Montera Middle School eBulletin
February 25, 2024
Important Dates
This Week's Block Schedule: AB - B - AB
Thursday March 7, 6:00pm - 7:00pm: 8th Grade Families Meeting
Tuesday March 12, 6:00pm - 7:00pm: SSC (Site Council) Meeting
Wednesday March 13: Spring Wellness Day - Volunteers Needed (see below)
Thursday March 14, 6:00pm - 7:00pm: PTO Community Meeting (all are welcome!)
Thursday March 28: Minimum Day
Friday March 29: Cesar Chavez Day (No School)
Monday April 1 - Friday April 5: Spring Break (No School)
Action Items
Hella 90s Party!
Hiya Toro Community,
Our Spring Benefit: Hella 90s Party is well on its way, Let's keep those donations coming!
Date: Saturday, April 13th
Time: 4-8pm
Where: @Zanzi in DT Oakland
The Spring Benefit is our Biggest fundraising event of the year! The funds are used to benefit current and future Toros through; school dances, sports and after school activities! (Just to name a few.) Check out the “Get Involved” Tab on our school Website to find out more.
In the mean time, Do you know a business (BIG or small) that would be willing to help raise money for our Spring Benefit by donating their goods or services? It can be just about anything. Maybe you have or know someone that has a vacation home that could donate a few days? Or maybe you run your own business and can donate some of your services or goods in exchange for publicity? We are looking for it all!
Businesses can donate by contacting auction@monterapto.com or filling out this donation form.
Also, don’t forget to volunteer! It's really fun, easy and fulfilling, promise!
Donor Spotlight
Ackerman's Servicing Volvo & Subaru
Ask Bruce to donate 5% of your invoice to Montera Middle School!
https://www.ackermanservicingvolvo.com/
Thanks for showing your support to all the businesses and individuals donating to the 2024 Benefit: Hella 90s Party!
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
Registration is open now. Join us on our ride to Sacramento. Whether you are interested in riding 45, 66, or 109 miles, or want to join our 9 mile family loop, we welcome you! There are discounted registration rates for students and educators.
Upcoming Ride 4 a Reason Events:
All February: This ENTIRE MONTH (all 29 days!) our friends at Arthur Mac's Tap and Snack are teaming up to support our ride. For every Ride for a Reason Pizza you order, R4R gets $3. What is an R4R Pizza? It is an 18' half cheesy bread and half elote pizza, because apparently, we are equal parts cheesy and corny. The R4R pizza is available for phone in or in person orders.
- April 18th: Bib Pick Up at Sports Basement
- April 20th: Ride for a Reason 2024
Group Training Opportunities:
Our Middle of the Road training group is now meeting weekly to train for the 66 and 109 mile routes. Contact Merrilee Proffitt merrilee@merrilee.org for more information. All are welcome!
Our Easy Rides group meets twice monthly to experience the joy of riding in a group, while preparing to ride the 45-mile route. Please reach out to Elizabeth Crocker elizaniyali@gmail.com to join this group.
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rideforareasonpublicschools/
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Montera sponsors a rest stop. We need 6 volunteers. Please Contact: president@monterapto.com
School Information
Montera Spring Wellness Day - March 13th - You're Invited!
We'll be hosting our second annual Spring Wellness Day on Wednesday, March 13th. This event is for sixth through eighth grade students, and will include activities promoting physical and mental health, wellness, financial literacy, and academic/career development.
For our Spring Wellness Day, we would like to invite community partners to host and lead workshops for the Montera community.
The Montera Spring Wellness Day will be March 13th from 9:30-1:45. Workshops will be centered around different topics -- Mental Health, Financial Literacy, Physical Health, and Academic/ Career Development. We are calling on our community partners, student groups on campus, or staff who have ideas and desire to hold spaces about any of these topics with students. If you have interest in holding a space, please complete this form.
VOLUNTEER: Deadline to sign-up: Friday, February 23rd.
Sign-up to host a workshop or lunch activity here: Spring Wellness Day, March 13th - Sign-up to Host
If you are not interested in hosting your own activity, but would like to volunteer during lunch, we would love to have you come and help. We'll need adults to supervise the following:
- Blender Bike
- Lawn Games
- Wellness Wheel
- Gratitude Cards
- Gratitude Wall
Email Ms. Saephan (erica.saephan@ousd.org) directly if you are able to come at lunchtime to help out.
Thanks so much!
Yearbook Announcements
Share your photos! Have photos from school events? Please share them with monterayearbookclub@gmail.com.
Custom pages: Your yearbook purchase includes 2 custom pages that will appear only in YOUR student's yearbook - use them to include personal photos and special moments unique to your student. Make sure to submit your custom pages via your Treering account before 3/29/24. Instructions here: https://vimeo.com/489930325
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
Montera Sports
NEEDED: Parent Coach for Practice Squads: We are still looking for a parent coach for the practice squads. Practice Squads (Girls and Boys Soccer) is on Friday’s 3:45-5:00pm. Please contact sports@monterapto.com.
Montera Spring Sports: Stay tuned on the website sports page and here in the eBulletin for Boys Baseball, Girls Softball, Coed Track & Field, Boys Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, Wrestling! Tryouts will be announced soon!
DONATE: Step up to the plate and help make Montera Sports a whopping success! DONATE NOW!
QUESTIONS: Any questions reach out by email to sports@monterapto.com.
Montera Annual Fund
Here are a few of the many programs that the Montera PTO supports.
- $500 per teacher to spend on classroom materials.
- Funding to purchase clay and maintain the kiln for the ceramics program.
- Stipends for teacher-led lunchtime activities, such as Climate Justice and Cooking Clubs.
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.
Fundraiser RoundUp
EVENTS:
MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS:
- ANNUAL GIVING FUND: Supports Montera PTO Annual Budget (suggested $450 per student)
- Donors Choose: Directly supports projects listed by our teachers
- 8th Grade Activities Fund: Supports 8th grade activities (Friendsgiving, Great Adventure, Picnic, Promotion Ceremony) Recommended $100 per 8th Grade Student
- Montera Relief Fund: Supports Montera Families in Need
- Sports Donations: Supports Montera Sports Program
- Music Donations: Supports Montera Music Program
8th Grade Activities and Information
- MEETING: March 7, 6-7pm via Zoom
- DONATION: Recommended 8th Grade Activity Donation $100 per 8th grade student: Contribute Here
- QUESTIONS: Activities Questions? Contact Teena Bowie
______________________________________________________________
8th Grade DC Trip:
- 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.
6th Grade Activities and Information
6th Grade Author Visit Follow Up
Greetings Toro families!
The 6th grade was treated to a visit from three amazing local authors on Thursday morning in the MUR. Each author gave an introduction to one of their books and then answered lots of questions from our curious Toros. After the presentation, they autographed books and bookmarks and answered more questions.
If you want to buy any of their books and have them signed by the author, it's not too late! You can order them from our local independent bookstore A Great Good Place for Books using their online portal. Details about each book and pricing information is on this Order Form. When you place your order, please make sure to note that the order is related to Montera Middle School. Mrs. Rogers, Montera Librarian, will arrange for delivery of the book/s to your student.
Check out a video clip of the event here!
If you have any questions, email Mrs. Rogers at margaret.rogers@ousd.org
Toro Pics
This was a busy week! Check out photos from the Lunar NewYear celebration and the 6th Grade Author visit and book signing below. Check out more photos of our Toros here!
Have some great Toro photos to share? Send them to eBulletin@monterapto.com
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.
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!"
Mr. Cooper is half way to his goal! DONATE HERE by April 19.
High School Outreach Programs for 8th Graders
Each year, we have different programs reach out to us to recruit students for their programs. These programs support students while they are in high school. Some programs include Boost@Berkeley Haas and the Upward Bound program at Mills College.
Typical requirements for Students:
- Low-income (Qualifies for free and/or reduced lunch)
- First generation to go to college (Neither parent has completed a four year degree in the United States)
- Attend a public high school (might be specific schools depending on the program)
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Upward Bound @ Mills College
Please complete this form if you or your child would like more information about the programs. Thank you!
How to Stay Informed
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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.
If you have news you'd like to include, please send it to communications@monterapto.com by 5pm on Friday. 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!
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/