Author: Missy Chafin

Ready? Set? Go!

The Fun Run kicked off the 2022-23 fundraising year Friday, September 16. Each student had the opportunity to walk or run the track with their grade for 30-45 minutes.

The Fun Run is a very special Ross fundraiser because 100% of the money raised goes directly back into the school! Pledges can still be collected per lap or as a flat rate. Each student had their laps counted and their lap total sent home with them.

Just because the run is over, doesn’t mean you have to stop collecting pledges! Post-run pledges can be collected for the next two weeks. Pledge sheets, with the funds raised, are due Friday, October 7. Students can also collect online donations through October 7 at the following address:

https://go.eventgroovefundraising.com/rossfunrun2022/

We are so excited to see what the 2022-23 school year has in store for everyone!

As your PTO team, we have so many fun things planned for this year! Keep checking here and on Facebook for specific dates and information about activities like Book Bingo, Movie Nights, Family Olympics, and community service events.

We will also be putting a lot of energy into a big push for playground funding. Our playground is more than 20 years old and it is the responsibility of the PTO to fund all new equipment that is purchased. We have already purchased a new addition to recess fun—a Gaga Ball Pit! It will be installed the coming weeks.

Most importantly, this organization cannot function without the help and support of parents and guardians like you! Please consider volunteering and make sure you have up to date volunteer clearances.

Lights, Camera, Action! Ross Elementary PTO is hosting a family movie night Friday, May 20, at 8:30 pm on the school baseball field outfield. All students, staff, and their familes are invited.

Our movie, Sing 2, will start at 8:30 pm on our brand new inflatable movie screen! Please bring your own chair or blanket and your water bottles; popcorn will be provided by Ross PTO.

Parents and staff will also have the opportunity to vote for new Ross PTO Board Members. In the event of rain, movie night and voting will be moved to Friday, May 27.

https://facebook.com/events/s/family-movie-night/689359788956016/

We are so excited to share with you that Ross Elementary is a Kids of STEEL team! We invite your child to be part of the fun! This year we will be meeting on Saturday mornings, 9-10 am, at Ross from February 12-April 23. 

Kids of STEEL is P3R’s FREE, award-winning training program that helps motivate kids to get moving. Kids can run, practice, and play fitness games together in a group setting with their Kids of STEEL team. By the end of the training season, they’ll be ready to take on our family-friendly capstone event, the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon!  

All Ross students participating in the FREE Kids of Steel program must register using this link. – https://raceroster.com/events/2022/50851/kids-of-steel-program-2021-2022

Collectively, over the course of this program, students will complete 25 miles in preparation for the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon.  Please be sure to select Ross Elementary from the list to ensure your child is registered with our team. 

Participants will have the option to run 1.2 miles in the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon, thus completing a full 26.2 mile marathon! There is a fee to register for the marathon.  Follow the link for the Chick-fil-A Pittsburgh Kids Marathon at https://www.thepittsburghmarathon.com/races/kids-marathon-race and select our team, Ross Elementary, from the drop down menu on the registration page.

Each registered child receives:

• a confidence boost that comes from setting and achieving a goal
• a curriculum and training plan to inspire healthy habits! Kids of STEEL was awarded “Youth Running Program of the Year” in 2015 by Running USA
• race shirt
• finisher medal
• goody bag!

We’re so excited your child will be joining us in one of the country’s largest kid’s races! If you have any questions, please contact Colleen Derby at colleen.derby@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Colleen Derby , Coach Lucas & Coach James

PS: If you have a child in your family who would also like to participate in Marathon weekend but the 1-mile course isn’t right for them, the Sheetz Pittsburgh Toddler Trot and the UPMC Health Plan / UPMC Sports Medicine Pittsburgh 5K Run takes place on the same day as the Kids Marathon! Learn more at kidsofsteel.org/races.

What’s better than a class sweatshirt? One that you designed! Make your dream come alive as the official class shirt of the entire fifth grade class by entering the Fifth Grade Committee’s Design Contest.

If your fifth grade student is interested in entering the contest please have them submit their design on an 8.5 x 11 piece of white paper to their homeroom teacher no later than Friday, October 22, 2021.  All submitted designs will be voted on and the winning design will be printed on this year’s class sweatshirt.

Things to keep in mind:

• The winning design will be professionally done, so the winning drawing will be digitally recreated.  
• The sweatshirts will be grey – school colors that will show up best are white, black, and red.
• Be creative! Anything NH, North Hills, Class of 2029, etc., but all designs must be school appropriate.

If you have not submitted your student’s sizing information, please do that ASAP. Email sizing information to Catherine Regan at cregan412@gmail.com and please include the following:

• Child’s name
• Homeroom teacher
• Size you would like ordered
  • There are youth and adult sizes available so please make sure you indicate youth or adult.

*When thinking about sizing – please keep in mind that your 5th grader may soon start a growth spurt, so ordering a size bigger than they wear now might allow them to wear the shirts longer. This is just a suggestion based on their age and how students in the past have grown, but not a requirement, so please order what you feel most comfortable with.

If you are interested in volunteering in your student’s classroom this year, please be sure you have your clearances submitted to the office by October 1. Also, be sure to fill out the class party google document that is linked below.

Class Party Volunteer List (google.com)

You can find more information about obtaining your security clearances on the district website or by following the link below.

Volunteer Clearances (nhsd.net)

Class parties are sponsored and run by parents. All parties will start at 2:15pm and end at 3:15pm. 

Halloween Party: October 29, 2021 

Winter Holiday Party: December 22, 2021 

Valentine’s Day Party: February 14, 2022 

At this time, we are unsure if volunteers will be allowed inside the school, but if/when they are permitted you will be contacted. If volunteers are not permitted inside the buildings, there will be communication about other ways volunteers can help. 

The Head Homeroom Parent (HHP) is responsible for coordinating classroom parties. This includes organizing volunteers, collecting funds or donations, creating the party agendas and communicating with the teacher. The HHP also coordinates group teacher gifts with parents, if desired, that are given by the class.

There will be a drawing at the general PTO meeting, October 6, 2021 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria, for HHP. If you are picked, please plan to stay for a brief meeting following the general meeting. If you cannot attend the meeting, you will be contacted via email.