Montera Middle School eBulletin
October 26, 2025
This week's school schedule: AB -b- AB
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday, October 29: Halloween Dance (5:30-7:30pm in the MUR)
Thursday, October 30: 8th Grade Activities Meeting (7-8pm via Zoom)
Friday, October 31: Halloween Costume Contest at School
Saturday, November 8: Montera’s Fall Sweep: Garden Work Day! (10:30-2:00pm)
Tuesday, November 11: No School (Veteran's Day)
Tuesday, November 18: Coffee with Doc (Room 303, 9:30-10:15)
Thursday, November 20: PTO Meeting (6:30-7:30pm via Zoom)
Monday, November 24-Friday, November 28: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Halloween Dance!
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 5:30-7:30 pm
Get ready for a spooky good time at Montera’s Halloween Dance!
Dance tickets will be sold at school during both lunches in the MUR courtyard, Tuesday, October 14 - Tuesday, October 21 ($10, cash only)
Students must have a signed permission slip in order to purchase a ticket
Parent Volunteers Needed: Check out the available slots here and sign up.
8th Grade Events and Activities Meeting this Thursday
A dedicated 8th Grade Zoom meeting will be held this Thursday, October 30 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Ms. Rasheed and Teena Bowie will share details about all the exciting events and celebrations planned for our 8th graders this school year.
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 889 1684 6174
Passcode: Toros!
Questions? Contact 8thgradeactivities@monterapto.com
Halloween Morning Treats at School!
We need parent volunteers for Halloween morning to hand out donut holes to ALL students.
10/31/2025 be at Montera at 8:15am
3 parent volunteers by the back parking lot
3 parent volunteers by the MUR area
3 parent volunteers by the buses
Email president@monterapto.com or ida.johnson@ousd.org to volunteer!
Food Drive for Unpaid Federal Workers
Ms. Riback is helping organize a non-perishable food drive this week for Federal workers. Non-perishable food can be brought to Portable 5 this week to support our neighbors and community who are unpaid Federal workers with families to feed. Toros take pride in looking out for our community. Thank you, Ms. Riback!
It was great to see so many families at Fall Fest this year in spite of the cold weather! Kids and adults enjoyed the terrifying haunted house, all the fun activities and crafts at the booths, the great entertainment lineup hosted by Planet MC, the impressive costumes in the costume contest, the delicious tacos provided by Glenview Taqueria and shaved ice provided by Kona Ice Truck, the giant inflatable obstacle course and slide, and socializing with friends and meeting new people.
Huge thanks go out to this year's Fall Fest leads and all our volunteers, we truly couldn't have done it without you. Thank you to our fantastic emcee Planet MC AKA Mr. D. and our stage performers, the fantastic Cheer teams, and everyone who came together to make this a successful event!
Parking & Pickup Reminder for After School Sports
There is no parking or student pickup in the lower levels (Blue Tops or Black Tops).
Only coaches are permitted to park in the lower levels, and only after all buses have left.
All students must be picked up in the upper parking lot (in the back). Thank you for keeping our campus safe and organized!
In community,
Athletic Director Price
What does the SSC do?
Review the School Plan for Student Achievement
Vote on Title 1 student and Title 1 parent dollars
Make recommendations about programs (academic, SEL, etc)
Meetings Days:
2nd Tuesday of the month, 6:00 - 7:00PM
Meetings held on Zoom
Currently have 4 parent vacancies
Saturday, November 8, 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Montera's garden space and raised beds are ready for a little TLC. Let’s pull weeds, tidy up the space, and get the soil ready for new plants. Bring your gloves & a water bottle!
Join the fun by signing up for a volunteer slot! Kids are welcome and encouraged to take part. They’ll get to decorate small pots, fill them with soil and seeds, and plant start seeds like perennials, small trees, and fall or winter plants.
From 12:30-1:00 we will have pizza and refreshments.
Please contact Christine Mirov at gardens@monterapto.com if you have questions.
Did you know? Montera's own Mr. D and his School of Rap 510 has an album-- "Oaktown Middle"! School of Rap students performed this past weekend at the Oakland Museum as part of the Oakland Grown: Student Art and Music Festival. A link to the album is below. Congrats to Mr. D and all the School of Rap performers!
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:
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!
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.
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.
LAST CHANCE FOR DISCOUNT THIS WEEK! Place an order for your 2025-26 Montera yearbook before October 31st and save 10% off the regular price of $34.85 and cross a task off your back-to-school to-do list! Yearbooks will be delivered to the school in the middle of May. Scan this QR code or click HERE to order from Treering.
R4R Registration is NOW OPEN!
We're thrilled to bring you the eighteenth Ride 4A Reason on April 25, 2026 - you can register TODAY for the best prices all year!
R4R has provided over $2 million in critical funds for schools in Oakland and Alameda, and we are looking to raise more than ever this year as we cycle up to 110 miles from Oakland to Sacramento.
As a Title 1 School, Montera is a direct beneficiary of Ride 4A Reason. We receive approximately $10,000 each year!
Our beneficiary schools use R4R funds for field trips, art and music programs, college tours, and teacher-led projects that enable students to have experiences that are foundational for creating committed, engaged community members.
We hope you'll join us at R4R 2026, and everyone who registers at or before our kick-off event on November 6 will be entered into a raffle to win a 2026 R4R jersey and a $100 gift certificate to Tip Top Bicycle.
Ride on,
The 2026 Ride 4A Reason Steering Committee
And Join R4R supporters and community for a kick-off celebration at Arthur Mac's Tap & Snack to launch our 2026 ride! Thursday, November 6, 5:30-7:30pm
A portion of sales that night will benefit R4R, and we'll have computers so you can sign up to ride on the spot! Kids welcome.
Montera Middle School is seeking enthusiastic, dedicated coaches to join our Toro Athletics family this winter! We’re building teams that play hard, learn teamwork, and represent Montera with pride.
Girls JV Basketball Coach: We’re looking for a positive leader who can teach fundamentals, teamwork, and confidence to developing players.
Girls Soccer Coaches: Seeking passionate coaches who value growth, effort, and sportsmanship.
Boys Soccer Coaches: Looking for motivated coaches who can guide players through skill-building, conditioning, and competition.
Tryouts: Late November – Early December
Season: January – March 2025
Location: Montera Middle School, Oakland
Ideal Candidates Will:
Enjoy working with middle school athletes
Be reliable, organized, and positive role models
Communicate effectively with players, families, and staff
Be available for after-school practices and Saturday games
Contact: Martin Price, Athletic Director — [martin.price@ousd.org]
Oakland High School Prospective Families Info Sessions!
8th grade families, you are invited to attend an upcoming information session about Oakland High School (virtually or in person!) and sign up for a school tour.
Oakland High School's Information Night in person
Tuesday 12/9, 5:30-7:30pm
Oakland High School Virtual Information Night on Zoom
Thursday 12/11, 6:30-7:30pm
Zoom: bit.ly/OHSInfoZoomLink25
Program Overview for each of the above:
- Presentation about Oakland High's program and offerings
- Student panel
- Teacher panel
- Q&A
- Campus Tour included for in person event on 12/9
Campus Tours
- Register for a campus tour in January here: bit.ly/OHSTour2526
Oakland High Information Flyer (in English y en español)
Staying in the Know: Understanding Our OUSD Budget Reports
Join us on Wednesday, October 29, for the next in OUSD's special Fall 2025 learning series about the OUSD budget and how district budgeting works.
The purpose of this series is to support the participation of our community in the budget process and to help answer ongoing questions.
These learning sessions will run from 5:30 to 8:00 pm via Zoom.
https://ousd.zoom.us/j/82070038236
Meeting ID: 820 7003 8236
By Phone: 1-669-900-9128
The series is being done in partnership by staff from the Office of Equity, Strategic Resource Planning, and the Finance Division.
Global Young Men’s Conference
Saturday, November 8, 2025
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Claremont Middle School, 5750 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
Young men in grades 6–12 from across the Bay Area
Free to attend
everforwardclub.org/gymc-oakland-2025
A day of fun, food, and brotherhood. Discover who you are, who you can become, and the support to get you there! Qualify for a chance to win up to $1,000 in prizes with early registration and attendance!
We also invite students to take part in our Million Mask Movement by creating masks at millionmask.org. It’s a simple but powerful reflective activity that helps young people express both what they show to the world and what they often keep hidden. It’s a wonderful conversation starter and deeply connected to the mission of the conference.
Baseball for All
North Oakland/South Oakland Little League's Challenger division serves kids ages 6-22 with mental and physical challenges and gives them the opportunity to play baseball in a supportive environment. Free registration for the Spring 2026 Challenger season is now open - find more information and sign up at https://www.nollsoll.com/challenger-division/.
(P.S. Registration for all NOLL/SOLL divisions is open through December 31 at https://www.nollsoll.com/registration-information/)
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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