Montera Middle School eBulletin
January 18, 2026
This week's school schedule: --B -a- AB
Upcoming Events:Upcoming Events:
Monday, January 19: No School (Martin Luther King, Jr Day)
Thursday, January 22: Montera PTO Meeting (In Person at Ghost Town Brewing, 6:30pm)
Tuesday, February 10: Coffee with the Principal (Room 303, 9:30-10:15am)
Friday, February 13: Valentine's Dance (4:30-6:30 in the MUR)
Monday, February 16: President's Day (No School)
Saturday, March 14: Montera's Benefit Auction & Dinner (Zanzi, 4:00pm)
Montera Prospective Family Tours - Sign up to help on January 23!
Consider signing up to help. Being a parent tour helper is one of the easiest and most needed volunteer positions. Current students lead the tours while you keep them on time and help answer questions from prospective parents.
Arrive on campus (outside the MUR) by 9:00am for each on-campus tour date to help with check-in and meet your student tour guide. The tour block is 9:30-11am for prospective families which includes a ~40 minute presentation & student panel in the MUR and ~50 minute walking tour.
Please join us in spreading the greatness of Montera. Go Toros!
The fourth annual Lunar New Year Celebration at Montera will be on Thursday, February 26th from 2:30 - 3:30 PM. There will be food, music, and fun activities. We are looking for adult volunteers to help with food preparation, set-up, host an activity, and/or supervise.
If you are available, please sign-up here: Lunar New Year Celebration - Adult Volunteer Sign-Up or email Ms. Saephan at erica.saephan@ousd.org. Thank you!
Welcome, Ms. Rivera!
Ms. Rivera will be teaching World History, Journalism, and Advisory. Here is a link to a slide presentation introducing Ms. Rivera. We're so pleased to have you at Montera!
Welcome back, Mr. Torrence!
We're very excited to welcome Mr. Torrence back to our 6th grade teaching team! Here's more about Mr. Torrence, who is a returning English and History teacher.
AC Transit Updates
AC Transit wants to remind Montera students of several key updates:
- Student Transit Passes (free local bus rides!) are still available. Join thousands of 6th-12th grade students throughout Alameda County who are saving money and getting around with ease. Montera students are eligible! Apply here: https://www.alamedactc.org/programs-projects/studentpass/apply
- Updates to the Clipper card system are causing some bugs that affect Student Transit Pass replacements. While Clipper works to fix them, for now, if a student loses their Clipper card and replaces it on the phone or in person, they need to tell AC Transit their new 19-digit serial number so we they add the pass to the card - it's not added automatically. (More detailed instructions will go out on Parent Square this week.)
- Through January 31, SF Bay Ferry rides are just $1 for students with the transit pass!
California funds schools through Average Daily Attendance (ADA). This means that every day or period a student is absent or tardy, our school loses funding. Unexcused absences cost our school thousands of dollars each school year. Every minute counts!
Reminders:
AVOID picking up students during lunch - loud speaker announcements during lunch disrupt classes in session.
AVOID picking up students 20-30 minutes before the dismissal bell. This allows students to finish their school day without disruption.
Dismissal is at 1:50 pm on Wednesdays and 3:30 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Remember, school starts at 9:15! Please help your student arrive on time each day and reinforce the importance of showing up to 3rd & 7th period after lunch!
Any absence not verified by phone or email is marked “Unverified” and is considered unexcused.
If you know that your student is going to be absent, please call the main office at 510-879-3211 x1.
If your family is experiencing challenges with daily attendance, we are here to support you. Contact your grade-level principal or Ms. Ida at the number above for assistance.
1) Order Your 2025–26 Montera Yearbook
Although the yearbook pre-sale has ended, it’s never too late to order your copy! Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in mid-May. Scan the QR code or CLICK HERE to order from Treering. The cost is $34.85 plus tax.
2) First-Time Ordering?
If you haven’t ordered before or are new to Montera, you’ll be prompted to create a login and add your student(s) information. When selecting a teacher, please choose “N/A (Not Listed/Applicable)” from the dropdown menu.
3) We Want Your Photos!
If you have great shots from school events or campus moments, email them to MonteraYearbookClub@gmail.com and include student names and short captions.
4) 8th Grade Baby Photos Needed
We’re collecting baby photos for the 8th-grade section! Please send a baby photo of your 8th grader by January 31, 2026 to MonteraYearbookClub@gmail.com.
Photos should be in JPG format and at least 500kb to print clearly. Include your student’s name in the subject line or body of your email.
Camp Galileo is a consistent and generous donor to the Montera auction each year. In addition, they are offering a $50 discount for summer camp sign-ups this year using code 26NFUNZNF. AND for every sign up using this code, Montera also receives $50! This code is now live and valid all the way through summer. Thank you Camp Galileo for your support of our school!
Youth Writers Workshop Applications Now Open!
Community Members,
Children's Fairyland is reaching out to share an exciting opportunity for young aspiring authors ages 8-14. Applications are now open for our Youth Writers Workshop, which starts March 14, 2026.
The Youth Writers Workshop is a completely free program that puts students in the author’s chair and allows them an empowering experience of learning from a published author and developing an idea from seed to published story!
The Youth Writers Workshop includes four in-person sessions with optional office hours to help your youth finish their story. Participants meet at Fairyland on four Saturdays for 2 hours each and learn with a cohort of peers from a published author and the education team at Fairyland.
This year, we are excited to partner with Natasha Tripplett, an award-winning local children’s author. During the workshop, participants work on community-building games and fun activities to help open their creative minds. Participants will then be invited to submit their stories to be published in the Children’s Fairyland Youth Writers anthology and present their work alongside the best of the best in children’s literature at our annual Children’s Book Festival in September, when over 30 local authors, illustrators, and KidLit creatives come together at Fairyland for a beloved community event!
The deadline to apply for this workshop is March 8, 2026.
Learn more by visiting our website at the link below!
Opportunity for Middle School Girls Interested in STEM, Business, or Entrepreneurship
Oakland Technical High School’s student-led robotics team, Oakland Tech CyberDogz (Team 24381), is hosting a special event called FishTank Girls, designed to introduce middle school girls to STEM, business, entrepreneurship, and teamwork in a fun and supportive environment.
During the event, students will work in teams to develop and pitch creative product ideas, learning the basics of problem-solving, and presentation skills. Teams will compete in a friendly pitch competition for cash prizes!
No prior experience is required. This event is intended to encourage confidence, business, creativity, and interest in STEM fields.
Event Details:
Event: FishTank Girls
Date: January 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Oakland Technical High School 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA
Who Can Attend: Female middle school students
Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/OT-Fishtank2026
InnovateHER STEM Conference for Girls, Feb 7
Dear Montera Community,
My name is Saanvi Juneja, and I am the Communications Director of the SWENext Chapter at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, CA. I am reaching out to share a free STEM opportunity for female-identifying middle and high school students.
On Saturday, February 7, 2026, we are hosting our first-ever InnovateHER Conference, a one-day STEM conference from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM designed to inspire and empower middle and high school girls through hands-on engineering experiences, mentorship, and exposure to real-world STEM pathways.
The conference will feature:
A keynote speaker from industry or higher education
Hands-on STEM station rotations
A panel of women in engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship
A collaborative Innovation Challenge, where students design and build a bridge using popsicle sticks and painter’s tape
Opportunities for teamwork, creativity, and mentorship
Attendance is completely free, and the event will take place on a Saturday. Additional details, including registration information, are included in the attached flyer. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Saanvi Juneja
Communications Director, SWENext Chapter, Saint Francis High School
saanvijuneja@sfhs.com
Middle School Scholars Leadership Program for Girls: Apply Now!
Registration is open for our Middle School Scholars Leadership Program for sixth and seventh grade girls. This program is perfect for girls interested in exploring, discovering, and deepening their passion for leadership and making a positive impact in their communities. Students will learn from expert faculty through experiential activities, be mentored by current Santa Catalina students, participate in an off-campus excursion, and more!
Program Details
Dates: April 24–26, 2026
Location: Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California
Participation: This tuition-free program includes on-campus housing, meals, and all activities
Application Timeline: December 1, 2025–January 31, 2026
Selected Scholar Announcement: February 13, 2026; students not selected for the three-day weekend will be invited to a one-day program on-campus March 15 or regional events in fall 2026
Scholars Will
Create connections with student leaders across the country
Identify personal leadership strengths and improve communication skills
Participate in a team design challenge
Explore Santa Catalina School's signature programs of Marine Ecology, Engineering, and Musical Theatre
Please consider applying if you are a sixth or seventh grade girl who is interested in problem-solving real-world issues. Download our flyer, and visit santacatalina.org/scholars for more information.
Sincerely,
Ange Atkinson
Director of Auxiliary Programs
Santa Catalina School
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Email: communications@monterapto.com | Website: https://montera.ousd.org/
Location: 5555 Ascot Drive, Oakland, CA, USA | Phone: (510) 531-6070