PTA Updates

Thank you to all who have contributed to the school supplies' drive. For those who haven't: Ross families are asked to contribute $100/student to cover the cost of school supplies for the coming year. You can place your order here! The PTA provides funds to Ross teachers to purchase what they need for their students and classrooms. This saves parents a trip to the store and ensures equity among students.

Please order your children's school supply packages by August 25th! In your order, you can also donate additional funds to help support families who aren't able to cover the full amount.

• A new Spanish language class will be offered at Ross on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:55-8:40am. This will be taught by the Isabella & Ferdinand Academia de Español, which teaches popular language classes at Horace Mann Elementary and other locations. (Ross will no longer have Spanish instruction during the school day.) Interested families can sign up now at https://www.isabellaandferdinand.com/new-products/ross-elementary-washington-dc. Students will all attend two days a week, and the first session will run from September through December. The cost is $18 per class, for a total of $504 for the session. I&F is running two sections simultaneously, one for younger kids and another for older kids. The PTA is supporting a few confidential scholarships for families who would like to participate for whom the cost is an obstacle. Please contact Principal Searl if you are interested in your child being considered for one of these scholarships.
• Chess Club is offered, as in past years, by chess teacher Zivorad “Ziko” Djuric (who also teaches the chess enrichment during the JCC after school), 8:00-8:40am. The beginner group (mainly K-2) is on Mondays, and the more advanced group (mainly grades 2-5) will be on Fridays (a different day from last year). The cost is $15 per day and no commitment is required. Find out more by emailing zikochess@gmail.com.

Note: STEM (Makerspace, Coding Club, and Genius Hour) will be switching this year from being a before school enrichment (in past years) to being integrated within our existing math and science curriculums and during library time with Ms. Juriga. This will ensure that all Ross students are able to participate.

Further morning enrichments for yoga and drawing are in the works to start later in the fall, and will be announced later. These will not conflict with the Spanish enrichment so families that sign up and commit for the fall will still be able to participate if they wish.

For any questions about enrichments, please feel free to contact Enrichments Committee Chair David Alpert at alpert@gmail.com.

• DCIAA Athletics/Cross-Country (grades 4 and 5), Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00pm, coached by Ms. Cirillo and Ms. Nagorski. Forms must be submitted electronically. Questions? Contact jason.shegda@k12.dc.gov.
• Volo Sports offers free soccer afterschool at Stead Park, Wednesdays or Thursdays from 4:30-6:00pm, starting in early October and running through early November. Kids must be 5 years old to participate. More information: https://volokids.org/city/washington-dc/
• Keegan Theatre registration opens on August 7 at 9:00am (PreK and K on Tuesdays, grades 1 and 2 on Thursdays, grades 3 and 5 on Fridays). Keegan Staff will collect students at Ross after school and walk them to the theatre. All classes will run from 3:15-5:00pm with the option for aftercare until 6:00pm. Registration will be for the full semester (through the end of January). Register here. For questions and more information, contact jgraham@keegantheatre.com.
• EDJCC afterschool registration opens on August 7 at 10:00am. EDCJCC has launched a new website and registration portal and is asking families to create an account before the August 7 afterschool registration date. To create an account, go to https://edcjcc.my.site.com. If your child previously attended the program, please make sure to update your child's age and grade. For questions and more information, contact abodner@edcjcc.org.

Dupont Circle BID is sponsoring Chess in the Circle students in grades 1-12 on Saturday, August 26, from 9:00am to 11:55am in Dupont Circle park. This tournament is not nationally rated, and students do not need to have any tournament experience to participate, but they do need to know the rules of chess, including castling, stalemate, and the touch-move rule.

They are organizing the tournament based on the Swiss pairing system, which means that players who win in the first round will be matched against other winners for their next games, and players who lose will be matched against others with similar results. Nobody is eliminated early. Registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chess-in-dupont-circle-tickets-690293495427?aff=oddtdtcreator

Keegan Theatre's last Dupont Day of the Season is August 18. Get a free sneak preview of Lynn Nottage's SWEAT at 8:00pm at Keegan Theatre.

Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, SWEAT tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat.

Reserve your tickets at keegantheatre.com.

2023.24 DCPS Calendar

Monday, August 7: EDCJCC and Keegan Theatre registration opens

Thursday, August 24: Back-to-School Check-in with Principal Searl (virtual, 7:00pm)

Click here to join the meeting

Friday, August 25: Sneak-a-Peek Open House and Popsicles on the Playground (2:30-3:30pm)

Monday, August 28: First day of school (K-5)

Thursday, August 31: First day of school (PK4)

Monday, September 4: Labor Day Holiday, No School

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

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.