PTA Updates

Plan to arrive early to Back-to-School Night this Thursday so you can shop for new Ross gear for the whole family. Don’t forget your credit card!

The PTA is excited to host our annual Back-to-School Picnic for Ross families on Thursday, September 28 from 4:30-6:30pm on the Ross playground and field. The picnic will be potluck style, with the PTA providing some pizza and popsicles. We also ask Ross families to sign up to bring food and/or beverages to share! In addition, we're in need of volunteers to help with setup, pizza serving, and clean-up. Please sign-up to contribute here! Thank you for helping to make this event a success!

Need 12 more families to reach our $13,400 goal for students’ school supplies. THANK YOU to families who have donated so far! If you haven’t yet made your contribution, we ask families who can to donate $100 per student to fund the purchase of school supplies for the new school year. Contribute here!

The PTA's annual Fall for Ross fundraising and engagement drive is underway. This campaign replaces our former membership drive. At Ross, every family, every teacher, and every staff member are valued members of the Ross PTA. This fall, we ask you to support the Ross PTA and help us to continue to host community-building events; support our teachers and staff; and enable Principal Searl to invest more of Ross's DCPS budget in staffing!

You can support your PTA in 3 important ways:

1. Make a monetary donation. We ask families to consider donating $50/month ($600 annually). We understand this isn’t possible for everyone. Please give as you’re able and help your PTA maintain its strong programs.
2. Volunteer to help with PTA activities. Volunteering your time and talents is a great way to get to know Ross, meet other Ross families, and to support your child’s education.
3. Sign up for PTA communications. (If this email was sent to you directly, then you're already signed up!)

Our campaign goal is to raise $50,000 and engage with all Ross families. Your support is appreciated!

Please join us for a Ross parent happy hour on Thursday, September 21 from 4:00-6:00pm at Commodore, to connect with other Ross parents and learn about ways to engage with the PTA.

At Ross and for field trips: Want to volunteer at Ross or chaperone field trips? Make sure to complete the DCPS volunteer clearance process.

The PTA is in search of volunteers for the following:

• Ross Spooktacular Halloween event: Do you enjoy Halloween? Got a little goblin at home? We need volunteers and ideas for decorations, games, and trick or treating! Please contact Holly Kilness Packett at hollykilness@gmail.com if you are interested in participating.
• Ross Auction: The 16th Annual Ross Auction Committee is seeking volunteers for our 2024 event, to take place on March 2 at Toolbox Pilates Art Studio. The Ross Auction is the single largest fundraiser of the year, critical to meeting PTA fundraising goals to cover basic supplies, extra-curricular activities and technology updates at Ross. It is a large undertaking, only possible with the help of this community. Beginning in late fall, we need volunteers to help with donation outreach to local businesses, event planning, and more. Please email rosselementaryauction@gmail.com if you can lend a hand!
  

• Other opportunities with the PTA: Save the date for these upcoming events, and let us know if you’re able to volunteer some time to support them. Fill in this form to get started!

  • Back-to-School Picnic - Thursday, September 28

  • Walk and Roll to School Day - Wednesday, October 4 (morning)

  • Spooktacular Halloween Celebration - Thursday, October 26 (see above)

  • Teacher Appreciation Activities - November and May

Thank you to the following parents for volunteering to be room parents:

PK: Pam Bauman (Oren)

K Sawyer: Mahana Weidler (Celine)

K Eickmeyer: Aimee Stoltz (Ellis)

Grade 1: Lauren Wiles (Alice M.)

Grade 2: Karrin Minott (Addie)

Grade 3: Sarah Roma (Luka)

Grade 4: Noah Marble (Claire)

Grade 5: Auri Lopez (Matias)

The September meeting of the Ross Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) will be held Monday, September 18 from 5:00-6:00pm. The LSAT is a committee of parents and teachers who meet monthly to discuss and advise the principal on matters such as school budgets, student performance metrics and the school's goals. LSAT meetings are open to all members of the school community. The September meeting will be conducted online and you can join the meeting using this link or call in (audio only) at +1 202-539-1291,,971664946#. It will cover organizational matters (electing a chair for the year, setting a meeting schedule, norms, etc.) and a review of end-of-year 2023 performance data and PARCC scores for Ross.

The National Zoo is hosting Boo At The Zoo on October 20, 21 and 22. General admission tickets go on sale on September 14: https://secure.nationalzoo.si.edu/boo/16599.

On Saturday, September 16, from 10:30am-11:15pm, the Kennedy Center will celebrate hip hop’s 50th anniversary as part of National Dance Day. National Dance Day 2023 will feature free dance classes and performances, the annual Freshest of All Time competition, and Fine Lines Paint Jam in addition to headlining DJ sets by True School DJs—DJ Face and DJ Marc Nfinit—and DJ Spinderella. Find out more here.

This week is a special Jewish holiday: Rosh Hashanah! To celebrate as a community, the EDCJCC is hosting a special Shofar blast event on the 16th Street steps on Thursday, September 14th from 4:30-6:00pm.You can sign up using this link: Shofar Blast Event Link

Washington National Opera’s Opera in the Outfield, returns to Nationals Park on Saturday, September 30. The free community event features family activities and pre-show performances at 5:00pm, followed by an outdoor broadcast of Puccini’s La bohème at 7:00pm. More information is available here.

Mitchell Park is hosting its final 2023 Film in the Field on Friday, September 22 (rain date September 29) at sunset (approximately 7:15pm). They will be showing the Incredibles, the 2004 Disney Pixar film telling the story of a family of undercover superheroes who are forced into action to save the world.

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.

2023.24 DCPS Calendar

Thursday, September 14: Back-to-School Night (all grades), 6:00-7:30pm

Monday, September 18: Next LSAT Meeting, 5:00-6:00pm

Thursday, September 21: Ross Parent Happy Hour, Commodore, 4:00-6:00pm

Friday, September 22: Portrait Day

Thursday, September 28: Back-to-School Picnic, 4:30-6:30pm

Monday, October 2: PTA General Body Meeting

Wednesday, October 4: Wall-and-Roll-to-School Day

Thursday, October 26: Ross Spooktacular

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

Saturday, March 2: Ross Auction

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
Facebook: facebook.com/RossElementarySchool/
Twitter: @RossESDC

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