Welcome Back, Ross Rams!

The countdown to the first day of school is on, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome our students, staff, and families back for another incredible year at Ross Local Schools!

Throughout the summer, our custodial, maintenance, technology, transportation, food service, and administrative teams have been working behind the scenes to prepare our schools for the 2026–2027 school year. This year has brought more change than most, including welcoming fifth-grade students to Ross Middle School, transitioning fourth grade to Elda and Morgan Elementary Schools, moving our preschool program to Elda Elementary, and relocating several district offices to the Ross Administrative Building.

These moves represent months of planning and teamwork, and we're incredibly grateful to every employee who has spent their summer preparing our buildings and supporting these transitions. Their dedication ensures our students will walk into safe, welcoming, and engaging learning environments on the very first day of school.

We're excited to welcome our staff back on Monday, August 17, and our students back on Thursday, August 20. We can't wait to begin another year of learning, growth, and connection together.

Transportation Information

Our Transportation Department is working diligently to finalize bus routes for the upcoming school year.

Families with students enrolled at Ross Local Schools will receive transportation information through ParentSquare as soon as routes are finalized. Transportation updates for non-enrolled students who receive transportation services through Ross Local Schools will also be posted on our district website’s Transportation page.

If you have any special transportation requests or if your high schooler will need transportation, please fill out the designated request forms linked on our Transportation page.

We appreciate your patience as our transportation team works to provide safe and efficient routes for all students. Please continue checking ParentSquare for the latest updates.

School Meals & Free & Reduced Meal Applications

Ross Local Schools continues to look for ways to provide high-quality services while making the most of every taxpayer dollar. Beginning last school year, the district joined the Southwestern Ohio Educational Purchasing Council (SOEPC) Food Service Program, a partnership that provides operational efficiencies and cost savings while continuing to deliver the same great meal service our families expect.

For families, very little will change. Our dedicated food service staff, meal prices, and commitment to serving nutritious breakfasts and lunches remain the same. The primary difference you'll notice is a new online school menu platform, which is provided through the SOEPC program.

Menus can still be found by selecting your child's school in ParentSquare and clicking Links. For quick access throughout the year, consider bookmarking the menu webpage on your phone or adding it as a shortcut to your home screen. (A quick online search for "how to add a website shortcut to my phone home screen" will provide step-by-step instructions for your device.)

Before school begins, all families are encouraged to log into PaySchools to:

• Complete a Free & Reduced Meal Application (if applicable).

• Add funds to your child's meal account.

Families who prefer not to pay the online transaction fee may also send a check to their child's school office, where funds can be added directly to the student's meal account.

ParentSquare

ParentSquare is Ross Local Schools' primary communication platform, making it the best way to stay informed throughout the school year.

Before school begins, we encourage all families to:

• Verify your contact information, including your email address and phone number.

• Review your notification preferences for email, text, and app notifications. You can choose to receive messages instantly or as a daily digest.

For the best experience, we highly recommend downloading the ParentSquare app. The app allows you to manage your notification preferences both within ParentSquare and through your phone's notification settings. Our recommended setup is to enable instant app notifications while turning notifications off or to digest for email and text, helping you receive important information in real time without duplicate notifications.

FinalForms

All families are required to complete their annual FinalForms paperwork before the start of the school year.

In addition to parent forms, students entering grades 6–12 must also log into FinalForms and electronically acknowledge several required district policies. Students should select "Sign in with Google" and use their @student.rossrams.com account credentials to complete their portion of the required forms.

Completing FinalForms before the first day of school helps ensure a smooth start to the year for students, families, and staff.

Back-to-School Events

We're excited to welcome our Ross families back for another great school year!

Back-to-School Bash

Friday, August 8
Elda Elementary School

Families within Ross Local School District are invited to attend our annual Back-to-School Bash, where community organizations and district departments will provide helpful resources, information, and support to help students and families prepare for a successful school year.

Ohio Sales Tax Holiday

August 7–9

Ohio's annual Sales Tax Holiday returns August 7–9, providing families an opportunity to save on eligible back-to-school purchases. If you still need to pick up school supplies, clothing, or other qualifying items before the first day of school, this is a great time to do so.

Athletics, Activities & Getting Involved

Ross Local Schools believes some of the most meaningful learning happens beyond the classroom. Whether your child is interested in athletics, the arts, music, student organizations, or clubs, we encourage every student to get involved and experience all that it means to be a Ross Ram.

Families can purchase Adult All-Sports Passes before the school year begins, providing admission to regular season home athletic events throughout the year. Additional information and tickets can be purchased on our website through the box office.

We also encourage families to support the organizations that make so many opportunities possible for our students. Consider becoming involved with our Ross Athletic Boosters, Ross Band Boosters, or your child's Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). These volunteer organizations play a vital role in supporting students, enhancing programs, and strengthening the connection between our schools and the Ross community.

Whether you're cheering from the stands, volunteering at an event, or serving on a PTO committee, your involvement helps make Ross Local Schools a place where students thrive. Explore the links below to learn more about how you can support and become involved throughout the school year.

Important Dates By Building

Ross High School

• August 13 - Senior Parking Pass & Schedule Pickup - 8 AM to 2 PM

• August 14 - Junior Parking Pass & Schedule Pickup - 8 AM to 2 PM

• August 18 - Open House (& Schedule Pickup) & Activities Fair - 4 PM to 6 PM

• August 18 - Freshmen & New Student Orientation - 6 PM

• August 20 - First Day for Students 

Ross Middle School

• August 13th & 14th - Schedule/Locker Pick-Up (chance to practice your locker and get your schedule) - 8 AM to 2:30 PM

• August 19th - Open House -  4 PM to 5:30 PM

• August 20th - 1st day of school (doors open at 7:50, HR at 8:05, school ends at 2:50)

School supply lists by grade are available on ParentSquare under “Links”.

Elda Elementary School

• August 18 - Grades 1-4 Open House - 4:30 to 6:00 PM

• August 19 - Pre-K & Kindergarten Open House - 4:30 to 6:00 PM

• August 20 - 1st Day of School Grades 1-4

• August 20 & 21 - Pre-K & Kindergarten Assessments

• August 24 - 1st Day of School Grades Pre-K & Kindergarten

School supply lists are available on ParentSquare under “Links”.

Morgan Elementary School

• August 18 - Kindergarten Open House - 5 to 6 PM Lomax AM & Shoemaker

• August 18 - Kindergarten Open House - 6 to 7 PM Lomax PM & Chuhak

• August 19 - Grades 1-4 Open House - 5 to 5:30 PM Last Names A-K

• August 19 - Grades 1-4 Open House - 5:45 to 6:15 PM Last Names L-Z

• August 20 - First Day for Grades 1-4

• August 20 & 21 - Kindergarten Assessments

• August 24 - First Day for Kindergarten

School supply lists are available on ParentSquare under “Links”.