Manzanita is a small middle school with a strong commitment to excellence in academics and the arts taught within a secure and nurturing community. We also focus on the developmental and social needs of adolescents. Manzanita is a family cooperative. A family-cooperative school is a school in which the parents, teachers, and students are the ones who work together to create and maintain the whole school. A family-cooperative is based on the idea that parents play a key role in the education of their children and in which the parents and teachers work together to create and maintain the school and are directly responsible for its operation.
Students are more likely to feel nurtured and to feel part of a community.
Because parents will do the maintenance and janitorial work, field trip driving and much of the administrative work, the school can use money traditionally spent on these expenses to enhance classroom resources. Parents bring a wide array of expertise to each classroom, allowing for opportunities to share skills and further enhance the academic program. We, at Manzanita Middle School, are a group of dedicated parents, students and teachers who have worked and are continuing to work to provide a wonderful alternative school experience for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders of Contra Costa and adjoining counties. If you are interested in participating and becoming a part of this growing community, read on and feel free to contact us .