PTA Newsletter
April 21, 2026
Going Once...Going Twice!
Dear Ross Community,
My toxic trait is treating each year's auction like I'm on a episode of "The Price is Right." I mean, if I "guess" the winning bid, then is it actually spending money? In the past four illustrious Road Runner years, I have amassed Regent Thai and DC Vegan gift cards, yoga classes, a private soccer party for my son, a flower-arranging class I attended mostly to hang out with mom friends, and a class experience Stead picnic party for our class. I would tell you what I have my eye on this year but I don't want to give the competition a leg up. I'll report back with this year's "hey, I supported the school" haul next week. For now, what would you like to splurge on (IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN!)? Maybe a wine tasting? Kramer's gift card? A 2-night stay in Puerto Rico (go big or go home!)?
And don't miss the celebratory community Happy Hour, happening this Saturday at 5 pm at Boogy and Peel! Read on for all this week's school news and events, and good luck!
-Aimee
School Events
2026 Ross Auction
2 days in. Don’t wait. Bid now. Buy your tickets.
The Ross Auction (our biggest fundraiser) is live with 200+ items—experiences, trips, camps, dining, and more. The best items are going fast. Bidding closes this Saturday, April 25 at 7 pm. Every dollar supports Ross students and staff.
Now is a great time to coordinate with parents in your kids’ classes to pool your money to bid on Ross class parties. These are always some of the hottest auction items, so get your bids in today.
Also check out the kids’ activities and items, including LEGO sets, camps, and indoor and outdoor adventures, and these experiences for the whole family. Need tickets to the 4th/5th grade class play? Get priority seating here.
Want to shop a deal? You can be the first bidder here on these items and experiences.
You can also buy tickets (no bidding required) to a moms' cocktail hour, a champagne tasting at District Champagne and a flower-arranging class at Blooms Collective.These are a great way to get to know people in the Ross community.
You're also invited to a celebratory (and very fun!) happy hour at Boogy & Peel on April 25. These auction events are always a great time, bringing our community together for a lively evening in support of a great cause. Please grab your tickets as soon as possible, here.
📚 Support Ross Readers – Join the Mother’s/Father’s Day Book Drive! 📚
Our annual Book Drive is here, and we need your help! This year, the class that sponsors the most books will win a popsicle party at recess—so jump in and help your class win!
How to participate:
✅ Volunteer at a Book Drive table
Sign up your family to help out. Kids are *essential* to this fundraiser’s success (who can say no to a child asking for books?!) Every book sponsored during your shift earns 1 point for your child’s class.
✅ Sponsor books online here now through Sunday, May 3
Each $25 donation sponsors a new book for the Ross library and earns 1 point for your class.
Our goal: 250 new books for the 2026–27 school year!
In-Person Book Drive Dates & Locations:
Fri, May 1 – Ross playground, 8–9am & 3–4pm
Sat, May 2 – Safeway (17th St), 10am–4pm
Sun, May 3 – Little Flea Market (19th & Q), 9am–3pm
Book Dedications:
Stop by the Book Drive table to handwrite a dedication for your sponsored new books.
New this year: pick up a Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or general gift postcard to send to your honoree!
Questions? Contact Ross parent Kathy Crutcher at kathy@shoutmousepress.org.
Thank you for supporting Ross readers!
Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week: May 11 to 15
Mark your calendar: Ross will celebrate teacher/staff appreciation week from May 11-15. Please note that this is a week later than it is marked nationally; the national week conflicts with a week of testing at Ross, so we'll celebrate it a week later, May 11-15. The Ross PTA is coordinating activities to celebrate our 39 remarkable teachers and staff (more information to follow). At any point in the week, students can bring in cards or small tokens of appreciation to any teachers and staff. (No nuts, please.) Would you like to lend a hand with appreciation week? Email PTApresident@rosselementary.org. Thank you!
Mark Your Calendars
A few future dates to mark in your calendars:
Thursday, May 14: Walk/Roll to School Day
Thursday, June 4: Ross End-of-School Picnic (Stead)
Tuesday, June 9: PTA General Body Meeting (Virtual), 7:00 pm, link to join, Meeting ID: 826 7487 0415, Passcode: 0ydZ43
Ross Soccer Nights
Thank you to everyone who has purchased tickets so far to either of these two upcoming soccer matches! A portion of each ticket purchase benefits your PTA. A big shoutout to the second grade class for organizing a group outing to the Washington Spirit match. They purchased over 50 tickets! If other classes are interested in organizing a similar outing, please reach out to Joseph Jones. Otherwise, for individual ticket purchases or small group ticket purchases, please use the FEVO links included below!
Ross Elementary PTA Spirit Night! DC United v St Louis SC: Sat, May 16, 7:30 pm
Cheer on D.C. United as they take on the St. Louis City SC on Saturday, May 16th at 7:30 PM! Watch the Black-and-Red tear it up on the pitch!
This is the moment the stadium comes alive, the crowd surges, and the entire community shows up together and we’re pulling out all the stops to make this a can’t‑miss event for your friends and families. Between the entertainment, the energy in the building, and the match on the pitch, this is the game you absolutely do not want to miss.
Every ticket purchased $3 goes towards Ross Elementary School PTA! Get yours here today!
For groups of 10 or more, please email Quentin Johnson at qjohnson@dcunited.com
Washington Spirits Game: Saturday, May 30, 6 pm
Get ready to cheer on the Washington Spirit as they take on the Seattle Reign! We are excited to announce a special Ross Elementary School night at the stadium on Saturday, May 30th. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy a professional soccer match with friends and family while supporting our school. The best part? $3.00 from every ticket purchased goes directly to the Ross PTA! The donation is already included in the price, so all you have to do is grab your seats and show up in your Spirit (or Ross!) gear.
When: Saturday, May 30, 6:30 PM
Where: Audi Field
Tickets: Starting at $25
Buy Tickets Here: Ross ES Fundraising Link
School News and Updates
Enrollment for SY 2026-2027: Now Open with Fun Incentives!
We’re excited to share that enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year is now officially open! Families may complete enrollment online by visiting: https://enrolldcps.dc.gov/ To ensure a smooth process, please have all required documents ready to upload, including proof of DC residency and any other necessary forms. Having everything prepared in advance will help avoid delays. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Ms. Segovia at graciela.segovia@k12.dc.gov. We look forward to welcoming your family for another great school year!
This year we will have some fun incentives for the enrollment process!
Friday, April 10: All classes at 50% will have a popsicle party at recess/lunch
Friday, April 8: All classes at 75% will have an extra recess
Monday, June 1: All classes at 100% will have extra choice time
So get your paperwork together and enroll today!🎉
New School Zone 🛑
New School Zone flashing lights have been installed in the 1600 block of R Street, to increase pedestrian safety around Ross. Many thanks to Commissioner Vincent Slatt and ANC 2B for their continued advocacy on Safe Routes to School!
Seeking Nominations: Ross Elementary School PTA Executive Board (SY26-27)
If we’re going to deliver the programs, events, and support that make Ross such a strong community, we need parents and caregivers to step into leadership roles for next year. As we head into our upcoming PTA elections, it’s important to note that many positions remain unfilled—and no roles are spoken for—so there is both real need and real opportunity for volunteers to get involved.
The Ross Elementary School PTA, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports the school and relies on volunteers to lead the organization, is accepting nominations for positions on the Executive Board for the 2026–2027 school year. Please review the descriptions and nominate yourself or another person to fill these open positions. Nominations are due by Friday, May 29, 2026.
Seeking Nominations: Ross Elementary School LSAT Parent/Guardian (SY26-27)
The Ross Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) is currently seeking nominations for parents/guardians of current Ross Elementary School students to serve in school year 2026-2027. The LSAT is a group of parents/guardians, teachers, non-instructional staff members, and community members who meet monthly to advise the principal on school priorities. A diversity of perspectives and experiences is important to a successful LSAT experience, as we want to make sure our school leaders hear from a variety of voices that are representative of the overall school community.
Parents/Guardians will nominate and then vote on 4 representatives. You may nominate as many individuals as you would like, as well as self-nominate, but please try to confirm others' interest in advance. Nominations and elections for the teachers and non-instructional staff members are handled by the union representatives. Community members and student representatives are asked to join by consensus once the other LSAT members are determined. The nomination form is available here. Please nominate by Wednesday, May 27. We will vote on nominations during the next PTA general body meeting.
Third Term Report Card Partnership with Jeni's Ice Creams
In order to acknowledge all of our students' effort, hard work, and commitment to their school work, the PTA has partnered with Jeni's Ice Creams on 14th Street. As a result, following the release of third term report cards at the end of April, students will receive a free scoop bookmark compliments of Jeni's Ice Creams. Keep an eye out for this tasty reward in students' folders some time in April!
Around Town
Howard University Summer Basketball Camps
10th Annual Spring Cleanup: Saturday, April 25, 10 am - 1 pm
Mayor Muriel Bowser invites residents across all eight wards to participate in her 10th Annual Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
This citywide day of service, led by the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) in partnership with the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs (MOCA), brings together residents, community organizations, nonprofits, and businesses to help beautify our neighborhoods and keep DC clean. Roll-off containers will also be available in each ward to help residents dispose of bulk waste.
We encourage residents, ANC Commissioners, nonprofits, and corporate partners to volunteer and support cleanup efforts in their communities. Let’s work together to keep DC clean and beautiful. We hope to see you there!
When and Where:
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
Time:10am-1pm
- Ward 1: Banneker Recreation Center – 2500 Georgia Ave NW
- Ward 2: Garrison Elementary School – 1200 S Street NW
- Ward 3: Guy Mason Recreation Center – 3700 Calvert St NW
- Ward 4: Emery Heights Recreation Center, 5701 Georgia Avenue NW
- Ward 5: Crummell School – 1900 Gallaudet St NE
- Ward 6: Sherwood Recreation Center – 640 10th Street NE
- Ward 7: Washington Senior Wellness Center – 3001 Alabama Ave SE
- Ward 8: Malcolm X Park- 500 Parkland Place SE
National Children's Museum Community Day: Saturday, May 9, 9:30-4:30
May 9 is Community Day with PNC: Create, Explore, Inspire at National Children's Museum! Through the generous support of PNC, guests are invited to enjoy free admission to the Museum throughout the day. Experience the Museum's immersive science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) exhibits along with special community day programming. Taking place inside the Museum and outside of Woodrow Wilson Plaza, programs will highlight art as a means to expand creativity and self-expression, learn about STEAM concepts in fun and colorful ways, and inspire positivity in oneself and the community.
**Presale tickets are sold out. Limited walk-up tickets will be available day-of.**
Please note: while admission costs are waived on May 9, tickets are still required for entry to the Museum. Due to the high volume of reservations, and for the safety and enjoyment of all of our guests, admission will be strictly following hourly timed entry. For example, if you reserved tickets for the 10:30 am entry time, we ask that you arrive between 10:30 and 11:30 am. Thank you!
We can't wait to welcome you to the Museum for some hands-on STEAM learning adventures!
Key Dates
DCPS School Year 2025-26 Calendar
Saturday, April 25: Ross PTA Auction Happy Hour, Boogy and Peel, 5-7 pm
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday April 28-30: Grades 3-5 CAPE Testing
Friday, May 1: Enrollment deadline for lottery matches
Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 3: Mother's/Father's Day Book Drive
Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday May 5-7: Grades 3-5 CAPE Testing
Thursday, May 14: Walk/Roll to School Day
Thursday, June 4: Ross End-of-School Picnic (Stead)
Tuesday, June 9: PTA General Body Meeting (Virtual), 7:00 pm
Monday, June 15: 5th Grade Promotion
Tuesday, June 16: No School, Primary Election Day
Thursday, June 18: Last Day of School
About the Ross PTA
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
Location: 1730 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202.673.7200
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Do you have updates or announcements that you think would be of interest to our school community? If so, please email me here.