| friends of payton monthly community meeting 1/09 |
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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 6PM. 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: 9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6, 1/9, 2/7, 3/7, 4/4, 5/2, 6/6
All meetings are held in the Library. |
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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 1/10
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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, 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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continuing
Grizzly support for Jonathan Annicks
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Last spring, Jonathan Annicks ('16) stepped out from his home to get his phone charger from the family car. Without reason, warning, or provocation, he was shot by an unknown man and is now paralyzed from the chest down. Jonathan is known to his friends and fellow Grizzlies as an adventurous, physically active guy who loves the Blackhawks (he coached youth hockey), and loves school - he is now attending DePaul University.
The Payton community has joined the effort to insure he has what he needs to face this challenge by contributing to an online crowd-sourced medical fund, the goal of which is to secure continuing medical care, physiotherapy, rehabilitative therapy, medical equipment, and other necessities to Jonathan's recovery. Please consider participating in the effort by visiting
Friends of Jonathan Annicks to make a donation.
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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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PAW PRINT
all the payton news
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| Get all of the "Sweetest News in the City" from Paw Print, Payton's student newspaper. |
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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. |
| 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 25th of the preceding month. Send them to: fopnewseditor@gmail.com |
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the pptw
newsletter team
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Jeanne Lamar
Editor
Andrea Mularczyk
President, Friends of Payton
Tein Atkerson
VP, FOP Communications
Deb Hass
Associate Editor
Susan McColgan
Associate Editor
Laura Anderson
Sports Editor
Barb McHugh
Susan Pearsall
Erin Schertler
Jill Wohl
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newsletter
brought to you by friends of payton |
| 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
Andrea Mularczyk
Executive Vice President
Beth Beyer
VP, Communications
Tein Atkerson
VP, Fundraising
Moira Saliba
Treasurer
Tracey Lowenthal
Assistant Treasurer
Linda Clark
Secretary
Trudy Cools
Carol Cubia-Siebert
Chair, Gala
Chris McGowan
Chair, Annual Appeal
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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.
JANUARY
1/09
FOP Parent & Guardian Meeting, 6-7PM, Library
1/10 Local School Council Meeting, 6-8PM, Library
1/16 No School, Martin Luther King Day
1/18 Seminar Day
1/19 Sophomore Parent Night, 6:30-8PM, TBA
1/23 Booster Association Meeting, 6-7PM, Library
1/27 Eight Period Day
1/30-2/1 Finals
2/01 Finals
2/02 Seminar Day
2/03
No School, School Improvement Day
2/07
FOP Parent & Guardian Meeting, 6-7PM, Library
2/10 Winter Formal, 6-10PM, Atrium
2/14
Local School Council Meeting, 6-8PM, Library
2/15 Seminar Day
2/20
No School, Presidents Day
2/22 International Travel Expo, 9AM-1PM
2/27 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
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The Masai of present-day Kenya and Tanzania greet each other with the question: 'Kasserian ingera?' It means, 'How are the children?'
This greeting recognizes the primacy that the Masai place on their children's well-being. Even persons with no children of their own always give the traditional answer: 'All the children are well.' Meaning, of course, that peace and safety prevail; that the priorities of protecting the young, the powerless, are in place; that Masai society has not forgotten its reason for being, its proper functions and responsibilities. 'All the children are well,' means that life is good. It means that in the cacophony of life, no adult is precluded from the proper caring of the community's young.
Here, at Payton, we dare to answer that question daily: 'How are the children? How are our wonderful students?' Honestly, the answers to that question vary, depending on many factors at play in an individual student's life. The wellness of any one of our Payton students can fluctuate multiple times in a day or week. At the same time, we can honestly say to every student, every single student, that they are indeed well in an important dimension of life. They are well because our students are in a community here at Payton that loves them. Our love for our students is omnipresent and unconditional. We love our kids when times are good; when we rejoice with them, congratulate them, and share in their joys. We love them when there are bumps in the road...and there are bumps in everyone's life journeys. The 100 adults on our campus...classroom teachers, counselors, special education faculty, clerks, security officers, lunchroom staff, engineers, custodians, and administrators...all care for and are interested in our students' well-being. Yes. We will hold our students to high standards of academic growth and propriety, but we will, daily, challenge and support them as they continue their evolutions of self.
So, as our kids dance on this third rock from the sun, as they grow in their homes here at Payton and elsewhere, and as they navigate the contours of life and our world...our dynamic, sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly world...we will continue to help them to find a path, find a way. Our faculty, every day, in each learning environment we have at Payton-Advisory, academic classes, enrichments, and seminars-ask students to develop important habits...to access, analyze, interpret, and evaluate arguments; act with integrity; face our fears; strive for social justice; appreciate differences in perspective, privilege, background, culture and circumstance, and; to serve others. By doing these things on a daily basis...over and over again...over time, students become inquisitive, creative, and skeptical problem solvers; engaged representative of their communities; appropriately disruptive of the status quo, and; more empathetic humans. By developing these habits, we are cultivating important values...4 values...values that are the bedrock of the Payton experience...values from which we never waver...the values of courage, compassion, character, and curiosity.
We continue to find positive answers to the question: kasserian ingera?
Go Grizzlies!
Tim Devine, Principal
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Payton Community News
PARTICIPATE
Jan.9:
FOP Parent &Guardian Meeting with Mr. Devine, 6-7PM, Library (
Monday!
)
Mar. 3:
Sweetness Day
Mar. 31:
Annual Spring Gala - Save the date!
VOLUNTEER
Now thru Mar. 31:
Spring Gala planning, look for an email 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.
Mar 3.:
Sweetness Day. Help identify potential service venues or volunteer to be a chaperone with one of our service crews.
DONATE
Annual Appeal:
We are at 87% of our goal! Please consider contributing to support the current needs of Payton students and teachers and fund programs and services not available without your support.
Click Here
to donate.
Teacher Wish List:
Thank you to everyone who have contributed. Items are
AmazonSmile:
If you are shopping on Amazon, please consider purchasing thru smile.amazon.com and designate Friends of Payton to receive 0.5% of your purchase.
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 CLASS OF 2017
Key Dates for Graduating Seniors and Families
May 8-12: Tickets for Senior Prom go on sale during all lunch periods. Tickets will not be sold after these dates. All senior debts must be paid in advance of buying senior prom tickets.
May 15: Each senior may buy 2 additional graduation tickets for $10 each starting on May 15. See Ms. Michelle Mowery (Counseling) in the Media Center, room 313, during all lunch periods and enrichments. Seniors will receive 5 free tickets; seniors do not need a ticket for themselves.
May 26: Senior Prom at the Drake Hotel, 140 E. Walton Place, 6-11PM. Dinner is served promptly at 7PM. Price to be determined based on fundraising.
Jun. 7: Senior Luncheon will take place after seminars from 12:30-2:30PM with business casual dress; seniors meet at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie St. (no transportation is provided); this is a seniors-only event and is sponsored by FOP.
Jun. 12: Graduation at Navy Pier, Aon Grand Ballroom, 840 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, 5-7PM; students arrive at 3:30PM and guests are seated at 4:30PM. Each senior will receive 5 free tickets and be able to purchase 2 additional tickets for $10 each.
Jun. 13: Diplomas can be picked up and robes must be returned at Payton. All fees must be paid and robes must be returned before students receive a diploma. A late fee will apply for robes returned after the designated time.
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 COUNSELORS CORNER
The Counseling department is looking forward to the new year after a very busy and exciting end to 2016. Another college application season for our seniors is nearing completion and we're excited for students that received great news recently regarding their early applications. We also very much enjoyed getting to know our freshmen in individual meetings throughout November and December.
As the calendar turns to 2017 we look forward to our upcoming conversations with juniors regarding college exploration. We held a very well attended Junior Parent College Planning night on Nov. 28 and we really appreciated everyone coming out for the event. Our next evening event, Sophomore Parent Night, will take place on Thurs. Jan. 19 at 6:30PM. We will continue our discussion from last year around high school and college planning. We hope to see your there! Happy New Year!
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 STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Dr. Erica Bauer, Director of Student Engagement
"Parents just don't understand!"
These timeless words, spoken by philosophers The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff ,still ring true for many youth. This semester, We are Payton has been planning our first annual Parent-Teen Conference.
The mission of the conference is to bring parents and teens together through open dialogue to create a mutual understanding and a better perspective of the modern-day teenage experience. Students have developed a range workshops which you will hear about in the coming months.
The Parent-Teen Conference is open to all parents on Sat., Mar. 4, 2017.
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 FINE ARTS
Music & Art News
From the Band Room: Congratulations to all of the student musicians for their performance at the Instrumental Winter Concert last month.
Concert Band students are starting to prepare for the CPS Band & Orchestra Festival - tentatively scheduled for Sat. Mar. 25 at Mather High School (time t.b.a.)
From the Choir Room: Thanks to all who braved the cold to attend the Winter Choir Concerts. Our efforts to bring recognition to tolerance and diversity were well received. And Sounds of Sweetness continued their tradition of representing Payton at a variety of events around the city.
Congratulations to the 5 students who were accepted into the All State Choirs: All State Honors - seniors
Hannah Sudworth and
Tyler Cochran, All State Chorus -
Matt Sheppard (SR),
Claire Fuschi (JR), and
Lizzy Fraser (soph). Payton will be well represented the last weekend of Jan. as our students take the stage in Peoria for the Illinois Music Educator's Association All State Choirs.
Auditions for the Spring Musical
Cabaret took place and the cast list was posted prior to Winter Break.
Save the dates: Mar. 22-25. Don't miss it!
From the Dance Studio: The winter dance concert, Dance Break 2016, was a huge success. Thank you to all of those who braved the weather to join us.
Dance I & II students will be going to the Alvin Ailey student matinee at the Auditorium Theatre in March. In Feb., students will receive additional information and details on chaperoning.
The Payton Dance Company will be holding auditions at the end of Jan. As we develop our mission and structure, we are looking for dedicated students to become company members and artistic directors.
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FOP Fundraising News
Annual Appeal: Many thanks to the 253 families that have donated or pledged thus far, helping Friends of Payton (FOP) reach 87% of its funding goal. FOP is extending the Annual Appeal with the hope of meeting 100% of the much-needed funds.
Please consider a tax-deductible donation by giving to the Appeal and don't forget to take advantage of any employer matching programs! You can mail a check to "Friends of Payton" at 1034 N. Wells St., Chicago, Illinois, 60610. Or
click here to donate now.
These funds help insure Payton students' continued access to academic excellence and are critical to Payton. All donations, no matter what size, are meaningful.
If you have any questions, please email
Chris McGowan.
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 PAYTON TEAMS AND ATHLETICS
Grizzly Team News
Girls Basketball: The varsity team is having a strong season. They bounced back after an opening night loss to Schurz, and sat with a 13-4 record heading into the break. The girls have 7 games left, including only 3 at home in Jan. as they push toward playoffs.
The JV girls continue to dominate. The young squad, which is getting contributions from five freshmen, is 9-2 and undefeated in conference play, having lost only to Loyola and St. Ignatius. They are hoping to finish strong and enter the playoffs with a 13-0 record in CPS contests.
Boys Basketball: the varsity team is well into its season as we hit the holidays. The boys are taking the long view, with three sophomores and one freshman getting significant minutes. The team's record is 2-7 but they are improving every game and will look to start a streak against Northside over break. After a late Dec. tournament, the team opens the New Year with a home game against Mather. Join the crowd on Jan. 11 at 5PM to see what the excitement is all about.
The JV team has a strong 8-3 record, with only one conference loss despite battling injuries to several players. The team is undefeated since a confidence-boosting win against St. Ignatius over Thanksgiving weekend. With a roster of only seven healthy athletes, they closed out Dec. with a thrilling 44-37 win over Lane Tech at home, and then a big win in a rematch against Schurz in a holiday tournament. They hope to carry their momentum into a busy Jan. slate of games.
Cheer: The team winds up its season with four competition events in Jan., including the CPS regional competition. Please wish them good luck!
Payton Booster Association: Payton Booster Association is a 501©3 organization with a mission to support Payton's interscholastic teams via fundraising, awareness, and school spirit. Please come join the fun at the next Booster Club meeting, Mon., Jan. 23 at 6PM in the Library. Follow us on Twitter @PaytonBoosters for all the team updates!
Photos below in the Grizzly Gallery.
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 GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
International Travel News and Opportunities
Payton receives $102,790 in Global Navigator Scholarships for Summer Study Abroad with CIEE: Congratulations to the Payton students who were accepted and earned scholarships. A total of 32 Payton globetrotters earned $102,790, a $25,000 increase over last year's scholarship awards. Wow! Students have until Mon. Jan. 9 to confirm.
Congratulations to Our Payton WorldChicago Youth Diplomats: Seniors
Karla De Jesus and
Malaika Shuck and juniors
Eli Bresler, Yu-Jing Chen, Nicole Culver, Isaac Gershberg, Ananya Gupta, and
Ferran Yagcier-Rodriquez will participate an 8-month experiential learning program that will explore global issues in-depth, build leadership and cross-cultural communication skills. It will also introduce them to college and career options in international affairs and diplomacy. These students will also serve as peer ambassadors to WorldChicago's international youth exchange students from Africa, the Middle East, Cuba, and the UK.
International Travel Expo on Wed. Feb. 22: Information on Payton's international trips and exchanges for the 2017-2018 school year will be presented at our International Travel Expo, which takes place in the Atrium during all lunch periods. Trip descriptions, requirements, and applications will be available at the Expo. Learn more about the immersive education abroad adventures our Payton faculty have crafted for students!
Experiment in International Living Leadership Institute Scholarships:
Full and partial scholarships are available for students interested in the Experiment in International Living Leadership Institute. The Experiment in International Living is recruiting four outstanding, engaged and committed young men of color from Chicago who will receive fully-funded scholarships to participate in the Leadership Institute this summer, 2017. There will be zero cost to recipients of the scholarship. Don't miss out on this great opportunity. Contact Ms. Kathleen Gallegos (World Language) to learn how you can apply for a program in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
The Leadership Institute is a 6-week experiential, international leadership program open to all. It begins with 5 days of intensive leadership and cross cultural training in Washington, DC, followed by 28 days in either India or South Africa - studying Global Health and Human Rights, respectively - concluding with a 4-day synthesis and project planning workshop at the SIT Graduate Institute in Brattleboro, VT. In the year following their program, students will plan and implement community-based projects with guidance from experienced mentors. Applicants must be rising seniors in the summer of 2017 (with a high school graduation year of 2018) and must demonstrate excellence in academics or community engagement.
Apply online
by Wed. Jan. 18 at 5PM EST.
WorldChicago Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program: The program is for high school students and provides four weeks of a fully-funded exchange program to talented Iraqi and U.S. students who demonstrate leadership and civic engagement in their communities. During the program, the 10 U.S. high school students, 36 Iraqi high school students, and four Iraqi adult mentors will engage in experiential learning activities and workshops that will further guide their knowledge of civic engagement and intercultural communication across the different program components in Vermont, a host city in the U.S., and Washington, D.C. There is no cost to apply or participate in the program. The U.S. Department of State will fully fund students' academic study, travel, housing, and will provide a modest living allowance. Click here
to apply. Deadline: Sun. Jan. 15.
Felicidades to the following students for their excellent showing at the 2016 Chicago Area Spanish Speech and Poetry Contest:
1st Place:
Hannah Forrider (JR) - Level 4,
Kathryn Moran (SR) - Level 5 (original poem)
2nd Place:
Olivia Klein (JR) - Level 4,
Yujing Chen (JR) - Level 4
(photos in Grizzly Gallery below)
La Nuit du Français: Payton's second annual French Night (La Nuit du Français), a celebration of the French language and Francophone culture, was a great success! Students sang French songs, learned a French folk dance, played French games, and ate French food. On s'est bien amusé (we had a great time)!
In March, Payton French students will have the unique opportunity to participate in a weekend French immersion program. Held at an environmental learning center in the Indiana Dunes, L'Aventure Française offers students the opportunity to have fun and speak French outside of the classroom. Additional details, the application, and an information session will be shared with students in Jan.
Stay connected! Discover the latest opportunities by visiting
Payton Global Connections for due dates and guidelines. Reference our Travel Tracker for an overview of programs. Students will need to budget time to fill out applications, secure teacher recommendations, and other paperwork. Always check the program websites for the most up-to-date information.
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 STUDENT GOVERNMENT UPDATE
Talent Show Winners
Reported with the help of Hanna Mularczyk (SR), VP of Student Government
Student Government celebrated the holiday season by planning the special days for winter Spirit Week: pajama day, holla-day, ugly sweater day, winter wonderland, and flannel Friday!
Also, our holiday talent show was a huge success, as many came to watch their peers in musical and comedy acts. Congratulations to the winners: Dre Davidson, Kinia Kinsey, Shannon Liang, and Rodolfo Castro!
Stay tuned for 2017 plans and events, including a winter pep rally and the annual Dance-a-thon.
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Grizzly Gallery
Chicago Area Spanish Speech and Poetry Contest Winners
La Nuit du Francais
Sophs Gabe Wallon and Zach Anderson in a win over Lane Tech.
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