PTA Updates

The PTA is excited to host our annual Back-to-School Picnic for Ross families tomorrow, Thursday, September 28 from 4:30-6:30pm on the Ross playground and field. (If it rains, we will reschedule.)

Please sign-up here to contribute!

The picnic will be potluck style, with the PTA providing pizza and popsicles. We will also have a few donated dishes from local restaurants, including Pupatella and The Commodore! We ask Ross families to sign up to bring food and/or beverages to share! In addition, we need volunteers to help with setup, pizza serving and clean-up. Thank you for helping to make this event a success!

The PTA's annual Fall for Ross fundraising and engagement drive is underway. This campaign replaces our former membership drive. At Ross, every family, every teacher, and every staff member are valued members of the Ross PTA. This fall, we ask you to support the Ross PTA and help us to continue to host community-building events; support our teachers and staff; and enable Principal Searl to invest more of Ross's DCPS budget in staffing!

You can support your PTA in 3 important ways:

1. Make a monetary donation. We ask families to consider donating $50/month ($600 annually). We understand this isn’t possible for everyone. Please give as you’re able and help your PTA maintain its strong programs.
2. Volunteer to help with PTA activities. Volunteering your time and talents is a great way to get to know Ross, meet other Ross families, and to support your child’s education.
3. Sign up for PTA communications. (If this email was sent to you directly, then you're already signed up!)

Our campaign goal is to raise $50,000 and engage with all Ross families. Your support is appreciated!

All members of the Ross community are invited to our first PTA General Body Meeting of the year. We will meet in person from 5-6pm at the EDCJCC. (We will leave enough time for parents to pick up children from JCC aftercare on time.)

Meeting agenda:

• Principal’s Update
  

• School Counseling

• Pedestrian Safety

• Upcoming PTA Events

• Fall for Ross Update

• Treasurer’s Update

Next Wednesday, October 4, celebrate National Walk & Roll to School Day by walking to school with fellow Ross families, teachers and special guests!

Rain or shine, meet at 7:50am at the northeast corner of 15th and R streets (in front of the 15th Street Presbyterian Church) and walk together to Ross, departing at 8:00am. Participants are encouraged to wear Ross gear! Parents are welcome to stay longer for a PTA-sponsored coffee hour on the playground. Join us for a fun morning!

Questions? Contact PTApresident@rosselementary.org.

The Ward 2 Education Council and Ward 1 education leaders are interested in understanding the views of families in these communities and their thoughts on future middle school options. This can inform planning around a new DCPS middle school, expected to be built on the former site of Banneker High School at 800 Euclid St NW. We hope you can complete a short survey by Wednesday, October 4. Thank you very much!

English: https://bit.ly/dc-ms-sep23-en

Español: http://bit.ly/dc-ms-sep23-es
አማርኛ: https://bit.ly/dc-ms-sep23-am

At Ross and for field trips: Want to volunteer at Ross or chaperone field trips? Make sure to complete the DCPS volunteer clearance process.

The PTA is in search of volunteers for the following:

• Ross Spooktacular Halloween event: Do you enjoy Halloween? Got a little goblin at home? We need volunteers and ideas for decorations, games, and trick or treating! Please contact Holly Kilness Packett at hollykilness@gmail.com if you are interested in participating.

• Holiday Tree Sale & Festival - This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year. For two weeks, the Ross field is transformed into a holiday tree lot, where we sell trees and wreaths to the Ross community and our neighbors! We will also host a Holiday Festival and Bake Sale on Saturday, December 2, open to the neighborhood. During the weekends of Nov 24th and Dec 2nd, we will need volunteers to sell and deliver trees, donate baked goods, and staff the bake sale. Email PTApresident@rosselementary.org to get involved!

• Ross Auction: The 16th Annual Ross Auction Committee is seeking volunteers for our 2024 event, to take place on March 2 at Toolbox Pilates Art Studio. The Ross Auction is the single largest fundraiser of the year, critical to meeting PTA fundraising goals to cover basic supplies, extracurricular activities and technology updates at Ross. It is a large undertaking, only possible with the help of this community. Beginning in late fall, we need volunteers to help with donation outreach to local businesses, event planning, and more. Please email rosselementaryauction@gmail.com if you can lend a hand!

The PTA's Enrichment Committee will be working this year to review existing before and after-school offerings and propose or plan new ones. Parents who would like to help with researching vendors and locations are invited to join the first committee meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 3 at 8:30am (right after drop off) in the art room.

This year, we’re excited to continue and grow our partnership with Miriam’s Kitchen, a local nonprofit working to end chronic homelessness in DC! This partnership will include a range of activities and ways for Ross families to engage, such as:

• Education around homelessness for both Ross parents and caregivers and children through speakers from Miriam’s Kitchen

• Opportunities to donate high-value items for Miriam’s Kitchen’s guests

• A student volunteer event in December, in partnership with our holiday tree sale

• A weekend family volunteer event at Miriam’s Kitchen

We’re looking for parent/caregiver volunteers to support this partnership. If you’re interested, please reach out to Liz Lowry at ptapresident@rosselementary.org.

Also, save the date for a few key events with Miriam’s Kitchen:

• Mon, Oct. 18, 12:30-1:30pm: State of Miriam’s Kitchen, to learn more about their strategic plan, programs, and ending homelessness in Washington, DC
  

• Sat, Nov. 11, 7:45-10:00am: Run 4 MK, join the Ross team for this family-friendly 5K and 10K fun run along the C&O canal. We are looking for Ross team lead!

Mark your calendars, get out your flannel ... Mitchell Park Fall Fun Day is back! Come to the park (23rd and S Streets NW) on Sunday, October 29 from 2:30-5:00pm for the return of the annual community celebration, with free activities, food, music, crafts, a free yoga class, a firetruck, pumpkin decorating, a haunted house and more.

Check out KidFriendly DC's extensive roundup of all kinds of Halloween activities in the DMV.

Do you have updates or announcements that you think would be of interest to our school community? If so, email Ross PTA Secretary Melanie Mayhew.

2023.24 DCPS Calendar

Thursday, September 28: Back-to-School Picnic, 4:30-6:30pm

Monday, October 2: PTA General Body Meeting, 5-6pm at EDJCC

Wednesday, October 4: Walk-and-Roll-to-School Day

Monday, October 9: Indigenous People's Day (NO SCHOOL)

Thursday, October 19: Parent/Teacher Conference Day (NO SCHOOL)

Friday, October 20: Teacher Professional Development Day (NO SCHOOL)

Thursday, October 26: Ross Spooktacular

Saturday, November 11: Mariam's Kitchen/Ross Fun Run, 7:45-10:00am

November 24 - December 3: Holiday Tree Sale & Festival

Saturday, February 24: Ross/Imagination Stage Theater Trip, 1:00pm

Saturday, March 2: Ross Auction

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

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