Montera Middle School eBulletin
December 14, 2025
This week's school schedule: AB -b- A -b
Upcoming Events:
Monday, December 15: Deadline to Contribute to the Montera Relief Fund Holiday Drive
Monday, December 15: Girls Soccer Practice- Varsity Black/Yellow Teams (3:45-5:15pm)
Tuesday, December 16: Coffee with Doc (9:30-10:15 Room 303)
Tuesday, December 16: Deadline to Contribute to Teacher/Staff Holiday Party
Friday, December 19: Minimum Day
Monday, December 22 - Friday, January 2 - No School (Winter Break)
Monday, January 5: No School (Professional Development Day)
Coffee with the Principal
Please join us for Coffee with Dr. Williams on Tuesday, December 16, 9:30-10:15am in Room 303.
Come have coffee, tea, pastries, and chat with your Montera community.
PTO Meeting Rescheduled
Hey Toros,
The PTO meeting via Zoom on Thursday, December 18 has been cancelled. Our next meeting will be in-person on Thursday, January 22, 2026 from 6:30 to 7:30 at Ghost Town Brewery - we would love for you to join us!
Here are the slides from the November PTO meeting in case you missed it.
We hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, and joyful holiday break. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything at all, we’re always here to help!
Help Montera Families in Need with Holiday Groceries
Help bring holiday cheer to families in our Montera community who struggle with food insecurity. The winter break is a joyful time but brings extra hardship for families who rely on the free nutritious breakfast and lunch their children receive at school. Through our school Community Manager Ms. Harambe, the Montera Relief Fund Holiday Drive provides groceries to families who are in extreme need.
You can sign up to purchase items that will go into holiday gift bags for our families before December 15.
Many of our teachers and staff contribute their own time and efforts to bring cheer to Toro families who need it most. Thank you for helping us take care of our Toro community this holiday season!
Socks and Mittens Drive
Montera students are creating a “Sock and Mitten Giving Tree."
Please bring in new pairs of socks, gloves, or mittens to hang from our Giving Tree in P-9.
Socks and gloves will be donated to the women and children of Oakland Elizabeth House.
We’re thrilled to invite prospective families for the 2026-2027 school year to our upcoming info session and on-campus tour. There is a zoom info session on January 13, and our final campus tour of the season is 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!
Girls Varsity Soccer Practice on Monday
Girls Soccer Practice:
Monday, 12/15: 3:45-5:15pm
Varsity Black and Varsity Yellow
Please bring cleats, shin guards, and water!
Montera Fall Sports Recap
This fall was a historic and successful season for Montera Athletics, marked by growth, access, and strong competition across all programs.
Volleyball
-For the first time, Montera fielded five girls volleyball teams (3 varsity and 2 JV), ensuring that every student who wanted to participate had a place to play. This was two more teams than any other school in our league.
-Our Varsity Volleyball Black Team advanced to the semifinals, falling in one of the most exciting matches of the entire season.
Futsal
-Montera had three futsal teams this year—two girls teams and one boys team.
-Our Girls Varsity Black Team captured the league championship for the second year in a row, a remarkable achievement.
-This was the first year in school history that Montera fielded a boys futsal team. Made up mostly of 6th graders, the team had a great season and provided a powerful introduction to middle school athletics for our youngest students.
Flag Football
-We fielded three flag football teams—one girls team and two boys teams. For the first time ever, Montera had a 6th-grade team, and they competed extremely well against teams made up entirely of 7th and 8th graders.
-Our Varsity Boys Team had a strong season and lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual league champion.
-While the Girls Team didn’t bring home the championship this year, they grew tremendously, played as a unit, and gained valuable experience.
Cross Country
-Both boys and girls cross country teams represented Montera with pride.
-The Girls Team won the league championship, and while the Boys Team fell short due to a technicality, they competed with integrity and excellence throughout the season.
Overall, Montera’s fall sports teams embodied teamwork, perseverance, and school pride. We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes and grateful to the coaches, families, and community who made this season possible.
Congratulations to all Montera Fall Sports teams on a fantastic season!
Coaching Help Still Needed
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 Assistant Coach: We’re looking for a positive leader who can help teach fundamentals, teamwork, and confidence to developing players.
Boys JV Soccer Coach(es): Looking for motivated coaches who can guide players through skill-building, conditioning, and competition.
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]
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.
Prescott Circus December Holiday Break Camp
Dear OUSD Families!
Prescott Circus Theatre announces a December Holiday Circus Program for students in grades 3 - 8. Two days of creative skill learning, community building, and play! Students will explore circus skills including juggling, stilt walking, and tightwire while building community and having a LOT of fun!
2025 Winter Holiday Circus Program
Programa del Circo de las Vacaciones de Diciembre
Bilingual Instruction / Instrucción Bilingüe
Monday, December 29 - Tuesday, December 30
8:30am - 3:30pm Aftercare available until 5:30pm
OUSD Santa Fe Campus, 915 54th St, Oakland, CA 94608
Sliding Scale:
$25 - $225 FOR TWO DAYS PER CHILD
$10 - $120 FOR ONE DAY PER CHILD
Scholarships available. Please inquire at registration.
www.prescottcircus.org/holidayprogram
Questions: 510-350-7207.
Community Reading Buddies Seeks Student Volunteers!
Hi Montera Middle School Students!
Are you looking for volunteer opportunities in the community this year? My name is Claire Wood, and I work with Community Reading Buddies (CRB), an Oakland-based nonprofit that trains high-school and middle-school students to become reading mentors for elementary kids in Oakland. We're looking for more student volunteers to help us during our next reading program that will begin on January 20, 2026 and run for 10 weeks through March 26, 2026.
Our program is simple: we pair one middle or high school student with one elementary student each after-school reading session (in person or virtual) on Mon/Wed or Tues/Thurs. The older student helps their younger buddy with their reading using pre-planned lessons from our digital literacy platform, BookNook, as well as with some of our favorite books like "Fly Guy" and "Elephant and Piggie." Our volunteers learn communication, leadership, SEL, and early education skills while in the program through mentor meetings with CRB staff that focuses on skills they need for the program and beyond. Please scan the QR code in our flyer (or send a message to the email address below) to apply or learn more.
Happy New Year!
Claire
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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