PTA Newsletter

Dear Ross Community,

Our Roadrunners really took the cake this year in the Mother's/Father's Day Book Sale, bringing in over $10,000 in a record-breaking feat! Thank you to every person in the Ross community who helped contribute to this amazing success. Last week the word was sent out that the school needed printer paper, and donations came in in droves; the school is now all set. What a community we have--thank you so much!

A couple notes this week: don't miss the auction fire sale, which ends Friday, and make sure to plan ahead for the Walk/Roll to School event next Thursday morning. All the details below.

-Aimee

Ross will celebrate teacher/staff appreciation week from May 11-15. Below is a rundown of plans coordinated by the PTA to celebrate our 39 remarkable teachers and staff. Please see below where we need your help (making cards on Monday on the playground and bringing a few flower stems to Ross on Tuesday).

At any point in the week, students can bring in cards or small tokens of appreciation to any teachers and staff. (No nuts, please.)

Monday: Students can come to the playground as early as 8:00am to make cards to Ross staff. Teachers and staff will enjoy a catered breakfast.

Tuesday: We will ask each student, if possible, to bring in a few flower stems before school to leave in vases for Ross teachers and staff on the picnic tables outside of the school. Students can place a stem each in their teachers' vases, as well as in the vases of any teachers/staff who have made a difference in their lives. Please spread the love!

Wednesday: The PTA will provide a catered lunch for teachers and staff and treat them to massages by therapists who will come to school.

Thursday: Teachers and staff will receive gift cards for neighborhood treats. Principal Searl will host a happy hour for teachers and staff, in part with PTA resources.

Friday: The PTA will offer teachers and staff reduced prices on Ross swag. They also will be provided with a code earlier in the week to order merchandise online at a discounted rate.

[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.]

Questions? Email PTApresident@rosselementary.org. Thank you!

Spring Walk/Roll to Scholl Day will take place Thursday, May 14 at the corner of 15th and R Streets NW. Please meet us there at 7:50 with your bicycle, scooter, big wheel, or your own two feet as we parade down R Street to Ross.

We will be led by members of the DC Police Department on their motorcycles. They will be followed by several Ross students carrying a new banner announcing the event to the neighborhood. We will be joined by representatives of the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) on their trail bikes along with one of the Washington Nationals presidents! The event will conclude at Ross with Krispy Kreme glazed donuts holes and fresh coffee.

All adults on bicycles are encouraged to participate and help with shepherding our Ross kiddos to Ross. If you have any questions, please contact Joseph Jones at mwcumd@icloud.com or 202-375-9859.

We’re thrilled to share that this year’s Mother’s and Father’s Day Book Drive shattered the fundraising totals of all book drives that came before! We set a goal to raise $6,250–the equivalent of adding 250 new books to our library–but under the leadership of parents Kathy Crutcher (3rd grade) and Rachel Markey (PK) and with the help of many Ross students and their parents, we raised $10,243.25! Ms. Juriga will be adding a whopping 409 new books to our library! Thank you so much to the book drive co-chairs, to the Ross families who donated, to the Dupont Circle community for chipping in a huge portion of the total, and most of all to Ross students, who practiced their public speaking and persuasive skills and convinced so many to give outside of Safeway and in the Dupont Flea. The 3rd grade class raised the most money and earned a popsicle party!

If you donated $25 or more to the book drive and haven’t yet picked up a postcard or filled in a bookplate in honor of a loved one, your last chance to do so is during dropoff tomorrow (Wednesday). Questions? Reach out to PTApresident@rosselementary.org.

Thank you to everyone who helped us raise more than $31,000 through our auction. We have 20 items remaining, and we've slashed the prices. You can bid here anytime between now and Friday, May 8 to help us raise more funds, while you're getting a great deal. Here's what you can find:

• Theatre tickets to Arena Stage, Constellation Theatre

• Exercise classes including SWEAT DC, Fit4Mom, F45 Functional Training, Jade Fitness, Balance Gym

• Camps: sabre and soccer/chess

• Chess academy

• A month of karate

• Orthodontics treatment

• Kids yoga party

• Birthday magic show

• Freed family photo session

• Scuba classes

• A parent coaching call

• Au Pair in America gift certificate and baking supplies

Questions on the auction or haven't received your auction wins? Contact rosselementaryauction@gmail.com.

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.

Registration for before-school Spanish for next school year at Ross is open for students in grades K-5. Register here: https://www.isabellaandferdinand.com/new-products/ross-elementary-washington-dc

What: Learn To Think Like a Rat! Presented by ANC 2B, join us to hear from the head of DOH’s Rodent abatement program about what you can do to protect your home and community.

When: 3:30 pm May 9th

Where: Stead Park Rec Center 1625 P Street NW

Join other dads from the neighborhood next Tuesday, May 12, at 7:00 pm for this month's Dads of Dupont Happy Hour! Join other fathers for support and camaraderie (and a FREE round of beer!) at ECHO BOX (1633 Q St NW). All dads from the neighborhood (from Ross to daycares to the playground) are invited to attend. For updates or questions, please join the DoD WhatsApp group or email PK4 dad Justin Thornton.

Join us at Mitchell Park for a Learning Festival and Used Book Sale in partnership with Carpe Librum. Browse a wide selection of affordable used books for all ages while enjoying crafts, activities, and educational fun for the whole family. Proceeds from the book sale support Turning the Page, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing educational equity. Stop by the park, discover your next great read, and celebrate a day of learning and community.

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Give your gently used books a second life and spark joy in a new reader.

At the Used Book Sale, we welcome donations and contributions on-site. Please bring in donations within boxed in banker-sized boxes (10" x 12" x 15") with handles, when possible. If not possible, Carpe Librum will accept used books, CDs, DVDs, and records/vinyl, regardless of packaging.

For those who cannot attend the sale, Carpe Librum accepts donations at its storefront - 1350 I St. NW, - Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 AM to 6 PM. For bulk donations, Carpe Librum also offers at-home, street-accessible pickups for bulk donations; to schedule a pick-up, please complete the request form at: https://turningthepage.org/get-involved/donate/book-donations/

DCPS School Year 2025-26 Calendar

Key Dates for Ross Families

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday May 5-7: Grades 3-5 CAPE Testing

Friday, May 8: 75% enrollment benchmark for extra recess, Track and Field Meet

Week of May 11-15: Ross celebrates Staff Appreciation Week

Monday, May 11: Lock down drill (PK has opt out, contact Ms. Segovia)

Tuesday, May 12: May LSAT Meeting (5:15pm, virtual)

Thursday, May 14: Walk/Roll to School Day

Friday, May 15: Theatre performance (Grades 4-5 at Spooky Action Theater)

Monday, May 25: NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day Holiday

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

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), 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.