PTA Updates

Our annual Mothers' and Fathers' Day Book Drive is this weekend, and we are still in need of volunteers to sign up for 2-hour shifts. Pease sign up here -- we have 5 volunteer slots left to fill!

This is an easy way to support our school by engaging with our neighbors and hanging out with other Ross families. Kids are encouraged to join for volunteer shifts -- it's a lot of fun for them, and they are VERY convincing :) Our goal is to raise $5k for new books for the Ross library and classrooms.

Contact debbie.h.sundberg@gmail.com with any questions about volunteering.

This annual Ross fundraiser allows participants to give the perfect gift for Mothers' and Fathers' Day or Teacher Appreciation Week, while supporting Ross!

For every $25 you donate, you’ll purchase a book for the Ross library in honor of a parent, teacher, or loved one. The PTA sends the honoree a letter informing them of the gift in their name, a bookplate inscribed with the donor and honoree’s names is placed in the book purchased, and Ross students enjoy quality literature for years to come – a win for everyone!

Sponsor books online here any time between now and Sunday, 5/7. After making your donation, watch for the auto-response email with a link to name your honoree(s)! Or come visit our Book Drive table this weekend.

Join fellow Ross parents for a happy hour organized by the PTA executive board! We will have HH specials, and it will be a great chance to talk about ways to get involved in the PTA next year. In addition to positions on the executive board, we need parents who can play supporting roles with things like: organizing events (Spooktacular, Bingo Night, etc.), ordering Ross apparel/merchandise, coordinating teacher/staff appreciation activities, etc.

You don’t need to RSVP, just stop by for however long you can. We need the support of Ross parents to keep our PTA strong and support a thriving school community!

We will show our deep appreciation for Ross Teachers and Staff next week, May 8-12. See below for our schedule of organized activities for our incredible Ross teachers and staff. Expect to receive further details from your room parents about how to contribute!

• Monday: Catered breakfast for teachers and staff provided by the PTA. Families are invited to bring snacks/treats for teachers to enjoy later in the day or week.
• Tuesday: "Thanks for Helping Me Bloom This Year" - Students bring a flower to school :) Cards and notes for teachers and staff are also encouraged.
• Wednesday: "Thanks-A-Latte; You’re Tea-rrific" - Drinks for staff, provided by the PTA
• Thursday 4-6PM: Happy Hour for teachers and staff at Commodore
• Friday: Catered lunch for teachers and staff provided by the PTA

Students and families are encouraged to contribute messages and videos to our school Kudo board, which will be shared with teachers and staff on Friday, May 12.

The Ross PTA has reserved a block of discounted tickets ($32 ea) for the DC United soccer game vs. LA Galaxy on Sat. May 20 at 7:30PM. Our ticket block will only be held until this Friday, May 5th. Reserve your seats ASAP!

If your family would like to attend, but is unable to cover the cost, please let Principal Searl know -- DC United has set aside complimentary tickets to make it possible for all Ross families who want to attend to be able to do so.

Kids, Smartphones, and Social Media - Why Waiting is Best (and What to do if you Didn't)

One source of stress for parents today is around when to give their kids smartphones and social media, and then managing the fallout. If this is something your family is thinking about or grappling with, please join local DC parent Jeremy Joseph for a virtual presentation on May 8 at 7:30 pm geared towards busy parents/caregivers of elementary and middle school kids.

Jeremy will help address common questions and concerns about kids, smartphones and social media with the latest research, expert opinion, and universally recommended best practices. Jeremy has presented to over 600 families at 13 different schools, and fellow parents and principals have commended Jeremy’s presentation for being clear, concrete, and actionable.

Meeting Details:

• Time: May 8 at 07:30 PM ET
• Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86974531827?pwd=OHFSaHhFbnpqNy9JblhacVQ1YUQxUT09
• Meeting ID: 869 7453 1827
• Passcode: 995210

This year at Ross, we would like to figure out a way to recognize Neurodiversity Pride Day on June 16th. If you would like to help with this initiative, please reach out to Ruchi Shewaramani at rshewara@gmail.com.

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