Dear Ross Community,
That dreary stretch went on so long that for the past few days I wake stunned each morning at the glorious sunlight seeping in. I have every pumpkin festival planned before Milton slams it way up the coast and causes a possible repeat. (We probably still have sugar dust on us from this past weekend.) If they have apple cider donuts and a glimpse of a pumpkin, we're in. See below for a roundup of pumpkin/fall/Halloween festivals in the DMV and get there while this sun is shining!
Friends, we are in the peak of our Fall for Ross campaign! If you haven't already contributed, please consider doing so today! In our class competitions, PK4 is in the lead, trailed by 2nd and 5th grades! Get your class to #1!
Coming down the pike we have two days off school on Thursday and Friday this week for parent-teacher conferences and professional development (here's hoping that's not news to you). Tomorrow is Walk & Roll to School Day--join the pack at 15th and R at 7:50 am. Get your shovels ready for the Ross Garden Cleanup on the 20th, and don't forget to volunteer for Spooktacular!
Go outside and get yourself some sun while it lasts 😎🌞
-Aimee
Every fall we invite all members of our community to Fall for Ross by contributing to our annual fundraising drive, with the goal of raising $50,000 between now and the end of November. As of today, we are at 25% of our goal, with 28 supporters (of more than 100 families).
Did you know that this year, the Ross PTA bought 20 iPads that teachers are using in all classrooms? That the PTA spends thousands of dollars restocking the school library, and $10,000/year on curricular supplies? And that last year when PE was briefly interrupted, the PTA was able to cover a substitute teacher when the district could not respond quickly enough? These are just a few examples of where your donations make a difference, every day, in your kids' education.
We encourage families to consider a tax-deductible financial donation of $50/month ($600 annually) so the PTA can continue funding school operating costs and continue its programs. Please give as you’re able. Small or large, every donation is important and contributes to improving the learning environment for every student at Ross. New this year: You can give using a variety of payment platforms, including Google Pay, credit card, Venmo, PayPal, bank transfer and donor-advised fund.
The class with the highest percentage of participation will win a 🍧 popsicle party 🍧! The Prek4 class is in the lead with an impressive 45% participation rate! Can your class catch up?? Donate today!
A few Ross students participated in National Chess Day this past Saturday, October 5, with Mr. Zico. They brought home a few trophies and Ross won the Top School Award. Congratulations! Interested in chess enrichments at Ross and day-off/break camps? Contact zikochess@gmail.com.
Please join Ross families to clean up our school’s garden on Sunday, October 20 at 10:00am. We’ll be in the garden planting bulbs and other plants, repairing the bridge, and possibly participating in an art project to beautify the space. We’ll have coffee and donuts and be there until the work is done. Kids are welcome to join with their parents/caregivers. Questions? Contact Shilpi at shilpi.malinowski@gmail.com.
Update: Please bring shovels and other gardening tools with you. If you have any extra bags of mulch or gravel, they would also be much appreciated!
We need volunteers for this year's Spooktacular! Sign up here!
Join us for this year's Ross Halloween event, Spooktacular, on Thursday, Oct 31, on the Ross playground. We invite families to gather on the playground at 5:00pm in their costumes for music, pizza, fun giveaways, and to take pictures. After 6:00pm, kids will head out for trick-or-treating on Swann Street and other locations. This year students will not be trick-or-treating at 17th Street businesses since Spooktacular is happening on Halloween and because the Little Goblins Parade offers an opportunity to collect candy from these businesses a few days before. (Note: No costumes/face paint are permitted at Ross during the school day.) Questions? Contact ptapresident@rosselementary.org.
Happy Hour for Run for MK, Tuesday, October 22, 4 pm
On Tuesday, October 22, enjoy Happy Hour at Pupatella from 4-7 pm! Pupatella will give 20% of their proceeds that day to the Ross Run 4 MK team! So come anytime from open to close, and catch some fun specials and meet up with Ross friends during Happy Hour. Don't miss it!
The Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission has a vacancy for the 2B01 seat (see map to find out if you're eligible for this seat). The deadline has passed to file as a candidate; however, eligible candidates can campaign as a write-in candidate for the open position on the ballot. No candidates are currently listed for this position. To learn more about our neighborhood ANC, go to https://anc.dc.gov/node/403022.
Keegan Theatre's 28th season is about to kick off with the opening of WOMAN IN BLACK, opening next weekend, just in time for the spooky season! This season Keegan will once again be offering Matinee Care on the 2nd Sundays of each of their production runs. For the upcoming production of WOMAN IN BLACK, that date will be Oct 20. If you are looking for the opportunity to see their show while having your children looked after on site, this is your chance! They will be hosting care for your children in their classroom so you can watch the performance while a PRK Teaching Artist keeps them entertained. There is a talkback scheduled after the performance as well, so it will be a great opportunity to engage with the actors and creative team about the performance. Link for tickets here and childcare registration here.
KidFriendly DC has a great roundup of Halloween and fall celebrations in the area. Our family favorites include the "Eye Spy" train at Wheaton Regional Park, Butler's Orchard Pumpkin Festival, and Cox Farms Fall Festival. There are dozens of events on this list we've never heard of, and I can't wait to try some new ones this year! Pic of my mini ramping up fall at Butler's Orchard this weekend. 🎃
About the Ross PTA
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
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Do you have updates or announcements that you think would be of interest to our school community? If so, please email me here.
