Montera Middle School eBulletin
August 17, 2025
Welcome to the 2025-26 School Year!
This week's school schedule: A B - b - A B
(A block = periods 1-4 / B block = periods 5-8 / b = "B Block" Minimum Day)
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, August 21: 7th Grade Japan Trip Mandatory Informational Meeting (4:30pm in person, Room 303);
ALSO Thurs, Aug 21: Montera PTO Kickoff - All are welcome! (6:30-7:30pm via Zoom)
Monday, September 1: No School (Labor Day)
Thursday, September 4: Back to School Night (5:30-7:30pm in person)
Wednesday, September 17 - Thursday, September 18 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (Minimum Days, 9:15-1:50pm)
Thursday, September 18: Montera PTO Meeting (6:30-7:30pm via Zoom)
Friday, September 19: No School (Professional Development Day)
Monday, September 22 & Friday, September 26: Picture Days!
Schoology Access
From the PTO
Welcome Back, Toros!
Our first PTO meeting is this Thursday, August 21, from 6:30–7:30pm on Zoom. The link for this meeting is here. Everyone is welcome to join us to hear updates from key staff and talk about how we can support Montera this year.
PTO meetings are scheduled the third Thursday of each month, and it’s one of the best ways to stay connected, hear what’s happening at school, and find ways to get involved! We’ll re-share the meeting agenda and Zoom link on ParentSquare the day of the meeting as a helpful reminder.
Questions? Email us at president@monterapto.com
Interested in volunteering? Fill out our quick volunteer survey!
Bus Information and FREE Clipper Card for Students
Locker Assignments
Every student has been assigned a locker. If your student doesn't know their locker number, you can request it from Ms. Ida in the front office (or email ida.johnson@ousd.org). Once they get a lock, they should provide the office with the locker combination in case of emergency.
After School Program Enrollment Update
A message from our Think Together Site Program Manager, Ms. Regina Taylor:
Hello, Montera families! We are excited to see the increasing amount of interest in the after-school program. Thank you for your enthusiasm and trust. We are looking forward to a fun year with the students.
Due to the overwhelming interest and student-to-staff ratio, the program has reached its capacity for now. Students are automatically added to the waitlist when their application is submitted at thinktogether.org/enroll. There are no further steps.
If you did not receive an enrollment confirmation email from Ms. Regina Taylor (regina.taylor@thinktogether.org), your student is on the waitlist and will be directed to their designated pickup area if they show up to the after-school program.
We hear your concerns and are hiring more staff to better serve the Montera community. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all participants. If your student is a foster or unhoused youth, please contact Ms. Regina immediately if you are interested in the after-school program.
**Note: If you are registering for the after school program for sports only, the waitlist does not apply and you will receive instructions after you register.**
Parents and Guardians, make sure to review the sports registration requirements email we sent earlier this week, and which are described in detail on our website. Students can try out without having all steps complete, but must be fully registered to participate in official practice.
We will share more details and dates for other sports soon as they become available. Here's what we know so far:
Co-Ed Cross Country:
Location: Field
Mon Aug 25, Thurs Aug 28, & Thurs Sept 4 - 3:45-5:30pm
Students should bring shoes/clothing comfortable to run in and a water bottle which is clearly labeled or easily identifiable.
Girls Volleyball:
Location: Gym
Tues Aug 19 - 3:40-5:40pm - 6th grade
Wed Aug 20 - 2:00-4:00pm (time change)- 7th grade
Thurs Aug 21 - 3:40-5:40pm - 8th grade
If you cannot attend the day your grade meets, please come to one of the other dates.
Boys Flag Football:
Location: Field
Choose ONE: Tues Aug 26 or Thurs Aug 28, 3:45-5:30pm
Girls Flag Football:
Location: Field
Mon Aug 25 & Fri Aug 29, time TBA
We're currently looking for afterschool coaches for the following sports:
Girls Volleyball
Boys Futsal
Girls Futsal
Co-Ed Kickball
No experience? No problem! If you're positive, dependable, and enjoy working with students, we’d love to have you on our team. Training will be provided.
Interested or have questions?
Please contact Athletic Director Martin Price at martin.price@ousd.org.
Our inaugural first trip to Italy this summer was a great success! We got to experience several different regions in Italy, learned some Italian phrases, ate some delicious food, and saw a lot of iconic Italian sites! It is now time to kick off a new school year with new, exciting travel opportunities!
- All past, present, and future travelers: Please join Travel Club at Montera when we have club sign-ups. Get to know other travelers. Have some fun cultural experiences. Hear from past travelers. Try foods from other countries. Share your own travel adventures. See Ms. Recco or Dr. Emrick for more information.
- For 2025-26 7th Graders: We are now turning our attention to this year's Travel Club trip to Japan! We still have a few (limited!) spots left. Please contact Ms. Recco or Dr. Emrick if you are interested! We will be having a mandatory in-person informational meeting on Thursday, August 21, at 4:30 in room 303 at Montera to discuss some short "practice" local field trips to help students prepare for the big trip and to share important updates about our upcoming trip. Please plan to attend if your student is traveling on this trip. Parents, you can contact us at rebecca.recco@ousd.org or isaac.emrick@ousd.org
- For 2025-26 6th Graders: We are going to start discussing our Summer 2027 Trip -- location TBD! Where do you want to travel? So far, we have had requests for England, Korea, and Costa Rica! See Ms. Recco or Dr. Emrick if you are interested. Parents, you can contact us at rebecca.recco@ousd.org or isaac.emrick@ousd.org. Stay tuned for an announcement about our kick-off meeting.
Dear Montera Families,
We’re excited to kick off Montera PTO’s Annual Fund Drive, the first and most significant fundraising effort of the school year! We need your help.
With your support, we aim to raise $50,000 by October 15. These contributions help bridge the gap between what the district provides and what our students truly need to thrive - things like classroom supplies, technology, music, sports, library books, teacher & staff stipends, and more. We recognize that every family has different resources and a gift should be made in an amount that is meaningful and generous for your family.
While the suggested contribution amount is $450 per student, a gift—no matter the size—makes a lasting impact on the student experience at Montera. Our goal is to see 100% of Toro families make a contribution of any amount! Your gift matters!
Your $300 contribution sends 37 8th graders to see a play.
A $200 contribution buys a new Chromebook for a classroom.
A $100 contribution gets four new soccer balls for our after school teams.
Even $5 buys two planners, which all students receive at the beginning of the school year to help them stay organized.
Give today via PayPal or return this form with a check.
Your contribution to the Annual Fund might be eligible for a company match, doubling your donation and impact! To request a match, submit your receipt to your employer’s matching online gift portal or check with your HR department.
Here are some companies that offer a matching program: Disney, Pixar, AAA, Airbnb, Expedia, Google, Pandora, Adobe, Kaiser, Genentech, PayPal, Apple, Salesforce, PG&E, Williams Sonoma, Microsoft, Verizon, Clorox and more!
Thank you for being part of what makes this community so strong. Let’s kick things off with momentum!
Warmly,
Hillary Aiken, PTO VP of Fundraising
All Donations are tax deductible
Montera PTO 501(c)3 Non-Profit Tax ID #23-7266421
OUSD Vaccine Clinic
Free Oakland Roots Tickets for Students Who Attend First Two Weeks of School
As we start this school year off right, we are continuing our Show UP! campaign to support good attendance, and the Oakland Roots Soccer Team is helping us in a big way. Here is what you need to know:
All students who attend school every day during the first two weeks of school will receive one free ticket to the Roots' Oakland Back-to-School Night on Saturday, August 30 at the Oakland Coliseum. The game will include an amazing drone show afterwards. And all staff and teachers get a ticket too!
Schools will be checking attendance and reporting out to the team, which will share a code unique to each school that students, families, and staff can use on the team's website to access the free ticket, and to buy more tickets.
We look forward to seeing all students in class the next two weeks and beyond, and we appreciate the Oakland Roots for supporting good attendance in Oakland schools!
Know someone who isn't receiving this eBulletin?
Montera Middle School
eBulletin is produced throughout the school year 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, Montera Middle School, or the Montera PTO.
If you have news you'd like to include, please send it to eBulletin@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 an important error, please bring it to our attention. Thanks!
We Are Montera. We Are One.
Email: communications@monterapto.com | Website: https://montera.ousd.org/
Location: 5555 Ascot Drive, Oakland, CA, USA | Phone: (510) 531-6070