Candidate Profile: Raul Campoverde For Manassas City School Board

MANASSAS, VA – Six candidates are running for three seats on the Manassas City School Board.

Patch invited each of the candidates to share their backgrounds, priorities and views on issues facing Manassas residents through its candidate questionnaire.

Raul Campoverde is an MCPS parent and former educator running for the Manassas City School Board. His answers to Patch's questions are below.

Name

Raul Campoverde

Party endorsements

Republican

Campaign website

https://www.raulforschoolboard.com

Campaign social media

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592069725286

Why are you running for this office?

I’m running because I believe our kids deserve a school system that prepares them for more than just passing a test. They need to know how to work, communicate, solve problems, lead, and adapt to the real world.

I’ve spent my life working, overcoming challenges, building relationships, and learning from both success and failure. I want to bring those experiences to the School Board and make sure we are giving every student the opportunity to find their path.

I’m also running because I believe a School Board member has a responsibility to listen to parents, teachers, students, and the community, and then have the courage to act when something needs to change.

What do constituents tell you is most important to them for the coming term?

The three topics I hear most often are:

1: Student achievement and preparation for the real world. Parents want their children to graduate prepared for college, careers, trades, and life not just with a diploma.

2: Communication and accountability. Families want to know what is happening in their schools and feel that their concerns are actually being heard and addressed.

3: A safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment. Parents and students want schools where students can focus on learning, teachers can teach, and every child has the opportunity to succeed.

What are your day-one priorities, if elected?

My first priority would be listening and learning. I would meet with school leaders, teachers, parents, students, and staff to understand what is working and where the biggest gaps are.

I would also look closely at student achievement, attendance, school safety, communication with families, and how we are preparing students for life after graduation.

And I would establish a simple principle from day one: decisions should always come back to one question - How does this help our kids?

What are your longer-term goals, if elected?

My long-term goal is to help build a school system that gives students more opportunities to succeed in different ways.

That means strengthening academics while also expanding exposure to career and technical education, trades, technology, leadership, communication, and real-world problem-solving.

I also want to strengthen the relationship between schools, parents, businesses, and the community. Our schools should not operate separately from the community they serve. We should be working together to create opportunities for our students.

What about your professional or other background has prepared you for this office?

My background has taught me how to work with people from very different backgrounds, solve problems under pressure, manage responsibilities, and understand that leadership is about people and not just the title.

I've worked my way through difficult situations and learned the value of accountability, communication, teamwork, and showing up when things aren't easy.

In my professional life, I've had to lead teams, work with employees and families, manage day-to-day operations, solve problems quickly, and make decisions that affect other people.

Those experiences have given me a practical perspective that I believe can be valuable on the School Board. I know that good intentions aren't enough. You have to listen, communicate, make decisions, and follow through.

Aside from winning the election, what has been your most important campaign goal?

My biggest goal has been to start a real conversation about our kids and their future.

I don't want this campaign to be just about election signs or political slogans. I want parents, teachers, students, and community members to talk about what we are doing well, where we can improve, and what kind of future we are preparing our kids for.

If this campaign gets more people involved, more parents asking questions, more people paying attention to our schools, and more people believing that their voice matters, then I will consider that an important part of what we accomplished.