(scroll down for more information)
Thursday, September 23 - School Site Council (SSC) Summit, 5:30 - 8 PM
Saturday, September 25 - Cross country match, 9 AM
Monday, September 27 - Community Conversation on Vaccine Concerns (Spanish), 5 - 6:30 PM
Tuesday, September 28 - Community Conversation on Vaccine Concerns (English), 5:30 - 7 PM
Saturday, October 2 - Philomena Pizza fundraiser
Wednesday, October 6 - PTO Board Meeting, 6 - 7 PM
Saturday, October 9 - Campus Beautification Day
Monday, October 11 - NO SCHOOL: Indigenous Peoples' Day
Saturday, October 16 - Montera at Oakland Roots (professional soccer), 7 PM
Join the new Garden Club
A’myiah Ramsey (pictured germinating seeds) is a Montera 6th grader who has taken a keen interest in the gardens at our school. Her mom, Nicole, explains what she likes about gardening:
She likes arranging the succulent plants and making them look nice. She likes being outside around nature and seeing the birds and bugs. She likes the way the soil feels, watering and weeding. When she is weeding she finds different types of bugs hiding in the dirt and rocks. She likes planting and eating natural foods that she is able to grow because she knows where they came from.
Your Montera garden stewards – Jennifer Cancino, Pam Harris, and Stephen Cole – are starting a Garden Club for students in the After School Program, so join us in the Peace Garden (behind the administrative offices) at 3:45 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Parents and guardians, you have a role to play too to help get our gardens in shape! There’s a lot of work to be done in the Peace Garden, the Welcome Garden by the MUR, and the Memorial Garden – not to mention the planters and raised beds dotted around campus. There’ll be demolition work, hauling, clearing, planting, watering, you name it! Stay tuned for details on an upcoming weekend workday.
Join the Montera Dads Club
Who we are:
Here at Montera Middle School, Dads Club is what those involved make it. After these last two years of apocalyptic fire seasons, school strikes, and a pandemic, we think there's a real widespread thirst for community engagement and some major practical needs for the school. Volunteering through Dads Club is one great way to get to know fellow Toro parents and help out. We meet occasionally before pitching in at school events like campus workdays, Fall Fest, and the spring Auction. In-person meetings are preferred to build comradery and, hopefully make things social and fun. But we may also resort to zoom meetings if a quick meeting is in order and that's the consensus.
Dads Club provides a particularly good forum for fathers and father figures who may not otherwise be engaged with school volunteer activities but would like to contribute their talents and skills. Dads Club welcomes all parents and student caregivers regardless of gender.
If you are not interested or available to get involved through Dads Club, feel free to invite your partner or spouse or encourage a friend.
Upcoming event:
Garden space improvement workday (replacing raised beds, fixing drip systems, sweeping, pruning, and weeding, etc.)
- Saturday, October 9: Campus Beautification Day
Thank you for all you do and we look forward to seeing you on campus and hopefully at DC meetings.
-Jason Holder and Paul Martin
Volunteers Needed!!
- Lunchtime Volunteers
- Co-Yearbook Coordinators - Meets once a week during lunchtime clubs
- Social Media Poster - Help Communication with posting on Facebook and Instagram
- Outreach Volunteers - Help with student-led tours for prospective Montera families
Registration and clearance is required to volunteer onsite at Oakland public schools. Once you complete the registration, you will receive an immediate email with clearance options and instructions from osv@oaklandedfund.org.
For more details about registrations requirements for OUSD: https://www.oaklandedfund.org/programs/volunteer/parent-volunteers
Email volunteers@monterapto.com to sign up for any of these positions.
Teacher-Family Buddy Program
As we begin the school year, we are continuing a family-driven effort to support our Montera teachers and staff. The Teacher-Family Buddy Program is an adopt-a-teacher program—linking each teacher and staff member with individual families who can help teachers with stuff they just don’t have time to manage, like supplies and technology challenges, fiscal and event opportunities, communications (and occasional moral support!).
Donate to Montera's Annual Giving Fund
We have raised $17,000, with 45 families donating so far! Thank you so much for your support!
Let's keep the momentum going to reach our goal of $35,000 Montera PTO's budget for the 2021-2022 school year is $90,000. Your donation funds $400 teacher stipends, student supplies, and technology support/upgrades. We are asking families to make a gift of at least $300 per student for this school year, or $30 a month for 10 months. Donations are ranging between $10-$2,000. Any amount that you can give is appreciated.
Make your tax-deductible gift here: is.gd/give2monteraPTO
Montera Relief Fund is Back to Help Toro Families in Need
Last year the pandemic prompted the Montera community to create the Montera Relief Fund to help Toro families in need. Last year we were able to raise almost $20,000 for groceries, small cash grants distributed confidentially by administrators to families, and a holiday gift drive.
Once again, we have families of students who have been hit hard by COVID and need your help. Trusted Montera staff find out what the families need and personally deliver it. The Coordination of Services Team confidentially handles requests from families.
Can you donate now to help Montera families in need?
If you are a student or family in need of support, reach out to any teacher or staff, Ms. Harambe at tina.harambe@ousd.org, or Coach D or Mr. Latimore at sports@monterapto.com. All support is confidential.
Philomena Pizza fundraiser!
When: October 2, 2021
Where: 1801 14th Avenue at E18th Street
Dine in: inform the server that you're dining for Montera
Online Order code: monteragr
Cannot be combined with any other promotions.
Montera Night with the Oakland Roots!
Where: Laney College Stadium, 900 Fallon Street
Purchase tickets for Montera family and community to attend the Oakland Roots soccer game on Saturday, October 16, 2021. Tickets are reduced to $20/person. Oakland Roots will give back to Montera $2.50 for each ticket sale from now until 2 hours before the game.
Cross Country Schedule
All matches take place on Saturdays at 9 AM. Click the icon or here for more information.
- September 25: Skyline High School
- October 9: Joaquin Miller Park
- October 23: Joaquin Miller Park
- November 6: Temescal Park
- November 13: Temescal Park
- December 4: MLK Jr Shoreline Center
- December 11: Skyline High School
Girls' Volleyball Schedule
- October 2 vs. Elmhurst, 10 AM
- October 9 vs. CCPA, 10 AM
- October 16 vs. Oakland Unity Middle, 1 PM
- October 23 vs. Claremont, 11 AM
- October 30 vs. Greenleaf, 10 AM
- November 6 vs. East Bay Innovation, 9 AM
- November 20 vs. Oakland Charter Academy, 10 AM
Post-season: Playoffs and semi-final playoffs, December 4th. Championship, December 11th. Time and location TBD.
Flag Football Schedule
- October 2 vs. Edna Brewer, 9 AM
- October 9 vs. Bay Tech, 10 AM
- October 16 vs. Elmhurst, 10 AM
- October 30 vs. Life Academy, 10 AM
- November 6 vs. Edna Brewer, 10 AM
- November 13 vs. Elmhurst, 9 AM
- November 20 vs. Elmhurst, 9 AM
- November 20 vs. Life Academy, 11:30 AM
Post-season: Playoffs and semi-final playoffs, December 4th. Championship, December 11th. Time and location TBD.
Montera Safety Bargining Team Survey
Ms. Ranahan (7th Grade Math) and Mr. Pettengill (6th Gr. Humanities) have joined the OEA Safety Bargaining Team and are seeking YOUR input into our upcoming negotiating sessions.
Fighting for safety in our schools is going to take all of us working together. Please ensure the bargaining team hears as many voices and perspectives as possible by completing this feedback form: https://tinyurl.com/SeptSafetySurvey
Thank you for your time and consideration!
Supplies Request
First Aid
- Latex free band-aids (NOT with antibiotic medication in it) in assorted sizes. EVERY teacher needs at least one box and the front office and nurse's office also need a supply.
- Tweezers for splinters (not the plastic ones)
- Ice packs for PE and front office
- Vomit bucket for front office and pick up waiting area
Feminine supplies
- Cleansing wipes
- Assorted pads
- Tampons
- Assorted sizes back-up underwear (S/M/L/full-figured)
Add whatever you can think of... Thank you!
Bored with your board games?
Music Boosters Needed!
In case you missed it - Family Engagement Night recording available
We had a wonderfully informative Family Engagement Night last Thursday led by (all the names from PS). We talked about how a middle schooler might think, proper email format and etiquette, differences between Schoology and ParentSquare, and much more.
Please set aside some time to watch the presentation!
Watch it here.
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Toro Store
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If your student is feeling ill
Returning to school:
- Get medically cleared (doctor's note or negative PCR test, AND symptoms have improved and student is fever-free for 24 hours - OR -
- 10 days have passed since onset of symptoms and student is no longer feeling ill
If your student tests positive for Covid-19
- Plan on staying home at least 10 days
- Notify the school of the results
- Work with the Contact Tracing Team
COVID Testing Information
COVID TESTING: Covid testing is available at multiple OUSD sites throughout Oakland. Find locations and times here.
TESTING PRE-REGISTRATION: Before attending an OUSD Covid testing site for the first time, you must register here. This is a one time only registration and can be done at any time. Families are encouraged to pre-register so they are ready to go should they need to get tested.
Montera Middle School
This eBulletin is produced on a weekly basis by the Montera Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) except on holidays. It sometimes contains paid advertisements. These advertisements do not imply endorsement of any product or service by OUSD or Montera Middle School.
If you have news you'd like to include, please send it to eBulletin@monterapto.com by noon on Sundays. Submissions may be edited for spelling, grammar, brevity and clarity. In addition, while we strive for accuracy, being human sometimes gets in the way. If you spot something so off the mark we should hang our heads in embarrassment, please bring it to our attention. Thanks!
Be Safe. Be Kind. Be Responsible.