Montera Middle School eBulletin
April 14, 2024
Important Dates
This Week's Block Schedule: AB - A - AB
Sunday April 14: Online Auction Closes at 9pm!
Monday April 15:
- Final Deadline to order Yearbooks
- SBAC Testing Begins
- Beginning of Marking Period 6
Wednesday April 17, 2:00 - 3:30pm: Boys Volleyball Tryouts
Thursday April 18, 6:00pm - 7:00pm: PTO Board Meeting (Board Only)
Friday April 19:
- No Extend Learning Programming
- 5:30pm : Winter Sports Banquet, Montera MUR
Saturday April 20:
- Ride for a Reason
- Music in the Parks
Sunday April 21, 12:30pm: School of Rap & Planet MC @ Chabot Science Center
Wednesday April 24, 9:15 - 1:45pm: Career Day
Thursday April 25: Southwest Asian and North African Heritage Month Celebration (at lunch)
Saturday, April 27, 10:00am – 2:00pm: Social Justice Empowerment Day - Mural Painting
Wednesday May 1, 5:30 - 7:00: Montera PTO Appreciation Celebration
Action Items
- Bid Place Your Bids in the Silent Auction by 9pm TONIGHT (Sunday April 14)!
- Volunteer for Ride for a Reason
- Volunteer for Staff Appreciation Week
- Present Your Career at Career Day
Silent Auction & Donations
Place Your Bids and Donate Now!
- Silent Auction Bidding ends TONIGHT - Sunday April 14th at 9pm. Get your bids in now and grab some great deals!
- Parties: Meet Montera families and join in community with these parent and teacher hosted parties. Secure your spot today! Pedi Party, Snacks and Doodles, Guided Meditation, and Pizza and Drinks Party!
- Donate: Couldn't make it out to the Benefit? It's not too late to make your contribution.
School Information
Social Justice Empowerment Day
A day of Community, Creativity, and Empowerment! Participate in painting two murals, gardening, spoken word, kickball, voter's registration and more. Bring food to share or donate to help pay for paint and food.
Date: 04/27/2024 (Sat.)
Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm PDT
Location: Montera Middle School (back parking lot)
- Paint Two Murals
- Gardening
- Spoken Word
- Kickball
- Voter Registration
- and more...
Thanks to...
Montera Middle School
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc Gamma Phi Lambda Chapter
Delta Sigman Theta Sorority, Inc Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae Chapter
Career Day Presenters Wanted
Montera Middle School is excited to announce that we are having our annual Montera Career Day on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024!
We would love to have Montera Alumni or notable parents come and present! If you are interested in presenting this year or have someone you can reach out to in your network to come by that day, let us know! Please fill out or have your team fill out this interest form with your preferred time slots by Wednesday, April 17th, 2024, mark your calendars and save the date, and we will provide updates and logistics closer to the event.
Thank you so much and we hope to see you soon!
Ms. Isabel HallockMontera School Counselor
isabel.hallock@ousd.org
No Cup Noodles or Foods that require a Microwave
Parents: This is a gentle reminder that Cup Noodles are not allowed at the school, or any foods that require microwaving. There have been incidents of students getting seriously hurt from the boiling water, and it puts teachers in a tough position of having to hold this boundary when kids are hungry. There are also no microwaves available for students to use, and students are trying to get into off-limits areas to access microwaves. Please do not send any food that requires microwaves
Yearbook Announcements
Share your photos! Have photos from school events? Please share them with monterayearbookclub@gmail.com.
Still need to buy a yearbook? It's not too late! Order here by 4/15/24 to ensure your book is shipped to the school in May - orders placed after that date may ship directly to you later: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1014897661773030
PTO UPDATE
Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week in May: Volunteers Needed!
Every May, we celebrate our Montera teachers and staff with a week of appreciation activities and gifts. We need volunteers to plan and make it happen! If you can help, reach out to Candace Johnson at cjsings@berkeley.edu or text her at 510-529-6692.
POSITIONS STILL OPEN for 2024-25 PTO Board
On March 14 we voted for our 2024-25 PTO Board. We STILL have a number of board positions and Lead Roles open for next year. Please consider volunteering! Without a strong PTO Board and membership, we can't do the important work our Montera students, teachers and families need from us.
You can review next year's open roles and indicate interest in this form. We will get in touch with you to go through the job description and time commitment. Many of these roles can be shared.
Upcoming Events
Ride 4 a Reason Sign-Up and Events
WHAT: Bike ride to Sacramento (45, 68, 109 mile routes)
WHEN: Saturday April 20
WHY: Fun and Important fundraiser for Oakland Schools
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rideforareasonpublicschools/
Upcoming Ride 4 a Reason Events:
- April 18th: Bib Pick Up at Sports Basement
- April 20th: Ride for a Reason 2024
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Montera sponsors a rest stop. We need volunteers from 9:30-12pm to help at a rest stop. Please contact Luther Kopf at luther_kopf@hotmail.com or sign up on the website - choose Rest Stop Crew - Dunnell Nature Center (Montera/Brewer Teams).
School of Rap and Planet MC Earth Day Performance & Workshop - Chabot Space & Science Center
Montera's School of Rap and Planet MC will be performing and leading a songwriting workshop! Come on out to the Earth Day celebration at Chabot Space and Science Center to join the fun!
WHEN: Sunday April 21, 12:30pm performance
WHERE: Chabot Space & Science Center
Montera Sports
Winter Sports Banquet: April 19, 5:30pm Montera MUR
Boys Volleyball:
- Tryouts are this Wednesday April 17 from 2-3:30pm.
- Attendance at tryouts this weeks is mandatory, there will be no makeups.
- Practices will be every Wednesday from 2-3:30pm.
- Games will be Saturday mornings beginning April 20.
Stay tuned for Wrestling & Ultimate Frisbee
How to find game schedules: Sync the Band team calendar with your iCal/Google calendar
Any questions or requests please contact sports@monterapto.com.
Montera Annual Fund
Invest in Your Children — Invest in Montera
We are asking families to give what they can. Suggested donation is $450 per student. Donations range from $10-$2,000.
- Make a one-time or monthly donation online via PayPal
- To donate offline, download this form and submit to Montera by mail or drop it off in the school office.
6th Grade Activities and Information
Adventure awaits in 2025! Montera Trip to Italy
MEETING: Tuesday, April 16 at 6PM
Hi families,
Teachers from Montera Middle School are going to Italy with students in 2025, and
your student(s) are invited!
We’re excited to tell you more about the trip we’re planning with EF Tours, our
educational travel partner. Please be sure to register for this Zoom info session to be
considered for this opportunity:
When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them,
discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical
for creating the global citizens of tomorrow, and we would love to have your student
join us on this adventure.
In this info session, we’ll talk about:
· How this opportunity will benefit your child
· What we’ll see and do on our trip
· Everything that’s included in this experience
· How your child can earn academic credit
· How we’re keeping this safe and affordable
· How to enroll on this trip (before it fills up!) during EF’s risk-free enrollment
period
Registration for the info session is mandatory, and a parent or guardian must attend.
(Can’t make it? Choose “No, but send info” so you don’t miss out.) Register here.
Can't wait to see you there!
PS Parents who have already registered for this trip do not need to attend this meeting, but feel free to attend if you have questions.
8th Grade Activities and Information
- 8TH GRADE DINNER DANCE Saturday May 11, 5pm - 8:30pm
- 8TH GRADE PICNIC May 17
- 8TH GRADE PROMOTION - Wednesday, May 22, 3pm @Skyline High School, Rawley Theater (Students need to arrive at 2pm)
- DONATION: Recommended 8th Grade Activity Donation $100 per 8th grade student: Contribute Here
- QUESTIONS: Activities Questions? Contact Teena Bowie
8th Grade DC Trip - MANDATORY MEETING
2024 8th Grade DC Trip :
Join our ‘Montera 23/24 DC Trip' group on the BAND app
Get updates and stay connected!
https://band.us/n/a8ae0971B2faN
DC Trip Questions: Montera8thgradetrip@gmail.com
7th Grade Activities and Information
2025 DC Trip - Meeting RECORDING and SLIDES
SIGN UP For those who could not attend, here is a recording of the meeting as well as the Presentation Slides.
Toro Pics
Check out photos below from Montera's fantastic Hella 90s Benefit party. A huge thanks to the benefit committee who did a hella job putting it all together and to everyone who came out to support our Toros!
Have some great Toro photos to share? Send them to eBulletin@monterapto.com Check past featured photos of our Toros here!
These and many more opportunities are available to our Montera community, OUSD, and beyond. Items appear in the eBulletin for 2 weeks. Please click here for the full list of current programs.
Back to Earth - Summer backpacking opportunity for Oakland teens
My name is Eli Marienthal and I'm the director of a non-profit wilderness guiding and outdoor education organization based in Berkeley called Back to Earth.
We take teens on backpacking adventures in the summer that boost teens' confidence, teach them real world leadership skills, and give them opportunities to connect deeply with peers, mentors, and the natural world.
Click here to watch our video.
Our organization is committed to promoting equity and belonging in the outdoors, and increasing diversity and representation in wilderness education in particular. Our trips are tuition-based, but we are committed to making sure no teen is ever turned away for financial reasons.
We're currently enrolling for our summer program - Wilderness Immersion & Leadership Development (W.I.L.D.) - and have openings on our 7-day Intro trips for rising 8th and 9th graders, as well as 10-day trips for rising 10th graders and older.
--
Eli Marienthal (he/him)
Director Back to Earth
(510) 684-3497
BIPOC Camp - Free or Pay What You Can Residential Camp Opportunity!
BIPOC Camp: rising 7th and 8th graders who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Color
- 2 weeks overnight
- Fun activities such as: white water rafting, campfire/smores, Exploratorium, ropes courses, and learning about the power in your identity and uplifting others within the BIPOC umbrella community
- Apply by April 15!
Queer Counselors in Training Camp - Free or Pay What You Can
Queer Counselors in Training camp: rising 8th through 10th graders who identify as LGBTQIA+ or allies
- 1 week overnight
- Fun activities such as: Immersive drag workshop, SF Castro history tour, Queer leadership workshops, and gaining work experience as a counselor in training while supporting younger students
- Registration open until May 1
Oakland Tech’s Spring Musical, Chicago! Opens Apr 18
The Oakland Tech Drama Department invites you to our spring musical, CHICAGO! Opening April 18th! Join us in the roaring 20's for Bob Fosse's classic musical extravaganza. 6 nights, 2 casts, costumes and sets that need to be seen to be believed! Let us Razzle Dazzle you!
Performances will run April 18th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 25th and 27th. All shows start at 7pm. Tickets can be bought online in advance at https://oaktechdrama.my.canva.site/ or at the door. General admission is $12 while students and educators are $5. Oakland Tech’s Auditorium is at 4351 Broadway in Oakland. The entrance is at the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street. We hope to see you there!
Spring Parenting Classes
The Stanford Parenting Center is offering webinars, parenting classes, free online video resources, and individual treatment options for a wide variety of parenting topics. Visit their website for more information, and to check out their Instagram for bite-sized parenting research and event updates.
Spring Online Parenting Classes:
Supportive Parenting for Little Ones with Big Feelings
Managing Challenging Behaviors
Mindful Parenting
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
FREE Summer Programs for Middle School and High School Students
Check out a variety of free summer programs here: Summer Programs for MS & HS Students
Support Mr. Cooper and BORP in the 2024 Cocodona 250
"I take great joy in being able to share and encourage that experience of self discovery in others, and I’m a firm believer that everyone deserves the opportunity to access these transformative pursuits and opportunities! In partnership with the Wander Project, I am raising money for BORP, a Bay Area organization which provides adaptive opportunities for sports and recreation for disabled youth and veterans.
Donating to BORP helps provide adaptive sports and recreation opportunities for those who may otherwise not have those same opportunities for self-discovery. Please consider donating because every little bit helps!"
Let's help Mr. Cooper reach his goal! DONATE HERE by April 19.
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Montera Middle School
eBulletin is produced on a weekly basis by the Montera Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) except on holidays. It sometimes contains ads from our sponsors and/or services from the community. These advertisements do not imply endorsement of any product or service by OUSD or Montera Middle School.
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We Are Montera. We Are One.
Email: communications@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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monteratoros/