PTA Newsletter

Dear Ross Community,

It's officially popsicle season. Officially Googling "when do splash pads open?" and trying to remember where the mosquito spray is from last year. We may have a few more spritzes of spring (Thursday rain and 63...) but our days are numbered, and we're heading back to Scorchville. Keep some electrolyte tabs handy🥵

It was an exciting week at Ross last week, and many thanks are due to the many volunteers who made Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week a success. Much gratitude to Joseph Jones for again leading our Walk/Roll to School Day! Please don't forget that this coming Monday is the Memorial Day holiday (no school, but splash pads will be open!). Hope to see you splashing about, and have a great week.

😎

-Aimee

We’re excited to combine our Annual End-of-Year Picnic with a new addition: International Family Night! Join us on Thursday, June 4, from 5:00-7:00pm at Stead for a fun evening of food, activities, music, and cultural sharing.

We invite Ross families and staff to host a table representing a country or region to share simple traditions like food, flags, clothing, games, or customs that showcase what makes your culture special. We’ll provide the tables, and you can keep it as easy or creative as you’d like.

We will also provide pizza, kabobs, shaved ice from Clayboys, face painting, balloon artists, and more.

We already have seven countries signed up. Help us reach 15! Adding your table makes a real difference, and teaming up with other families from the same country/region is a great (and easy) option.

To participate, please include this information and email it to Laura Aragon. Her address is below.

· Your name

· Student’s name

· Country/region you’d like to represent

· A favorite song/artist from your region

· Email

· Any other comments or support you may need

Remember that food must be nut-free and labeled. Sign up, help organize, or reach out with questions about international stands, email: lau.aragon@gmail.com

Can you help set up, clean up, hand out pizza or donate food, deserts or drinks? If so, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084CA8AA2AA2FEC61-63990129-ross#/

Teachers and the PTA are seeking Room Parents for the 2026-27 school year to serve as liaisons between the classroom and PTA and to support parent relationships and bonding in the classrooms. Room Parents help the teachers identify chaperones for field trips and also communicate about monthly birthday celebrations and class events such as the Valentine's Party. Much of the role can be done via email. Please reach out to PTApresident@rosselementary.org if you would like to volunteer.

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 and LSAT 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 Ross PTA Executive Board positions. Nominations are due by Friday, May 29, 2026.

We also are accepting nominations for the Ross Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) for 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 for the Ross LSAT is available here. Please nominate by Wednesday, May 27.

Elections for the PTA Executive Board and Ross LSAT will be held at the last PTA general body meeting of the year on Tuesday, June 9 at 7:00pm (virtual meeting).

Please contact Melanie Mayhew at ptapresident@rosselementary.org with any questions.

Please join us for a fun craft that celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! We will learn about the intricate and sacred art of sand mandalas practiced by Tibetan Buddhist monks. Meant to be enjoyed for a short time, this art is a beautiful and complicated practice. We will briefly learn about the history and then make our own versions with colored sand and paper. We recommend this activity for ages 5 and up and their caregivers, since it can get messy! Please join us in the lower level meeting room at the Georgetown Library on Friday, May 22 from 4pm-5pm.

Please save the date for this year's Capital Pride Family Fun Festival (also the same day as the 17th Street Block Party and the Capital Pride Parade). It will be Saturday, June 20th | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM at Stead Park.

Learn more and RSVP: https://bit.ly/capital-pride-family-fun

We are also looking for partners and volunteers. If you know an organization or individual who would be interested, please share the link above. This event is eligible for SSL hours!

The Itty Bitty Mosquito Population Committee is a grassroots DC neighborhood effort working block by block across Capitol Hill and nearby communities. Our approach:

• Toss and treat: Eliminating standing water breeding sites in yards, alleys, and shared spaces — including catch basins and Pepco vaults that the city isn't consistently treating

• Trap: Deploying BG-GAT traps across the neighborhood, with a group discount for Capitol Hill residents, coordinated for maximum coverage

• Organize: 100+ block captains spreading the word and making sure as many households as possible are taking the steps that matter

Join the efforts and learn more here!

DCPS School Year 2025-26 Calendar

Key Dates for Ross Families

Monday, May 25: NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day Holiday

Thursday, May 28: Ross Field Day for K-5, Scholastic Book Fair in Library

Friday, May 29: May Birthday Celebrations and Floorwide Morning Meeting

Saturday, May 30: Incoming PK/K playdate (Ross playground, school/classroom visits)

Thursday, June 4: Grades 4/5 Calleva Rafting Trip (school day), PTA End of Year Picnic at Stead Park

Week of June 8: Class Auction Parties

Tuesday, June 9: PTA General Body Meeting (includes LSAT Elections)

Thursday, June 11: Final Learning Celebrations (9:00am in classrooms)

Friday, June 12: School wide Morning Meeting (on field at 8:40am), June/July Birthday Celebrations, Ross Musical Dress/Tech Rehearsal

Saturday, June 13: Ross Musical "Beauty and the Beast, Jr." at Keegan Theatre, 4:00pm

Sunday, June 14: Ross Musical "Beauty and the Beast, Jr." at Keegan Theatre, 7:00pm

Monday, June 15: 5th Grade Promotion (10:00am at Sumner School)

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.