Principal's Bulletin

Please keep this email for future reference

Happy New Year!

We are excited to welcome our staff and students back to Ross as we kick off 2022. I hope your family was able to engage in revelry and relaxation despite the unwanted appearance of Omicron over our holidays. Last week, Mayor Bowser and DCPS announced that all students will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to school on Wednesday, January 5.

Here are the four steps every family must take to start the 2022 school year strong on Wednesday, January 5:

1. Pick up a COVID-19 rapid antigen test. These tests will be available at every DCPS school on Monday, January 3 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., or Tuesday, January 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. COVID-19 rapid antigen tests are also available at Test Yourself Express pickup sites around the city at coronavirus.dc.gov/testing. If your child is currently COVID positive and in quarantine, please do not come to school to pick up a test kit. If your child is positive, contact me and your child's teacher so we can plan for virtual instruction.

2. On Tuesday, January 4, take the easy-to-use, at-home test by following the instructions provided in your kit. DO NOT TEST ON MONDAY. Students must have tested within 24 hours of their planned return to school. Families may choose to utilize their own antigen or PCR testing option, but tests administered before January 4 will not be accepted. Please note, staff will not test students at Ross on Wednesday morning. Families must administer the test themselves.

Video Support for Testing

Please review this video if you need support administering the test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAzos3k6aCY

3. Upload your test results. Provide proof of your COVID-19 negative test result to dcps.dc.gov/safereturn by Tuesday, January 4 at 4:00 p.m. If your child tests positive, please contact me and your child's teacher asap so we can plan for virtual instruction.

4. Continue to monitor your student for any symptoms of COVID-19. If they are showing any symptoms, students should stay home. Should a student be unvaccinated and identified as a close contact to an individual who tested positive for COVID-19, they should also stay home regardless of their test result for the ten-day quarantine.

5. Who do I contact with questions regarding this policy?

• For questions regarding at-home COVID-19 tests, please visit the Department of Health website at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/testyourself
• For questions regarding the website functionality of uploading tests, please call 202-442-5885 and press 1 to be connected to the DCPS Family & Student Tech Call Center.
• https://dcpsreopenstrong.com/safereturn/#faq
  

Warm Regards,

Holly Searl, Principal

holly.searl@k12.dc.gov

As noted in Chancellor Ferebee's most recent community letter, DC Public Schools will have traditional snow days with no virtual instruction in the event we need to close school buildings due to inclement weather. Should snow or severe winter weather be expected, you will be notified via email and text message from DCPS if schools may open late, dismiss early, or be closed. DCPS’ operating status will also be posted online at dcps.dc.gov, on @DCPublicSchools social media accounts, and with local news outlets. The decision to delay or close school is a careful decision made by the Mayor informed by several factors, including temperature and wind chill, levels of snow and ice, road conditions, the availability of public transit, and how these conditions are forecast to develop over the course of the day.

Email: holly.searl@k12.dc.gov
Website: http://rosselementary.org/
Location: 1730 R Street Northwest, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: (206)-673-7200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossElementarySchool/
Twitter: @rossesdc