Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is recognizing its Community School Managers (CSMs) during School Coordinators Appreciation Week, which runs from September 15 to 19, 2025. The district currently employs 77 CSMs who support students and families at traditional schools, alternative sites, and in the young adult program.
Superintendent Dr. Denise Saddler highlighted the range of responsibilities handled by CSMs: “Our CSMs do it all. They conduct home visits, distribute food and technology, lead COST (Coordination of Student Services Team) and attendance teams, work on health and wellness initiatives, and so much more,” said Saddler. “I want to thank all of our Community School Managers for genuinely connecting with our students and their families. The support they provide to our school communities is tremendous.”
The presence of CSMs across OUSD has grown since the district’s 2011 Strategic Plan set a goal for having managers at 50 schools by 2020; that target has now been surpassed, with nearly every school served by a CSM.
In 2023, OUSD expanded its CSM leadership team to strengthen support for these managers in line with the community schools model. The district now organizes monthly professional learning communities where elementary and secondary school CSMs collaborate throughout the day.
Salomeh Ghorban, Community School Leadership Coordinator, noted the collaborative nature of the role: “Our Community School Managers are experts at weaving together resources and working with others to do whatever is needed to meet their community’s needs,” said Ghorban. “By collaborating with students, families, staff and community based organizations to remove barriers to learning, they are truly creating a more equitable and inclusive educational experience for all students.”
OUSD encourages members of the community to show appreciation for CSMs this week through various means such as filling out an online form or expressing thanks directly.
