PTA Newsletter
December 2, 2025
Dear Ross Community,
The forecast was murky on whether or not my Roadrunners would finally try Thanksgiving food this year. The sum total consumed by my two small humans on Thursday was...5.5 dinner rolls and one slice of pumpkin pie. So I guess there's always next year.đ¤ˇđťââď¸I'm pretty sure you'll find them this Saturday trying 14 different baked goods at the Bake Sale to make up for their pickiness. Why don't you join us?đ§
Thank you to the many folks who've already volunteered for the tree sale, and to those who've signed up for this coming weekend's festivities. We need more help! Can you help sell or deliver trees on Dec. 6 and 7 (sign up here)? How about donate goodies or take a shift at the Bake Sale (sign up here)? Help kids make wreaths for the craft project (sign up here)? Can't make the event, but want to contribute? We still need many food donations for our Food for All volunteer project (sign up here)! There are many ways to contribute to and through the school, and we hope you'll join us, this Saturday or throughout the year.
Getting festive!â
-Aimee
Ross's beloved annual Holiday Festival, Super Saturday, is happening this weekend! Come join us at Ross this Saturday, December 6, from 10 am to 4 pm, to enjoy our Tree Sale, Bake Sale, Book Fair, Food for All service project, and crafting activity. The Tree Sale will continue in person this Sunday (12/7) as well, with delivery this Saturday and Sunday (12/6 and 12/7).đ
Our community service project will be packing grocery bags for Food for All, a non-profit organization providing grocery deliveries to low-income, homebound residents throughout the District of Columbia. Food for All operates out of our neighborhood, just a few blocks from Ross. A speaker from Food for All will be there to tell us more about the organization. Due to capacity constraints, 24 students can participate in each of the two sessions and all spots are currently full. We are still seeking adult volunteers for set-up, moving packed bags, and driving bags to Food for All after the event, and we are in great need of food donations for the project!đ
Sign up to help today at the following links for the Bake Sale, Community Service Project, Tree Sale, Book Fair, and Crafting Project!
Students Interview Principal Searl
4th grade students are continuing to collect oral histories for their Story of Our Schools project. They spent the morning with Principal Searl asking questions about her 37 years in education and her long-time devotion to Ross Elementary School.
âMy first job [was] when I was 14 years old, and I worked at a public library because I loved reading so much. My best friend and I got part time jobs at our local public library, and we would ride our bikes to work in the summer. Back then you got $2.75 per hour. That was my hourly wage [laughs] and I loved it.â
âIâm very proud of the fact that we now have a lot of trust and commitment from our immediate neighborhood and people know that Ross is a really great school for their children. It makes the whole neighborhood strongerâŚIâve always loved my work in education. I think whatâs exciting about Ross is that itâs such a caring, positive community.â
âThe best part of being at Ross? Oh my goodness! THIS is the best part of being at Ross.â
Students Interview Katie Larkin
For their next oral history interview, students interviewed Ms. Katie Larkin over TEAMS. She taught at Ross from 2000 - 2012, and then became an assistant principal and then principal at H.D. Cooke. She is now an Instructional Superintendent and oversees 13 DCPS elementary schools.
âRoss has changed quite a bit since I started there in August of 2000. I was teaching 5th grade on the top floor. At that time, the building was not as beautiful as it is now, but it always had those beautiful, great big windows. We did not have working air conditioning, and the classroom was very very hot. I had to get there early and use a pole to get the windows open.â
âWhen I started at Ross, the majority of the families had immigrated from El Salvador, and many of the parents did not speak English. And then a lot of those families were priced out of the neighborhoodâŚThen we received a lot of families who came from all of the cityâŚThey came by car or bus. And then the people who were living in the neighborhood started having kids. Then their kids started to come to Ross. The demographics of the school shifted quite a bit.â
âOne of my favorite eventsâback when President Obama was in officeâŚwas when the students from Ross and the students from Thomson ran onto the White House lawn to meet Michelle Obama, the First Lady. I used to run every morning so I ran with the older kids, and we met Michelle Obama and Bo, their dog. It was a beautiful day, and Michelle Obama was so nice. I remember very clearly she was wearing cream colored pants, and she let all the kids hug on her. And I thought that was so brave with light colored pants on [laughs]. That was a favorite memory.â
Please keep an eye out for communication from your Room Parent about how teacher and staff holiday gifts will be handled for your class. As in previous years, each class will be assigned staff members in addition to the teachers, and your Room Parent will collect funds to give them gift cards for the holidays.
Come get festive and immerse yourself in our over the top, holiday to the max, HO-HO-HO and tisâ the season pop-up bar! For six weeks only, weâre transforming the second floor at Hankâs Dupont Circle into a retro beach holiday blow out with enough instagram worthy decor, tropical island inspired drinks, and Christmas cheer to melt the heart of even the frostiest grinch.
Dates: Monday, November 17 â December 31, 2025
Location: Hankâs Oyster Bar, Dupont Circle. 1624 Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20009.
Cost: $10 entry fee. Includes a secret Santa gift, and a donation to Food and Friends.
Reservations: are encouraged. Click here to our reservation page. Select your date, and then scroll down to featured events. Select your seating type: Sippinâ Santa Table is a table in our tiki room, Sippinâ Santa Bar is a seat at the Tiki bar, Sippinâ Santa Snow Globe Table is a table in our giant heated outdoor snow globe!
This year, from mid-November through early January, The Garden of Lights display transforms Brookside Gardens into a magical winter wonderland. Stroll through the one-half mile, outdoor, walk-through exhibit and enjoy the twinkling lights and glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and grounds throughout the 50-acre horticultural gem in Wheaton. Get your tickets here.
Join us for a magical afternoon of holiday fun! This free, family-friendly event is packed with creative activities, entertainment, and festive cheer for children of all ages.
Festival Highlights
Creative Stations:
- Cookie Decorating - Design your own basketball, snowflake, and snowman cookies.
- Winter Writing Station - Craft your own holiday stories with arts, crafts, and writing materials.
- Coloring & Art Stations - Express your creativity with crayons, fabric markers, and mini canvases.
- Color Your Own Mug - Customize a seasonal mug to take home.
- Fill-a-Friend - Create your own cuddly companion (similar to Build-a-Bear).
Entertainment & Activities:
- The Nutcracker Demonstration - Dancers from The Washington School of Ballet Southeast Campus Ensemble will perform, share a special story time reading of the Nutcracker and then invite families to participate in a Nutcracker-inspired movement class!
- Puppet Show - Blue Sky Puppet Theatre will be sharing some of their fun and interactive stories.
- Face Painting - Transform into your favorite winter character.
- Photo Booth - Capture family memories with festive backgrounds, including basketball and winter themes.
- Movement Station - Enjoy active games including cornhole, giant tic-tac-toe, pin the nose on the snowman, and more.
- Interactive Storytelling - Experience engaging tales with audience participation.
- DJ & Music - Dance along to kid-friendly holiday tunes.
- Mascot Characters - Meet special guests, including a snowman, gingerbread person, nutcracker, and G-Wiz!
Special Programming:
- Winter Challenge with the Washington Wizards - Sign up for the Winter Challenge and receive prizes.
- Hot Cocoa Station - Warm up with a complimentary cup of hot cocoa.
- Welcome Station - Learn about the Winter Challenge, Books from Birth, and Beyond the Book programs.
Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to celebrate the season with your family at the MLK Library. All activities are free and open to the public!
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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