McCallum High School

Weekend Update #11

Your weekly guide to all things MAC

Principal's Corner

With final exams just two weeks away, starting Tuesday, December 17th, now is the perfect time for students to refocus on their academic goals. As fall break comes to a close, we encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity to develop a study plan for their exams. A little preparation now can make a big difference in finishing the semester with confidence and success!

In addition, we are proud to celebrate Austin ISD's Inclusive Schools Week from December 2-6. This year’s theme, "Every Voice Matters," reinforces the belief that every individual has a unique perspective and contributes to the strength of our school communities. Building inclusive learning environments is key to ensuring all students have equal access to opportunities and resources, regardless of their background or abilities.

By promoting inclusivity, we not only prepare students for success in diverse workplaces and communities, but also foster a sense of belonging and emotional well-being. Inclusive environments help reduce bullying and discrimination, create safer spaces, and encourage greater academic engagement. McCallum High School prides itself on cultivating a school culture where every voice is heard, valued, and respected, ensuring that all of our students thrive.

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A huge thank you to our amazing special education teachers, teaching assistants, diagnosticians, and related service providers! Your unwavering dedication and commitment to our students is nothing short of amazing. You go above and beyond to support each child’s growth and success, making a lasting impact on their lives every single day

This week is Special Education Staff Appreciation Week, and we encourage all our families to take a moment to send a note or message to a special education staff member who has positively impacted their child's journey. Your words of appreciation will mean the world to them and remind them how much their hard work is valued.

Friday A/B Rotation Schedule

Friday, December 6th will be an A DAY

Friday, December 13th will be a B DAY

Calendar Highlights

Monday, December 2nd CAC meeting at 5:30 pm in the Library, followed by the PTSA meeting.

EOC Retakes: Tuesday December 3rd - Friday December 6th.

Final Exams begin on Tuesday, December 17th

Round Table Preview (included as part of the 2nd block class [2/6]) Begins at 10:41 am.

  • Mon 12/2: Academic Advising

  • Tues 12/3: Character Strong: Testing Topics/Stress and Coping

  • Mon 12/9: Academic Advising

  • Tues 12/10: Academic Advising: Final Exam Study Session

Flexible Instructional Time (FIT).

  • No FIT for December 4-6, due to EOC testing

    • We will hold students in their 2nd/6th period class.

    • Students will be encouraged to sign for tutoring sessions for finals.

    • Students are expected to arrive to class at the beginning of the period.

  • December 11-13, normal FIT schedule

    • Students are strongly encouraged to sign up for tutoring sessions to prepare for finals.

    • Students may use this time for general study hall but must remain quiet to not interfere with tutoring sessions.

    • Students are not allowed to leave campus and are not permitted to roam the halls.

RAVE All About It!

I want to take a moment to invite you to show some love to our amazing McCallum faculty and staff through the AISD RAVE program. Our staff works so hard every day to create a positive and engaging environment for our students, and they truly deserve to hear how much they are appreciated by our community.

If you’ve already submitted a RAVE in the past, thank you for taking the time to share your kind words! Your words of encouragement make a world of difference! If you haven’t yet, we’d love for you to consider recognizing a teacher or staff member who’s made a difference in your child’s education or life.

We are so grateful for the support of our wonderful school community. Your involvement means the world to us, and it makes a huge difference in the lives of our teachers and students.

Thank you for helping us make our school such a special place to learn and grow!

RAVE

Fall Final Exam Schedule

Final exams will begin on Tuesday, December 17th, and we will follow our early dismissal schedule during this time. We encourage all students to give their best effort, as final exams count for 20% of their semester grade. To help with preparation, students are invited to attend tutorial sessions during the final week of FIT (December 11-13).

Let’s finish the semester strong!

Below is the Fall Exam Schedule. Please note that buses will depart at 1:15 pm each day.

Tuesday, December 17th
9:05 am - 11:00 am - 5th period exam
11:10 am - 1:05 pm - 6th period exam

Wednesday, December 18th
9:05 am - 11:00 am - 1st period exam
11:10 am - 1:05 pm - 2nd period exam

Thursday, December 19th
9:05 am - 11:00 am - 7th period exam
11:10 am - 1:05 pm - 8th period exam

Friday, December 20th
9:05 am - 11:00 am - 3rd period exam
11:10 am - 1:05 pm - 4th period exam

Students are required to take their exams at the scheduled times. If a student will be absent for an exam, they should contact their teacher and assistant principal as soon as possible.

CandyGrams - Suppprt the Class of 2028

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Want to send a festive treat to your friends?

The Class of 2028 is selling candy cane grams this week, from December 3rd to 6th! You can buy them for $2 each in the main hall and breezeway during lunch, or in the main hall before school. Be sure to have the first and last name, as well as the second and sixth period class, of the person you’d like to send a candy cane to.

Candy cane grams will be handed out during Round Table on December 9th and 10th.

Support the Class of 2028 and spread some holiday cheer!

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MacTheatre Presents 12 Angry Jurors & Inherit the Wind!

MCCALLUM FINE ARTS ACADEMY & MACTHEATRE PRESENT

12 ANGRY JURORS and INHERIT THE WIND

December 5th - 8th | MCCALLUM FINE ARTS BUILDING THEATER

Experience the power of conviction and the clash of beliefs in two timeless courtroom dramas: 12 Angry Jurors and Inherit the Wind.

Buy your tickets now to each of these timeless stories!

12 Angry Jurors is a compelling drama that examines the power of persuasion, the complexities of human nature, and the pursuit of justice. Set in a single, confined jury room, the play follows twelve jurors as they deliberate the fate of a young defendant accused of murder.

DECEMBER 5, at 7 PM - DECEMBER 7, at 7 PM - DECEMBER 8, at 2 PM

Inherit the Wind is a gripping portrayal of the famous 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial, where a high school teacher in the small town of Hillsboro is put on trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution, challenging the boundaries between science, religion, and freedom of thought.

DECEMBER 6, at 7 PM - DECEMBER 7, at 2 PM - DECEMBER 8, at 7 PM

Winter Wonderbrains

Calling all Freshmen Knights! Link Crew is hosting our 2nd annual Winter Wonderbrains! WWB is a special night to kick off the weekend of studying before December final exams are underway the following week. Link Crew has been hard at work planning (and cutting hundreds of paper snowflakes) in anticipation of this event. If your child is a 9th grade student, they are invited to join us on the evening of Thursday, December 12th from 5:00-7:00 pm in the McCallum cafeteria. Students will be led to study rooms, where we will provide a quiet & cozy atmosphere - including snacks & hot chocolate! - with plenty of Link Crew Leaders on hand to help them study for their tests. If your child is a freshman, please consider having them join us for Winter Wonderbrains!

Parents of all McCallum Knights: we would deeply appreciate donations for this! The cost of putting on Winter Wonderbrains usually falls to the student Link Leaders, but this year we’re asking for your help. THIS LINK will take you to a list of our current needs. Thank you for donating to make this night really special for our freshmen Knights!

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McCallum Entrepreneurs Compete at St. Edwards

Huge congratulations to Logan Foohey, Jon Castillo, Evan Herrin, Jackson Roberts-Bardwell, Sam Schuette, Valeria Leon, and Emory Smith for pitching their incredible business ideas to a panel of judges at the Junior Achievement Pitch Competition at St. Edward's University on Wednesday! 🚀 All of you did an outstanding job, showcasing your creativity, passion, and professionalism like seasoned business leaders.

A special shoutout to Valeria Leon and Emory Smith for taking home third place—what an amazing achievement! 👏 Your hard work and dedication truly paid off, and we can't wait to see where your entrepreneurial journeys take you next!

Fall 2024 AISD Occupant Pilot Study: Help us better understand how our school buildings can support your students.

Design researchers often study school buildings to learn how well they work. Austin Independent School District is partnering with a coalition of design companies to improve the quality and consistency of these studies. This research will test how well our survey tools work with teachers and students, and how the questions we ask relate to the way your child thinks about the school.

This research is open to all students at your child’s school. To participate, your child will follow an internet link we send to their email to complete an online survey. If your child chooses to participate, they can receive a $10 gift card for their time.

To learn more, contact AISD Director of Planning, Dr. Raechel French at raechel.french@austinisd.org or sign your child up to participate: https://bit.ly/CAUSE24engl

Click HERE for more information.

THIS THURSDAY - Sip and Shop at Parker + Scott

Mark your calendar and plan to support families in need with MACares this holiday season. 

Sip and Shop at Parker + Scott on Thursday, Dec. 5, 5-8pm. Shop unique gifts from local makers, enjoy cookies, coffee & wine from Mac family-owned companies, experience student art and music. 20% of sales all day go to MACares. 2113 W. Anderson Lane 

** Giftcards will be accepted at the Sip & Shop or drop them at the front office addressed to Karen McGarity.

Wrap it up! Gift Drive. Become a donor family or business, and organize gifts for a family. https://tinyurl.com/WrapItUpMac

What is MACares? A program of the McCallum HS PTSA, MACares works with counseling staff to support students and families in need, providing emergency financial assistance, grocery gift cards, bus passes, and more. 25% of the families in the McCallum vertical family are economically disadvantaged. 

Questions? Contact macares@mccallumptsa.org.

Sip

Class of 2025 - Project Graduation

Project Graduation's fundraising has officially launched! We are looking for business sponsors who want to support fun, safe, and substance- and alcohol-free events celebrating the Class of 2025! We've created a handy flyer you can leave with any business (your employer! your vet! your dry cleaners! your insurance agent! your ortho!) and a sample letter you can cut and paste into an email. It's so easy to ask! And excess funds that we raise this year will roll over to next year's senior class.

THANK YOU, MAC FAMILIES!!!

Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1obttsmkyCqSbt_bAzTjedFDp43jWAMX-/view?usp=sharing

Letter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ru9Udgg4gPAxY45J7gzzLd8AG_ZW8MqE/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=103424312191265662144&rtpof=true&sd=true

2025

Save the Date! LamarFest is Friday, December 6, 5-9pm!

It's one of the best nights of the year! And everyone is invited. LamarFest 2024 is bigger and better than ever with so many rides - including mechanical carnival rides, midway games, laser tag, a petting zoo, obstacle courses, giant hamster balls, a 45' metal super slide and so much more. We've even got a performance stage to showcase of all the talent our community has to offer. It's fun for all ages. We designed LamarFest 2024 for the whole community and the whole family; kids, teens, parents/guardians, siblings and friends. So whether your kid goes to Lamar, will go to Lamar or has gone to Lamar in the past, or goes somewhere else come meet your friends at LamarFest 2024. The more the funner! See attached poster for more details. 

Wristbands go on sale Monday, November 4 at LamarPTA.org (shop tab) and are available as single wristbands, plus deals for two- and four-wristbands.  And this year, order your dinner in advance! Our food court features Austin favorites Roppolo's Pizzeria, P. Terry's and Munch Zone Funnel Cakes.

We can't make an event as big as LamarFest happen without a lot of volunteers. Student volunteers can earn community service/volunteer hours! Please volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0F4AA8AE28A1FB6-43528159-2023

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Join the MAC PTSA

Elevate your high school experience by becoming a part of our Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA). As a member, you'll empower students with enriched programs and resources, advocate for their needs, build a supportive community, and stay informed. Join us to make a direct impact on education, foster connections, and shape a brighter future for our students – your involvement truly matters!