About Us

Manzanita Community School (MCS) is a small public TK-5 elementary school serving 400 Oakland students. Founded in 2006, MCS strives to develop informed, caring citizens though an education grounded in trust, supportive relationships, and strong family involvement. 

Our Core Values

• Be Kind
• Be Committed
• Be a Learner and a Teacher
• Be Responsible
• Be Respectful

These five core values lay the foundation for our school, our community, and the teaching that happens here. Because of these five core values, children develop positive relationships with peers and staff and gain a sense of community and belonging. We educate the whole child through diverse programs like Playworks, Destiny Arts and EBAYC after-school enrichment.  Our classrooms use a balanced literacy model for literacy instruction and we offer daily mindfulness practice. We are a Responsive Classroom school.