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friends of payton monthly community meeting
12/01
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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. The meetings start at 6:15PM. They are generally held on the first Tuesday of every month, but always check the monthly calendar (at right) in case the schedule has changed. At press time, this year's meeting schedule is as follows: 9/9, 10/6, 11/3, 12/1, 1/5, 2/2, 3/1, 4/5, 5/3, 6/7
All meetings are held in the Library.
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fop fundraising is
a year-round effort
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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.
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lsc meetings are
open, next is 12/09
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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: 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.
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two more ways 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.
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.
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check grades & attendance online
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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
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when your student is sick or absent for another reason
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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. |
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gallery 34: payton in pictures
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Find great photos of Payton happenings at Gallery 34. It is continually updated.
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payton alumni
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Please go to
www.wpcp.org/alumni for current news on Payton Alumni Association activities.
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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 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 25th of the preceding month. Send them to: fopnewseditor@gmail.com
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the pptw
newsletter team
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Marla Gross
President, Friends of Payton
Marcia Matalon May
VP, FOP Communications
Deb Hass
Associate Editor
Susan McColgan
Associate Editor
Carter Smith
Sports Editor
Megan Cusick
Barb McHugh
Susan Pearsall
Erin Schertler
Marion Shuck
Jill Wohl
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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 that includes all of the parents and guardians of current Payton students. We 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
Marla Gross
Executive Vice President
Andrea Mularczyk
VP, Communications
Marcia Matalon May
VPs, Fundraising
Moira Saliba
Kathy Schutz
Treasurer
Tracey Lowenthal
Assistant Treasurer
Linda Clark
Secretary
Lynn Brahin
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walter payton college prep high school
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1034 North Wells Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
773-534-0034
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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.
12/01 Friends of Payton Community Meeting, 6:15-7PM, Library
12/02 Seminar Day
12/04 Winter Instrumental Concert, 7-10PM, Recital Hall
12/09 Beginning Choirs Winter Concert, 7-9PM, Recital Hall
12/09 Local School Council Meeting, 6-8PM, Literacy Center
12/11 Advanced Choirs Winter Concert, TBD, Recital Hall
12/14 Junior Parent College Night, 6:30-8PM, Recital Hall
12/15 Payton Booster Association Meeting, 6-7PM, Library
12/16 Winter Dance Concert, TBD, Recital Hall
12/17 Talent Show, 5-8PM, Recital Hall
12/18 Seminar Day
12/21-1/03 No School, Winter Break JANUARY
1/05 Friends of Payton Community Meeting, 6:15-7PM, Library
1/13 Seminar Day
1/13 Local School Counsel Meeting, 6-8PM, Library
1/18 No School, Martin Luther King Day
1/21 Sophomore Parent College Night, 6:30-8PM, Recital Hall
1/25 Payton Booster Association Meeting, 6-7PM, Library
*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
A Season of Gratitude
Dear Parents and Guardians,
This is a time of year when we celebrate Thanksgiving...a time of family and friends, a time of reflection and rejuvenation, and a time to give thanks for the bounty of our lives. As I reflect on the world that is Payton, there is so much for which to be thankful. Payton is a place where intrigued and intriguing students, expert faculty, and supportive parents abound. We are so fortunate to have such a collection of people. The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote: 'I'm so glad that you are here, it helps me to realize how beautiful the world is.' These lines remind me of all of you, our Payton parents.
I know I speak for our faculty when I say that it is an honor and a privilege to serve your children. They remind us time and time again of how beautiful the world actually is: a world of dreaming and hoping youth, and a world of kind and committed adults. As I take people on tours of the school, they marvel at the beautiful building. I always remind them that a school is more than a building; it is people - dedicated, expert, and passionate faculty working with energetic, enthusiastic, and intelligent students, and families committed to the healthy formation of these students' minds, hearts, and bodies. Each and every one of you makes this a very special place not only for the students but for each other and for me. As I celebrated Thanksgiving, I counted you all among my blessings. I hope that you count the community of Payton and its members among your blessings, too. I am so glad that you are here. Simply...thank you,
Tim Devine, Principal
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 Payton Community News
PARTICIPATE
Dec. 1: Friends of Payton Community Meeting with Principal Tim Devine, 6:15-7PM in the Library.
Dec. 4, 9, 11: Enjoy one of the seasonal school music concerts this month.
Dec. 16: Spirit Wear Holiday Sale. More information coming soon.
Mar. 4: Sweetness Day!
Apr. 8: Save the Date for the spring Gala.
VOLUNTEER
Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped with Open House and Report Card Pick Up in Nov. These events would not be successful without your help. Volunteers will again be needed for a variety of events in the New Year and we welcome participation from everyone. If you are looking for a way to volunteer some time, please click here, or come out and help with one of these events: Dec. 10: Spring Gala planning meeting 7PM, location to be determined. Please email Kathryn Schutz if you can help with this event. Dec. 16: Spirit Wear Holiday Sale - email Lynn Brahin to volunteer. Feb./Mar.: We are looking for someone to host the winter Parents Night Out. You provide the venue/house, we do all the work!
Feb./Mar.: Sweetness Day is coming. Help identify potential service venues or volunteer to be a chaperone with one of our service crews.
DONATE
Annual Appeal: The Annual Appeal is ongoing. Please consider contributing to support the current needs of Payton students and teachers and fund programs and services lost to CPS budget cuts. Click here to donate now!
Teacher Wishlist: Thank you to everyone who contributed during Report Card Pick-up. Items are still needed, click here for more information.
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 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Payton Coat Drive:
Winter Wear Needed!
Help Students Help Homeless Families Keep Warm: Senior students in Mr. Manacho's Global Issues class are collecting scarves and other winter items for homeless families. Please go through your closets and pull the ones you no longer wear. Do you knit, crochet or work with fleece? Create a scarf for a person in need! Drop off these items in the collection box by the Payton office. For more information, contact Arielle Haase at ashaase@cps.edu.
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 SEMINARS AND ENRICHMENTS
The Freedom to Struggle
Dr. Erica Bauer, Director of Student Engagement
In a recent seminar, students engaged in a lively discussion about the misconceptions people have of Payton students and the pressure that is experienced as a result. In a nutshell, they felt that people expected perfection. Being fairly new to Payton, I have heard similar comments about our kids - they have it all together, they do not need support, they do not struggle to learn. These statements scare me because when people feel like they do not have the freedom to make mistakes, they feel like they do not have the freedom to ask for help.
At Payton, we strive to make it easier to ask for help. This past week, a needs- assessment was disseminated to the student body so students could indicate if they needed food, warm clothing, stable shelter, or had any other needs. This is just one example of the ways in which we communicate that we are here to support each student. Ms. Mowery's recent DonorsChoose funded project is another example.
We expect all 888 of our students to struggle at some point during high school because they are human. We want Payton to be a safe place for students to practice asking for and receiving help. We hope that our students leave Payton knowing that they will be stepping into a world full of struggling people and that it is okay if they are the first to admit it.
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FOP Fundraising News
Annual Appeal: The Annual Appeal is in full swing. If you have not donated to the appeal, please think about doing so. All donations, in any amount, are very much needed and appreciated.
As families review their year-end charitable giving, we hope they will think about making a donation towards their children's (or grandchildren's) education. And for those family members who have employer matching programs at their place of work, please consider making a donation to Payton and letting your employer do the same. Click here to donate now and help insure Payton students continued access to academic excellence. Save the date! Payton's Spring Social (a/k/a Gala) will be held on Fri. Apr. 8, from 6:30-10:30PM. We need volunteers! Please come to the first meeting on Thurs. Dec. 10 at 7PM. Join us for a glass of wine and help plan this fun event. Contact Kathryn Schutz for details.
Spirit Wear: Thanks to all who helped make the Open House and Report Card pick-up Spirit Wear sales a success. In less than one week a new sales record was set as buyers purchased over $6,000 in clothing and accessories. Thank you families, faculty, staff and students for supporting Payton diverse learners and student needs. Spirit Wear will again be on sale before Payton music concerts on Wed. Dec. 9 and Fri. Dec. 11, and at the Dec. 16 Holiday Sale. And remember that every Fri. from 10AM-1PM Payton's diverse learners operate the school store. Cash and checks welcome, credit cards are accepted during evening sales only. New items will begin arriving in Dec., giving you the opportunity to get holiday shopping done and support Payton students. Items priced for all budgets. If you want a fleece jacket personalized and shipped, or would like to volunteer with Spirit Wear sales, please email Lynn Brahin.
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 FOLLOW YOUR GRIZZLY TEAMS
Booster Club Updates on Twitter: Follow the Grizzlies!
For all the latest on Payton's sports and non-sports teams, please follow @PaytonBoosters today. For any team update, please e-mail Carter Smith to get the word out. Pictures encouraged!
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 PAYTON TEAMS AND ATHLETICS
Grizzly Update:
Fall Teams Finish, Winter Competitions Begin
Chess: The Payton Chess Team is off to a great season start! An 8-board varsity team and an 8-board junior varsity team participated in the first tournament of the year at Evanston Township High School on Nov. 7. Congratulations to Board 1 varsity player Asher Borstein (JR), Board 2 varsity player Alex Ding (soph) and Board 2 junior varsity player Tiffany Siu (JR) on their 3-1 tournament records. Special kudos to Eli Bresler (soph), Taylor Kass (soph), Gloria Kevliciute (JR), Julia Minkevitch (JR) and Anthony Roitman (JR) on competing in their first scholastic tournament!
Debate: At the second Chicago Debate League (CDL) tournament, Lenny Brahin (SR) and Luisa Cusick (SR) won the varsity division and secured the top speaker slots. Varsity debaters Micah Weese (soph) and Hyun Sik Yang (soph) cleared to semifinals and won 9th and 11th speaker, respectively. Mitch Pearsall (JR) and Alex Sherman (JR) cleared to quarters, with Sherman winning 8th speaker. Laura Pickert (soph) won 14th speaker.
With another strong showing at the CDL tournament, Payton's novice teams won four speaker awards -- freshmen placed as follows: Chloe Williams: 9th;
Mason Wicklander: 10th; Nina Li: 11th; and Kate Wehrenberg: 19th. TJ Boland and Williams advanced to quarters; Wicklander and Li also advanced to quarters.
Girls Cross Country: The varsity team finished with a strong kick, winning the rainy Chicago University Sectional to qualify for the IHSA state tournament in Peoria. Top ten finishers at Sectionals included 3rd place Molly Crotteau (JR), 7th place Alana Chandler (soph) and 10th place Claire Goldman (JR). At the 2A State Championships, Payton placed 17th out of 25 teams - Chandler led the way, finishing 35th out of 207 competitors.
Football: The Grizzlies closed out a good season with an IHSA 5A playoff loss, battling hard to go down 41-20 on a chilly Fri. night in early November. Payton finished a strong 7-3 campaign under first year Head Coach George Klupchak. The team earned the ninth seed in the 5A playoff bracket. The year was highlighted by an undefeated conference record and another conference championship.
In post-season news, Seniors Mike Kalanik (LB/RB) and Irie Evans (OL/DL) were honored with Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Public League Coaches All City Team recognition. In addition, Kalanik and Evans were joined by teammates Joe Droegemueller (SR, OL/DL), Alex LeFauve (SR, OL/DL) and Miles Davis (JR, WR/RB/DB) on the All-Conference team. We wish the seniors all the best in their future endeavors, on and off the field!
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 FINE ARTS
Music News and
Upcoming Events
Fifteen Payton singers qualified for the Illinois Music Educators Association Regional Choir. They rehearsed all day and presented a concert with other selected outstanding regional singers at Elmhurst College in mid-Nov. Congratulations!
Concert Choir and families continue to move forward on efforts to raise funds for their upcoming tour to Argentina in Apr. of 2016. Please send along this link for the choir's trip website to anyone you think might be interested in a getting that last minute tax deduction for 2015!
Sounds of Sweetness (SoS) participated in the Chicago a Capella Youth Festival last month. They had wonderful workshops all day and presented two numbers in the final concert in addition to the all-group festival numbers.
Payton Jazz Orchestra performed at the Museum of Science and Industry for its Christmas Around the World dinner for the volunteers who set up the Christmas tree display. This has become an annual event for the band, which is making its 10th appearance at the event.
Winter Concerts this Month! All concerts start at 7PM. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.
Fri. Dec. 4: Winter Concert (Chamber Strings, Concert Band, and Jazz Orchestra)
Wed. Dec. 9: Beginner Choirs, SoS and PoP Winter Concert
Fri. Dec. 11: Advanced Choirs, SoS and PoP Winter Concert
Feb. 4,5,6: Broadway Gems
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 NEXT MEETING DEC. 9Local School Council (LSC) Budget News & Updates
At the LSC meeting on Nov. 18 Principal Devine gave the following updates:
Budget: As previously reported, the current CPS budget was predicated on
Springfield plugging the $480 million shortfall in CPS funding. If the state legislature did not act by mid-Nov., a second round of budget cuts would be implemented at the start of the spring semester. The legislature did not act and the next round of cuts is imminent. Mr. Devine met with CPS head Forrest Claypool, who estimated the cuts will require layoffs of 5,000 teachers across CPS. This translates to Payton losing 12 teachers.
There will be much work over the next month as the LSC reviews the revised CPS budget and the administration faces decisions on cuts to
programs/curriculum to take effect in the upcoming spring semester. The revised budget is to be released in early December. Cuts will be decided once the revised budget is delivered. The process will be very complex. It is uncertain whether CPS graduation requirements (24 credits) or CPS college prep graduation requirements (28 credits) will be used to determine which classes are cut. All schedules (students' and teachers') will need to be changed individually and manually once cuts are identified. Mr. Devine will determine which classes will be cut, the LSC then allocates the budget, and the CPS Talent Office identifies teachers being released based upon teacher ratings, seniority (tenure), and certifications/endorsements.
Mr. Devine has asked that representatives from the LSC, FOP, and PIE meet weekly through this process and all work together to close the current budget gap so as to minimize the cuts during this school year. Among the many major concerns is the disruption to current students' academic progress and the negative impact cuts could have on college admission/scholarship prospects as classes are eliminated from the Payton curriculum.
-Construction on the new building is moving along. The exterior brick is almost complete. Mr. Devine is pushing contractors to create additional usable space above a new gym storage area.
-Beckman Field: Payton now owns the baseball field adjacent to the south side of the school as CPS finally purchased the parcel from Moody. The new parking lot project can now move forward. -Diverse Learners: Payton lost two positions during summer budget cuts, despite the number of incoming diverse learners who enrolled in Payton this fall - which should have resulted in an increase of one position. As of the meeting, three positions have been restored and the administration is hiring for them now. -Ms. Angela Hassan (Science) organized a Climate Change Symposium with students. The symposium brought in keynote speakers and breakout sessions were held, addressing how environmental issues affect students in urban settings. FOP: President Marla Gross reported on FOP's continuing fundraising push, which began over the summer, to secure donations in order to limit damage to Payton's curriculum as a result of the CPS budget crisis. In past weeks, FOP has raised awareness through letter writing, public rallies, and co-ordination with "Friends Of" organizations at other high schools. FOP has also worked to support the independent efforts of CPS students who have spoken out against the anticipated cuts.
The next LSC meeting is on Dec. 9 at 6PM in the Payton Library. All meetings are open to the public. Please join us!
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 FRIENDS OF PAYTON COMMUNITY EVENTS
Winter Parents Night Out:
Host Needed!
The winter Parents Night Out will be held in Feb., date TBD. We are looking for a family to host the evening. If you are interested in hosting the winter pot luck dinner at your home, please email Carol Cubia-Siebert. It's easy and fun, FOP brings supplies and helpers - you just provide your home.
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Payton Initiative for Education (PIE) is a non-profit organization designed to build and manage an endowment to ensure the legacy of academic excellence at Payton. Officers were elected for the 2015-16 term: Kathy Tallering, President; Wilson Hogan, Treasurer; and Susan Pearsall, Secretary. PIE is looking for committee volunteers and new board members. It rescheduled its monthly meetings to 7:15PM, following the FOP Community Meeting. If you would like to attend as a guest and/or are interested in joining, please contact Susan Pearsall. Click here to see its temporary website for more information.
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Grizzly Gallery
Open House: Science Ambassadors
Girls Cross Country
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