Montera Middle School eBulletin
October 4, 2021
Important Dates
(scroll down for more information)
Wednesday, October 6 - ** PTO Board Meeting, 6:00 - 7:00 PM **
Saturday, October 9 - Campus Beautification Day, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Monday, October 11 - NO SCHOOL: Indigenous Peoples' Day
Saturday, October 16 - Montera at Oakland Roots (professional soccer), 7:00 PM
Wednesday, October 20 - High School Info Night (virtual), 6:00-7:30 PM.
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Montera School Events and Activities - This Week
PTO Board Meeting
Where: Zoom link to be sent via Parent Square
There are several important items on the agenda for this Wednesday’s PTO Meeting. We hope you can join us.
Agenda:
- Administration Updates
- Lunchtime Volunteer Training
- December concert planning
- Campus Beautification Work Day
- Prospective Family Outreach
- High School Information Night
- Work orders for repairs
- Mini grant and Community Grant
- Fundraising Updates
Campus Beautification Day
When: Saturday, October 9, 10:00-3:00
Please sign up here to let us know what you can bring and what project(s) you'd like to work on.
Montera’s Garden Stewards have made a start since school began,bringing some life back to the gardens on campus, but we have some significant challenges still. We hope to address some of those during our Fall workday.
- Demolish and remove planter boxes (plus soil) constructed with pressure-treated lumber. The chemicals used in that process make the planters unsuitable for growing edibles. This is contingent on delivery of a dumpster before Saturday. If you have a wheelbarrow, please bring it!
- Get sprinkler irrigation systems working: Batteries will be replaced, then we’ll need experienced eyes to program the systems and relocate irrigation lines.
- Relocate logs from beside front gate to locations in the gardens and on Ascot.
- Repair benches.
- Double dig the memorial circle for new plantings.
- Prune shrubs and remove dead limbs.
- Plant flowers and succulents.
What can you bring?
- Garden tools, esp. spades, shovels, and rakes.
- Work gloves.
- Crowbars, saws, drills.
- Wheelbarrows!
- Coffee, bagels, and other drinks and snacks .
Can’t be there for long? No problem. Join us for however long you can.
Thank you.
Pam, Jennifer, and Stephen
SWE Science Saturdays & Scholars - Registration Open!
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at UC Berkeley invites you to register your future scientists and engineers for this coming SWE Science event on Saturday, October 9th!
What: SWE Science is a monthly, hands-on engineering experience. During these Saturday morning sessions, students will engage in collaborative engineering challenges, designed to allow students to not only practice foundational STEM principles but also to develop their intellectual curiosities and creativity in an interactive, but most importantly, fun setting! Our team of Berkeley engineering students will help these future engineers learn about a variety STEM careers, including those lesser-known ones in order to cater to every student's particular interests.
Who: SWE Science is divided into two sections: SWE Science Saturdays for 4th-5th and SWE Science Scholars for 6th-8th grade students. We welcome students of all genders and backgrounds to attend.
When: This October's SWE Science event will take place on Saturday, October 9th from 10AM – 12PM on the UC Berkeley campus. Can't make it to our October event? Please invite any interested parents and teachers to sign up for our mailing list to stay updated: https://tinyurl.com/sweoutreachlist
How do I sign up? Just fill out this google form!
(https://tinyurl.com/swescience-oct21)
Equity School Choice Forum
Gather with other equity-minded parents to hear about the OUSD Options Process. Meet parents from a number of local schools to hear about their day-to-day experiences and ask questions.
bit.ly/schoolequity to RSVP
When: 6:30 PM
- Monday 10/4 - Elementary
- Tuesday 10/5 - Middle
- Wednesday 10/6 - High
Calling all 7th and 8th Graders Interested in STEM!
Holy Names High School in collaboration with Girl Powered, presents STEM Day in honor of International Day of the Girl! STEM Day is designed to inspire 7th and 8th grade girls who are interested in exploring STEM fields.This event will kick- off with a special guest speaker followed by a hands-on project. Participants will create their very own soft-circuit using conductive thread, LED lights and felt.
The first 50 to register will receive a Girl Powered kit, available for pickup on October 16.
Date: Tuesday, October 19
Time: 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Location: Online
Who: Engineering Department & Girl Powered
RSVP by October 12
Discover how our partnership with Girl Powered has paved the way for our students.
P-EBT Cards
A second mailing of P-EBT cards in your student's name should be arriving to your home before December 1, 2021. This card covers about $300 to purchase groceries. If families do not use the benefits, then the money will go to waste.
Please consider using the P-EBT card to buy food at a local grocery store an/or donating the card t our Montera Families In Need Program
Here is the link to find a store that accepts P-EBT: https://usda-fns.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e1f3028b217344d78b324193b10375e4
Contact Dunia Wilder at creolelala@gmail.com for card or grocery donation.
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Montera Sports & After-School Activities Updates
New Classes Being Offered in the Afterschool Program
Two new classes are starting in our Afterschool Program. Students who are interested should come hear the pitches for these programs this coming Monday, October 4th. Classes will start the following week. These classes are offered through Envisioneering Apprenticeships.
In Pencil Code, students take on self-directed coding challenges to build skill (and earn badges) in that varied roles needed for successful game design, including artist, designer and engineer. Students learn the basics of coding using Pencil Code, learn how to code a variety of basic animated video games, and will decide on a type of video game they will create for the WOW! Students innovate on their favorite projects to improve upon their basic design and build a web-based portfolio of their games for guests at the WOW! to play.
Spoken Word - Wednesdays from 2:30-4 PM
Students learn about how practicing spoken word poets write, rehearse, and perform their work. Builds students’ communication skills holistically: reading, writing, and performance are interwoven in a challenging, collaborative and supportive environment. In each lesson, students read and discuss a mentor text that models particular skills or elements of poetry, then use it as a springboard to write or revise their own texts designed to engage, entertain, and affect an audience.
Fall Sports Schedule
Winter Sports are Around the Corner!!
Winter Sports (Girls & Boys Basketball and Girls & Boys Soccer) are around the corner.
Conditioning practices will start in mid-late October. If you're student is interested in trying out for these teams, please register and upload your forms here as soon as possible. (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8wkN7zpV8GXdENeHLlBB4DrLLbM_DlmlF-K_JFQCBpniKyg/viewform).
Please note it can take 1-2 weeks for your registration to be processed and conditioning practices will start in mid-late October.
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Fundraising Events
Donate to Montera's Annual Giving Fund
We have raised $21,000, with 55 families donating so far! This means we are able to provide $400 stipends for all of our teachers! Thank you! Let's keep the momentum going to fund our sports and afterschool programs and reach our goal of $35,000. Montera PTO's budget for the 2021-2022 school year is $90,000. 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.
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.
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Other Announcements and Upcoming Events
Save the Date!
Montera's High School Info Night, which will be virtual again this year.
When: October 20th from 6:00-7:30 PM.
Zoom link will be sent on parentsquare and schoology.
Coming soon - Fiber Arts Club with Ms. Shogbesan!
Do you have excess yarn and crocheting/knitting needles from all those projects you started (and possibly did not finish)? Please consider donating them to Ms. Shogbesan and the new fiber arts club -- embroidery, cross stitch, knitting, and crocheting -- she will be launching soon. She'd love a parent co-sponsor for the club too.
Interested in helping out? Contact Ms. Shogbesan at holly.shogbesan@ousd.org.
Afterschool Theater Classes Coming in January!
Oakland Theater Project is coming to Montera ASP. Topics include an introduction to scenes, character analysis, partner work, and theater games. These components will come together to mount a full production. For more information, contact Christy Bradshaw at bradshawceo@gmail.com
Montera Safety Bargaining 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!
Volunteering on Campus
Email president@monterapto.com once you are cleared.
Email volunteers@monterapto.com with any questions.
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?
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Other Important Montera News and Information
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Support Montera All Year Round
Toro Store
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COVID
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 Information from the District
- OUSD is required to report every single positive case to the ACPHD.
- A response team conducts contact tracing for each positive case and notifies families of students with prolonged close contact.
- If you are not notified, then your student was not determined to have prolonged close contact with the person who tested positive, so there is not a need to get tested unless your student develops symptoms.
- Vaccinated students do not need to quarantine as long as they are asymptomatic.
- Unvaccinated students who are asymptomatic can do a modified quarantine, continuing to attend school but testing twice a week for two weeks following exposure and not participating in any extracurricular activities.
- Exposed unvaccinated students may choose to stay home for 10 days with an excused absence. If so, they should contact their teachers for assignments during that time.
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.
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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.
Email: eBulletin@monterapto.com
Website: https://www.ousd.org/montera
Location: 5555 Ascot Drive, Oakland, CA, USA
Phone: (510) 531-6070
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monterapto