Thank you to the dozens and dozens of parents and guardians who volunteer on campus throughout the year. You are all indelible parts of the Payton experience for our students and faculty, as you live the value of selfless service to others. Thank you!  A few quick notes: 

*Payton Athletic Booster Association has been launched, and will ensure that players and coaches have our full support (our goal is to be akin to Stanford-excellent academics and excellent athletics).

*S^3 - Supporting Struggling Student - is helping us identify and intervene with students showing signs of academic and/or social/emotional struggle. As parents, if you feel your child is struggling please reach out to a teacher or Counselor. It is critical to us that every student have rich, fulfilling experiences on campus. We know that high school is full of many wonderful times for students, but it is also a time of change and stress. We are working to identify students with emerging or existing struggles, and to employ ways to bolster such students. Our goal of ensuring that student find the support they need is more realistic when parents inform us of struggles they observe in their children.

Thank you for entrusting your children to us for their high school experience, and for being an active part of their growth. To be sure, all Payton students are far better off for the number of thoughtful, caring adults who find ways to challenge and support them, and who offer so many opportunities for them to explore the world and themselves.

See you at Open House and Report Card Pick-Up!

VOLUNTEER

Nov. 12: Report Card Pick Up, 11:30AM-6:45PM. Sign up for a one-hour shift (or several!) to help with refreshments, wishlist, and teacher lunch.  

Feb./Mar.: Offer to host the spring Parents Night Out. Email us now!  

Report Card Pick Up on Tues. Nov. 12, is from 11:30AM- 6:45PM. We ask that parents know their child(ren)'s advisory number when picking up report cards. Advisory numbers begin with 700 (freshmen), 600 (sophomores), 500 (JR), or 400 (SR). Limited parking is available in the visitors lot on Oak and Orleans until 6PM. There is metered parking on Wells, and non-metered parking is available on the south side of Hill St. Please do not park in the Payton faculty lot, it is reserved for staff and faculty (who will be working the Report Card pickup!) Thank you. 

The fact that a 16" Softball ball does not travel "too far" when hit is an important factor that has contributed to the game's popularity and longevity in Chicago. Even more importantly, it can be played in a smaller area, with just a bat and a ball (no gloves) so the game became popular during the Depression - when a ball cost a dime. And thus, 16" softball became a noted part of Chicago's cultural landscape.  

Payton's 16" Softball team had a spectacular season, finishing with a 22-2 record. Reigning City champs, the team started off the season with wins against schools including Northside, Whitney Young, Marshall, Steinmetz, and Phoenix Military Academy. The team ended its near-perfect run with a loss to Lane Tech in the City quarterfinals.

Head Coach Valerie Gemskie, Alumni Coaches Ryan Sechrest and Scott Potter thank graduating senior captains Erick Masias, Pat Hurd, Sam Kelly, Earl Schultz and Ivan Chen who, along with senior players Donovan Aranda, Troy Boccelli,and John Finan, led the team this year. They leave behind a legacy of battle-tested young talent: freshmen Sam Algas, Asher Borstein, Noah Coffman, Ethan Gray, Jesse "Fuzzy" Herr, Matt Shepard, Nico Stepanicev and Alejandro Varjas joined sophomores Ian Kidwell, Michael May, Leo Pelligrini, and Nathan Sutka. This year's juniors, Angel Camuy, Ubaldo Castillo, Alex Gee, George Lopez, and Tony Ramirez will step up next year to continue the Payton (and Chicago) tradition of whacking that ginormous softball and catching it with their bare hands.

October has been a very busy month in the counseling world. We're having fun getting to know our freshmen in individual meetings. Checklists have been reviewed with sophomores and juniors, by advisory, during enrichment. We are also very busy working with our seniors on college applications as many Nov. 1 deadlines approach. Naviance accounts can help students keep on top of things during the busy application season. Check frequently for updates on scholarships and for a calendar of college representative visits.  

We have also been very busy in the evenings. Freshmen Parent Night was well attended on Oct. 16, as was Financial Aid Night on Oct. 23. We're looking forward to our college planning presentation at Junior Parent College Night on Nov. 6 at 6:30PM. Academic Approach will be on hand to discuss our in-house test prep option that begins in Feb. Juniors will have the opportunity to take a practice ACT after seminars on Dec. 4 and a detailed score report will be mailed home following the exam.

Please keep an eye on your email for counseling related information and events. Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or concerns. We hope to visit with many of you during report card pick-up on Nov.12.

The Payton Counseling Team

Annual Appeal - Matching Funds Challenge Accepted!

The Annual Appeal is Friends of Payton's (FOP) only fall fundraiser. FOP raises funds for the annual needs of the school, while the Payton Prep Initiative for Education (PPIE) raises endowment funds to ensure Payton's long term financial health. If FOP and PPIE collectively raise $100,000 by Dec. 31, a group of supporters will make a matching gift of $60,000 to the two funds. Make your donation to the Appeal today! Donations of all sizes are appreciated and help support the work of dedicated teachers and staff, contribute to Payton's culture of excellence, and benefit our students beyond measure. Help us meet the challenge and secure the matching funds. Click here to donate now!

Teacher Wish List: We need volunteers at Report Card Day, Tues. Nov.12, to work at the Wish List table.To volunteer to man the table for a portion of the evening, please email FriendsofPayton@gmail.com. Thanks to parents and guardians who purchased Wish List items on Curriculum Night; there are still many wish list items left to fund, so stop by and donate after you pick up your student's report card!

Please Come to the Next Meeting - Nov. 6 at 7PM in the Library immediately following the Payton Community Meeting!

Upcoming Musical Events

The Payton Jazz Orchestra and Sounds of Sweetness will perform at the Payton Open House on Sat. Nov. 2 to welcome our guests. The Sounds of Sweetness will sing at the Museum of Science and Industry on Sat. Nov. 16., and will continue singing through the holiday season. The group will also record its first holiday CD! The Jazz Orchestra will perform at the Museum of Science and Industry Christmas Around the World volunteer thank-you dinner on Nov. 26.

The Winter Instrumental Concert will be on Fri. Dec. 6, and the Winter Choral Concert will be on Fri. Dec. 13. Both start at 7PM in the Recital Hall. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students with IDs. A live broadcast of the concert will be available at Payton's website.

Broadway Gems II shows are scheduled for Jan. 30, Jan. 31, and Feb. 1. The show will be choreographed by students and the cast of 25 continues to demonstrate their versatility and enthusiasm. Broadway Gems rehearses during enrichment and seminar to create a revue that covers various styles and eras of Broadway. This upcoming program will include gems from "Oklahoma" to "The Book of Mormon." Save the date!