PTA Updates

Our morning yoga enrichment trial was a success. Registration is now open for winter (January 8 - March 15) and spring sessions (March 25 - June 6). Breathing Space is offering yoga for K-1 grades on Mondays and 2-5 grades on Wednesdays 8:00 - 8:40am in the Ross Music Room. Space is limited to 12 kids per class, so sign up soon! Follow the below link for a description from Breathing Space and to sign up. Yoga & Mindfulness Mornings @ Ross Elementary

Register now for the winter session of before-school Spanish at Ross! Isabella & Ferdinand classes cater to various age groups and proficiency levels, offering a diverse range of classes to suit every learner. The before-school session will run from January 9 through March 29. Questions? Contact info@isabellaandfedinand.org.

Orders from the Ross online holiday store will be available for pickup between 8:20am and 8:45am at Ross December 18-21. To make other pick-up arrangements please contact Sarah Berglund at 202-460-1180. Thank you!

HoopEd is offering 10% off any HoopEd winter break camps (Dec. 22 and 26-29, and January 2) for Ross students--use promo code WINTERFUN. REGISTER FOR HoopEd WINTER BREAK CAMP

Ross school spirit week is this week! (Reminder that there is no school on Friday, December 22.)

• Wednesday, December 20: Dress to Impress Day
  
• Thursday, December 21: Pajama Day

If your family is traveling for the holidays, please consider purchasing a few unique souvenirs to create a regional gift basket to donate as a silent auction item! Here's an example basket from the 2022 auction: "Taste of the Rhone Valley and Lyon Gift Basket - This basket included a bottle of Côtes du Rhône wine, some locally sourced honey and marmalade, mustard samples, biscuits, and other treats from France’s gastronomy capital."

Ross is very excited to host its first winter concert, directed by Ms. Hailu, on Thursday, January 11 at Garrison Elementary. Art work will be displayed by Ms. Cirillo. Students should arrive between 5:45- 6:00pm with the program beginning at 6:15pm. Students are asked to wear any combination of solid black and white clothing. More details will be shared closer to the date.

Note: These are not affiliated with Ross. If you have a camp to add to the list, contact melanie.mayhew@gmail.com and we'll include it in the next newsletter.

• Imagination Stage (registration opens on January 8)
• Sidwell Summer (registration opens on January 10)
• Calleva Camp (registration for new campers opens on January 16)
• Camp Beauvoir (registration opens on January 24)
• Valley Mill Camp (registration open)

Ross Elementary School student portraits, including make-up day portraits, are now online for viewing and ordering. You should have received an email from Freed Photography with your student's private gallery information. If you have not received this (check your spam too), please contact them at support@freedphoto.com or call 301.652.5452.

Do you want to make room for new games you may get during the holidays? Please consider donating games to the Ross Game Library, which is now open on the lower level next to the Ross Cafe! Feel free to leave games on top of the game library, but make sure to also contact Sarah Roma (sarahandsokol@gmail.com) or text 617-233-7349 to let us know you've dropped games off so we can log them into the library. The Ross game library has games that teachers and families may borrow. Games are arranged by age, and there is a self sign-out/in binder for teachers and parents (children should come with their parents/guardians) to fill out when you borrow a game. You can find more information here. We are especially in need of games for older kids.

Parents of elementary school children are invited to attend a virtual workshop coordinated by Ross school counselor Jillian Sharkey on Monday, January 22, from 7:00-8:00pm with Dr. Francois Williams, focusing on childhood anxiety. This online session will help you identify anxiety in children and provide you with effective strategies for support both at home and in collaboration with their schools.

Dr. Williams completed his studies at Xavier University of Louisiana and Morehouse School of Medicine, with further training in adult psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine. His expertise in group psychotherapy and DBT is complemented by his current role as a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at Georgetown University Hospital and his private practice, where he leads parenting groups.

Workshop highlights:

• Differentiating normal behaviors from signs of anxiety in children
• Parental roles in easing childhood anxiety
• Practical strategies for home and school environments
• This virtual workshop is a fantastic opportunity to gain insight and tools for supporting your child's emotional development and mental health

Zoom Link and RSVP: https://georgetown.zoom.us/j/92840430765

The MySchoolDC lottery is open here. Please encourage friends and neighbors to apply for PK4 if their children will turn four years old by September 30, 2024. If you know of incoming, in-boundary kindergarteners, please let Principal Searl know so she can anticipate enrollment numbers for kindergarten. The next open house for prospective families is Thursday, January 18 at 9:30am. Current Grade 5 Ross students have a right to attend Francis-Stevens Middle School, Cardozo Education Campus or their neighborhood in-boundary school for Grade 6 without applying to the lottery. Any other school choices in DCPS/DC Charters would come through a lottery match. Please see Principal Searl or Ms. Segovia with any questions regarding the lottery and transitioning to middle school.

If you’re going to be in town over the winter break from school, you’ll likely be looking for activities. Here's a guide from KidFriendly DC that may help: https://www.kidfriendlydc.com/2023/12/14/where-to-go-what-to-do-during-winter-break-2023/

Join the National Gallery of Art for free and virtual classes on December 19 and 20 with new drawing topics starting again in January. Register and learn more: https://www.nga.gov/calendar/family-activities/sketchbook-club.html

2023.24 DCPS Calendar

Friday, December 22- Tuesday, January 2: NO SCHOOL

Thursday, January 11: Ross Winter Concert and Art Show (Garrison Elementary School)

Monday, January 15: NO SCHOOL

Thursday, January 18: Ross Open House #3 (9:00-10:30am)

Monday, January 22: Ross Parenting Workshop on Anxious Children (7:00-8:00pm; RSVP here)

Friday, January 26: NO SCHOOL

Friday, February 16: NO SCHOOL

Monday, February 19: NO SCHOOL

Saturday, February 24: Ross/Imagination Stage Theater Trip, 1:00pm

Friday, March 1: MySchoolDC Lottery Closes (PK3 - Grade 8)

Saturday, March 2: Ross Auction

Thursday, March 14: Parent-Teacher Conferences, NO SCHOOL

Friday, Match 15: NO SCHOOL

Friday, April 5: NO SCHOOL

Monday, April 15 - Friday, April 19: NO SCHOOL

Monday, May 27: NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, June 4: NO SCHOOL

Monday, June 17: NO SCHOOL

The mission of the Ross PTA is to support the education of all Ross students, to support Ross faculty and staff, to foster relationships among parents, staff and community members, and to assist faculty and staff to provide a safe and nurturing environment where all students, families and faculty can thrive and grow.

Email: PTApresident@rosselementary.org
Website: http://rosselementary.org/pta-board/
Location: 1730 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202.673.7200

If this email was forwarded to you, subscribe to Ross PTA emails here.

Do you have updates or announcements that you think would be of interest to our school community? If so, email Ross PTA Secretary Melanie Mayhew.