PTA Updates

Yo! The Ross Auction's totally live, dude! Get ready to bust out your dial-up and click here to browse and bid on phat loot! We're droppin' new items faster than Furbys multiply, but check out some of these rad finds already up for grabs:

• Four pack of sports' massages
  
• Oysters at Hank's
• Co-Create the spring installation at the famous Q Street Barbie Pond! (live auction; can't bid yet!)
  
• $100 to Floriana
• $50 to Colada Shop
• White gold and diamond necklace
• Ballet tickets
• Summer camps

• Create custom shoes with Ms. Cirillo

• Winery estate experience
  

Remember, this auction's totally tubular for our PTA, one of our biggest fundraisers of the year. So ditch the tamagotchis for a night and book your babysitter - UrbanSitter's got a sweet 30% off code for first-timers (just use EVENT2024, like, duh!).

Grab your tickets here, and maybe even sponsor the auction to be, like, super fly (check out the sponsor list, it's already poppin'!). Wanna get the whole crew involved? Squad up with your friends or class to snag a sponsorship - totally righteous!

Act fast before auction items go Bye Bye Bye!

Mr. Eickmeyer is teaching a drawing class for Kindergarten and 1st Grade students, happening every Friday from 8:00 to 8:30 AM. This class is an opportunity for children to explore their creativity and enjoy the process of making art.

When: Fridays, 8:00-8:30 AM (starting 2/9/24)

Who: Open to K and 1st Graders

Bring: A sketchbook

It's important to that this experience is joyful and fulfilling for everyone involved, so the teachers kindly ask that participation be driven by the child's own enthusiasm. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Eickmeyer at cody.eickmeyer@k12.dc.gov.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC ,is offering free tickets to students groups to attend its upcoming show, Exhibitions, presented at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 17 at 4:45pm, 5:15pm and 715pm. If you're interested in a ticket or tickets, please contact Becky Ballard (beckyball@gmail.com) by Thursday, February 8 at 5:00pm, indicating the number of tickets desired and desired performance time.

Exhibitions is a movable feast of sound, harmony, and dance.

• Audience members select timed tickets and move through 5 “galleries” of the Atlas Performing Arts Center on a guided tour.
• There are five individual performances within the show, approximately 10 minutes each with a 5-minute passing period from one “gallery” to another.
• Each of GMCW’s ensembles will perform: GMCW, Potomac Fever, Rock Creek Singers, Seasons of Love, GenOUT Youth Chorus, and 17th Street Dance.
• The show includes music by Bob Dylan, Stephen Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, Styx, Radiohead, and Billie Eilish.
• The show features a preview of two dance pieces from Portraits, which will be premiered at the Kennedy Center on June 16.
• Lights, art, and videos will be projected in each room.
• The Atlas Performing Arts Center is located at 1333 H St., NE.
• The show is 75 minutes in length.

The PTA is working to organize our annual Family Bingo Night event, to be held on an evening in March or April. This is not a fundraiser-- t's just a fun night for Ross families to gather, eat some pizza and enjoy some exciting Bingo entertainment! The PTA is looking for a couple of parent volunteers to help organize the event (order prizes and supplies, help set up, etc.). It should be a pretty light lift, but additional hands would be appreciated. Please let Liz Lowry know if you're available to support: PTApresident@rosselementary.org.

Following the successful Ross fall clothing swap, the PTA is keen to organize a spring/summer clothing swap in March, and is in search of a volunteer to organize the swap. This involves working with the PTA secretary to encourage the Ross community to donate unused items, organize the collection of these items at Ross, put the items out a few mornings before school and help people "shop", and then donate any remaining items to a nearby elementary school. Contact Becky Ballard (beckyball@gmail.com) and Melanie Mayhew (melanie.mayhew@gmail.com) if you're interested in helping with this effort to reduce our environmental and financial footprints!

DCPS is excited to bring families six amazing sessions to answer questions from how to enroll in DCPS to how to support children during key transitions. All sessions provide live access to education experts across the district and more! The sessions are always virtual and on Tuesday evenings. Families can register here to send questions in advance and request interpretation services, or they can just tune-in the day-of the event via this link.

February is Black History Month, and there are many great events and activities throughout the DC area to celebrate it. Here’s where they’re all happening over the next few weeks.

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the DC Chinese Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, February 11 at 2:00pm. Learn more here.

• Recording: Workshop on understanding and supporting your anxious child
• Ross unofficial compilation of summer camps
• Ross skiing WhatsApp group

2023.24 DCPS Calendar and DCPS Google Calendar

Ross PTA 2023.24 Calendar

Wednesday, February 14: Classroom Valentine's Day Parties (Room Parents/Teachers coordinate)

Friday, February 16: NO SCHOOL

Monday, February 19: NO SCHOOL

Saturday, February 24: Ross/Imagination Stage Theater Trip (1:00pm; use "Ross15 for 15% off)

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

Saturday, March 2: Ross Auction (6:00pm, Toolbox Pilates Art Studio; learn more here)

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

Friday, March 15: NO SCHOOL

Friday, April 5: NO SCHOOL

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

Friday, May 3 - Sunday, May 5: Mothers' and Fathers' Day Book Drive

Monday, May 6 - Friday, May 10: Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

Monday, May 27: NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, June 4: NO SCHOOL

Saturday, June 8: Ross Participation in Capital Pride Parade

Last Day of School Year TBD (Snow Days)

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.