CPS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW, MON. JAN. 6
 
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payton community monthly meeting

1/08        

The monthly Payton Community Meeting is a brief and informative opportunity to hear what is going on at school directly from our principal. The meetings start at 6:15PM. 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.  

 

The FOP Fundraising Team meeting will be held after the Payton Community Meeting. Everyone is welcome!

fop fundraising is

a year-round effort  

The Friends of Payton needs your valuable donations to support Payton's educational mission There are three ways to do it:

1. Mail a check payable to FOP at 1034 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60610  

 

2. Drop a check into the FOP box in the school office. Make it payable to FOP.

 

3. Contribute online via credit card by clicking the donate button on Payton's homepage. All contributions are tax deductible and all amounts are equally appreciated. 

lsc meetings are
 open, next is 1/13

Parents, guardians, and the public are welcome at Local School Council (LSC) meetings, which are held monthly in the Payton Library at 6:00PM.

 

The LSC is an elected body that has three main responsibilities: School Budget, Continuous Improvement Work Plan (formerly SIPAAA), and 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 upcoming meetings, minutes of previous meetings, and a roster of members, please visit the LSC page of the Payton website.

two more ways to  
stay current

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. 

 

Two other ways to keep up on what's happening at school are to watch the PNN (Payton News Network) OR check Advisory Announcements.

 

You can also subscribe to receive the announcements via email or RSS.
check grades & attendance 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 sites.

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

when your student is sick or absent  for another reason
To report your student's absence you must submit a written note, available on the website under the Parents drop down menu. Or you may click here for Reason For Absence Note. Student absences will remain unexcused until a signed Reason For Absence Note is submitted to the Office.
gallery 34: payton in pictures

Find great photos of Payton happenings at Gallery 34. It is continually updated.

payton alumni
Please go to

www.wpcp.org/alumni for current news on Payton Alumni Association activities.

share stories and ideas for this newsletter 

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 to give our readers 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, do not embed them in your Word document.

All submissions are due the 20th of the preceding month. Send them to: fopnewseditor@gmail.com 

the pptw
newsletter team

Katie Merrell
President, Friends of Payton
 
Marcia Matalon May
VP, FOP Communications

Jeanne Lamar
Editor

Deb Hass
Associate Editor

Susan McColgan
Associate Editor

Jane Barclay

Steve Gallancy

Gaute Grindheim

Susan Pearsall

Rachel Shefner

Marion Shuck

Debbie Shepard
newsletter 

brought to you by friends of payton 

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.
 
President 
Katie Merrell
 
Executive Vice President
Jane Barclay

VP, Communications
Marcia Matalon May
 
VP, Fundraising 
Candise Cho
 
Treasurer 
Tracey Lowenthal
 
Assistant Treasurer 
David Laures
 
Secretary 
Lynn Brahin
walter payton college prep high school
1034 North Wells Street
Chicago, Illinois  60610
773-534-0034
THE JANUARY ISSUE
Calendar
A Letter From the Principal
Participate Volunteer Donate
Student Government
New Student Club: Alternative Political Group
FOP News
Parents Night Out
Global Connections
Local School Council
CALENDAR
Some details were not available at the time of this issue's publication. Contact the Payton administration with questions: 312-534-0034.

 

JANUARY

1/08        Payton Community Meeting, 6:15-7PM, Library

1/08        Seminar Day 

1/13        Local School Council Meeting, 6-8PM, Library

1/17        Semester Finals

1/20        No School, M.L. King Day

1/21-22   Semester Finals

1/22        Gary Shteyngart, 1-2:30PM, Recital Hall

1/23        Senior Citizen Technology Training

1/23        Seminar Day 

1/24        No School, School Improvement Day

1/30-31   Broadway Gems II, 7-10PM, Recital Hall

 

FEBRUARY

2/01       Broadway Gems II, 7-10PM, Recital Hall

2/05       Payton Community Meeting, 6-7PM, Library

2/05       Seminar Day 

2/07       Wellness Fair, 9:50AM-1PM, Atrium

2/10       Local School Council Meeting, 6-8PM, Library

2/14       Winter Formal, 6:30-10:30PM, Atrium

2/19       Seminar Day 

2/21       WPCP International Travel Expo, 9:30AM-1:30PM, Atrium

2/21       Parents' Night Out, 6:30-9PM

2/28       Large Work Performance, 8-10AM, Recital Hall

 

*PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the year, the Payton calendar may differ from the online Chicago Public Schools calendar. For the Payton calendar, please click here. 

A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
A Talented Faculty
Continues to Achieve 
 

Dear Payton Parents and Guardians,

 

Recently, Payton was named one of the top 100 high schools in the nation in 2013. This is a remarkable achievement and adds to the accolades that come with some frequency to our community. It is important to recall that such remarkable achievements are certainly emblematic of the many and varied talents of our students, and also come at the hands of the vigilant skillfulness and care of our faculty. To be sure, Payton's faculty is a stellar collection of talent. Like our students, our faculty are intrigued and intriguing people who are selflessly passionate about the emergence of other people's children and talented with the art and science of educating tremendously bright students. A sampling:

 

Kate Johnston, our Choir Director, has been working on a research project with a team of professors from Northwestern University for the past few years and will have their findings about the connectedness between music, cognition, language development, and reading literacy published in Frontiers in Educational Psychology. Colleen Long, one of our Spanish teachers and co-Global Connections Director, has earned two grants from Donors Choose for the Oaxaca trip.

 

The highest certification available in the education profession is National Board Certification, which is earned after a rigorous application process. Payton already has the largest percentage of National Board Certified teachers in Illinois and, recently, 5 additional members of our faculty earned the certification: Michael Caines (Math Department), Sara Diaz (Counseling), Nik Barge (Science), Walt Kinderman (Science), Angela Hassan (Science).

 

These educators are but a sampling of the collection of experts we have gracing our classrooms.

 

We are so fortunate to have them in our midst and to be elemental parts of the teaching and learning that occur on campus.

 

Go Grizzlies!

 

Tim Devine, Principal
Payton Community News
 
PARTICIPATE: 

Jan. 8: Payton Community Meeting, 6:15PM. Find out what's happening around Payton from Principal Tim Devine. Fundraising Team will meet afterward.

Feb. 21: Parents' Night Out, 6:30PM Join other Payton parents and guardians for an informal potluck. At the Stanley family's home, 2000 S. Michigan Ave., Apt. 307.

 

VOLUNTEER:

Feb. 21: Parents' Night Out. Come early to help set up, or stay a few minutes late to clean up!

Mar. 4: Sweetness Day. Sign up to chaperone a group of Payton students on this service day. Some sites require additional adults, so let us know if you can help out.

Now until Apr 5: Gala Planning! We would welcome your help with a number of jobs, big and small, including some on the day of the Sweet Soiree Gala.

 

To let us know how you will help, click here to contact us.

 

DONATE:

We did it! We made the challenge and FOP raised a record amount during the Annual Appeal -- we're still putting the last few checks in the bank but raised over $125,000. Thanks to everyone for your support.

Student Council Icon STUDENT GOVERNMENT UDATE
Student Government
Is In Session

Reported with the help of Eleanor Musick (SR), VP of Student Government

 

Payton's Student Government officers have been hard at work. During "Lock-In", the annual school sleepover with SG officers, several exciting new ideas for the school were developed.

 

First, Student Government is looking into sponsoring a school in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Ideally, there will be a student government contact in the recipient school. Student representatives are researching high schools in urban areas and hope to contact potential recipients via Skype in the near future. We're hoping to donate not only funding to this school, but also to donate spare educational resources Payton is not using. With the help of the Payton administration, we've tentatively agreed to donate many of the extra textbooks to the recipient school. If we're not able to contact a school in the Philippines, these resources will be donated to a school right here in Chicago.

 

Student Government helped to suggest the "No-Homework Policy" over Thanksgiving and winter breaks. It continues to meet monthly with the school administration to present suggestions from the student body on the future layout and classroom design of the Payton Annex.

 

Student representatives are looking forward to an exciting second semester!

Icon CLUBS AND ENRICHMENT
Payton Students
Launch Political Club


Anna Christensen (SR) and Rebecca Stover (SR) started Payton's new  Alternative Political Group (APG) with teacher Mr. Michael Baldwin (Social Studies) as the faculty advisor. APG is a club that meets during enrichment on Tuesdays every other week. APG holds discussions about political opinions and groups that are underrepresented in the mainstream media. 

 

According to Ms. Stover, "We work to inform the school that there are more than just Democrats and Republicans as political options and that when voting you should never have to choose between the lesser of two evils." She also notes, "We publish a zine with political writings and cartoons contributed by club members and distribute it throughout the school. We also bring in guest speakers to talk to the club, including Bill Ayers, the former leader of the Weather Underground, who talked to the club about thinking for yourself and the value of education and voting. From him we took our motto "do calisthenics in anarchy everyday." Ayers came to speak to the club last spring. 

 

The group is interested in how the political system has been built and whether different systems are better or worse. For example is democracy working? What are the benefits and drawbacks of other political systems? When they talk about events, they often talk about topics that don't make the headlines, whether it's talking about Camp Douglas during the American Civil War or current drone strikes and their impact on civilians. APG tries to inform the school about such subjects because they believe that only by being informed can we make the best decisions.
auctionFOP
Fundraising News 

The Sweet Soiree is Sat. Apr. 5 at the Montgomery Club by Gibsons! Come and celebrate the sweetness of Payton and help support our outstanding teachers, students, and programs. Send an email to Candise Cho if you can help. Volunteer opportunities include:

 

Solicit Auction Items. Help find items to sell in the various auction categories including Entertainment; Sporting Events & Memorabilia; Dining & Gourmet; Classes & Memberships; Home & Family; Health & Fitness; Fashion & Beauty; Faculty & Students. Solicitation forms are available on the Gala page of the school website (or click here).
 
Sell or Buy Gala Program Ads. Sell ads to businesses, parents and guardians or place your own business or personal ad with a special family message in the Gala Program Book that will be viewed by over 400 people. Ad solicitation forms on the Gala page (or click here).

 

Sell Sponsorships. Sponsors' logos will be prominently placed on the On-Line Auction website which may be accessed by thousands of people and in the Gala Program Book. Help reach out to the business community to get sponsors! Sponsorship solicitation forms are on the Gala page (or click here).

 

Participate in the On-Line Auction. The On-Line Auction kicks off the Gala fundraising on Mar.14 and closes on Mar. 28. Please be an active and generous bidder and help spread the word!

 

Event Staffing. Volunteer to help with decorations, set-up, check-in, check-out, raffle tickets, Paddle Raise and more! Please consider working a short shift on the night of the Gala to help keep things running smoothly. Send a note to  Candise Cho if you can help.

 

Next Meeting. Please come! The next fundraising meeting is on Wed. Jan. 8 at 7PM, immediately following the Payton Community Meeting. We hope to see you there!  

_____________

A Quick Word from Our Sponsor....

All parents and guardians of current Payton students are members of Friends of Payton.  Over 20% participate, volunteer, or donate money during the year, providing essential support to our students and teachers.  In addition, seven people are elected to serve on the FOP Board (current members are listed in the left column of the newsletter). Please consider getting involved -- we list upcoming ways to participate/ volunteer/ donate in the newsletter every month and we'll be soliciting Board nominees this spring.  Contact with ideas and questions at FriendsofPayton@gmail.com. We'd love to have you join us at the Payton Community Meeting every month (Wed. Jan. 8 is the next meeting).

PAYTON PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
Winter Parents
Night Out 

  

 

 

Come in from the cold and join other Payton parents and guardians (no children please) for the Winter Parents Night Out. The informal potluck is being hosted at the Stanley family's home, 2000 S. Michigan Ave. Apartment 307 at 6:30PM, Friday Feb 21.

 

If you are interested in helping with set up or clean up, please contact Marcia May. 

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
International Travel and
Education 

 

 

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State is now accepting applications. Payton students have participated in this program before, so please consider taking advantage of this opportunity!  The YES Abroad program is an innovative high school student exchange program between U.S. residents and people from countries with significant Muslim populations. Sixty-five full scholarships are available to U.S. high school students to live with host families and study for one academic year in countries that may include: Bosnia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, or Turkey.

 

Visit the YES Abroad website  to learn more about the program. The application deadline for 2014-15 participants is Thur. Jan. 9.

NEXT MEETING ON JANUARY 13
Local School Council (LSC)
Report
 

At the LSC meeting on Dec. 9. Principal Devine  reported the following:

 

-Three seniors won Questbridge Scholarships (4-year full scholarships).They will use the scholarships to attend their chosen colleges: Yale, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and Columbia University.

-For the last two years, WPCP has had the greatest number of National Board Certified teachers in CPS.This year, five additional teachers have received their Board Certifications: Sara Diaz (Counseling), Michael Caines (Math), Nikolaus Barge (Science), Walter Kinderman (Science), and Angela Hassan (Science).

-The Payton Athletics Booster Association has begun its work. The goal of the parent organization is to take some of the organizational burdens off of the coaches' shoulders. The kick-off meeting was on December 10th, 2013.

-Oscar Gonzales has joined the Special Education staff. Oscar is a Payton alumnus (Class of 2004).

-Lulu Martinez, Payton Class of 2008, was just named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine for her efforts in immigration policy.

-This spring will be an LSC Election Year. LSC Relations has set the election date for Apr. 8.

-The policies for the new 4-year Phys. Ed. requirement continue to be the subject of discussion between CPS and district principals. Thus far, one adjustment has been announced: students who compete in one Illinois High School Association (IHSA) approved interscholastic sport will be exempt from the requirement. More details will be available in the coming months.

-During the January LSC Meeting Principal Devine will present the School Expansion Plan.

 

Please join us at the next LSC meeting on Jan.13 at 6:00PM in the Library.