Community Resources

Join Oakland GRiT (Girls Riding Together) for a try-it-out ride on Memorial Day! Open to Oakland and Piedmont GRiT athletes, friends, and any girls/female-identifying riders in grades 5-12!

Date: Monday, May 25
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Place: Joaquin Miller Park

All abilities are welcome and loaner bikes are available! We'll learn skills, play games, go for a ride, and share a treat after. Info will be available on how to join our teams this fall. Spread the word and RSVP here: https://bit.ly/spring-grit-ride

Comics and Animation Camp

What: Dual camp with both Comics and Stop Motion Animation and it's taught by me, Dean Stuart, and animator Annie Wong. 2 camps offered, each a week long.

Where: Colorspace Arts, El Cerrito

When: (2 one week camps) Weeks of June 29 and July 6th

Sign up here:

https://www.hisawyer.com/colorspace-arts/schedules/activity-set/1880372?source=all-activities

Comics Camp

Taught by me, Dean Stuart. Camp will be an intensive comics learning course. Covers character design, composition, storyboarding, writing, laying out a comic page, This is a one week course.

Where: Berkeley Painter's Club, Strawberry Creek Park, Berkeley

When: July 20-24

Sign up:

https://www.hisawyer.com/berkeley-painting-club/schedules/activity-set/1778786

Strength Training for Middle and High School Aged Athletes

Focus on functional and core strength to improve power, speed, agility, and overall strength.

Mixed Gender Class Thursdays 5:45-6:45p

June: 5, 12, 26 / July: 10, 17, 24

All Girls Strength Training Tuesdays 4:30-5:30p

June: 9, 16, 23 / July: 7, 14, 21

Price: $200 (use code: Toros26 for $50 off)

https://www.oaklandcubs.com/program/strength-training/17185

Andrea Johnson, M.S.
ACSM-HFS & NASM-CPT
510-725-9970

Dear caregiver community,

Did you know that teens spend an average of one hour during the school day on their smartphones?

Along with Leana Zang-Rosetti, a parent at Melrose Leadership Academy, I’m advocating for OUSD to implement a bell-to-bell policy (phones put away from the first bell to the last bell) in all K–12 schools. This policy would provide our children with the rare opportunity to have 7 hours free from the distraction and harms of smartphones.

OUSD must adopt a district-wide policy by July 1, 2026 per Governor Newsom’s Phone Free Schools Act. Our goal is to show the school board that there is strong support among teachers, administrators, staff and the community for limiting personal device use during the school day so students can focus on learning and connect with peers without the distraction of smartphones. Large districts such as Los Angeles Unified and the San Francisco Unified School District have already adopted smartphone-free policies. Please consider signing this petition (and forwarding to a friend), if you support a phone-free school environment. Your voice matters. If you think your child(ren) would be in support, please share the petition with them as well!

We do realize there are equity issues to consider and some young people have very real, adult responsibilities like caring for siblings or earning money for the family. We're confident the community can come together to problem-solve ways to support essential communication during school hours.

The Research:

• 50% of students with smartphones receive on average 237 notifications a day, many of them during school hours. This constant interruption makes sustaining attention nearly impossible.
• According to the National Education Association 83% of teachers nationwide support an all day away phone policy
• Cyberbullying—which occurs during the school day—is linked to a fourfold increase in suicidal ideation. Since the rise of cell phones, we're seeing a mental health crisis among school-aged children. They are lonelier, sadder and more anxious than ever. According to the CDC, over 1/5 high school students have seriously considered suicide.
• Smartphones "experience blockers" prevent face to face interaction and opportunities for social development and connection.
• One-third of teens report being exposed to pornography at school!
• 35% of teens admit to using their cell phones to cheat
• Cell phone use during emergencies can actually increase safety risks
• The mere presence of phones causes "brain drain" or reduces one's available cognitive capacity.

Thank you very much for considering this request, and please feel free to reach out if you’d like to learn more or get involved in this effort.

In community,
Lara Clayman and Leana Zang-Rosetti
laraclayman@gmail.com
 

Hello from Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS), a nonprofit founded in 1965 that offers summer immersion and leadership development programs for youth in Latin America. In past summers we’ve had a number of students from Montera participate in our summer programs, so I’m reaching out to share this opportunity to help spread the word with any Montera Middle School families who may be interested.

Our Costa Rica: Montañas y Mar program offers a unique opportunity for students ages 13-14 to experience life in a new country, practice Spanish, and get involved with impactful service projects. This program is designed to give younger students a supportive first experience with international travel, community engagement, and cultural learning.

On this project, students will:

• Live in group lodging with volunteers from across the U.S. to explore two regions in Costa Rica

• Work with two partner organizations focused on conservation and wildlife protection and earn 24 service hours through hands on activities and workshops

• Practice their Spanish with local youth, community members, and our partner organizations

• Be introduced to travel and service abroad while getting out of their element!

We host virtual information sessions on Sundays and Tuesdays for families and educators to learn more, as well as offer 1:1 program counseling calls! If you would like to talk more, you can grab a time on my calendar using this link or send me an email at any time. I am happy to connect with you.

Emma Reagan
Senior Bay Area Outreach Manager
’15 AMIGOS Alum- Ecuador
Click here to schedule a call with me!
Amigos de las Américas
amigosinternational.org
ereagan@amigosinternational.org
(713) 986-2965

OGSL’s mission is to bring the sport of softball to players aged 5-14. The spring season will start in February and run through May. 1-2 practices on weekdays, games on Saturdays.

Registration Fees are 6U: $215 and 8U, 10U, 12/14U: $275. Sign up before December for an Early Bird discount! If cost is an issue, please email info@ogsl.org BEFORE completing the registration form for more information on requesting a ½ off fee discount. No one will be turned away for lack of funds!

OSGL Information: https://www.ogsl.org/

Registration: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/485569

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024 OUSD will host a virtual Family Info Night on zoom from 5:00-5:45pm to explore math acceleration options for high school students. While we hope to see many 8th grade families, this info night is open to families of students of all ages. During our info night, we will:

• explore math course options at each grade level in high school
• learn about the various math acceleration options that are offered at each high school
• learn about the options for math acceleration before 9th grade, and hear from our students and teachers their experiences with different Algebra 1 course options
• collect questions from our community
• provide feedback and input around middle school math enrichment opportunities

Please register here for the zoom webinar. To begin the conversation, please submit any questions that you have in this google form.

Have questions or want to learn more about Math Acceleration Options in OUSD? Check out this FAQ in 2023 with links to a webinar for more information!
 

Thank you,
Courtney Ortega, Secondary Math Coordinator for Middle Schools
Keely Machmer-Wessels, Secondary Math Coordinator for High Schools

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

--> High School Outreach Programs Interest Form <--