Good evening, folks.

A reminder that Fall Field Day is this Thursday. Temps will be in the 50s and skies will be clear until the evening. Dress your kids in Payne gear or their class colors.

***

PAYNE SHIRTS: LAST CALL

The PTSA’s t-shirt sale is ending Friday. Visit this page on Custom Ink. We need to sell 11 more items and we make our goal of 50.

***

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ANNOUNCED.

The first day for the 2020-2021 school year will be Aug. 31.

***

SAFETY PATROL, ASSEMBLE!

For the second year, Dr. Crumb has assembled a team of students and deputized them with badges and PT belts. Together they are … SAFETY PATROL. You’ll see this eight-student team of third, fourth and fifth graders at the end of the school day, making sure classes maintain their lines and wait patiently to be picked up. Safety Patrol students also pick up odd jobs around the school, ranging from cafeteria cleanup to handing out programs at events. They do not direct traffic or work outside school grounds.

D’Mari Farmer, a fourth grader, said he feels like a police officer when he dons the badge, but he really wants to be an engineer when he grows up. As a member of Safety Patrol, he knows he has an important mission:

“It’s about saving the community,” D’Mari said. “Helping children be good.”

***

BE A BUDDY, NOT A BULLY. Payne social worker Taiya Gregory took the opportunity last month to discuss bullying with the students and to encourage kindness. Students took the “Anti Bullying Pledge”:

I will not bully others.

I will not leave anyone out.

I will help others being bullied.

If I cannot help a bully, I will tell an adult.

I will stand up for what is right.

The end of bullying begins with me!

I CARE. I CAN HELP. I CAN MAKE A CHANGE.

In this photo, students sign the anti-bullying pledge banner.

Students also participated in a bullying prevention poster contest. One of the top artists produced this fantastically friendly T-Rex. You can see all the posters in the hallway on the way to the cafeteria.

***

LIBRARY NIGHT.

Family and students are invited to visit Payne’s library 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. Read together and select a book to check out and read at home. Follow school librarian Tim Gordon on Twitter: @MrGordonLibrary

**

ELIOT-HINE OPEN HOUSES

Come to one of Eliot-Hine Middle School’s open houses this winter. You will get an overview of the school, hear a panel discussion and get a classroom tour.

• 10:15-11:30 a.m. Nov. 19
• 10:15-11:30 a.m. Dec. 19
• 10:15-11:30 a.m. Jan. 23
• 6-7:15 p.m. Jan. 23
• 10:15-11:30 a.m. Feb. 26
• 6-7:15 p.m. Feb. 26

***

NATS (AND PAYNE) ON PARADE

Tens of thousands of D.C.-area fans gathered Nov. 2 to cheer on the Nationals for their World Series victory. Joining in the excitement was a contingent of Payne students, teachers and staff who got to march in the parade, too, with other D.C. Public Schools. The Payne baseball field will receive up to $25,000 in grant money for field improvements courtesy of Major League Baseball. Payne’s participation in the MLB project led to the parade opportunity.

***

A Note From One of Our Fall Festival Gold Sponsors:

Lisa & Leroy is a full service interior design firm offering design, renovation and interior decorating services. Creating stylish interiors through whimsy color pops, curated collections & non-stuff sophistication, our goal is to give you the home of your dreams. View our portfolio and get in touch at lisaandleroy.com

***

IMPORTANT DATES

Nov. 7: Field Day

Nov. 11: Veterans’ Day (no school)

Nov. 13: Library Night, 4-5 p.m.

Nov. 14: Middle School Fair 5-6:30 p.m. in the Payne Auditorium with a prize drawing and multiple giveaways.

Nov. 14: Second grade field trip

Nov. 16: East City Bookshop fundraiser; details to come

Nov. 16: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Feeder Fest at Eastern High School

Nov. 18: 9 a.m., open house for prospective families

Nov. 19: PTSA meeting, 6-7 p.m.

Nov. 21: Second grade field trip

Nov. 22: Picture Day

Nov. 26: No after care. Please pick up students no later than 3:20 p.m.

Nov. 27-29: Thanksgiving Break (no school)

Dec. 18: Payne Night at Temple Hills Skate Palace; details to come

Dec. 23-Jan. 3: No school

***

Have you joined the PTSA? Please join us and help support our school and students.

Hello, Payne Community.

Field Day is rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 7, but there is still fun to be had on Halloween at Payne. Wildcats are encouraged to dress as their favorite storybook character, but scary costumes and masks are not allowed. Science teacher Mr. Creef, anticipating the arrival of Payne’s chickens, dressed up a day early as Donald Duck.

The chickens arrived Wednesday and will stay at Payne for several weeks. They are looking healthy and happy.

***

AFTERCARE HALLOWEEN FOR EVERYONE.

The aftercare program will be celebrating Halloween on Thursday with a haunted house, games and activities, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. All Payne students and family members are invited to participate, and students who are not enrolled in aftercare must have a parent present.

***

FALL FESTIVAL WAS A BLAST

Thanks to everyone who attended last weekend’s Fall Festival. The PTSA raised more than $12,000 in sponsorships, donations and day-of sales. It would not have been possible without the support of all of the Payne community (and 23 pots of chili).

A special thanks also to our four Gold Sponsors. We’ll be highlighting each one over the next several newsletters. First up is the Pretzel Bakery.

The Pretzel Bakery serves small batch, hand-rolled, Philadelphia-style soft pretzels fresh-out-of-the-oven all day. Stop by or check out their menu http://thepretzelbakery.com/menu.

***

BASEBALL FIELD IMPROVEMENTS.

The Hill Rag wrote a nice feature about the Capitol Hill Little League and improvements to Payne’s ballfield. Read more here.

***

PAYNE SHIRTS: SALE ENDS SOON

Don’t forget your Payne swag. The sale runs through Nov. 8 via this page on Custom Ink.  As of publication time we need 17 more items to be purchased to reach our goal of 50.

***

IMPORTANT DATES

Nov. 1: Third grade field trip

Nov. 4-5: No school

Nov. 7: Field Day

Nov. 11: Veterans’ Day (no school)

Nov. 13: Library Night, 4-5 p.m.

Nov. 14: Middle School Fair 5-6:30 p.m. in the Payne Auditorium with a prize drawing and multiple giveaways.

Nov. 14: Second grade field trip

Nov. 16: East City Bookshop fundraiser; details to come

Nov. 16: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Feeder Fest at Eastern High School

Nov. 18: 9 a.m., open house for prospective families

Nov. 21: Second grade field trip

Nov. 22: Picture Day

Nov. 26: No after care. Please pick up students no later than 3:20 p.m.

Nov. 27-29: Thanksgiving Break (no school)

Dec. 18: Payne Night at Temple Hills Skate Palace; details to come

***

Have you joined the PTSA? Please join us and help support our school and students.

Hello, Payne Community!

See you at the Fall Festival, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (tomorrow).

And thank you to everyone who has signed up to make this year’s Fall Festival fundraiser a huge success. The PTSA is particularly grateful for our 2019-2020 sponsor partners, including: The Pretzel Bakery, The Jeanne Phil Meg Team at COMPASS Real Estate, Lisa & Leroy, Tripoint Solutions, Solar Solution, Blue Star, DC Access, Maggio Roofing, Moody Graham, Jay Barry Group, Fowler Architects, Capitol Hill Auto Service, Aerica Kennedy with RE/MAX Allegiance, The Little Gym, Dwell Residential, District Vet Hospital, Johnson Law Group, Tiber Realty Group, Heather Schoell, Tom Faison – Real Estate in DC, Premier Financial Alliance, and Chris Cox at First Savings Mortgage.

***

NATIONALS AT PAYNE

The Nationals’ staff (and could it be … some players!) are making a pitstop at Payne today, just hours before Game 3.

Payne’s ballfield, part of the Capitol Hill Little League program, has been selected for a $25,000 grant for upgrades from the Nats and Major League Baseball. The improvements could be for the field, a new mural and/or permanent dugouts. Remaining funds will be used to support other nearby fields.

Today, CHLL volunteers and Nationals staff will be at Payne from 9:30-11 a.m. to celebrate the award and do minor beautification work. Payne students who participated in the league or baseball summer camp also will participate.

***

HELP WITH FIELD DAY.

Physical Education teacher Dr. Crumb is looking for many volunteers to help with Fall Field Day on Thursday, Oct. 31.  The kids will do obstacle courses, hockey, T-ball, potato sack races, horseshoes and more.

***

PAYNE SHIRTS: *NEW SIZES* ON SALE

Thanks to requests from some PK parents, Payne T-shirts now come in smaller sizes. You can buy shirts in 2T-6T, in addition to a range of youth and adult sizes.

The sale runs through Nov. 8 via this page on Custom Ink. From the website, click on the picture of this kid to access 2T-6T options:

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL FAIRS

It’s not too early to be thinking about middle school and high school, and there are two events for your radar.

MIDDLE SCHOOL FAIR. Third, fourth and fifth-grade students and their families are invited to meet with middles schools on Thursday, Nov. 14 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Payne Auditorium. There will also be a prize drawing and multiple giveaways.

EASTERN FEEDER FEST. Learn about high school 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at Eastern High School, 1700 East Capitol St. N.E. All in-boundary, feeder families and community members are invited. There will be refreshments, music, face painting, building tours and elected officials in attendance. RSVP: https://easternfest.eventbrite.com

***

BOX TOPS DEADLINE.

The PTSA will be mailing all of our box tops for Box Tops for Education program on Thursday, Oct. 31, to meet the Nov. 1 fall earning deadline. If you have not done so, please deposit your box tops at Ms. Asante’s desk at the front office.

***

IMPORTANT DATES

Oct. 26: Fall Festival, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on the playground

Oct. 31: Fall Field Day

Nov. 4-5: No school

Nov. 11: No school

Nov. 16: East City Bookshop fundraiser; details to come

Nov. 16: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Eastern High School Feeder Fest

Nov. 19: PTSA meeting, 6-7 p.m.

Nov. 27-29: No school

Dec. 18: Payne Night at Temple Hills Skate Palace; details to come

***

Have you joined the PTSA? Please join us and help support our school and students.