Payton has been a beehive of activity: our honors and Advanced Placement classes are well underway, athletic and academic teams are immersed in practices and competitions, our freshmen are finding their paces as high school students, seniors are envisioning their post-Payton academic lives as they formally commence the college application process, and on and on. Exciting things are afoot.

and mortar, but the greater benefits to our community are: 

These benefits will enhance the Payton experiences for all students. The Leadership Team has been discussing what these academic experiences might look like and how the new building can support them (form following function). We are soliciting ideas from Student Government, and we will host student and parent forums in the coming weeks to gather input about our academic expansion, and to provide updates on the bricks and mortar plans for the new building.      

One of the great aspects of the Payton education is the close-knit relationships that form between students, between students and faculty, and between faculty members. Payton's post-expansion enrollment will be in the neighborhood of 1200 students. I have absolute confidence that the family-oriented nature of Payton - faculty genuinely knowing individual students, parents having ready access to faculty and administration, students forging life-long bonds with each other - will continue to be a tremendous aspect of the Payton experience. The additional students and faculty will increase the academic and social vibrancy of our Payton family.   

From a construction standpoint, it appears that the new building will be erected where the parking lot is currently located and will be connected to our current building. There are dozens of logistical, construction-related questions and issues to be tended to: e.g. How many classrooms will be added? We don't know for certain at this juncture. Will the new building be ADA compliant? Of course. Will there be a gym and/or swimming pool? Perhaps. Will the cafeteria be expanded? A café will be included. What is the expansion timeline? It is short, the goal being to begin construction in summer 2014, and open the new building for the 2015-2016 academic year. The greatest question for us is: how will this expansion enhance our academic and extracurricular programs? We will seek your input and ideas as we craft answers to that question.

I hope this finds you and your family thriving,

Oct. 2: Payton Community Meeting with Principal Tim Devine, 6:15-7PM in the Library. Fundraising Team meeting follows the Community Meeting.

Oct. 11: Parents Night Out, 1420 W. Melrose, 6:30-9:00PM. (see article below) 

Oct. 16: Freshmen Parents Night: College Planning Preview, 6:30-8:00PM

VOLUNTEER

Want to help? Send a note to FriendsofPayton@gmail.com.

Nov. 2: Payton Open House for prospective students, 8AM-2PM. Lots of volunteers needed for various jobs.

Nov. 12: Report Card Pickup, the administration needs 30 volunteers 1 hour shifts from 12-6PM.  

Ongoing: We still need people to help with the database and directory, and to fill some fundraising roles.

Fundraising: the fundraising team is up and running and has a variety of volunteer needs. Email Candise Cho at

Pennies for Payton: Please send in your pledge if you haven't yet.  Thanks again, Craig and Dante Stanley!

Annual Appeal: Will be launched in mid-October. Please consider making a contribution as the Payton community continues its work to restore programs and services lost to the CPS budget cuts.

We have been meeting with seniors individually and via enrichment to review college lists and application requirements. "Senior Parent Night," on Sept. 16, was well attended. As Oct. begins, we will turn our attention to the freshmen. Individual "Get To Know You" meetings will be held with students during Oct. and Nov. There will also be a "Freshmen Parent Night" on Oct. 16 for counselors to meet new parents and discuss high school planning topics. We will also meet with juniors and sophomores, by advisory, during the month of Oct. to review college-planning topics. Counselors will place students in enrichments for these meetings. Students should see their counselors if there is a conflict with the designated time.

Important Upcoming Events:

Oct. 16: Freshmen Parent Night (H.S. Planning)

Oct. 19: PSAT for Juniors

Oct. 23: Financial Aid Night with College Planners, Inc.

Nov. 6: Junior Parent Night (College Planning)

Dec. 4: Practice ACT for Juniors (Optional, recommended, after Seminars)

Dec. 20: Annual Alumni College Fair (after Seminars)

Please don't hesitate to reach out to your student's counselor at any time with questions or concerns. You can find contact information on the counseling website, click here.

The Payton Counseling Team

The 2013-14 Payton Student Directory will be distributed to students the week of Oct. 8th during Advisory. Thanks to all parents and guardians who reviewed and updated their information in the online database. If you have questions please email the directory team at fopevp@gmail.com.

Mr. Glenn Rode (Music), Director of Bands, is holding seating auditions for Concert Band the week of Sept 30. Chamber String auditions will be the week of Oct 5.

Upcoming Musical Events

Ms. Kate Johnston (Music), Director of Choirs, announced the Concert Choir will participate in a Chinese invitational choral event on Fri. Oct. 11. They will be singing in Chinese with the choir from China as well as sharing a piece of their own.  

The Payton Jazz Orchestra and Sounds of Sweetness will be performing at the Payton Open House on Sat. Nov. 2 to welcome our new freshmen hopefuls. The Jazz Orchestra has also been invited to perform at the Museum of Science and Industry Christmas Around the World volunteer thank-you dinner on Tues. Nov. 26.

Mark Your Calendars 

The Winter Instrumental Concert will take place on Fri. Dec. 6 and the Winter Choral Concert will be Fri. Dec. 13. Both events start at 7PM in the Payton Recital Hall. 

Team captains this year are Head Captain Max McMahon (SR), Ethan May (SR), Eric Seward (SR), and Michael Mazurkiewicz (JR). The roster includes 33 players, with many freshmen and sophomores rounding out a small core of dedicated upperclassmen.

The team has four wins and one loss after trouncing Bowen High School at Homecoming game last Saturday. Payton is first in the Chicago Public League-Great Lakes Division as of this writing. 

Performing at the Homecoming game were Sounds of Sweetness,  the Poms & Cheerleading squads; and Gus (pictured above), our Grizzly mascot.