PTA Updates

All members of the Ross community are encouraged to join our second PTA General Body Meeting of the year via Zoom on February 27 at 7:00pm.

Agenda:

• Update: PTA auction fundraiser on March 2
• Community discussion with DCPS Office of the Mayor for Education to review the proposal to shift to a single middle school feed with School Without Walls Francis Stevens only
• Principal's update
• Upcoming PTA events and volunteer opportunities

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84897736703?pwd=blSGCstDl4osep0RFXKssJPuLlnofy.1

Meeting ID: 848 9773 6703
Passcode: 636181

FY25 budgets were released last week and the Ross LSAT met to discuss the current landscape. Ross's FY25 initial formula allocation is $3,468,879. This is an increase of $130,526 compared to the FY24 approved budget. Although Ross received an increase in its budget, the overall rise in position costs (between 14-22%) has left schools with less buying power. Principal Searl has requested budget assistance to offset some of this shortfall and will strive to maintain as much of our current level of staffing as possible, prioritizing student cohort needs. You can find initial FY25 allocations here. Final submissions are due by the end of the week. Principal Searl will provide a budget update at the PTA meeting on February 27. In the meantime, LSAT members and Principal Searl are available to address your budget questions.

Go to https://dcpsbudget.com/ for complete info on DCPS’ budget system.

Key Dates

• Tuesday, 2/13 – Budgets published to LSATs and the public
• Wednesday, 2/14 – Petition Window 1 closes (first chance to petition for changes)
• Wednesday, 2/14 – Budget Assistance Closes (5:00 PM)
• Friday, 2/16 – 2nd Petition Window opens
• Monday, 2/19 – No School
• Tuesday, 2/20 – Budget Assistance Decisions Made
• Wednesday, 2/21 – Petition Window 2 closes
• Friday, 2/23 – Principals submit final decisions by 10 am

Join us on March 2 for the 2024 Ross Elementary Auction: The Mixtape! We'd love to see all of our families at the auction--and online now, where you can bid on the nearly 200 items and experiences that we're auctioning to raise funds for Ross. We are aiming to exceed the record we set last year, and we can only do that with your help.

If you’re picturing your mom's gala with paddles and a stuffy formal program, think again. Think: food trucks, a 90s playlist, and a fun night with Ross parents! And you can live-bid on a seven-course tasting menu with wine pairings at Amparo Fondita, 15 visits to the Hilton pool during the 2024 season, an opportunity to co-create the spring installation at the famous Q Street Barbie Pond, and a curated getaway to NYC's Hudson Yards. Here's what you can do now:

• Register for the auction. Tickets, which include food and drinks at the event, cost $60/ticket. This is a suggested donation; there is a code available on the ticketing page to bypass the cost.
• Join Ross families and local businesses as auction sponsors. You can be an Ice Ice Baby sponsor for $250, a Smells Like Teen Spirit sponsor for $500, a Waterfalls sponsor for $1,000, or a Wonderwall sponsor for $2,500.
• Start bidding!!!
• Share the link to the silent auction with friends and family who might be interested in bidding.

Ross is again partnering with Imagination Stage for a special discounted theater outing to the children's theater, which is a ten-minute walk from the Bethesda metro station. Please get your tickets for Cinderella: A Salsa Fairytale on February 24 at 1:00pm. The Ross community can use the code "Ross15" to save 15% on the tickets. (Note: This code does not apply to balcony tickets.)

• Friday, February 23 @ 8:45am - Meet with SWWFS Parents: Join us after dropoff to chat with parents of students who attend middle school at School Without Walls Francis Stevens. We'll meet for coffee on the playground with SWWFS middle school parents, including Ross alumni parents whose children currently attend SWWFS. Get your questions ready!
• Thursday, March 7 @ 8:45am - Meet with SWWFS Principal & AP: SWWFS Principal Young and Assistant Principal Eaves, along with Principal Searl, have agreed to come meet with us to talk about the middle school experience at Francis Stevens and answer parent questions. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear about the school directly. We look forward to seeing you on the playground after drop off.

NEW! Grade 3 Girls on the Run Team! We are excited to offer a Grade 3 team this Spring, starting Monday, March 4 coached by Ross teacher Natalie Nagorski and Ross parent Lisa Crowley. Fliers are going home in backpack mail with all third grade girls. Practices are Monday and Wednesday from 3:30-4:45pm. We would love to have third grade parents volunteer to help with snacks and transitions after school on these days. Please reach out to Principal Searl if you can assist.

Grades 4/5 DCIAA Athletics Track and Field. Coach Shegda and Ms. Cirillo will offer Track and Field on Thursday afternoons beginning in early March (either the 7 or 14) Details coming soon!

Grades 4/5 Musical, directed by Keegan Theatre. Registration from Keegan coming soon. Students must be available to rehearse on both Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00pm. Registration will be limited to 30 students due to staffing ratios at Keegan. A materials fee of $35 will be assessed with scholarships available to families in need.

The PTA is in search of volunteers for two quick (and not time-consuming) tasks:

• 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!
  

The PK3 – Grade 8 DCPS lottery application deadline is March 1. Ready to apply? Click here! As you prepare to apply, make use of these tools:

• Learn if you need to apply.
• Watch how the lottery works. Take a moment to watch how My School DC matches students to schools. How you rank your schools on the My School DC application matters!
• Create a list of schools using the School Finder – you can apply to up to 12! You can filter by grade to help with your school search.

• Applying to PK? We have a page for that.
• We want to help you find the right fit for your child with an individualized education program (IEP). We have a point of contact within schools’ profiles that you can connect with, as well as an overview of the process.
• Familiarize yourself with Key Terms and review FAQs.

DCPS report cards are now available to view and download in Aspen. You can access your report card on the Aspen Portal Homepage under the Published Reports section. If you have any questions regarding your report card, please reach out to Principal Searl or Ms. Segovia.

Please click here to log into your Aspen account

Please click here to watch a short video on accessing the report card in Aspen

Volo Kids spring sports' registration is open. Registration opens April 11 and programs start as early as April 13. Reserve your spot today.

ADAMS MORGAN

Saturday Soccer at Walter Pierce Park

Saturday Flag Football at Walter Pierce Park

SOUTHEAST

Saturday Tennis with WTEF 5 - 8

Saturday Tennis with WTEF 9 - 13

Saturday Soccer Anacostia Park

NATIONAL MALL

Sunday Soccer at the National Mall

NORTHWEST

Thursday Soccer at Stead Park

PETWORTH

Monday Volleyball at Upshur Recreation Center

Tuesday Baseball at Upshur Recreation Center

Wednesday Basketball at Raymond Recreation Center

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS

Friday Pickleball at The Salvation Army

Join neighbors for a free screening of the beloved animated film “An American Tail” on Sunday, February 25 at 10:00am, in the EDCJCC's movie theater at 16th and Q Streets NW. This childhood classic is a musical story of the Jewish immigrant experience in the early 20th century as seen through the eyes of a little mouse and his family. Read more and register at https://www.edcjcc.org/jxj/show/family-film-fun-an-american-tail/.

The Keegan Theatre's performance of "Merrily We Roll Along" has been extended, with the closing performance on Sunday, March 10. Patrons can watch the matinee that day while Keegan takes care of your children on site. Get Tickets Here and Register for Care Here

Join a live conversation with Dr. Daniel Pine, a renowned expert in child psychiatry, on the topic of mental illnesses in children, on Friday, March 15, from 12:00-1:00pm on Zoom.

Key topics that will be covered include:

• An overview of common mental illnesses affecting children
• How to identify signs and symptoms
• When, where, and how to access care
• Treatment options
• Strategies for supporting children with mental illnesses
• The latest research findings
• Important issues and concerns surrounding children's mental health

Through this interactive discussion, Dr. Pine will address participants’ questions and comments. If you have a question or comment you'd like to submit before the webinar, please do so on the registration form. You can also ask questions during the webinar. Register here: https://forms.office.com/g/TkgFwfyh9a

The Kogod Courtyard within the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery is blooming with around 350 live orchids as Smithsonian Gardens and the U.S. Botanic Garden presents their annual orchid exhibition. The Future of Orchids: Conservation and Collaboration also features artworks by contemporary multimedia artist, Phaan Howng, to help audiences visualize the future of orchids and be inspired to take action toward a sustainable future. Stop in to see it all--and bring some paper and colored pencils to do some sketching with the kids. The exhibition runs through April 28. Hours are 11:30am - 7:00pm daily, and admission is free.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/02/13/well/live/love-acts-relationships.html?unlocked_article_code=1.VU0.rPic.Tr0jDKFJQ_Xg&smid=url-share

Check out our summer camp list, if you're still ISO camps for your kids! Spring sports are starting (see Volo above), including through the Lafayette Tennis Association, which opened its 2024 tennis season for youth. The association offers one-hour classes for boys and girls (ages 5-17) for beginner, advanced beginner and intermediate players. Tennis instructors focus on teaching tennis techniques and strategies, building strength and endurance, improving agility, and enhancing players’ coordination and speed. All of the programs are held at Lafayette-Pointer park, located at Lafayette Elementary in Chevy Chase, DC. Programs include:

• Spring afterschool youth (starts week of March 11, one-hour classes held at 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30pm for kids aged 4-17 years of age).
• Summer camp (starts week of June 24). Half-day camps (Morning camp: 8:30 am-noon/Afternoon camp: 1:00 pm-4:30pm). A full-day option is available too and they also offer pre- and post-camp care.

Register for all of these programs by visiting http://www.lafayettetennis.org

The DC Teacher Solutions Summit, will be held at Open Gov Hub (1100 13th St. NW, 8th Floor) on Saturday, March 16 from 10:30am to 2:00pm. Lunch and childcare provided. The event is an opportunity to hear from diverse DC educators and teacher leaders who will share their solutions to pressing education challenges in the district through interactive poster presentations and live sessions. Come hear about their research, proposals and recommendations to transform education in DC on issues like global education, mental health, school safety, permanent substitutes, chronic absenteeism and more. Please register in advance using this link.

• Recording of a 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

Friday, February 23: Meet with School Without Walls Francis Stevens parents, Ross Playground, 8:45am

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

Tuesday, February 27: Ross PTA General Body Meeting, 7:00pm, Zoom

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 7: Meet with School Without Walls Francis Stevens Principal and Assistant Principal, Ross Playground, 8:45am

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.