If you hate weeds and love (or even mildly tolerate) yard work, please join Payne’s new science teacher, Mr. Doug Creef, at the school at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. He’s looking for 5-7 volunteers to help clean up the garden space in the front of the school along C Street. Bring yourself and gear: shovels, rakes, a wheel barrel and a weed eater. Beautify the yard, and you’ll also be making room for Payne’s soon-to-arrive chickens.

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SHOP AND SUPPORT PAYNE

While the Fall Festival will be the PTSA’s big fundraiser for the fall, the PTSA has organized simple, small ways to raise funds. Here’s a roundup of ways you can raise money for Payne when you shop:

• Box Tops for Education. Box Tops are worth 10 cents each, but that money can add up quickly. So keep eating that cereal and mac and cheese. The PTSA can earn money in two ways: (1) Cut out Box Tops from eligible products and bring them to the collection box in the front office on Ms. Cox’s desk. (2) Skip the cutting, and scan your receipt through the Box Tops app when you’ve purchased eligible items, and presto, the school will get credited for the Box Tops.

• AmazonSmile: The PTSA will receive a portion of eligible purchases when you shop AmazonSmile by using this URL: smile.amazon.com and selecting “Payne Elementary Schools Parents Teachers Students Association” as your charity.

• Primary.com: The children’s clothing site offers tops and bottoms that work great for Payne uniforms. Use the Payne school link, and 10 percent of the sale will go to the school. This program raises more for Payne than any other.
• Harris Teeter: Link your VIC card to code 8144, either online or in person at the store, and the school will get a portion of eligible purchases.  You must link your VIC card each year to the Payne code, so even if you linked it last year, you’ll need to do it again to ensure the school gets money.
• CertifiKID Gives: CertifiKID offers deals on family-friendly events such as Disney on Ice and haunted houses. CertifiKID will donate $5 to the PTSA with every purchase of $20 or more with the code PAYNE after the code has been used at least 10 times. 

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THANK YOU, OFFICERS.

This week is National Security Officer Appreciation Week, and the PTSA would like to send a big thank you to Payne’s security team: Officer Lisa Simpson and Officer Danielle Goodwine. This is Officer Simpson’s fourth year at Payne and Officer Goodwine’s first.

The PTSA profiled Officer Simpson in October 2018. At the time, she spoke about the importance of her role: “I am the first person anyone sees, so it’s very important my eyes are open along with my ears and that I monitor everything and anything that comes through this door.”

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FEEDER SCHOOL SHOUTOUT.

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IMPORTANT DATES

Sept. 24-26: Scholastic Book Fair, Main Lobby

Sept. 25: Literacy Night, 5 p.m. Games, crafts, writing workshops and more

Sept. 25: Fourth Grade Potluck, 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 2: Walk to School Day, 7:30 a.m., Lincoln Park

Oct. 8: PTSA Meeting, 6-7 p.m.

Oct. 11-14: No school

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

Oct. 31: Fall Field Day

Thanks to all who attended Tuesday’s PTSA meeting. Payne mom Lexi Smith gave an  overview of several big grants that she and a team of parents are applying for. Bottom line up front: If you’d like to join her crew, no experience in grant writing is needed, and your participation could help secure thousands of dollars for students.

Here’s a quick summary of grants being targeted:

Capitol Hill Community Foundation: $2,500 grants (can earn more than one)

• What’s the money used for? Anything school-related, from bus trips to school supplies
• Due: Sept. 30

• What’s the money used for? Field trip transportation
• Due: Oct. 1

Walmart: $250-$5,000

• What’s the money used for? Food or environmental education
• Due: Dec. 31

Chesapeake Bay Trust: Up to $5,000

• What’s the money used for? Environmental education
• Due: Jan. 9

Interested in joining the grant-writing group? Email Lexi Smith.

PTSA President Mark Jordan provided an overview of the PTSA mission at Tuesday’s meeting.

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ILLEGAL U-TURNS AND DOUBLE PARKING

A DC police officer was seen at the intersection of C and 14th streets Thursday morning, checking for illegal U-turns. U-turns near the school have been a concern in the past, especially with heavy pedestrian traffic at drop-off and pickup. The officer said he did pull over one vehicle on Thursday. “No U-Turn” signs were added to intersections near Payne last year.

On Friday, a parking enforcement officer was out front. She was checking to see if drivers were obeying the 15-minute drop-off signs. As 9 a.m. approached, she was planning to ticket any cars still in the school zone. That said, she told the PTSA the biggest problem is with drivers double-parking to drop off students, snarling traffic and creating a danger.

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WALK TO SCHOOL DAY

The Payne community typically shows up in droves for Walk to School Today. Let’s keep the tradition alive Oct. 2. Join teachers, staff, students and parents at Lincoln Park. Teachers should plan to be there by 7:30 a.m. and students and parents by 7:45 a.m., said Dr. Crumb, Payne’s gym teacher, who is coordinating for the school.

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ABSENT OR TARDY?

If your child is out sick or running late, you can notify Payne via a new email address: PayneAttendance@gmail.com. Notes also can be dropped in a brown mailbox in the main office.

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VOLUNTEERS FOR FALL FEST

PTSA Fundraising Chair Kerry DeVooght is looking for help preparing for and hosting the Payne Fall Festival, which will be 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. This is one of the PTSA’s biggest events of the year, and it takes a small army to pull it off. You can help in a wide range of ways, from recruiting sponsors to hauling pumpkins to making chili.

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MUSIC TO YOUR EARS

This Monday, a trio from the National Symphony Orchestra will perform a free concert at Eastern High School. It will start at 7 p.m. at the main entrance of the school, 1700 E. Capitol St. NE. The event will be outside, weather permitting, so bring a blanket or chair. If it rains, they will perform in the auditorium.

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SPOIL THE GRANDPARENTS FOR A CHANGE

Payne was flooded Thursday with grandpas, grandmas, omas, opas, bubbas and papas in celebration of Grandparents Day. Teachers and staff handed out refreshments for the guests of honor, who also got to visit classrooms. In the picture below, school psychologist Kesha Weeks mingles with the special guests.

IMPORTANT DATES

Sept. 14: DCPS Back to School Block Party, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Roosevelt High School, 4301 13th St. N.W.

Sept. 19: Early Childhood Education Potluck, 5:30 p.m.

Sept. 24-26: Scholastic Book Fair

Sept. 25: Literacy Night, 5 p.m.

Sept. 25: Fourth Grade Potluck, 4:30 p.m.,

Oct. 2: Walk to School Day, 7:45 a.m., Lincoln Park

Oct. 8: PTSA Meeting, 6-7 p.m.

Oct. 11-14: No school

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