with you today. Because, really, you’re not just a one man show. Tell me how you involve other people in this work. How have you gotten other people to kind of join in this philosophy and buying into the values of that? Like we don’t quit on kids.

Manny Rangel

You know, when when students, you know, whether we have our cabinet meetings every Monday and, you know, obviously we’ve had some, some, parents come in who are monolingual and don’t speak, obviously don’t speak any English. You’re Spanish. And I love how the team has leaned on me to gather the necessary data to help students be families to be successful. That to me, has has brought a new light of this is my why, you know, and this and so like from students, from getting students new clothes, gas cards through our, you know, the rotary here in town and, and and, just all that work to to get families to know that we’re here. You know, we sat in a meeting about two months ago where attendance again was a huge issue. And we have students in all three buildings. And we sat with this parent who was rough around the edges and, to see, you know, to to hear the compliments. And again, I don’t like talking about myself, but to hear Manny, we appreciate you being on our team. We appreciate the genuine person that you are. And and I said, you know what I want to love on families that I wish I would have loved on. That’s that’s my. Why.

Gina Yonts

Well, so when you think about that okay. So now I’m going to tell you here criterion two social emotional and intellectual safety. That’s what it is. You’re you’re you’re walking alongside these families and saying I don’t care where you’ve been. I don’t care what you’ve done, but we’re here. We’re going to be the team. This is what we’re going to do. I think that’s amazing. How do you get other people to join you in this work? Because I know you’ve got some people that are just like, whatever, whenever what our. That’s that’s.

Manny Rangel

Fair. That’s pretty been that’s pretty. You know what? You summed it up pretty nicely. That’s pretty much been the, the, the consensus. Hey, what do you need, Manny? You know, and, you know, we gather our. Yeah, this is what we need. And we wrap around the family and we get them come. We get them to come in and and we food, coffee, whatever it is we got you. Let’s let’s let’s let’s troubleshoot. Let’s let’s move forward. So I know that has been a blessing to have a team of administrators that see the vision, see the worth and, and and again, sometimes these families are challenging, but when they realize that we put on our pants the same way they do and, and we have all these, you know, we all come from, you know, we honestly because I mean, sometimes, you know, hey, we don’t always understand, understand. But I think it’s just we’re human. We care, you know. And sometimes the little, little stuff over here might get in the way. But at the end of the day, if your kids aren’t at school, we want to know why. We want to figure out how we can knock down those barriers.

So I know it’s it’s been we got a great team and just feel again blessed to to have a leadership that that allows us to to do our job to to to love on the kids, love on families. And we want to make this the best place for kids.

Gina Yonts

So I love that. It also sounds a lot like criterion seven engaging with families and communities.

Manny Rangel

Yeah.

Gina Yonts

Yeah, I mean, you do it without even thinking you’re doing it because it’s the right work. It’s the work that needs to happen and you’re not thinking about, oh geez, what criterion does this fit into? I need something to mark off my box. That’s not you. Which is refreshing. Go ahead, I interrupt you. Go ahead.

Manny Rangel

No, that’s the thing, you know, and I think I think having rubrics to to to measure our growth, I think it’s fantastic. But, man, you just you have to do the work because it means something to you. You just gotta have. You know, and I feel like again, I don’t. God puts me, puts me in places where I need to be. He puts me in places where I need to serve. And, I mean, he was a selfless leader. And, you know, he’s all about helping others. And I just want to be able to, you know, I’m not saying just I want to give back because he’s he’s been my saving grace. You know my story. You know where I was at, last December with with with my mental health. And so there’s no greater feeling than being able to serve, our students, our families, no matter where they come from, because no one should ever feel like I did that day. And it’s just, you know. And so, kids, they need us, even though they can be brutal sometimes. But we have to, you know, we have to love on our kids, man.

Gina Yonts

Oh my gosh, you know, who else are they going to get it from, really? Sometimes their parents are kind of done with them. They come to school and doggone it, those kids are never sick at sea and they’re always there, ready to be loved on by us. Yeah. That’s awesome. Well, I’ll tell you what. What kind of advice would you give another principal who wants to strengthen their work in these areas of maybe school safety? I mean, I want you to. What would you say to that assistant principal starting out? Their job is to engage with families and communities to ensure that there’s safety at school, that kids want to come to school. What kind of advice would you give them?

Manny Rangel

You know, as a leader, it’s never our job to fix students. It’s our job to give them the tools that they need to be able to navigate what systems are in front of them. You know, and so I really believe in, in, in, in helping guide them, you know. And so, you know, I don’t it’s never about trying to fix them. It’s about this is, you know, helping them see their worth, helping them see the potential future can be for them. And so because I mean, I have some good teachers, who helped me see that. And so I appreciated them. Not them. They’re trying to fix me. There’s like, this is. This is who this is.

Gina Yonts

You’re not broken. I mean, if we’re in the job of fixing people, we’re also in the job of labeling people and telling them that they’re broken. So I appreciate you saying that. That’s very heartfelt. Sometimes they don’t might not be able to see the light. They might not be able to see the pathway forward. And that’s why they we cling to each other in leadership and we need to. So with that being said, if you could offer one piece of leadership advice to any principal out there listening to our podcast today, what would that be?

Manny Rangel

Never give up on children, man, and take care of you. You know, sometimes we want to help everybody. But sometimes, if you’re not good mentally for yourself, you’re not going to be good for those that you want to help. So being able to be vulnerable, to take care of you, whether it’s walk 30 minutes, take care of you because a good you is going to be amazing for others.

Gina Yonts

Oh that’s amazing. You know what? And it has been an absolute pleasure knowing you.

Manny Rangel

Thank you.

Gina Yonts

It’s not like we’re going anywhere. It’s a podcast. Yeah, but at the same time, thank you for your leadership. And thank you for your vulnerability. Always.

Manny Rangel

My pleasure.

Gina Yonts

I mean, I know you’re a husky and all. I’m a little bit of a kook myself, so, you know, we’re going to. We’ve come to this agreement long, long ago that dogs and cats can be friends. But I can really appreciate so much the leadership that I’ve learned from you and the leadership that you’re giving the community of LA center. And boy, oh boy, how do they got themselves a good one.

Manny Rangel

So thank you.

Gina Yonts

Manny, thank you so much for your service. And we appreciate you being here today and sharing some leadership wisdom with us.

Manny Rangel

Thank you. Gina, I appreciate you.

Gina Yonts

You’re free. Thank you. Okay.

Manny Rangel

Okay. Thank you. Bye.