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payton community monthly meeting
wed. 10/03
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The monthly Payton Community Meeting is a brief and informative opportunity to hear what is going on at school directly from our principal, Tim Devine. The meetings start at 6PM and usually end by 7PM. The meetings are generally held on the first Wednesday of every month, but always check the monthly calendar (at right) in case the schedule has changed. All meetings are held in the Library (also known as the Literacy Center).
 The FOP Fundraising Team meeting will be held on Oct. 3 at 7PM, immediately following the Payton Community Meeting. Everyone is welcome!
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you've got mail:
the fop/ppie
fall 2012 campaign
is on!
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Recently, every Payton family received a letter from Friends of Payton (FOP) and Payton Parents Initiative for Education (PPIE). Please respond as generously as you can to this Fall Appeal. You can donate in the following ways:
1. Mail a check payable to FOP or PPIE at 1034 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610.
2. Drop a check into the FOP box in the school office. Make it payable to FOP or PPIE.
3. Contribute online via credit card by clicking the donate button on Payton's homepage or just click here.
All contributions are tax deductible, and all amounts are equally and hugely appreciated. |
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lsc meetings are open, next is 10/08
| Parents, guardians, and the public are welcome at Local School Council (LSC) meetings, which are held monthly in the Payton Library at 6PM.
The LSC is an elected body that has three main responsibilities: 1) School improvement planning (CIWP), 2) School budget, and 3) Principal evaluation, retention and selection.
All are welcome to attend and to make comments during the "Public Comments" portion of the meeting.
For more on the LSC, including a schedule of coming meetings, minutes of previous meetings, and a roster of members, please visit the LSC page of the Payton website.
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two more ways to
to stay current
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Check the school website periodically (some people set a reminder on their calendars to do this once or twice a week) at www.wpcp.org.
Another way to keep up on what's happening at school is to go to: http://www.wpcp.org/NewsAnnouncements/AdvisoryAnnouncements.aspx
You can also subscribe to receive the announcements via email or RSS.
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check grades + attendence online
| ParentConnection is a secure online portal for sharing classroom attendance and grades between teachers, students, and parents and guardians.
To activate a student on your ParentConnection account you must obtain the student personal identification number (PIN), which you can do on this web page on the Payton site.
Once you have obtained the PIN you will be able to complete the application process. If you experience any problems while looking up a PIN, please email parentconnection@wpcp.org.
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when your student is sick or absent for another reason
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You must call the Attendance Hotline early in the morning of your student's absence:
773-534-0042.
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gallery 34: pictures from payton
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Find great photos of Payton happenings at Gallery 34. It is continually updated.
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connect with alumni from payton + other cps schools
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Did you know that there are more than three million living CPS alumni? Click on this link to register and find old friends: CPS Alumni (including Payton).
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share stories and ideas for this newsletter
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Please send us current Payton news to share with other Payton families. Here are the submission guidelines:
Less is more -- 200 words or less works best in an e-newsletter. If that's not enough room to tell the whole story, include a phone number, email address, or web link for more details. Send text as a Word attachment or type it into the body of your email.
Include a picture or two if you have them; send pictures as .jpg attachments, not embedded in a Word document.
All submissions are due the 15th of the preceding month. Send them to
fopnewseditor@gmail.com.
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the newsletter volunteer team
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Casey Hoogstraten
President, Friends of Payton
Katie Merrell
Chair, Communications
Jeanne Lamar
Editor
fopnewseditor@gmail.com
Deb Hass
Associate Editor
Susan McColgan
Associate Editor
Cathy Nardi
Karen Lothan
Kathy Monk
Karen Muller
Jennifer Palmert
Debbie Shepard
Lisa Turner
Judith Weinstein
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newsletter
brought to you by
friends of payton
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Friends of Payton (FOP) is a volunteer-run organization of parents, guardians, community leaders, and others who raise funds and provide volunteer assistance to support Walter Payton College Prep.
Our mission is to enrich educational and extracurricular activities with outside resources to supplement the limited funding allotted to Payton through the public school system.
PresidentCasey Hoogstraten Executive Vice President Marla Kushner VP, Communications Katie Merrell VP, Fundraising Cathy Nardi Treasurer Brian Moore Assistant Treasurer Tracey Lowenthal Secretary Laurie Flom
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walter payton college prep high school
| 1034 North Wells Street Chicago, Illinois 60610 773-534-0034 www.wpcp.org
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CALENDAR
Some details were not available at the time of this issue's publication. Contact the Payton administration with questions: 312-534-0034
OCTOBER
10/01-05 Homecoming Spirit Week
10/03 Payton Community Meeting, 6PM-7:30PM, Library
10/04 Homecoming Game, 7PM, Lane Tech Stadium
10/06 Homecoming Dance, 6:30PM-10PM, Payton
10/08 Local School Council Meeting, 6PM-7:30PM, Library
10/10 Seminar Schedule
10/11 Curriculum Night, 6PM-8PM
10/19 Model UN Night, 5PM-7PM, First Floor Atrium
10/24 Seminar Schedule
10/24 College Financial Planning Session, 6PM-8:30PM
NOVEMBER
11/02 No school
11/05 Local School Council Meeting, 6PM-7:30PM, Library
1107 Seminar Day
11/07 Payton Community Meeting, 6PM-7:30PM, Library
11/7-10 Fall play (The Odyssey) Times to be determined
11/14-17 Fall Play (The Odyssey) Times TBD
11/12 No School, Veteran's Day
11/21 Seminar Day
11/22-23 No School, Thanksgiving Holiday
*PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the year, the Payton calendar may differ from the online Chicago Public Schools calendar. For the Payton calendar, please click
here.
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A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Join Us at Payton's Curriculum Night
Grizzly Parents and Guardians,
It is wonderful having everyone together to continue our movement. Payton is an exemplary college preparatory high school. There are many reasons for this, primary amongst them is the fact that we have compelled and compelling students, talented faculty, and supportive parents. Yes. We have a wide array of Honors and Advanced Placement courses and a full complement of academic and athletic extracurricular offerings through which our students can embolden their mindsets, challenge their conventional wisdom, and listen to their muses. What adds more dimension to the Payton experience is that we all seek to aid in the development of young men and women who are persons of character...the character that motivates the focus of their actions and their decision-making. Payton is a special place and we are so excited to continue in this vital and essential work.
An important component of the Payton experience is Curriculum Night, which will be on Thurs. Oct. 11 from 6PM - 8PM. You are invited to meet your child's teachers and gain insight into the curriculum with which your child will be interacting throughout the year. We'll see you then!
Sincerely,
Tim Devine, Principal
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CELEBRATING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Congratulations
Payton Senior Scholars
Semifinalists: 2013 National Merit Scholarship Competition:
The NMSP is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) - a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year - and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.
Beard, Jackson H.
Charletta, Monica N.
Cleary, Zachary M.
Gray, Ley A.
Komissopoulos, Sotirios
Pezanoski Cohen,Gabriel E.
Rodby, Kara E.
Sharp, Avigayl
Skatchke, Kali K.
Slota, Eleanor R.
Semifinalists: 2013 National Achievement Scholarship Competition:
The NASC is an academic competition established in 1964 to provide recognition for outstanding African American high school students. Students may enter both the National Achievement Program and the National Merit Program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT and meeting the other participation requirements.
Augustine, Emile M.
Beard, Jackson H.
Brown, Zoe R.
Minor, Colin W.
Rainey-Brown, Jeremy T.
Tewodros, Negatwa
Webb, Matthew F.
National Hispanic Scholars:
The National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) was initiated in 1983 to identify outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students. In order to be eligible, students must meet a minimum PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score, and achieve a minimum grade point average.
Echeverri, Michael
Jones, Michael
Villegas, Lorenzo
Congratulations to these Payton Seniors!
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 MUSIC NEWS
Payton Launches Fine Arts Dept. & Welcomes New Choir Director
This year the Music Department has merged with the Art Department to become the Fine Arts Department with Ms. Pat Guizzetti serving as the department chairperson.
Ms. Kate Johnston has been hired as our new Choir Director and will begin her tenure at Payton in October. Ms. Johnston received her B.A in Music from Seattle Pacific University and an M.A. in Music from Boston University. She has been an active member of music education for 30 years, including work as a choral director, musician, and highly skilled vocalist. Ms. Johnston's energy and varied skill set has added richness to the music education that youth choirs, all-male choirs, and advanced choral ensembles have received under her guidance and direction. Most recently, Ms. Johnston has been the founding Choral Director at UIC College Prep. H.S.
Additionally, Ms. Johnston has worked with Northwestern University's Neuroscience Lab in a longitudinal study of cognitive development in the brains of adolescents who study music. She led a session entitled "The Temporal Community: The Multi-Dimensional Way Arts Shape Us as Human Beings" at the 13th Annual Conference on Thinking in Sweden. She has also prepared and conducted soloists, choirs, and pit orchestras for 14 main-stage productions. Ms. Johnston continues her own performance career as a piano soloist, choral accompanist, and singer in chamber ensembles. It is with great pleasure we welcome Ms. Johnston to the Payton community.
The Winter Instrumental Concert is currently scheduled for Fri. Dec. 7, and the Winter Choral Concert will be held on Thurs. Dec. 13. Both dates may be subject to change as the school year calendar is refined. Please stay tuned.
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 SPECIAL SPIRIT WEEK EVENT
A Special Homecoming
During Homecoming
Week
Eddie Payton, Walter's older brother, will be at Payton on Fri. Oct 5, meeting with students, staff, and parents during lunch
(10AM - 12.30 PM), and may participate in some of Payton's Spirit Week festivities. Eddie will be in Chicago for the launch of his new book Walter & Me, which will be available at a 20% discount to the Payton community. He is donating all book proceeds to the Payton Family Foundation, sponsor of the Walter Payton Memorial Scholarship given annually to one of our students. Parents are encouraged to participate - come welcome another member of the Payton family to our school!!
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ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING Selenium: Periodic Table Element #34
Payton's new enrichment program, called Selenium, incorporates the activities of clubs, academic teams, tutoring, and sports into Payton's school day as the final period, running from 2:51PM-3:31PM. (except on seminar and special event days). The rationale for making enrichment into "period 8 3/4" was to avoid having these activities start after 3:45PM, which would have limited the teachers who could have participated and resulted in fewer offerings. Making enrichment part of the school day has greatly increased student participation. According to Mr. Paul J. Karafiol (Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Coordinator), there are now a record-setting 40 freshman and sophomores participating in math team!
Another goal of the program was to give students more opportunities for physical fitness and to set the stage for their lifelong physical fitness. Other enrichment activities include both new options as well as programs available in previous years such as Payton Players, Best Buddies, Jewish Student Union, and academic tutoring.
The enrichment schedule is designed so that on Thursdays and Fridays athletic teams do not have practice unless it is a game day. This gives student athletes a chance to participate in enrichments outside their sport, or get any needed tutoring. Any student athlete who needs tutoring on Mon., Tues., or Wed. is allowed to miss team practice without penalty.
Feedback on Selenium has been overwhelmingly positive from both students and teachers. Students sign up for the ungraded enrichments each week using Selenium, which was designed by Payton faculty and students. Programs last anywhere from one session to several weeks, with the option to repeat. Students with questions about the program can contact Mr. Karafiol.
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FOP WORK IS UNDERWAY
Fundraising News
Fall FOP/PPIE Appeal is out - please donate by Nov. 1: This week every Payton family will receive a letter in the mail requesting donations to Friends of Payton (FOP) and Payton Prep Initiative for Education (PPIE). Please give as generously as you can. Thank you to all of the parents who helped stuff envelopes for this important fundraiser. Special thanks to Janet Hickerson for spearheading the letter.
Fundraising Information on the Payton Website: Please go to the Payton website to find detailed fundraising information including links to donate funds and volunteer sign up.
Spring Gala - Please sign up to help. Spring gala planning has begun. Many volunteers are needed immediately to work with Bidding for Good and Greater Giving Software to set up our online auction and data entry. A detailed list of jobs that need to be filled right away and down the road will soon be available on the Payton website.
Teacher Wish Lists: Volunteers are needed to take short shifts at the Teacher Wish List tables on Curriculum Night and at Fall Report Card Pick Up. Please send an email to FOPFundraising@gmail.com if you can help at either event. Many thanks to Debbie Shepard for organizing this year's wish list volunteers and to Lynn Kalanik for all of her work on this project.
Next Meeting - Please come: Thank you to everyone who attended our first fundraising meeting. The next meeting will be held on Oct. 3 at 7PM at school immediately following the Payton Community Meeting. We appreciate new faces. Please join us as we plan this year's Gala and other fundraising events.
New Ideas and Improvements: If you have an idea for a fundraiser or a thought about how we can improve our current fundraising activities, please send us an email at FOPFundraising@gmail.com.
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 FALL SPORTS
Grizzlies Teams
Back on the Pitch
Football: Halfway through a strong 4-1 season, the Payton Grizzlies football team, led by Head Coach Tony Faltin, takes on the Chicago Bulls Charter School this week. Please come and enjoy some fast-paced, hard-hitting football. The Grizzly cheerleaders, the Poms Squad, and our mascot Gus the Grizzly will be there to make some noise! Buy your $5 ticket at the school this week from any football player. Students can also buy them during their lunch hour. We hope to see a huge Payton crowd on Thurs. Oct. 4, 7PM at Lane Stadium. Go Grizzlies!
Volleyball (Girls): The varsity team has faced tough competition and is currently in second place in the conference. The girls head into city playoffs the week of Oct. 2 and hope to reach the finals for the 6th consecutive year. This year's Senior Grizzlies include: Holly Bieber, Clare Calkins, Emily Hayes, and Claire Loe. Payton's talented sophomore squad has gone undefeated in conference play and will also start city playoffs the week of Oct. 2. Outside of conference play, the sophomore team finished second in the Latin Invitational. The team is also looking forward to a strong showing next year as well, as the frosh squad has been developing through work on individual skills and team concepts.
Golf (Boys): Check the news feed at http://www.wpcp.org/NewsAnnouncements/News.aspx for the results of the Sat. Sept. 29 City Championship. Four players from the Boys Golf Team - Gabe Geleerd (soph), Brennan Gudmundson (SR), Crosby Shores (soph), and Ben Smith (frosh) - will participate in the City Championship as individuals.
Golf (Girls):This is the sixth consecutive year the Lady Grizzlies have been in the championship. Led by captains Yliana Velazquez (SR) and Dani Fregia (SR), the Girls Golf Team went up against the three best teams in the league. On Sept. 8, at their home course at Robert Black, the Lady Grizzlies beat the Northside Mustangs, 186 to 233 (the numbers representing the four best scores by golfers on each team). With a home course par of 33, Velazquez and Fregia scored 41 and 44 respectively. Coach Tom Troy added this tidbit: "Hole number 8 has special significance for Grizzlies. It is the hole our head Grizzly, Tim Devine, got his first hole in one on when he was only fourteen. I think the clubhouse at that time was a log cabin, so that would make it around the time of the Lincoln administration. We all know you are up early enough Tim. Get those sticks out!" He adds special thanks to Mama Grizzlies Lisa Wilson and Cheryl Gardner for running a very successful and exciting fundraiser.
Tennis (Girls): The Lady Grizzlies have just completed their fall regular season with a winning record after defeating Northside, Taft, Lane, Jones and (by default) Brooks. They lost only one tournament, to Whitney Young. Post-season play began last weekend at the CPS Individual City Championship. Payton players faced off against the top city players and medaled in all five fiercely contested events. Second place awards were netted by Claire Williamson (SR) in first singles, and by Kira Gallancy (soph) and Stephanie Senanou (soph) at third doubles. Third place medals were taken by Sydney Kenton (JR) at second singles, and by Sara Reilly (soph) and Caeley Harihara (soph) at second doubles. Duo Jenna Shaw (SR) and Anikka Villegas (soph) earned fourth place at first singles. This coming week, the CPS Team Championships will determine the best teams in the city, so stay tuned!
Check Payton's website for team information and schedules.
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NEW PAYTON FACULTY
Social Studies:
Mr. Vince Vinluan
After growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Mr. Vinluan attended the University of Illinois where he majored in History and minored in Secondary Education. He is currently working towards a masters degree in Reading Education at Concordia University. Mr. Vinluan started his teaching career at Rickover Naval Academy, a small school on the north side of the city. While at Rickover, he taught AP U.S. History, Sociology, and led the development of an inter-disciplinary analytical thinking and writing program. He was also Social Sciences department chair, and an assistant coach for the girls basketball and soccer teams. Mr. Vinluan joined the Payton Social Studies faculty this fall and is excited to work with our dynamic and hardworking students. When he is not planning lessons, grading papers, or doing homework for graduate school, Mr. Vinluan enjoys staying active, exploring the city, and engaging in discussion with peers and students on current events and politics.
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PAYTON PARENTS & GUARDIANS
Fall Parents Night Out
Don't miss Friends of Payton Fall Parents Night out Fri. Nov. 16, 6-9PM at the home of Laura Matalon & Spencer Waller, parents of Jordan Waller (JR), 442 W. Wellington in the Lake View neighborhood. A Payton tradition, Parents Nights Out are informal potluck dinners hosted by Payton families and are for parents and guardians only - no kids! Please bring a dish to share (appetizer, entrée or dessert). BYOB. Everything else is provided.
Contact Marcia May at Marcia.matalonmay@ge.com or 312-919-0020 if you want to volunteer to help with set up or clean up, or if you would like bring party supplies. Hope to see you there.
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NEW PAYTON FACULTY
Science:
Ms. Donna Figenshu
Ms. Figenshu is very excited to be joining the Payton Science Department. Ms.Figenshu received her B.S. in Secondary Education-General Science, with minors in both Chemistry and Special Education, from York College of Pennsylvania. She played on the York College Womens Basketball team and, as captain her senior year, she led the team to the NCAA Division III Tournament's Sweet Sixteen.
Ms. Figenshu previously taught at Sanford School, a college preparatory school in northern Delaware where she taught Physics and Chemistry. After relocating to the Chicago area this summer, she joined the Payton faculty and is excited to be working with such a prestigious group of educators and students.
Ms. Figenshu will teach five sections of ARISE Chemistry to sophomores this year. She will also bring her athletic talents to bear as she helps coach the Varsity Girl's Basketball team at Payton.
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GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Payton Welcomes the
World!
World Languages Faculty Changes: The World Language Department wishes to thank Ms. Nancy Castro for her four years of loving dedication to our students, department, and school, and we wish her the best at her new home, George Washington High School. We welcome with excitement and abrazos abiertos our wonderfully talented new Spanish teacher, Ms. Jennifer O'Neil. You can find Senora O'Neil in room 116 teaching Spanish 1, 2, and 4. Allow Spanish teacher Senora O'Neil to introduce herself:I am originally from West Lafayette, Indiana, but spent some time growing up in Honduras. At Earlham College I majored in Spanish and played soccer on the Women's soccer team. (Go Hustling Quakers!) After college I did a year of national service in Boston with City Year and then led other teams of young people through their service for a few years. I got my master's degree Harvard Graduate School of Education with a focus in learning and teaching. Since then, I've worked in the out of school time in Pilsen and Boston and I've taught in rural Indiana and the South Bronx. Most recently I've studied literacy and English as a second language at Lewis University. At Payton I teach Spanish 1, Spanish 2, and Spanish 4. I love sports, reading, traveling, and trying new foods!" The 2012 Chicago International Table Tennis Festival hosted their "School Event" in Payton's gym on Fri. Sept. 28. Five of the world's top table tennis athletes showed off their "magic" in a table tennis exhibition. While the primary focus was table tennis, the larger goal of the festival was to introduce Chicago to a wider audience in China. Payton was their obvious choice for the "School Event" site given our strengthened bond with China following President Hu Jintao's visit last year. Payton will host two student groups at the end of October: - 21 students from Gymnázium Nad Alejí our sister school in Prague will be visiting from Oct. 25-Nov. 3.
- 12 students from Osaka High School in Osaka, Japan will be arriving on Oct. 24.
Announcements: Remember to check the Global Connections Blog for upcoming international travel and service opportunities both through WPCP and outside organizations. There are many options for wannabe globe trotters throughout the school year.
Update about AMIGOS recruitment. Parents who are interested should go to:
http://paytonglobetrotters.weebly.com/lets-go-global-message-board.html
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT UPDATE
Student Government in Session
Reported with the help of Danielle Fregia (SR), VP of Student Government
New dates have been announced for Spirit Week and Homecoming. Spirit Week will run from Oct. 1 - Oct. 5. Payton students kicked off Spirit Week at our annual ice cream social on Fri. Sept. 29! The events are as follows:
Mon. Oct. 1: Pajama Day
Tues. Oct. 2: Twin Day
Wed. Oct. 3: Color Day - Dress up in your class color:
Yellow (frosh), Orange (soph), Blue (JR) and Black (SR)
Thurs. Oct. 4: Spirit Day - Come in your cutest Payton Attire. Go 34!
Fri. Oct. 5: Circus/Clown Day - Wear your favorite circus themed costumes or crazy colors.
Be sure to attend the Pep Rally to cheer for the Grizzlies on (new date) Oct. 4 at school before the Homecoming Game at Lane Tech. Keep your Payton spirit going at the Homecoming Dance on (new date) Sat. Oct. 6.
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NEXT MEETING ON OCTOBER 8
Local School Council Report
The September meeting of the Local School Council was scheduled to take place on Sept. 10. but was was canceled due to the teachers strike.
Please come to the next LSC meeting on Mon. Oct. 8 at 6PM in the Library.
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